As you know by now, I am sold on soft hackles. They are the perfect wet fly, the perfect emerging fly but could they be, at least, a very good dry fly? The problem is that the partridge or starling feathers would soak up water and that would be the end of it. Now, I've used lots of "dust" to keep them dry and employed ultra long leaders to keep the fly from slamming down on the water but I wanted something a bit better. Why not a tuft of CDC to keep it half in the film and half on the surface.
Is this a wet fly or a dry fly? It's both! If you want it to sink just give it a tug to send it under. Want it to float? Just throw some quick false casts. I've been fishing a size 18 SH sulphur this past week using the same fly as both wet and dry.
It works!!!
The Rain
I didn't think I'd be wanting rain this summer with all the rain over the past 10 months but we really needed it. Give the Millers and the EB a day or two to settle down before you hit them. Remember, it's still a very early morning/dusk fishery until after Labor Day.
The Swift - At about 120 cfs it's in very good shape. BTW, one commenter noticed that anglers are spread out on the Swift after I made the suggestion on the last post!!!
Go Fish!!
Ken
10 comments:
Water was warm this past weekend on the EB saw two rainbows very close to shore looking docile at best... wasn’t fishing at the time but the rain was definitely needed!
Swift was fun yesterday, till the thunder started. Had some lookers for a emerger, then got a few with a LaFontaine sparkle pupa. Never worked much on the swift before for me, but there was a light colored caddisish looking bug that was around, and some of the rises were slashes, so I figured a quickly ascending creature was on the dinner table. It worked.
But the thunder scared me off...
Hi, Ken,
Love the idea of adding cdc to the soft hackle! Do you tie the cdc in before dubbing and then dub around it?
Cheers,
Dave
Anonymous 10:08,
The EB got some much deserved rain. One more 1 inch storm per week and we will be in good shape for the Fall.
Hibernation (Will),
It's been nothing but sulphurs on the Swift for me over the mast two weeks.
Dave P.,
Thread for the body, a ball of rabbit fur for the thorax, then a tuft of cdc, then the partridge hackle, then add one trout!
Ken
Hello, been a while since my last post, spent the last 9 fishing days on the EB,even the day before and day after the night of rain, caught fish on all of those 9 (0n top mostly)days, that river is a factory. Also had the river to myself all 9 days. But today to the MB, there at 6:30 AM, trout rising, fooled 2 bows with a #14 dry attractor on a spot on the river that's made for dry fly fishing, also had the river to myself. Tomorrow maybe the WB. Oh I am a soft hackle fan and use foam sometimes to help float them, white foam then I can do the color I want.
Gary,
Thought I had a break from guiding the end of this week to hit the higher flow on the EB but no deal. Besides the Swift in its out-of-the-way places has been very good. I think next week!!! YOU had a very good week!!!!
Ken
Stop by the Millers midday. Just looking. But fish were rising? Got out my tenkara rod, fished from shore using para adams, Irresistible adams and a yellow stimulator. 6 browns (12-14") and two bass. Put a nice bend in my tenkara rod! Water was much cooler with the recent rain compared to last week. One brown broke off my 5X but oddly it hit another fly and I got both flies back! Who says you can't fish midday?
Bill/Tully,
Excellent work. The high water (600+cfs) must of made them feed. Browns will do that. Good for you for not giving up at mid day!
Ken
I did go to the WB today, arrived in the 6am hour. While walking to the run I was going to fish one of those steroid bows jumped a foot out of the river and belly flopped back in the water confirming there were fish here. Result was 2 bows 1st fooled with a #14 dry attractor on top, the 2nd with a #10 pats rubber legs, yes went thru the run (about 100 yds. long) twice, 1st on top then a second time thru to see if anything was hiding on the bottom. EB,MB, and WB still producing fish in late July.
Gary,
That's why you are the Wizard of the Westfield!!!
Ken
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