First Trout by Marshall Estes

First Trout by Marshall Estes

The Magic of My First Trout


I grew up in Iowa fishing for catfish, bass, crappie and bullheads using some of
the worst smelling baits you could imagine. But my father loved to hunt and fish so
I went along. On one summer vacation to Oklahoma, Dad stopped at the fish hatchery
in Bennett Springs, MO.



I can still remember standing on the bridge watching a fly fisherman gracefully cast
a dry fly upstream to the base of the little dam feeding a pool by the hatchery. On
the third cast, he hooked up with a nice fat 12 to 14 inch rainbow that leapt out
the water 3 or 4 times trying to throw the hook.



The fisherman prevailed and slipped the rainbow into his classic wicker creel with
the slot in the lid. (Back in those days we ate a fish once in a while) Turning to
my father, I asked what the fisherman was using for bait. Dad said, "He is
using an artificial fly and not bait." "Does it stink?", I asked.
Dad laughed and said "No." Right then I knew one day I would become a fly fisherman. I was about 14 at the time. I never touched stinky bait after that.



I would not take up fly fishing until 1969 some 15 years after first seeing it in the
Ozarks of Missouri. I had moved to Colorado to learn to ski and fly fish. Never did
learn to ski but I did learn to fly fish.



When I was starting out, there weren't a lot of classes, guides or instructors to
teach fly fishing. I purchased a cheap rod, reel, line and some flies from a local
sporting goods store. Then I read a lot of books and practiced casting until I could
do a reasonable overhand cast.



My first fish was a 2 lb. brookie caught on a brassie out of the famed South Platte
river. That was my only fish on a fly rod for that whole season. For the next two
seasons, I caught exactly one fish a season on a fly rod. I had upgraded my
equipment so the casting was a lot more enjoyable.



In 1972, I was back to drifting salmon eggs on the bottom with light spinning gear
and was catching fish. But releasing them was killing a lot of them I knew. As
destiny would have it. A friend and I ended up on Bear Creek at O'Fallon Park one
Saturday. Jerry parked the car and said, "Hey, there's Frank Aubon. Frank is
one of the best fly fishermen I know. He can teach you how to catch fish on a fly
rod." (Frank was from Maine and had been fly fishing some 40 years when I first
met him.)



Jerry introduced me to Frank and explained the problem I was having with a fly rod.
Frank said, "Come here and show me what you know about casting." So I
dropped a couple of reasonable overhand casts out onto the Creek. Frank looked at
me, "You know enough about basic casting, what do you do with the fly when it
is in the water?" "Frank, if I knew what the H--- to do with the fly in
the water, I would be catching fish!", I said.



"Come on and watch what I do." said Frank. Frank shook out a little line
and let it drift downstream. Then he flipped a "Tension" cast back
upstream. On the 3rd drift, Frank hooked a nice bow right along the bank. He looked
at me and said, "Now you do it!" I tried to imitate Frank but no fish.



Finally Frank asked me what I had been fishing. "Eggs on the bottom." I
replied. "Fishing eggs on the bottom is the same as fishing nymphs on the
bottom", said Frank. "You make a little J in the line just at the water
line and watch it as you bounce the nymph on the bottom. If the J twitches left or
right or hesitates, raise the rod tip to set the hook. And don't rip the rod tip up.
Remember that hook is only a quarter inch or less long to the bend. A gentle tipup
is all that is needed." Then Frank proceeded to demonstrate with two more fish.



I watched Frank and tried to imitate him with some success. As I remember I caught
and released about 6 trout that Saturday. For me that was the best I had ever done
with a fly rod. Frank and I fished together for some 5 years before loosing touch
with each other.



But I will never forget the gift of a lifetime fly fishing enjoyment you gave me
Frank. You were a good teacher and fine friend to wade the waters with.



Whatever big river you are fishing in Heaven, I hope the fish are huge and you are
having a ball.



Tight Lines and Good Fishing,



Marshall, Editor

has been a fly fishing and fly tying

enthusiast for over 30 years.

http://www.fly-fishing-colorado.com/

About the Author
Marshall Estes , editor
Colorado Fly Fishing Tips
has been a fly fishing and fly tying
enthusiast for over 30 years.
Check out our other issues at
www.fly-fishing-colorado.com

The Wet Fly Swing by Cameron Larsen

The Wet Fly Swing by Cameron Larsen

The wet fly swing sounds like something one does at the square dance hall. Instead the wet fly swing is one of the oldest fly fishing techniques. It is used for all types of fish, where ever there is a current. Winter steelhead, salmon, big trout in big rivers, and even striped bass, are all prey that often require the use of the wet-fly swing.

When to use it

The wet fly swing is designed to get the fly down deep quickly and swing it in front of the desired fish. Trout anglers use it when fish are holding deep, and not rising for any particular hatch. Winter steelheaders use it when steelhead loathe to move in the cold water and sit in between the feeding lanes or lie in the pocket water. Striped bass anglers find the wet fly swing works the baitfish imitations in the current, to give them a lifelike presentation, that fools fish again and again.
The wet fly swing is most often used with streamers, like the Woolly Bugger or Muddler Minnow and sometimes wet flies, like soft hackles or nymphs. It is used whenever the fly fisher wants his presentation to appear to be swimming freely in the current. Preferably broadside to the current, while the fish will be waiting either in pocket water behind big rocks, or in a seam where the current changes speed. It can also be used in tailouts below pools.

Rigging

Most fly fishing anglers will use the wet fly swing with a sinking tip line. The weight will depend on the species of fish and the size of the water. Steelheaders and salmon anglers will be using 8 or above, and it goes on down for the other game fish. The point is you will want to rig fairly big, as you will not only be fighting the fish, but the current as well, and often times current that is deep. The leaders tend to be shorter than average, as you want the fly to follow sinking tip line, and not rise up in the current. As the take will be deep, you dont want to have to set the hook with a lot of slack leader.
Depth is of importance, as generally this technique is used for fish lying deep. If you arent getting the depth you want, than try adding more weight, a larger fly, or switching lines. I try to avoid a sinking line, as I like the line to lie on the water, for ease of control, casting, and of course, setting that hook.

The Technique

The wet fly swing at its simplest is this. Find the water you want, and cast across stream, to slightly downstream. Mend your line immediately, usually upstream. This allows the fly to sink. Then follow your line with your rod tip downstream. Lowering your rod tip as the fly swings across the current, so the fly will not have any drag. Some anglers like to impart action on their presentation with their rod tip, but if fishing in current the action is often done all by itself.
When the fly has reached the end of its swing. Lift the line up, by doing a small roll cast, and then cast it out again. For deeper presentation, cast further upstream,. for shallower presentation cast more downstream. If floating lines are what you are used to, casting the sinking tip line or even a shooting head line can take a little practice. Slowing down the entire casting stroke will be required, and allow the back cast to fully extend. But with a little practice, distance can be greatly improved allowing the fly fisher to reach water, unreachable by using other fly fishing techniques.

The wet fly swing is great for extending the season of fly fishing. When most other techniques prove to be ineffective, due to high or cold water. One can still entice those hesitant fish using this time tested technique.

About the Author
Cameron Larsen is a retired commericial fly tier and fly fishing guide. He now operates The Big Y Fly Company. Http://www.bigyflyco.com. He can be reached at info@bigyflyco.com. The above article will appear in the Big Y Fly Fishing E-Zine at Http://www.bigyflyco.com/Bigyflyfishingezine.html.