I'd be having a lot more fun if I actually caught a fish now and then.

FAOL Community Fly Anglers Online
1

Hi folks:

It’s Greg here, from the “A Newbie’s Journey” articles last season. It’s been a long quiet winter here in the Sierra mountains. New regulations opened up the North Fork of the American river to fishing during the November to April off season. Barbless hooks, artificial lures, and catch and release only. The new rules seem made for fly fishing.

I tried winter fishing a few times near Iowa Hill and Yankee Jim’s crossing with no results (don’t 'cha just love those old gold miner place names?) The water was gin clear and deep and not a fish to be seen anywhere. Even fishing nymphs deep and slow got me no strikes at all. Maybe the water was too cold, or too clear or too . . . something.

So in April opening day comes and I spend that evening at my favorite spot on the Bear river. After stalking a rising trout for what felt like an hour (but was probably only about 15 minutes) I got close enough without spooking it to get a dry fly in front of him. He gulps it up and I set the hook. He dives deep and then comes straight back up leaping into the air clearing the water by a full body length. As he tosses his head back and forth he throws the fly and as quickly as it starts, it’s over.

That was the only strike I’ve had this year.

I’ve tried fishing slow moving eddies behind rocks; I’ve tried finding pockets in riffles; I’ve tried multi-fly rigs with a dry fly, a copper john hanging off of that and a light hare’s ear nymph hanging off of that.

Nothing.

I’ve been turning over rocks and seeing nothing but tiny translucent nymphs. I switch to small light colored nymphs to match those tiny translucent nymphs.

Nothing.

Two weeks ago when the Bear river and Truckee river were flowing at 2 to 3 times the normal CFM I tried a weighted molting crawfish pattern that I let tumble down the river like a crawfish that’s been torn away from the bottom. I even tried tying a stonefly nymph behind that to give the fish 2 targets to hit.

Nothing.

This weekend I went back to the American to try hitting a whole series of pockets in a long run. I tried a dry fly with a wet fly hanging off of it, I tried a dry fly with a beetle hanging off if it, I tried nymphs under a strike indicator.

Nothing.

The only thing I’ve caught this year is a mild case of poison oak. :frowning:

I find that I’m having trouble relaxing at the river any more. I’m getting so frustrated at not catching anything (or even getting strikes) that my expectations are overwhelming the joy of simply being at the river. If I drive some distance to the Truckee or Yuba that expectation is even higher because now I’ve invested time and gas money.

I need to find that “happy place” where I was last year when I was just beginning to learn how to cast and present a fly. I need to learn to relax at the river again. But most importantly, I need to catch a freakin’ fish! Last year it took a dozen trips before I caught my first fish. By the end of the season I would regularly catch one, two, sometimes even three fish in one evening. Now I can’t even prove that there are fish in that darn river.

So, does anyone have any advice for handling a dry spell? Or is “Get over it and go fishing” the best advice? :cool:

2

You might try fishing midges under a strike indicator until the water temp goes up and more hatches start.
Doug

3

Well here in Minisota, we have a short fishing season, disregarding ice fishing. The water stays cooler longer, and gets colder sooner. And belive me it can be difficult going out again, and again without a hit. Still the simple act of casting over a body of water does it for me. And when I finnally get that first hit of the season. My whole body trembles. And all thouse moments of fustration are gone. I am once again that littel boy fishing at my grandfathers pond.
So I say just go out have fun, don’t think so much. The fish will be there when the time is right.

4

I second Dshocks suggestion. You could still use a dry instead of the indicator though. Try a small beadhead 18 or 20 midge 18" below the indicator/fly and fish it in the same places you would the dry. I do this all year long when things get tough.

Keep after it Dru, i want to read more of your exploits.

Rich

5

You might want to consider hiring guide. You can generally split the fee with a buddy. Guides will educate you where the fish are and what they are feeding on. A couple of my favorite spots now are places I have been with guides. Out of respect I will give them the right away when they are in the area.

6

Hey Dru, don’t get me down, I am doing my first ever real flyfishing this Thursday to Sunday and hope I get a few for a lunch. Were going to the Kern River and yes, I will do my best not to get killed. Everyone says that when I say “I am going the Kern”. Don’t plan on wadding in the water, no wadders yet. Well I wish you better luck and thanks for posting your quandary. By reading the other’s replies I get to learn about how to maybe not fall into a slump such as yours. Good luck but not to much, I am going to need some myself I think.:roll:

7

Sounds to me like you need to spend a day catching bluegills. They’re fun, fairly easy, and will make you forget all about your trouting troubles. Plus it’ll give the water time to warm up and the flows to come back down to a reasonable amount. It might even help to restore a little confidence in your abilities. There’s nothing worse than fishing with self doubt as a partner.

Fish

8

Got one word:

Wooley Bugger.

Well, make that two.

9

Been on vacation for a week and a half. Started on the McKenzie and actually had one on for about 30 seconds. Lond distance release. Next stop, the Metolius for 4 days. The only fish I saw there was sewn onto the front of a hat I bought. Today I arrived on the Willamette to try the next three days. I’m liking my odds; they can’t get any worse.
Oh ya, I live on the North Umpqua and haven’t caught a fish all year. That’s a lie. I did catch some dinky blugills and a small bass on a lake about ten miles from my house.
The scenery in Oregon is fantastic. The rivers are simply breathtaking. The fishing is not so good, or is it MY fishing is not so good? My buddy who lives across the river from me says he doesn’t care if he catches fish. I say lets stop spending tons of money on flyfishing gear and take a broom stick out there and wave it at the water. Same outcome, less cost.
Actually I like the challenge. I can’t wait to tie into my first fly- caught steelhead.
Gary

10

How are you holding your mouth?

Never frown they don’t like it! :smiley:

11

Dru; You will eventually sort out the where and whyfor of fishing your particular areaand I am sure you will start catching trout. Just one thing to bear in mind while you are out there. If Your Name is not on any fish you cant catch them, but once your name is stamped on the fish leaving home to explore the big wide world you WILL hook your share. Only time will tell whether your name is in the file or has been overlooked.

So;Say a little prayer to the Keeper Of The Water and tell him your name. Have Fun. Jax

12

Gary, Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. Spose ya will probably hate me now. :slight_smile:
http://flyanglersonline.com/cst/cst082602.php

13

Set the rod down for twenty minutes and look at what’s going on in the places you’re fishing. Are there any bugs on the water so you can try to match the hatch? Is it windy? (if so, try terrestrial patterns)

Nothing on top? Fish below (like you are) and keep switching it up.

Read every report you can get your hands on for the waters you fish…look closely at what flies they call out and read up on how those flies are fished (the how is probably more important than which flies worked)

I finally had success last Saturday on a lake that’s been kicking my butt for way too long. Nothing I tried worked even when I could see the fish.

The day before, I gave up and trying (gasp!) spin gear! Oh the irony of it all…as I stood there tossing kastmasters, spinners, plastics, you name it…nothing worked but I could see fish rising near me.

No bugs of merit on the surface and, judging by the ripples, the rises were for something emerging and still below the surface. Not a lot of rises though…

So, Saturday, I went back out and fished poppers. I figure if they’re feeding sporadically, there’s not enough of a hatch to make them key in on whatever was hatching…so I figured a popper in their midst should work.

Whaddyaknow! Within minutes of my first cast, I finally had a fish on! My first for that lake!

I didn’t do very well that evening, but I finally made progress and found where to fish and when to fish…I just need to work harder on what fly to fish with to increase the hits.

A few weeks ago, I spent a day on Eastman Lake (a ways south of you). The ranger said the fish stop biting about 9 or 10am and don’t start back up until after 5pm…got my first fish of the day (followed by five more) at 1:15pm…fishing top water with the air temperature above a hundred!

The wind was blowing and normally, I’d fish the shore the winds are blowing towards (figuring the food is being blown that way and the fish follow the food). But this time, I discovered that the back side of a large island had smooth water extending a few feet out from shore…right on the seam of that smooth water and where the wind made it choppy yet again there were fishing working the surface…tossed a popper at 'em and finally had success.

All of my fish that day came by finding the seam between smooth water and choppy water behind points and islands that blocked the wind.

Keep asking what they’re feeding on and trying things they might like to eat…if nothing’s rising, maybe that area has poor food content…try another area or try a larger fly (they might be pretty hungry so toss some groceries!).

For your waters…what are they eating? Turning over rocks isn’t the only answer. Screen the water, look at the weeds/trees/bushes along the edges to see what the wind might blow in…

Nothing rising? Fish attractor patterns, minnow patterns, etc. Keep changing it up!

Good luck and let us all know what you come up with.

Another option, especially in your area…spend a day or two with a guide. They’ll know the flies, techniques, etc and being near Tahoe, you should be able to find some guides…

14

Those were the first two words that came to my mind too!

Start swinging buggers. There’s no better way to cover a lot of water and a lot of depths. When you catch one either keep it, clean it and do an autopsy to see what is in the stomach or bring a turkey baster and pump the stomach (some people don’t like do this…then again, some don’t like either option) but they are good ways to find out what insects the fishies are keying in on.

15

Well, I can’t give any advice on how to catch, since I’m one of the worlds worst fisherman. However, I can say that I try and learn something each and every time I fish. This is mainly a problem when I go after Steelhead. I swear, they’re like a unicorn or some other mythical creature. There are (most) times I’m not catching (probably due to fishing in an area where there ain’t any fish-don’t ask) and I really concentrate on my casting accuracy, line mending and presentation. So the day’s not a total wash, I’ve sharpened some skills. But that does get old after a while. That’s when I thank God that I have Bluegills that I can harass. I truely believe that my fishing enjoyment has risen the past two years from taking my son fishing for 'Gills. Come on now, does any one really believe the statement “well, I didn’t catch anything, but it was nice to be on the water”,? O.K. that is partly true “a bad day fishing is better that a good day at work”, but don’t we all enjoy it more when we are catching? I hope that you have Bluegills or some other willing fish available that you can catch, it’s good for the mind and spirit.
Tom.

16

Though I don’t fish Trout often, I was what I called “creek stupid” for a while and was cured (somewhat) when someone suggested starting on a smallish creek that is known to hold fish and simply fish it until I could catch consistently.

Well, it worked.

The anticipation and expectations of driving to that next river are eliminated and you learn to use what is available.

I have also self imposed MANY one fly days where I will use only one fly and work it till it catches.

17

“tiny translucent nymphs”

I was just on the Truckee last Saturday and saw the same thing on those rocks. Tons of midges…take a zebra midge deep trailing from something heavy like one of those big golden stones that are also crawling around on those rocks… good luck! keep at it!

18

As much time and effort as you have put on the water, something isn’t working for you. I take it that you would agree with that statement?

They say a crazy person is someone who keeps doing the same thing and expecting different results. :stuck_out_tongue:

You can be doing everything perfectly but if you are not fishing where the fish are you won’t catch anything. The opposite is also true. You can do many things wrong and catch a lot of fish if you are fishing in the right spot.

First thought is to second the guys opinion on hiring a guide. Second thought and a way to save some money is to join the local TU, go to the meetings and get to know some of the guys there. Go to the work parties, many times after a work party people will grab a fly rod and fish a stretch of river that they have done some HI (Habitat Improvement) work on.

If I were to guess your issue, it would not be the choice of fly is wrong. It would be location or presentation. As much time as you have spent doing the wrong thing, a $150 half day would pay benefits all season long this year and for many more years. Good luck to you.

Rick

19

Dru,
I was never interested in fishing midges, but a Guide showed me that during the winter, midges were the only game in town. A Guide will teach you how to fish a midge. The take is very soft and your indicator will hesitate. A slow action rod is important because you don’t want to miss takes by pulling the midge away from the fish too fast on the strike.
Doug

20

Dru -

Take a road trip to Montana or Wyoming. Do not pass through Idaho since we do not have any trout around here !!

John