THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Fly Fishing Fly Selection Refined

 #4 The Super Floss Rubber Legs

This is, for some, the long awaited fourth post in the Magnificent 7 series of must have trout flies. As I write, it is 9:30 PM and 28 degrees outside here in Lewiston, California. The Trinity River flows only an informal stroll from my cozy domicile, a 28ft. 5th-wheel camper. Hundreds of fin bedecked fish known as “Steelhead” are moving through the Trinity River tonight, swimming upstream to the aqua-ladder that provides entry to their birthplace, a fish’s fishy home called the Lewiston Fish Hatchery. Me?  I just work here, on the Trinity River. My trailer is base-camp for guided fishing operations, conducted almost daily from late October through mid March on the marvelous Trinity River.

Super Floss Rubber Legs

Fly anglers flock to the Trinity River in California hoping, lusting, dreaming of  the moment when once tight to pure verve, all cares, worries and even pain are relieved completely for a significant amount of time. The steelhead is arguably the most spectacular fish to come up against with a fly rod. An elusive fish on most coastal streams, not so elusive on the Trinity River. The steelhead is a “trout”. A rainbow trout to be exact. Consider the steelhead a more highly evolved version of the rainbow trout. Why? Steelhead swim to the ocean and then, after a few months to a couple years, return to the stream of origin as adults and spawn. They come from the ocean! Steelhead are large. And, they will eat a properly presented fly! Usually.

In a crowd of die-hard steelhead anglers, names like “Silver Hilton”, General Practitioner”, “Green Butt Skunk” , “Thunder Pussy”, to name a few, refer to fly patterns attached to 0x/1x leaders, cast into mysterious water, with hopes of seducing the chrome colored, cold blooded vertebrate, fresh from the sea. Such steelhead flies are considered “worthy” and “righteous” by most traditional steelhead anglers. Anything else is sacrilegious, uncouth and improper. But, there are other flies. Oh yeah. Flies that work just fine. The flies I speak of can be cast, flung and swung on a fly rod just like the old traditional, conformist patterns! We’re talking flies fished by the angler unwilling to accept the aid of experts or professionals. The angler that won’t be told. The angler fishing his 9ft 5wt on the Trinity in a flannel shirt and neoprene waders and extra large tennis shoes, tight to a 10lb red sided buck, amongst the trendy droves of the latest switch rod wielding, spey rod waving, Skandi line jacking, versi-tip throwing, techie vest wearing, 21 year old guide hiring, 30-something husband and father to-be that just got laid off and is now firmly locked into fly fishing purgatory and a divorce. (all said, spey rods are really fun!)

Consider these examples; The Pheasant Tail Nymph is one of the best steelhead flies on the Trinity River. The Bird’s Nest has produced more steelhead on the Lower Sacramento than any fly I can think of. But, there is a fly that works exceedingly well for steelhead and rainbow trout in just about any freestone stream, tail water or coastal stream harboring healthy populations of stoneflies and stick-caddis. Are you thinking what I’m thinking? Bet not. The fly I’m writing about is the “Rubber Legs” fly pattern! Sometimes called the “turd fly” or the “stupid fly” . The Super Floss Rubber Legs has become an incredibly versatile pattern for trout and steelhead alike!

The Rubber Legs is basic, simple, multifaceted and multi-talented!. Using a #6-8 Tiemco 5268 hook, Super Floss Stretch Body Materiel, Brown Chenille, lead wire and 8/0 brown tying thread, a half dozen of these funky flies can be produced in less than 30 minutes by an experienced tier. Fish the Rubber legs with heavy split shot on the bottom of the river under an indicator or high stick it through bubbly, tight slots, bounce it off the boulder in the middle of the river were that bubble blowing bad brown is holding. Swing it at the end of the smooth glide, at the back of the tail-out for Mr. Enormous. Strip it for Carp, Bass, Trout, Catfish, Red Fish Your Fish! It’s for the lake, the stream, the pond. Look, it sells itself! Buy it or tie it, fish will eat it even if they are not hungry! Works in virtually any water conditions! Featuring genetic response fishing action, fish will clobber this fly. And if you believe all that, then go buy the banjo minnow too!

The Rubber Legs makes the Magnificent 7 list because it is a proven fly here in N. California on rivers like the Pit, Hat Creek, the Upper Sacramento and McCloud River! Over in Oregon on the Deschutes, Umpqua, Elk and Sixes it’s a magical fly. In Idaho on the Snake River, Teton and Henry’s Fork it produces hook-ups daily. In Montana (always Montana) on just about every river in the state! Anywhere rainbow and brown trout are found, the Super Floss Rubber Legs is a reliable pattern to show the fish. Never go fishing without it. Now for the recipe:

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THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Fly Fishing Fly Selection Refined

 #3 BEAD HEADED PHEASANT TAIL NYMPH

Bead Headed Pheasant Tail Nymph

The Bead Head Pheasant Tail Nymph needs no introduction among fly fishers. To the uninitiated it’s s a trout fly pattern, basically hand tied using Pheasant and Peacock feathers, copper wire, sometimes a copper or gold bead for the head. The Pheasant Tail Nymph imitates most aquatic nymphs found in rivers and lakes that are home to the fish all fly rod wielding anglers dream about; Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Steelhead, Golden Trout, Brook Trout. Can’t leave out Abiqua Creek Coastal cutthroat trout. A fly pattern that has been around for over 80 years, the modern day Pheasant Tail Nymph is commonly refereed to as a PT nymph, proven extensively throughout the worlds renowned trout waters and even a few mysterious steelhead streams. It can be tied in numerous sizes and styles, on many different hooks. Tie it on a straight shank hook or a curved one. Add some crystal flash over the thorax, and it’s a flashback PT nymph! The pheasant tail nymph can be tied with or without a bead, however the beaded version is probably the most sought after modern version found in every fly shop, with the non-beaded version working best on still waters and spring creeks like Fall River. So much is written about this fly pattern. I feel the best I can do is summarize what has already been said in various magazines and online articles.

To begin, the PT nymph has a notable history well worth mentioning in this post. To say this pattern has been around awhile is an understatement when considering the first version was created by Frank Sawyer sometime around 1930. As it was known then, the Sawyer Nymph was solely tied with thin copper wire and pheasant tail fibers. Surprisingly, no thread was used when tying the Sawyer Nymph. Al Troth refined the Sawyer nymph into the current pheasant tail nymph, “American” version, around 1960. Al Troth’s contribution is ascertained by the application of peacock hurl for the thorax. What’s a thorax? Well, it is not for cleaning the toilet or tub. If the thorax definition is of interest, then you, reader of this post, will benefit from a local library, fly shop or Wikipedia visit to gain familiarity with fly tying terminology and entomology. Lest I digress, beyond Al Troth’s version, the PT nymph recipe has been endlessly adjusted, adapted and refashioned in too many ways to list. The tying materials may change, but if it looks like a pheasant tail nymph, it is! Usually.

Baetis Nymph. Note the reddish head. The PT can be tied with red thread to suggest the hints of red found in the natural.

I think of all the flies tied on the end of the tapered leader and presented to trout from wild and native to hatchery raised, the PT most closely resembles everything trout feed on with a few exceptions and they are; bait fish, eggs or roe, leeches, crayfish. The PT nymph looks like the dark caddis that hatch on the Lower Sacramentoin March. The March Madness caddis hatch on the Sac is the same hatch named the “Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch” occurring in other parts of the country, near Mother’s day. I fished this hatch on the Yellowstone in Montana, always Montana. Even today, my guest went on about Montana this, Montana that. All I can say is at least California doesn’t have a river called “the big hole”. I’ll stop there. Moving right along, don’t loose me, the PT nymph does a fantastic job of imitating varieties of mayfly nymphs found in rivers and lakes. For example, a mayfly genus called callibaetis lives out a lifecycle in many lakes and some spring creeks. As a nymph, callibaetis looks just like a #14-16 PT nymph. The angler fishing a PT nymph equal in size to the callibaetis hatching on the lake where our angler sits in a pontoon boat or float tube, under a warm clear sky, possibly suffering from symptoms of heat stroke, is least likely to go home without a hook up compared to another angler fishing some other callibaetis type nymph. I have yet to find a callibaetis pattern that competes with the PT nymph. If there is one amongst the vast selection of callibaetis patterns, obviously I am not informed. I know many a great fly tier, and I will likely pay dearly for not promoting their awesome flies. To that end, I will never relinquish my stance on the PT when fished during a callibaetis hatch. Furthermore, bigger PT nymphs tied from #12 up to #10 imitate little stonefly nymphs, found in trout streams everywhere, also called Little Yellow Stones or Sallies. A #8-6 PT nymph suggests a Skwalla Stone preferred by Trinity Steelhead in January-February. Mayflies called Pale Morning Duns (PMD) are found in trout streams everywhere! Trout love PMD nymphs and the pheasant tail pattern can be tied to match the natural almost exactly, in a #14-18. A pheasant tail nymph looks like most of the cased caddis found on northern California rivers! During summer days on the Upper Sacramento, I can feel the cased caddis in the gullet of rainbow trout as I remove the barbless hook from the fishes mouth. The rainbows must eat the cased caddis larva right off the rocks were the cases are attached. Tied in size 20-22, the PT is a midge! A mayfly genus called “Baetis” lives in trout filled rivers ubiquitously, hatching almost daily more or less. Trout eat baetis all the time, every time.

The pheasant tail nymph as a fly pattern is presented in a couple ways. Initially, a technique introduced by the originator Frank Sawyer called “Sawyer’s Induced Take” went like this: Using a fly rod, the fly was typically cast upstream, drifted drag free as it sank and presented downstream using a lifting technique just as the fly approached trout holding water. This lifting technique is typically called the Leisenring Lift after Jim Leisenring, a fervent wet fly angler who refined the “Induced Take” technique sometime during the early 1940s. I can think of a couple other presentations that mimic this very approach. One would be high-stick nymphing and the other short-line nymphing. Many will argue that all the presentations I just touched on are basically the same. I believe this to be the case. In the end, all techniques described in this post are popular and effective on many pocket water streams in northern California like the Upper Sacramento River, McCloud River, Pit River and the Power House #2 Riffle at Hat Creek.

Callibaetis Nymphs with an olive/brown color. A yellow thread can produce the subtle high-lites.

Fishing the PT nymph under an indicator is in my belief the best way to show the fly to a fish in a prime holding lie that can’t be easily reached with the high-stick or short-line method. For every rainbow that takes a fly presented drag free, there are dozens that eat the same fly at the very end of a good presentation, just as the fly lifts, with or without an indicator suspending the fly. The retroactive technique of swinging flies has, for a hundred years or more, produced more hook ups than any presentation I can think of that dates back pre 1930. And 1930 was a long-ass time ago. I write “retroactive” because more and more anglers are discovering the swing technique, it’s effectiveness and allure. As for the indicator technique, it is a very effective and useful tool in showing fish a suspended fly quickly and relatively effortlessly. As popular as indicator fishing is, keep in mind, indicators are far from the only way or best way to fish. Saying there’s a best way to fish is like saying there’s such a thing as the best flavor of ice cream. I have my favorites. I don’t like Rocky Road or any kind of chocolate ice cream. If I want chocolate, I’ll eat chocolate cake! With fudge frosting! With a scoop of cookies and cream! Pick a presentation be it high stick, short line, swing or indicator nymphing and swing the PT nymph at the end of the presentation for best results and happy times.

In closing, please find below the recipe for the Bead Headed Pheasant Tail Nymph, fly #3 in the list of the Magnificent 7. I tie PT nymphs with and without bead heads. The head of the beadless version can be tied and finished with the same black thread used to start the fly, however, on smaller PTs, #18-20, I like to use red thread in order to help the fly standout a little more. Although the PT Nymph is tied with brown pheasant tail fibers, I almost always have a few tied with olive died pheasant tail, using yellow thread and wire to give it a more yellow/olive cast that is typical of mayfly nymphs found in select streams, lakes and spring creeks. Sometimes I substitute a sparse amount of pearl ice dubbing for the thorax to simulate the emerging nymph, covered with turkey quill, a dab of glue or epoxy on top of the turkey. A really tricky presentation approach on spring creeks is to tie a very small, just big enough piece of black foam into the leader, an inch or two above the nymph, and drift the PT into the feeding lie and watch the fly-line for any twitches or stretchy jumps which indicate a fish has taken the PT. Lift therod and snug up to the fish. Don’t set the hook or you will brake bigger fish off!

Hook: Umqua’s Tiemco TMC 3761 #6-20

Thread: Black or Red 8/0

Abdomen: Pheasant Tail Fibers

Thorax: Peacock Herl

Tail: Pheasant Tail Ends

Head: Copper Bead, Gold Bead

Shell Back: Turkey Quill (after tying it in, dab a little cement on the turkey shell)

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Fly Fishing Fly Selection Refined

#2 ZEBRA MIDGE

Extra Large Fall River Rainbow, ate a #20 Zebra Midge!! Yeah!!! 7-27-11

Fly fishing is described as the craft of fishing using a rod and an artificial fly as bait. The “fly” or “fly pattern” is created by hand assembling thread, real bird feathers, real animal fur, wire, metallic beads, and all varieties of synthetic materials, tying the materials systematically to a hook. A dab of glue usually keeps the assemblage from unraveling. The fly pattern is supposed to imitate a food source that tempts the fish to eat the fly. Sometimes it works. Sometimes the fly never fails. All too often, the fly is ignored by our longed-for object of intention. I’m talking about fish! The huge variety of fly tying materials including thread colors, feathers, fur and synthetic material is far too vast to list in this post. Additionally, there are thousands of good fly patterns available to the wide eyed angler perusing catalogues and the bins at the local fly shop. For now, we don’t need any stinking fly tying materials other than thread and wire. A bead can be used if you must. The fly described in this post is so silly even an empty headed fly tire like me can tie many in just 15 minutes.  Painless! In this post, a fly so simple, a bit brazen, even ridiculous is described. Of the seven flies included in the Magnificent Seven, the fly described in this post is a must have when fishing lakes and reservoirs, better known in angling terms as “still waters”. But, the reliable fly about to be revealed is not just a still water fly. It’s a river fly too. It’s the fly you need!

I think fly tying is complex and time consuming. I envy those who enjoy producing creative patterns that provide us anglers with memories of spectacular rainbow trout. I would rather sit down and poke hot needles in my eyes than tie flies. Maybe I have tied too many flies. I wish I liked tying. But, I just don’t. Anyway, when I am forced to sit down at my vice, I look to minimize the time spent wrapping a hook with fur and feathers. If I’m on a trout fishing trip, I will select a river or lake were the Zebra Midge works exceptionally well. The Zebra Midge is the fastest, simplest fly in the universe of fly tying to create. This pattern is proven daily on spring creeks like Fall River, Hat Creek. It works just fine on the Upper Sacramento river. It produced one of the most memorable days ever on the Pit River. I continue to have success with it on the Lower Sacramento river. I have fished it on almost every eastern Sierra stream and lake with gratifying results to say the least. In August, the dark tan #20 Zebra Midge produces more hook ups on the McCloud than any fly. Mercer’s Micro Mayfly in brown comes into mind as a very good fly on the McCloud in August. If I had one fly to fish on the McCloud in August, it would be the Zebra Midge tied individually in black, tan, red or olive. I know other flies will work, but this post is about the Zebra Midge and the fantastic fishy mojo it has! The Zebra Midge kicks ass on the Missouri river, the Big Horn. Just about every single still water with rainbow trout swimming in it, has anglers floating in tubes and pontoon boats, all suspending or retrieving midges. Each angler smiling in shear delight.  

Black Zebra Midge Fly Pattern

So, what is a Zebra Midge? The Zebra Midge imitates an aquatic insect called a “Midge” that lives in the mud and silt along the submerged edges of rivers and lakes. Ranging in size from #12 down to #22 and smaller, there are 700 species in North America! That’s way too many! The one midge we are interested in is this: Chironomidae.  Chironomids are a family of midge that is likely to be found inhabiting the edges of your favorite lakes and streams. Trout in western lakes and spring creeks eat midges by the millions. Compared to other aquatic insects, the midge is most like the mayfly in that it hatches from an egg, lives on the bottom of the river or lake, pupates in an exoskeleton, then emerges from the bottom of it’s watery world swimming and floating to the surface, dangling in the surface film as the adult midge escapes it’s pupal shuck. The adult flies about, mates and lays it’s eggs in the water from which it came. Some midge experts, and they are few, compare the midge to the mosquito. They are similar in every way except the midge doesn’t suck blood and the Chironomidae family don’t bite. Nice folks, the Chironomidae’s. But the point I’m trying to make without deviating into long diatribe on midge minutia is the Zebra Midge fly pattern is a must have. End of story. Well. Almost.

 Midges hatch all year making it an ultra dependable source of food for the fish! Midge nymph patterns can be fished any day, anytime. When midges are obviously hatching, fishing the Zebra Midge just under the surface can produce hook up after hook up. In December, on the Lower Sacramento, the midge hatches can be so thick, the sides of my drift boat are coated with adult, mosquito like, midge adults. Just the other day, I could see thousands of empty midge shucks floating along the edge of the river indicating the immensity of the midge hatches that occur in the early AM hours on the Lower Sacramento through the early months of summer. Rainbow trout, brown trout, all kinds of trout eat midges in the morning, in the afternoon and evening. Midges are most always a readily available source of nourishment for fish living in freshwater environments 365 days a year. Get it? Got it? Good. 

Ever been on some river or lake, fish eating off the surface, and you can’t see what the fish are eating? If you are a die hard fly angler and this experience has eluded you then, then…just wait. It will happen to you soon enough. Fish story: I remember an evening on the Firehole river in dare I say, Montana (always Montana), the fish were all over the surface gulping something down, but no matter what I presented to the fish, they would not eat my offering. At last, I tried a #20 black Zebra Midge, tied on a straight shank hook, suspended just under the surface by tying in a corky, painted black, about six inches above the Zebra Midge. Caught a few before darkness set in. Yeah! The trout were eating emerging midges! Recognizing a midge hatch can be a curse since the fly that imitates them will be practically impossible to see and tie onto the leader. Small tippets of 6x and 7x can be the norm when fishing near the surface, but I can usually tie a #20 to 5x when fishing deep. I have had some success swinging and suspending the Zebra Midge just under the surface, like on the Firehole, on the end of a tapered leader. No sinking lines needed. To detect the strike, I look for the fly line to slightly, suddenly stretch, I then lift my fly rod in order to pull snug to the fish. It is easy to break fish off if line isn’t slipped through the rod guides when lifting the rod. Most anglers suspend the midge pattern deeply under an indicator along with a second or even third fly above the midge. Works fine! The other two flies can be caddis patterns, mayfly patterns or stonefly. How about a yellow egg?! 

Here’s the recipe for the basic black Zebra Midge. Of all the colors, this one seems to work best, however, midge larva is tan or cream in color sometimes with a hint of red. Some still waters have bright red midges occurring, called blood worms. Ever heard of the pattern called a San Juan Worm? No, that’s not one of the seven, but a good large midge imitation none the less!! Don’t limit your imagination! Tie your midges in red, orange, yellow. Use some black dubbing near the bead. Tie in a little crystal flash behind the head. Below is the recipe for the Black Zebra Midge. Enjoy!

(The first fly in the list of the Magnificent Seven is the Birds Nest)

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DOES THE PERFECT SELECTION OF FLIES FOR TROUT EXIST?

Nope. We need to get some flies. Goodness gracious. This fly box says "I'm Not Sure"

For the fly fishing angler, the fly box is a repository of various patterns, namely flies, from recent to long ago fishing adventures. Many purchased, some personally tied at a vice attached to a custom bench or folding table. The contents of an angler’s fly box tell a personal story of fun times, big fish, good friends, hang-overs, beautiful rivers and lakes. Lucky me, I look in fly boxes almost every day here at The Fly Shop before we enjoy a day or two on the Lower Sacramento River, Fall River or Trinity River. I see mostly crushed dry flies before heading out on Hat Creek, their once proud hackles irreparably flattened after years of waiting under the pressing lid of the hopeful angler’s fly box. A box admittedly hidden away in the garage and only dusted off and thrown in the overstored tackle bag the night before the big drive to the river or lake. The nymphs displayed in most fly boxes are often foreign to me, offering strange colors, huge sizes, flamboyant hackles and all sorts of colors and styles that perchance, could work on the McCloud or Upper Sacramento River, but probably won’t. “Where does that fluorescent green sculpin fly work?”, I ask.  I don’t doubt it works, just wondering why its here? Who sold that pink and purple Parachute Adams? How about that white crystal flashy fly with a little olive dubbing tied in at the thorax, just behind the blue bead? I say, “We will cause the fish to go blind with it! They will be dumbfounded by it and caught out of shear befuddlement! That’s how we will catch them”!! I understand that the #10 maggot fly caught a monster rainbow trout in Alaska, but we don’t fish maggot flies here, because other flies work better.

In a week, boxes of countless big flies tied on small hooks, small flies tied on big hooks will pass before my eyes. Some flies defy description. I see rust stained fly boxes, rust on the hooks and rust on the degenerated state of fibers and foam that once suggested a scrumptious meal for a big brown trout, waiting under a cut bank during the civil war era, along some river in Montana. Always Montana. I imagine each fly was once selected, based on a foundation of solid advice. Some flies are proven, some are still mysterious. The flies we tied based on the recipe are not perfect, but hey, they kind of look right. Right? I don’t doubt that the deer hair and foam pattern with a tuft of white buffalo chin hair and exotic skunk whiskers works on the Thing-a-ma-wizzer that runs through the land of rainbow skies and flowery meadows, but will it be the hot fly on todays river, today in Northern California? Will your flies work on the Trinity river? What about Fall River? Hat creek? I know what has been working all week and what has been working all summer, for the past five years for every fishing guide in northern California. I will never say never to a new pattern. Sometimes I find a funky funk fly in an anglers box that works amazingly well. But, most days, I stare into my guests fly box and feel like I am looking into a room full of unsuspecting strangers. I imagine that most if not all of the flies in the box would, if they could, jump out and go scurrying home upon opening. I just cringe when I tell my guests, anglers all, that the flies in this box handed to me, upon which I gaze, conjure up feelings of fly box aversion. I will then say, with all due respect, professionally, politely, in so many words “this fly selection is useless”.  All the hopes and dreams of tying the right fly and witnessing some form of approval upon observation are crushed in an instant as I hand back your box of dreams and memories and say, “well, we can use those flies, but”. If only there was a list of flies that could be the base standard for trout fishing anywhere!  A list of flies that puts your repertoire in the middle of what will work, and what won’t. A box of flies that won’t get scoffed at, shunned, looked down upon. A fly box that truly is a source of possibilities and not a container full of crushed, decomposing, chicken feathers.

The dark fly box from Mordor. I'll take the Damsel flies. Hide this box..in the trash!

Now, not all fly boxes are as unrefined as I have described. Many, many anglers show me amazing boxes, full of flies perfect for wrangling trout in Northern California and beyond. And even then, additional flies are purchased, or tied to reinforce the solid selection in hand. I am paid to provide consultation. I’m consulting when I say “we need to buy these”. Just remember, you do not have to buy extra flies. We can fish your stuff. I’ll row the boat and shut up.

But, now that we are thinking about it, do you want to organize your fly box? Refine it? How? Well I asked the same question.

I have a news flash for you;  There is a list of flies that can give the weary angler a feeling that his or her desire will be fulfilled, embolden his or her beliefs, protect you from the ruthless scrutiny of practically any fishing guide, a list of flies so empowering, so complete, that no trout stream is beyond a fly box containing the “Magnificent 7”!

Seriously, it is impossible to always have the hot pattern in the fly box, but not impossible to have a selection of trout flies that produce a hook up or more from one body of water to the next. You may not have the hot fly, but it’s entirely possible to have an assortment of patterns that can get the fly rod bent to a fighting fin. The truly hot fly on any given river today can be purchased at the destination fly shop of choice. Buy four of them to go with your array of the Magnificent 7.

The Magnificent 7 is a list of fly patterns that can be tied or purchased. Each fly can be configured in various colors, sizes, beaded, non-beaded, weighted, non weighted. The dry flies can be tied and modified. So, the fly box containing these seven patterns does not have merely seven flies in it. No, no, no. Look at the list as seven types of patterns that are offered in as many as nine different sizes and three different colors. The possibilities are up to you. Don’t let the slightest measure of anal retentiveness get the better of you. I’m not suggesting you go out and tie or buy every possible pattern variation in the list. As a minimum, have a few of each. If one works awesome, tie or buy more. Look at your entire fly selection as one giant searching pattern. Refine it from there based on were you are fishing. Experienced anglers will have a hunch or knowledge of a specific size, color fly that produces on their favorite stream. Add more of those to the box. See what I’m saying?

Look for six more posts in the week to come. Each describing one of the 7 flies in the list. In this post, I have selected the Birds Nest as the first fly to share. Click on the link next to the #1 for tying recipe and purchase options.

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THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN
Fly Fishing Fly Selection Refined

#1 BIRDS NEST

#1: Bird’s Nest: Originally tied by the late Cal Bird, this nymph pattern does just about everything from imitating a stonefly to a water boatmen. Equally proven on the most Northern California rivers, the Birds Nest was authored on the Truckee River, 1959. The Bird’s Nest can be tied in an all-inclusive collection of colors, sizes, proportions all suggesting any order of mayfly nymphs, caddis larva and pupae. Even little bait fish! It is a fly commonly fished under an indicator on rivers like the Lower Sacramento, Pit River, McCloud River. Never to be limited by the almighty indicator, the Bird’s Nest is effectively presented swung on various sinking lines and floating lines, stripped to aggro trout in still water environs and bounced along the rivers bottom using the classic high-stick technique. The non-beaded version, tied on a light wire hook, can easily be fished as a cripple PMD when treated with a desiccant floatant. Tie this pattern in sizes from #6 to #18. Typical colors include Tan, Olive and Black. What about Yellow? Brown? You set the limits. Tie in some silly legs to make it better imitate a boatman. The tan copper beaded Bird’s nest is a hot fly on the Lower Sacramento right now. Last I checked, The Fly Shop is sold out! Can you tie me a few? Please? I’ll pay you!

Check back in a day or two for the second installment on the Magnificent 7 fly list. You can always sign up for my newsletter and receive updates via email. Let me know what you think! Add your own fly to the comments below!

See fly #2, The Zebra Midge by clicking here!

after we ate cake...

Hat Creek is a river for the fly angler

Early spring on Hat Creek is the “in between” season. A long winter has come to a close, leaves are appearing, snow is melting. Fly fishing anglers have something to look forward to.

Every year in May, near Cassel, CA. Hat Creek invites all anglers of the fly rod to test their skill. As of the last Saturday in April, PMDs, Baetis, Caddis, Stoneflies, Green Drakes, Brown Drakes, billow across the glassy canvas of Hat. The smell of springtime flowers, stinky gortex and neoprene fill my senses. Grungy graphite ferrules slide roughly, unceremoniously, together. As gravel empties from my wading boots and crusty socks, the thoughts of far away rivers elicit echoes of past fishing trips, hovering over each unconscious movement I make. You and everyone else of the tapered leader ilk trickle into the town of Burney, Ca. to evaluate the situation. Determined to get “dialed in”. Not everyone will make the cut..

Tight Loops, Fine Tippet and Cool Senses

During the initial warm-up of early May, anglers stroll and stumble along the streams of Shasta County. Some relive past experiences in riffles, runs and pools. Most anglers embrace the present prospects by putting a cast under that branch, next to the under cut bank where Mr. Brown lives. That’s what we do. Each new cast is recorded in recent memory. All of us trying, some succeeding. The more we hunt and cast, the better. For those who connect, found tight to a rainbow or coveted brown, you are done. Forget the spoils of the other rivers, Hat Creek is not about numbers. Hat is about power and skill. Timing is important, but not decisive. So, a really good hatch puts an angler into fly fishing glory. A day or two later, it’s all history.

As anglers put those flies in front of Hat Creeks finest, reaction times ultimately determine the ego boosting glory of a trophy in he hand. Don’t set the hook with every ounce of lifting power the almighty gave you. A slow, gentle lift get’s the spoils of early Hat Creek spring. No one is too slow on Hat.

While working on the “east side”, I can be found taking an early evening walk along the grassy banks of Hat Creek.  Incidental to the eagles, evening light and orange clouds,  the casting anglers are a reminder of how amazing Hat is. I sincerely hope, casually analyzing their chances of winning. To each, a handicap is afforded. Some though get past the green light, and even I can see their brake lights. Their presentation comes from within, a mysterious power that conjures up the fins of dreams. I envy them.

We have good water, and good fishing here in N. California. The Lower Sacramento has been producing amazing days of bent rods. Fall River is as it always is in May. Excellent hatches of PMDs and rising rainbow trout. Describing fly fishing in Northern California in May is like trying to describe Baskin Robbins. Get it?

Tom M. with a Lower Sac Trout- Springtime!

Sunny skies, warm weather. A few clouds dot the horizon looking west from downtown Redding, CA. I heard a couple great reports coming off the Lower Sacramento today by a couple guests that fished with Ernie and Lonnie. Hard to believe it was raining cats and dogs and there was no end in site to the unfishable conditions on the Sac at this time last week. As of Monday April 4th, we are looking at flows of 26,000 cfs, which is perfect. I prefer to fish this river at flows over 10,000 cfs, but Shasta Lake hasn’t had those reserves in recent years. So here we are, back into the classic Lower Sac I love. Just got off the phone with Greg Kennedy, and he remembers how we used to fish it at 20k all the time, not to mention how well it fished! All this water is going to do wonders for this river. And I know, the fishing has been good, but in my mind, I always look back to 2005, 2006 when we had bigger flows, and more reliable fishing in the lower sections of the river, below Anderson, below Jelly’s Ferry, sections of the Lower Sac located south of Redding, CA. If you have ever experienced the killer fishing in all those giant swirls of water below Jelly’s Ferry, you know what I’m talking about. Right now, there’s a few side channels that, no doubt, hold fish trying to escape the crazy water out in the main-stem of the Sac. I think the last time the river looked as good as it does right now was back in 2005? I could pull up graphs and show the history of river levels, but that’s not what this message is about. Just want to let you know, it’s a good time to try fishing the Lower Sacramento here in Redding, CA.

Hot Flies have been Boles Bazooka’s in Sockeye and Steelhead Orange. Yellow Micro Spawn eggs are a very good choice in the spring on any N. California river, but especially the “Sac”. #6-8 brown rubber legs are another good choice. You might be surprised to know that alevin patterns are working. Try any of the various alevin patterns you can buy at The Fly Shop. At these flows, the “Sac” is a totally different river. All the likely spots, like out front of the Posse Grounds, or upstream of that river access, are not going to fish like they did at the low flows of 3,000-4,000. Look for new water! Concentrate on the slower flat stretches. Pick longer floats. Instead of drifting between the Posse Grounds and Bonnieview, try Posse to Anderson River Park. The Fly Shop can help with car shuttles if that’s an issue. The key is keep moving, and that won’t be a problem given the amount of water moving through the Lower Sac.

Lower Sac Rainbow

Fly fishing on the Lower Sac at 20,000 cfs can be excellent, but here’s the deal, we have to catch it at 20k. I have a good chance at  producing some good fishing in the next few days, so please read on. The Lower Sac has been flooded with water resulting in poor fishing conditions and a massive rescheduling of fishing trips for me and the rest of my buddies at The Fly Shop. Releases yesterday were at 50,000 Cubic Feet Second (CFS). Today, releases are down to 40,000 cfs and dropping to 20,000 cfs by 4:00 AM on Thursday March 24 (Tomorrow). This is good news! I know some of you out there can go fishing on a last minute notice and you asked if I would let you know when the fishing is “hot”.

Here’s the last minute notice: Tomorrow would be an excellent day to fish the Sac except the winds out of the south will produce gusts up to 50mph. Friday and Saturday look good with light rain in the forecast. Sunday weather is excellent. If you can’t get me on the calendar, go with one of the other guides on The Fly Shop staff. If the winds die down tomorrow afternoon and the flows are okay, I will fish it myself. The fishing should be excellent after high water. The down side is they, the dam operators, might raise the flows back up on Saturday, or Friday. Maybe monday. We do not know. If the flows go beyond 35k, I would cancel the trip. We might have good water all next week, but I doubt it. I hope the flows stay at 20k for a few days. As the flows drop, numerous runs that normally are are un-fishable at low water, are in excellent shape between 20-35k. There are really big fish in the Sac that never see a fly because they are too deep or in obscure locations. They get big! The high water tends to move them into the edges of the river where we can find them when the flows are just right and before they migrate back to safe water. These conditions are unique and rarely experienced. Looking forward to taking you fishing!

Another option I have is Luk Lake down near Rolling Hills Casino. It’s a private water that was added to The Fly Shops portfolio of waters late last year. Luk has a bunch of nice, high quality rainbows in it that eat dry flies. Bass are in there too! For those who want to dial in their dry fly game, catch some nice chunky rainbows, Luk Lake is a great choice that offers a great time. We can always catch them on streamers and nymphs. Luk Lake can be booked through The Fly Shop. Luk Lake is easy to fish, offering a classic still water experience. If any of you have fished McCumber, Iron Canyon, Lewiston Lake with me, you will enjoy Luk Lake.  Read more by clicking here: Luk Lake

Contact me or call The Fly Shop to book. 800-669-3474. I will work with you closely on this one since the flows could change anytime. If you get it at 20k-35k, you will be glad! I have good fishing if you want it.

-Chris

Lower Sacramento from Sundial Bridge looking north at the posse riffle at 40k. 3/20/11

Fly fishing on the Lower Sacramento was good last week. Even when the releases from Keswick reservoir went from 3,500 to 15,000 cubic feet per second on March 15th, the fishing recovered by the next day. Rainbow trout were chomping on caddis flies, mayflies, eggs and rubber legs. As the releases were increased at 2:00 PM to 25,000 cfs on March 16th, the fishing went from good to poor. If you find yourself on the Sac during an increase of 5-10K, the fishing will suck. It’s always a surprise when an increase of this magnitude occurs. I can anticipate it sometimes, but only the dam operators (no pun intended) can say when it will increase and they just make it happen all of a sudden. At 35,000 cfs, the Sac becomes an angry beast of a river. Today, releases are at 40,000 cfs and holding. Lake Shasta is the huge reservoir that is the source of the Lower Sacramento. A wet, rainy fall season coupled with a wet February and March have resulted in more water accumulation in Lake Shasta than it can safely accommodate at this time of the year. To avoid flooding and make room for spring snowmelt, The Bureau of Reclamation has increased the releases from Shasta and Keswick dams. This is good news!

Currently, river conditions are brown and dirty as a result of the increase. Not good. The last time the Sac had similar flows of 40k or more was back in late 2003 through spring 2004. So, a lot of debris has accumulated along the edges of the river. As the flows increased while I was on the river from 25k to 35k yesterday, I could see tree trunks, branches, a doll, plastic chairs, a cooler, cans, bottles and clothing floating down stream around me. The river is up about 25 ft. There isn’t a rainbow trout in the Sac that has ever experienced this before. The rainbow trout grand parents went through this as did there great grand parents, but those generations are gone and the current generation of fish are probably looking for slow water if they haven’t found it already wondering what in the wide wide world of sports is going on here! Seriously, they will adapt. That’s what trout do best. Rainbow trout have been more or less “adapting” for a million years. On a side note, imagine what all those homes above Anderson River Park are looking at right now. The other day, at 25k, the river was just outside the patio of one house I can think of.  Pretty scary when considering the flows could go up to 50k if rainy weather persists. The forecast calls for little rain and partly cloudy skies. Couldn’t help but think about the tsunami in Japan and imagining exactly the same volume of water engulfing 400 miles of the north-east coast in and around Matsushima, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. The thought of swimming in the river was terrifying. Crazy amount of power water has.

Big water, big rainbow. Lower Sac @ 25K

The good news is this high volume of water will scour the lower Sacramento river, cleaning and seasoning the river substrate, creating improved spawning habitat for salmon and trout, hopefully removing invasive aquatic plants and distributing food for the world class wild rainbow trout population. High flows will definitely spread out the rainbow trout from Redding down to Anderson and beyond. The best way to improve a fishery is to add water! For now, the river is too dirty and dark to fish. South winds traveling in an up river direction, making it very difficult to hold a driftboat on a straight line. As the river turns green, clears, water levels drop and the winds die down, look for the fishing to improve. When will it be fishable again? Assuming the weather cooperates, we could see an improvement in just a couple days. Anglers in a boat with an experienced oarsman at the helm can get flies in the river tomorrow and stand some kind of chance. This time next week, the river will either be fishing better or great! There, that’s a standard answer anytime of year in any conditions. Realistically, as of now, it’s a day-to-day vigil for the anglers and guides. I’m looking for sub 35k flows. It will happen soon. I have guided this river at 35k and done well. I’m not alone. I have seen it fish dismally in the best of conditions. For now, as always, the fish are there, but currently in obscure spots that seldom if ever hold fish, unless the river is above 20k. I wouldn’t fish it tomorrow, but Tuesday could be a go. Don’t doubt the Lower Sacramento just because the flows are above 10k, 15k or 20k. Yes, it’s a different river at high flows and just as exciting and enjoyable to fish as a predictable, familiar 3500 cfs. I imagine, possibly, some sources are saying it is too high. Okay, 40k is up there. Real danger exists on the Sac at 3k, but especially at 40k. I imagine some are calling 15k too high. To that I would say this: I remember a spring and summer back in 2004 where the Sac stayed in the neighborhood of 20k and the fishing was fabulous from Redding to Red Bluff! There are some out there that remember high water in the late 90′s, the early 90′s and beyond. Many anglers and guides have come and gone. Who am I? The only thing that is new with these higher releases, that will in all likelihood exist +/- through July, is people. I can think of a guide or two that I used to see fishing below Bonnieview up until a couple years ago. Now they never leave the water between Posse and Bonnieview. The water between Posse and Bonnieview has been good. Great to be exact. At high flows, more river contains more fish and we can cover more river more easily. Habitat in the river below Anderson will improve as a result of high water that exists and so will fishing prospects. That’s great news! Isn’t it? For once in a world of bad news, good news can be found on the pages of bethefly.com! We are in for a good spring and summer! Again! I love it here!

Stay tuned!  -Chris

Sundial Bridge and Rainbow

(Click here for a report on the Trinity River)

Thanks again for visiting bethefly.com. As you know, my name is Chris Parsons and I am a fly fishing guide living in Redding, California working for The Fly Shop. This post focuses on the Lower Sacramento River, specifically the fly fishing experience this river offers through the months of March and April. But, before I dive right into my report, I must first share some details with the readers who might be unfamiliar with this river and the extraordinary fly fishing experience it allows. The Lower Sacramento River or the “Sac” flows from Lake Shasta via Shasta Dam located in the northern part of the California’s Sacramento Valley. The total length is 400 miles from it’s source to San Francisco Bay draining over 27,000 square miles of mountains and plateaus that frame California’s Sacramento Valley. The largest river in California, the Sac is well known among anglers as a tailwater fishery providing excellent year round rainbow trout fishing. I find the best rainbow trout fishing on the Sac situated in the middle of Redding, California. Rainbow Trout can be found lower in the river, below the town of Red Bluff, but with diminishing results as the Sac flows south on it’s way to California’s delta and the San Francisco Bay. Between the towns of Redding and Red Bluff, anglers will enjoy over 54 miles of river occupied by native rainbow trout averaging  15” with rainbow trout between 18-20” very common! Steelhead up to 12lb are a familiar component and often targeted as the primary species, consider this prized fish an ensuant surprise to an outstanding day of trout fishing.  Drive time from Sacramento California to Redding is about 2.5 hours. From Ashland Oregon to Redding, it’s about 2.5 hours. Redding has no shortage of restaurants and lodging. Redding has connecting flights to and from Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco.

Lower Sac Rainbow

Fly fishing during the month of March on the Lower Sacramento in Redding California is a really fun and relaxing way to spend a day or two!  March is a time to get reconnected with the “river” after a winter of being locked indoors, buckled down at the office, or skiing with the human race! What makes the month of March special is hatches of aquatic insects known as “Caddis Flies” or just “caddis” that occur almost daily through most of March. The March caddis hatches trigger a belligerent, in-your-face feeding frenzy of trout. Casting dry flies or wet flies is how we connect with some of the toughest fighting rainbows to be found anywhere. The trout are running wild as we float downstream casting to the occasional rising fish, but mostly into riffles and deep slots that are likely to harbor more than a dozen rainbows! Maybe I seem to be writing over the top, but the March caddis hatch experience is no less than festive and electrifying. Sometimes, strong winds and cold temperatures can mean no caddis hatches, but the trout are always there and we can find fish that will eat zug bugs, micro mays, pheasant tail nymphs. Although very important when hiring a fishing guide, I am not typically one who overly stresses the numbers of fish caught as a standard of measurement. Numbers of hook-ups all depends on numerous mitigating factors, so results vary greatly day-to-day, angler-to-angler and what one anglers calls a great day of fishing is another’s fair day of fishing. I really don’t care to emphasize numbers of fish as a way of determining the quality of the fishing experience. Numbers = Worry and worry doesn’t go with fishing. I have some of the worlds greatest trout rivers within two hours of my home, so why should I talk about numbers of fish? Great fishing happens all the time right here in Northern California! I make a living year round fly fishing partially because I’m lucky, but mostly because I have a repertoire of rivers that are known to provide world class fly fishing! So how good can the fishing day be on a scale of numbers of hook-ups on the Sac? I routinely loose count, for all kinds of reasons! Enough said. Seriously, much is subject to ability. The experienced angler will do better than the beginner. There is good luck and bad luck. After 9 busy years of guiding the “Sac”, I can’t remember all the happy anglers that step out of my boat at the end of a day and go WOW!! Many are new to fishing and an equal number are old hands that have seen it all. I am not the only guide out there. Like never before, there is just so many talented guides working out of The Fly Shop. So pick a guide and expect to get into some really nice rainbows!! Many days in March are just so good, that experience isn’t even needed to find fish. All anglers seem to float into the boat ramp at the end of the day wide eyed and flush with that sweet buzz that comes after a fulfilling day of fly fishing. Everyone ends up with a fantastic fish story! I promise you will enjoy the fishing and the experience. Ultimately, the day is yours to rate. It’s your day on the river. Your guide is an important and critical implement.

April Rainbow/Lower Sac

April on the Sac brings big blue skies and no worries. Bent fly rods are produced by hatches of Pink Albert’s, Pale Morning Duns, Caddis, Stoneflies and at times, Salmon flies. Sunny days really start to add up by mid April. Not too hot, not too cold, but then there’s always a chance of a shower or storm, but that’s what Simms Gortex is for. I must digress, going back to late January, I found vigorous numbers of 10-12” rainbows below Anderson (a bedroom community south of Redding). Those fish will grow fast and become 14” rainbows by the end of March. No shortage of juvenile rainbows on the Sac. For those who don’t care for the suburban fishing experience in Redding, the stretches of river below Anderson offer a rural experience where Eagles, Deer, Otter and Turkeys (the bird…seriously) are seen daily along the banks of the Sac.

Aside from fly fishing, I have a few hobbies and interests that keep me busy when I’m not on the river. I look forward to April every year because Redding puts on an amazing car show where select streets are closed and classic muscle cars, hot rods and not enough 1950’s lowriders cruise the streets. April 13-17 is “Kool April Nights” in Redding California where you can gawk at custom paint and listen to the thunder of modified big blocks, flat heads and hemi power plants one day while stopping on Saturday to dip into rainbow hogs found in deep runs or the occasional sipper eating off the surface in discrete transitions from shallow to deep and long boulder laden glides of no more than 3 ft deep. These rising fish are conveniently spread out and only those who know where to look on this giant river called the Sac can find the chance to cast a parachute pattern or a cripple to these fish that fool most anglers into thinking they are small fish, but once connected, are surprised at the quality and display!  After a day of fishing it’s time for dinner! Redding has come a long way and now offers too may restaurants to choose from. I have been impressed with this place Moonstone Bistro. Market Street Steak House is another restaurant  gaining favor with my angling friends. and there is always the famous Jacks .

BTW- I am interested in hosting guest bloggers on bethefly.com. I want to provide fresh and interesting content to all bethefly.com subscribers. Contact me if you have a story, idea, explanation…any story or article related to fly fishing that you wouldn’t mind posting on bethefly.com. You will get all due credit, associated links, your own photos etc. I will reply to you with an email where you can send an attachment or essay email. I am encouraging anyone who is inclined and that’s you!

Click here to contact me!

Looking forward to fishing with you. Contact me with all fly fishing questions and ideas. Take my customer service survey!

See you on the river-

Chris

Nick Zecherle with his last chance at last chance

The Trinity River rested for the last half of January. It happens. Some anglers were lucky, but most worked hard to find a tight line. Normally two to three times from November through February, the steelhead will pause and stop coming. Sometimes the lull lasts for a couple days, sometimes a week. When an abundance of rain falls for weeks and weeks on a steelhead stream, fish will move through it like vehicles on Interstate 5. As the river drops, fishing is lovely. But then, slowly, sometimes, the returns start to diminish. Are they just not biting? Wrong flies maybe? Maybe the hook-set isn’t any good. I don’t care how good the water conditions or how good a run looks. If the steelhead are not there, we can’t play with them. Think of the off ramps or exits on the interstate like tributary streams and creeks. As those tributaries swell with rain and snow run off, the fish do what they are here for, from the Pacific ocean they swim and exit the Trinity highway, thrusting through speedy, shallow brooks to their neighborhood pool, nestled under overhangs, and the cover of forest, away from anglers, to spawn. As those tributaries drop, less and less water flows into the Trinity, the fish stop moving out of the Trinity. The axiomatic off ramp is closed. Steelhead will reside in the main-stem, waiting. They will detour to other tributaries if conditions are to the fishes liking. Mostly, the fish are delayed. They roam the river moving up, then down, then back up. Waiting for more water. Waiting for the right moment. That’s what is happening now. I’m finding fish up in Lewiston that are big and bold. Below Douglas city, reports of successful descents into the Canyon stretch have made me hopeful that my season on the Trinity will push into mid March. As of last week, I am still finding fresh hatchery run adult steelhead from Junction City all the way up into Lewiston. The native winter fish are out there. For the angler that quivers at the prospect of cold rainy snowy days, but lusts after the excellence of a steelhead experience, there is absolutely no better time to come and enjoy a day on the Trinity than right now. February will offer dry fly fishing for brown trout intertwined with drifting, swinging nymphs through the glides, riffles, runs and pools between Lewiston and Helena. Days are getting longer. I think that epic day on the Trinity has yet to happen this season. Are you in? I know, I’m just a guide trying to sell a trip. But remember, I have to believe every day. I trust the Trinity River. If I don’t, nothing happens, no reports come in and no stories are told. For now, my corny analogy is this: It’s not if that tree in the forest will fall, it’s when, and how many. Some will be there to hear it. If you’re not there, and you follow this blog, you will at least read about it. February is, and has been, my favorite month on this incomparable river. I am just starting to find those big winter fish in the net. Saw one that we guessed was in the range of 12lbs last week. A friend found seven in the net four days ago. Memories are being made. It’s worth it. My calendar has some flexibility for February. Let’s go.

Trinity River 2011

You might like to know the Lower Sacramento has been providing good to great fly fishing. The weather has been great. Sunny and warm! Looking ahead into late February and March, think “Lower Sacramento”. March offers some of the best experiences of the year on the Sac. Why? Caddis! Springtime caddis swarm through most of March and the fish eat earnestly! #16 Zug Bugs are a pattern most of us use to imitate the emerging adult with great success! Refereed to as the “Mother’s Day Caddis Hatch” in other parts of the country, hatching near that momentous day of days, these little aquatic insects provide a vast nutritional up-grade for the wild rainbow trout of March on the Lower Sac after living out a winter dining on sparse baetis and blue wing olive manifestations. By mid March, the rainbow trout are noticeably warlike. Try #18 PT nymphs tied with tungsten bead heads. A big indicator and heavy split shot puts the flies on the bottom of the river, imitating the drifting, emerging caddis just before it darts to the surface and pops out of the water. A bright yellow egg, tied above your point fly will help your offering stand out in the crowd of thousands. Gary LaFontain writes in his book “Caddisflies” of this caddis version known as Brachycentrus to drift up to 200 ft before thrusting itself from the depths of the river, busting through the surface film and flying away to mate on untroubled early springtime days. March is one of two months I highly recommend fishing the Sac. Want to find fish rising? Okay, I know of some spots where we can find rainbows eating off the surface mid day in March. I use a callibaetis emerger to imitate the struggling caddis fly stuck in the film. And the rainbows clobber it!  After March, PMD’s supplement the fun through April and into May. But I move to Fall River in May because…well, ask me now or wait to find out in the late February post. Book now for Fall River in May. I heard the word “epic” quite a few times last May while working on Fall River. Fall River fished really well for just about all who were there last May. I think it will again. Hope for a cool wet-ish spring!

See you on the rio

-chris