The Fly Fishing Shop: fly fishing

Rocky Ridge Ranch, Private Lakes
Patty & Mark fished the lakes at Rocky Ridge Ranch 02/22 & 02/23, just to find out if the trout were moving and what kind of shape they might be in. The weather was mild with afternoon temperatures in the high-fifties. Water surface temperature was 34-degrees.

The afternoon was calm and clear. A sparse hatch of Chironomids brought a few trout to the surface.

Mark Bachmann examines a winter trout and notes its fine condition...

As expected, Wooly Buggers fished with sinking lines proved to be the most productive way to fish.

This trout put a good bend in Patty's rod...

We reconfirmed our love for our Outcast PAC 9000 boats. If you don't own one, you don't know what you're missing.

We encountered many of these football shaped chrome plated rainbow trout.

Small Damselfly Nymphs fished in shallow water areas proved to be very
effective in some of the lakes.

Deschutes Trip Given To Native Fish Society

Don't miss the14th Annual Native
Fish Society Auction + Banquette - April 10

The Pacific Northwest is blessed
with many unique and interesting fisheries. The ownership and every person
who works at The Fly Fishing Shop - Welches, Oregon understands that sharing
these resources with other users is a privilege. To us that means we have
responsibilities. We must put back more than we take. We are willing.
The donation listed below is an attempt at paying a small token of our dues.
We believe The Native Fish Society is an organization worthy of our support.
This prize constitutes the last open dates of our August/September Jet Boat Calendar
for 2010. One hundred percent of the money raised will go to a great cause;
Native Fish Society.

Two-Night Trip: noon August 5 to noon August 7 (4
anglers have entire camp).

"You are waist deep in the riffle. Shadows
from the
towering basalt ramparts above turn the water golden brown. The
fly rides in the surface film under light tension, the long rod balances
lightly in your hand. Your eyes wander to the Great Blue Heron
who is stoically perched in an alder tree across the river. You are content in this
soft fluid world.

The line tightens in a slow, but deliberate pull and the heavy fish twists
and turns trying to dislodge your hook. Your rod arches with his power and
the line melts from your screaming reel. An incredible distance away the
huge silver and gunmetal fish bolts through the surface. You are
caught in the frenzy of your first Deschutes steelhead and time stands
still..."

Adventure In Paradise

Extended river camping is my specialty. We will be camped on prime water. In
addition, we have another fifteen miles of first-class water; all of which are
within easy reach from camp with our big powerful jet boat.

You sleep soundly on a deeply padded cot
within the comfort and security of a well ventilated tent.
You arise early from a great night's rest. Upon awakening, the sage-laden air fills your nostrils.
You sip a steaming cup of coffee, eat
some pastries, then don your waders and step into the sparkling river as
your guide explains the finer points of presentation and acquisition...

Itinerary:

Arrive at Mack's Canyon at noon. Load gear in the boat which is already in the
water. Run to camp. Stow your gear and get comfortable in camp. Enjoy
some refreshments as you prepare your fishing gear for the afternoon hunt.
Fish that evening, spend the night, fish the next day, spend the next night
in camp, fish the
last morning and leave right after brunch, depart from Mack's Canyon at
noon on the third day.

The Deschutes River is
regulated so that all fishing is done while hiking or wading.

Fishing from a boat is not allowed.

I use a jet boat for
transportation.

This boat hauls lots of gear and will give you maximum comfort and access to
all parts of the river.

I provide all meals and
camping gear.

You will sleep on a comfortable padded cot in a large,
secure dome tent (double occupancy).

Cooking and eating is done in a screen
house.

The potty has its own special tent for privacy.

A hot water shower and privacy shower stall will be available at all times.

Meals can be customized to fit any dietary requirements.

I do not furnish sleeping bags, waders or personal items.

You will need to provide your own
State Fishing License and steelhead tag.

To
review some of the accomplishments of Native Fish Society:

Projects
In Favor Of Wild Fish.

The Caddis Are Coming!

By: Rick Hafele

Last week I talked about
the early arrival of the brown willow flies or Skwala stoneflies. Well another
early arrival is also taking place, one that I look forward to every spring,
but one many anglers never even realize is there. It’s a small caddisfly
that goes by several common names including saddle-case caddis, turtle-case
caddis or little black short-horned sedge. These small, even tiny,
caddisflies thrive in mountain streams with cold, well-oxygenated water and
moderate to fast currents, the same kind of places where trout thrive.

Glossosoma Caddis, and notice the Baetis mayfly in th lower right hand corner...

Though small (only about a size 18
or 20) when adults are abundant they are easy to spot on shoreline grasses
and shrubs. If you see lots of them running around it’s a good time to fish
adult or pupa patterns. This photo was taken on the banks of the Deschutes
River on February 4

Saddle-case caddisflies
belong to the family Glossosomatidae, which includes six genera and 80 known
species. Three of the six genera –
Glossosoma, Agapetus, and
Protoptila – include species that can be important to the fly fisher,
but it is species of Glossosoma
that create the best fishing because of their size (8 – 10 mm long) and
abundance. In early February I found the species
Glossosoma schuhi emerging in
large numbers on the Deschutes, and it or similar species will be showing up
on just about every western stream throughout the spring. It is not
important that you know what species is present, but what is important is
that you can recognize this group of caddis and know when and where trout
are feeding on them. Their importance is emphasized by Gary LaFontaine in
his book Caddisflies, where he
says, “Not just among caddisflies, but among the entire fauna in many trout
rivers the larvae, pupae, and adults of
Glossosoma create more selective
feeding situations than any other organism at certain times of the year.”

The little domed cases of the saddle-case caddis larvae often go
unnoticed by anglers. Once you know what to look for, however, you will find
them in nearly all trout streams.

Their common name, turtle-case or saddle-case caddis, refers to the turtle
shaped shell-like case the larvae construct of small stones, and the fact
that the underside of the case does not completely seal in the larva but
rather forms a small strap or “saddle” that allows the head and tail of the
larva to protrude. These simple cases are considered the earliest attempt at
making portable cases by caddisflies. The finely tapered tubular sand and
plant cases of better-known cased caddis larvae are the results of a hundred
thousand more years of evolution.

Glossosoma
pupae don’t look like much, but during adult emergence pupae are readily
taken by trout.

Pupa patterns can be simple, just try to closely match the size and
general color of the natural.

Glossosomatids are
restricted to flowing water, and their greatest abundance occurs in cool
rapid streams of small to moderate size, though large rivers like the
Deschutes have excellent populations as well. The larvae feed by scraping
the fine layer of algae called periphyton off the surface of smooth rocks.
Their case is pulled with them, so they are rarely exposed.
Like most cased caddis they must make their case larger as they grow.
Unlike many other cased caddis, which simply enlarge their current
case, saddle-case caddis must build a new case each time they molt.
During these periods the larvae abandon their old cases and end up
drifting in the current, sometimes in large numbers.
Over 1600 larvae per square meter per hour have been measured in the
drift. The stomach contents of
trout likewise reflect this behavior.

Larva patterns are simple but effective when saddle-case caddis
larvae are drifting.

LaFontaine’s emergent sparkle pupa in a size 18 can produce well
during hatches of these little caddis.

Once the larvae reach
full size pupation begins.
First the case is securely anchored to the side of a rock in moderate to
swift current. Larvae often seem to
congregate at preferred spots resulting in the surface of some rocks
becoming completely encrusted with the little domed cases of the larvae.
After anchoring the case, the larvae spin a fine silk cocoon inside
and transform into pupae. Since any drop in water levels will leave the
anchored pupae high and dry, and dead if left that way for long, pupation
can be a hazardous time for these little caddisflies.

Pupation takes three to six weeks. Mature the pupae break out of their
cases, ready for their ascent to the surface.
Glossosoma pupae are 7 to
10 mm. long (typically a size 18 to 20 hook) have yellowish tan bodies, and
dark gray or black wingpads when mature.
Their hind legs are fringed with fine hairs making them effective
oars that they use to swim with a quick erratic darting motion.
Once at the surface the pupae either swim to shore where the adults
emerge along exposed rocks, or split their pupal exoskeletons immediately
and the adults float or run briefly on the surface, then fly for the safety
of the shoreline.

Glossosoma adults have dark gray wings and bodies.	This photo shows a group of males all, interested in the same female.
After mating females dive underwater to lay their eggs. If your dry flies aren’t working on the surface, fish them below the surface to match this behavior.

The adults are nervous creatures.
If not for their small size and grayish black color, they would
easily be seen running and skittering over rocks and shrubs along the bank.
After mating females return to the water to lay their eggs, when they
again become vulnerable to hungry trout.
On reaching the water the gravid females sit briefly on the surface
then dive under and swim to the bottom where they paste their eggs to a
rock. They then let go and swim
back to the surface. Trout zero in on the subsurface adults incased in a
bubble of air and sparkling like little balls of light.

Emergence periods for these caddisflies often extend over a four to
eight week period. The specific
time of year depends on the species and water conditions. In the West, with
its diverse populations, a near continuous chain of hatches occurs from
March through November. Species in many streams have a bimodal emergence, or
two hatches per year, with peak emergence in the spring from late March to
late May, and again in the fall, typically from early September to late
October. Given their early appearance this year expect to see them from now
until May or June and then again in the fall.

Fishing success depends on timing and observation.
Observation is the biggest factor.
These small caddisflies go unnoticed through their entire life cycle
by most anglers, or if seen as larvae clustered on a rock or as adults
skittering over the bank, they are not registered as important to imitate.
In fact, all stages – larvae, pupae and adults – are available to trout and
worthy of imitation. The larvae
become available during periods of high drift rates when old cases are left
behind to build new ones. Gary LaFontaine has this to say about the
importance of the larvae: “From
May to July, when the larvae are reaching full growth, this genus, with its
caseless drift, creates a unique situation. The dominant species in an area
can completely control the dawn and dusk activity of a stream. The larvae
form a food supply in the current that concentrates both forage fish and
game fish in or below riffles that have high populations of the insect.”

My suggestion is to make sure you have a few larval patterns in your
fly box and give them a try in the spring, early summer or whenever you see
a good number of their little domed cases on the rocks in riffles. Fish the
larval pattern dead drift close to the bottom.
Areas below a riffle will be your best bet.
A strike indicator will also prove very helpful, as trout are in no
rush to take these small, helpless, but enticing larvae.

If you find some cases pull a few off and look for pupae inside. If
pupae are present, and you have seen some adults along the shore, it’s time
to fish a pupa pattern. Emergence periods during the day typically occur in
the morning or late afternoon. I have found that pupa patterns can catch
fish through most of the day, though there is often a period of slower
activity from around eleven until two.
Fish may concentrate their feeding on the pupae at different depths
so experiment to find the best depth to fish.
If you're not seeing any surface activity, then more than likely fish
are feeding close to the bottom. Sometimes the pupae are easy to spot.
I remember looking down at my waders on one April day while standing
in a riffle fishing a nymph and seeing dozens of small
Glossosoma pupae clinging to me
as they were preparing to emerge. I switched to a pupa pattern, much to the
trout’s approval.

For fishing pupa patterns use the same setup you had for the larva.
Cast upstream and let the pupa sink (will likely require a split shot
on your leader). As it swings
below you give it some light twitches so it seems to be darting to the
surface. Strikes to the pupa
can be gentle or violent. I
find a strike indicator helpful in seeing the gentle ones.
The violent ones are easy, just don't snap your leader on the
strike.

Adults are best imitated with small dries fished wet, or with the
diving caddis patterns described by LaFontaine.
Egg laying activity will generally be in the afternoon and evening.
You can also fish a pupa and adult pattern together.
Put the pupa on the end of your tippet and attach the adult to a
dropper. Cast up and across and
let them both sink underwater.
You will likely find that some fish take the pupa while others like the
adult pattern. The
effectiveness of the adult pattern may increase as fish switch their feeding
from pupae to the egg-laying adults.

This season, while fishing one of your favorite streams, take a good look
around. Pick up a few rocks and
check for the small turtle-like cases of these little, inconspicuous caddis.
If you find them,
chances are, hungry trout will be finding them too.

Want To Learn More?

Sign up for Trout Fishing PhD School !!!

Outcast Boat Wheel - Is Here !!! Now getting your Outcast boat to the water just got easier.

The Outcast Pontoon Boat wheel is a much requested product from many pontoon boat owners. This is a really handy device that allows easy transportation of one's pontoon boat over varying terrain. This whole setupattaches quickly and easily and works as well as we think it should, and we are really critical of most products in our shop. This unit fits all of the Outcast and Fishcat pontoon boats and allows the boat to be "wheeled" much like a wheelbarrow. It simply fits at the rear (or front) of the seat mounting rails. Two thumb screws secures the adaptor to the frame. There are no other steps required. Simply place the wheel unit into the round collar and flip the lever to secure it in place. Use the same lever to loosen the wheel unit, strap wheel to the boat deck ( or take it back to the car) and you're fishing!!! This is the best application of a wheel unit that we have seen in many years. There have been many styles, but the Outcast unit is the best. The function and quality is exactly what we have come to expect from the Outcast folks.

Item	Description	Price	To Top
440-000145	Outcast Boat Wheel	$119.95

Brian Silvey Tandem Tube Flies

Black & Blue	Fleshy Red	Purple
Egg Sucker	Orange & Pink	Red & Orange
Complete Set	Tube Snakes are even bigger tandem tube flies!

The hook trails the fly, resulting very few missed fish...

Maximum movement in the
fly results in maximum hook-ups from steelhead...

Brian Silvey is one of the
most popular fly fishing guides in the Pacific Northwest.
His easy going manner, fish catching prowess and fly tying
ability have contributed to his success. Now we are
stocking his unique Tandem Tube Flies by popular demand.
These flies come pre-rigged with a super sharp Gamakatsu Hook
and 24-inches of 10-pound Maxima tippet complete with a
perfection loop. Tandem Tube flies average 3.5-inches long and
have a big presence in the water.

One
reason for the popularity of tube flies is anglers have a better
landing ratios using tube flies with trailing hooks versus
traditional steelhead hooks. A series of tube flies evolved at
the Silver Hilton Lodge on the famed Babine River in British
Columbia. This series of flies was tied on a short plastic
tube with a rabbit strip extending well past the end of the
tube. The hook was rigged on a loop that would swim free
hoping the tension on the line would hold the hook near the end
of the rabbit strip as the fly was fished under tension on the
swing. This series of flies performed well, but sometimes
anglers experiences strikes without hooking fish. This was
attributed to the fact the hook was dangling freely and may not
always be in the correct position when a steelhead struck the
fly.

As a
guide designing flies for his clients, Brian Silvey wanted a fly
that would take the assets of the Babine style tube flies and
solve some of the perceived problems. Brian wanted a fly that
would:

Fish a long fly tied
on short tubes but have the hook ride at the end of the fly.

Use a tube fly system
to fish a small hook that would not be dressed or attached
to the fly to increase hook to land ratios.

Swim like an
articulated fly in the water but that the average client
could cast easily.

Fish with both dry
lines and sink tips.

Fish effectively for
both summer and winter fish.

Out of
these requirements came the Silvey’s Tandem Tube Fly Series.

In addition to the tube at the head of the fly like traditional
tube flies, Brian added a small tube to the trailing end of the
rabbit strip allowing the fly to be rigged with the hook riding
at the end of the fly. This second tube rigging system
solved the problem of fishing a long fly with a short tube and
not sacrificing the movement in the water that makes this fly
fish so effectively. The second tube is a very simple solution
to an angling problem that has stumped many tube fly tiers up to
this point.

Silvey’s
Tandem Tube series is designed to be fished on a tight line
swing. The fly has a cone head that allows it to get down
whether fished on a dry line or sink tip, and are designed to
cast easily for the average angler.

Black & Blue Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly An exceptional fly for glacial river, dark days and dark water.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1010	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Black & Blue	1	$3.95

Egg Sucker Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly A flowing wiggly version of an old favorite.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1011	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Egg Sucker	1	$3.95

Fleshy Red Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly This fly is a very good choice when fishing in bright sunlight, or near the salt.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1012	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Fleshy Red	1	$3.95

Orange & Pink Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly A very good early season pattern. Also good in cold water.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1013	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Orange & Pink	1	$3.95

Purple Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly A good bet on interior rivers, such as the Deschutes and Clearwater, or for summer steelhead anywhere.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1014	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Purple	1	$3.95

Red & Orange Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly The most popular color combination for winter fishing during bright sunny days.
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG1015	Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly, Red & Orange	1	$3.95

Silvey's Tandem Tube Flies, Complete Set Two each of all six colors: (2) Black & Blue, (2) Egg Sucker, (2) Fleshy Red, (2) Orange & Pink, (2) Purple, (2) Red & Orange
Item	Description	Size	Price	To Top
SIG-SET	Complete set of 12, Silvey's Tandem Tube Flies	1	$46.95

This winter steelhead ate a black &
blue

Silvey's Tandem Tube Fly during low clear water.

This steelhead is firmly pinned in
the corner of the mouth because the hook trails the Silvey's Tandem
Tube Fly.

Pictures From
Customers Like You

The Internet forms a global cortex that allows instant communication between
anglers in many locations. It's fun for us to follow the success of our many
customers through the pictures they send us. Here are a few to share with
you:

DeathStar winter fish from Northern California - Windy Barbin

Check out The DeathStar Cronicles

"As
you see, gear I bought from you was hard at work last Friday in Miami!"

Mika Juhani,
Finland

G.
Loomis CrossCurrent Rods and

Nautilus Reels

A big thank you for all of the help in getting the correct gear for my
tierra del fuego trip.

David H. Walker, Aiken, SC, USA

C.F. Burkheimer Fly Rod CF 7127-4

10th Annual
!!!

10th Annual Sandy River Spey Clave

Women's Day Is Only The Beginning!

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Blog Archive

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Trillium Lake- a nearby gem

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Chillin with the Big Easy

Monday, February 16, 2015

How does your fly knot stack up against other common fly knots?

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Advance Casting: Shadow Casting

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

New flies to get ready for the winter season.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Want to get the word out.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Fishing Report

Friday, March 5, 2010

FlyFishUSA.com The Fly Fishing Shop, Welches Oregon