Stillwater Tips from Orvis

I've been doing some o̶b̶s̶e̶s̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ research about still water fly fishing and I've picked up a few pointers I thought I'd pass along. I found a great Orvis podcast with guest Phil Rowley from 2011 on still water fishing that I highly recommend to anyone doing some reservoir fishing, even if you don't fly fish.

First thing- using a strike indicator. I had really just been thinking about casting and stripping streamers, but it seems that nymphs or leech patterns under indicators are really effective early in the season. A midge pupa, scud, or hare's ear could work here, especially as a dropper from a small wooly bugger. A quick release indicator (it will snap off and slip down the line when you set the hook) is useful here, as we're looking at suspending your presentation at 10 feet or deeper in a reservoir scenario. Browns could be anywhere in the water column during the spring. A fish finder is going to give you a pretty good idea of where they are holding if there's any kind of thermocline.

Second, slow presentation and stealth. Just like winter stream fishing, these cold water fish aren't going to chase down a streamer. This makes the indicator technique really useful- even with a streamer. With a little breeze, and some luck, a nice slow drift should produce enough movement to get it in front of a fish. And with regular streamer presentation, a super slow retrieve is key. A fluorocarbon leader is a must in clear water, a nylon leader is fine- but use at least 3 feet of tippet.

Third, those rises I've been wondering about are most likely related to midges. Reservoir brown might hit any number of dry patterns, but midges are everywhere on lakes and might just be worth a shot for those early morning risers.



Orvis Stillwater Podcast with Tom Rosenbauer and guest Phil Rowley

Hooké Patagonia teaser

These guys produce amazing videos and really capture how much fun fly fishing can be. They're all about "the vibe" and it shows- these guys have a blast fishing. I can't wait to see this.

Streamers

I just got some of Steve Farrar's SF Flash and have started to work it into my streamers. It's a really wispy, flashy material- I can see how it would add some nice action to a fly. I haven't seen any fresh water flies tied with it anywhere, but I think this pattern could work for large reservoir trout and also for stripers. My other goal this year is to catch a striper on the fly, but that's another post entirely.

Hardy Ultralite 3000 DD

I am one of the more frugal fly fishermen you'll meet- mostly by necessity, by I also firmly believe that you can fly fish without spending a ton of money on fine gear and looking like an Orvis catalog model. However, I just dropped over $200 for a reel, which I have never done. And I have no regrets. This reel just feels like pure quality and the drag has the delicate click of a fine watch. I was hesitant to buy a large arbor reel, I just thought they were bulky, but the small 3000 model is perfectly matched for my five weight. I also love the fast retrieve it is capable of when I need it. I have yet to test the drag on a worthy fish, but it performed like a champ on the two occasions I've had to use it. I just can't wait to hear the sound of this drag system being put to the test. I know I'll have this reel for many years and that makes it worth every penny.






Also a tip: I've always wished for a way to wrap up the spool on a reel to keep the line from spilling out or tangling and I found a perfect solution. I bought a bag of those velcro ties that you can get to wrap up audio/tv cables and it works great. They come in different widths and make a great cover to wrap around your reel in storage. They sell something similar, I've seen Hardy ones made of neoprene, but they are hard to find and overpriced. See.. Frugal.

Reservoir Fly Fishing

I've been fishing Kensico reservoir for years, but I've never caught a trout on the fly there. That's all about to change. It's been a long winter and I'm on a mission. I spent the winter gathering gear and tying streamers that I hope will imitate a sawbelly- the baitfish that inhabit NY reservoirs by the millions. I bought an 8 weight rod,  some type II sinking line and I'm dying to get out there and start throwing these streamers around. I'm really not a fan of trolling, I want to catch one casting- but I'll do what it takes. I just want to catch one of the monster browns that are in there this spring, before the thermocline sets in and they move beyond the reach of a fly rod.

Large bodies of still water like this are really intimidating. I'm lucky enough to have a boat, so I can cover a lot of ground. Kensico is well over 100 feet deep in spots, where giant lakers lurk. Over the years I've found out where the structure is (a fish finder is key to reservoir fishing) so I plan to start there and see what happens. I've also learned that dawn is when the action is- so getting out there early is important. I've seen some massive fish rising out there in the mornings, I wish I knew what they are and what they're eating. If they are browns, they would surely take a dry, and I'll have a 5 wt on hand for risers- but what are they eating? Would they take a stimulator? A streamer just under the surface? I really hope I know the answer to these questions before the end of the summer.

Opening Day

Opening day is fast approaching, and I have to admit-it gives me mixed feelings. My love of fly fishing is tied to a need for solitude and in less than a week anglers will be out in droves crowding all of the streams we've been kept away from all winter. Don't get me wrong, I love fishing with friends and meeting people on the water- but a part of me is dreading the weekend crowds that are about to materialize. I have a day job, that’s when I can fish too. But I fish all year and the relative solitude of winter fishing is well worth the cold and slow fishing. That said- there is excitement in the air for us anglers and I'm really looking forward to having the many options of our amazing Croton watershed open once again.

It's also opening day for this blog. I don't have any grand statements to make here, just that I plan to write about the o̶b̶s̶e̶s̶s̶i̶o̶n̶ hobby that I love and share what little I really know about it. Some photos of enormous  brown trout wouldn't hurt either, but I'll get to that. Hopefully.