Friday, August 7, 2015

Nymphing Swirling Pocket Water


I was back on the Sipsey today trying to improve on my skunk trip this past week. The first half hour had me thinking that I was in for another non fish trip.

I decided I would start today’s outing at access 7 which is the last access located at the mouth of the dam. One can get a good work out walking from where your truck is parked at access 5 to 7. As I walked down the long metal walk way and approached the bottom of gouge I notice that Brandon owner of the Riverside Fly shop had a guide trip under way. They were in the area where I was going to start fishing, so after spending less than half hour in the shallow runs above them fishing my nymph with no success, I moved on down the gouge.

 While moving down the gouge I decided to tight line the nymph in some pocket water located in the faster section of the tailrace some distance below where I first encountered the guide trip. I haven’t work the pocket water this season as much as last year, so today I would give it a try. I had to do some careful wading using my wading staff (I never go on the water now without my wading staff) to get to my first spot because of all the moss covered rocks. Once there I used my 9 ft. Streamflex rod to high stick the first swirling pocket. I felt I could detect the take much better if I was in direct contact with the trout through tight lining as oppose to using the indicator. I was letting the nymph drift into the deep area of the pocket where it was only visible for a few seconds, to the trout before it was rushed on down stream. A few seconds is all it took to connect with my first rainbow of the morning. As luck would have it this one little hole was stacked with trout to the tune of 5 landed and that many lost for me in a very short time spent in this area.
Numerous trout landed for the morning using the high sticking method. I loss more trout than I landed today, mainly because I was late setting the hook.

My 3 weight Greys Streamflex paired with my Orvis 2/3 weight reel got quite a work out today. This combo works well here with the indicator/nymph combo and the dry, but could be a little light for the high stick method. I feel if I had been using my 9 ft. 4 weight the catch ratio would have increased. My next outing will include the 4 weight.
 

15 comments:

  1. If I'm close enough to where I can high stick I try to never use an indicator. Actually if I can just use my leader and tippet and not get my fly line in the water at all I'd prefer that. I've had some of my best days fishing runs like that.

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  2. Nice work nymphing on the race there, Bill. Lots of guys forget that, even in normal summertime conditions, nymphs will outdo dry flies in the pocketwater. Thanks for sharing a good day on your river.

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  3. Bill, well done.
    Good thought on the wading staff.

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  4. I can't wait to chase some trout again this fall. Not sure if you kept up with me but I went out for trout for the first time in ages last fall. Nice setup, I plan on using a light fiberglass rod on some tail water rainbows. Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Earlier in the day I do the nymph thing and then if the sun is hidden, switch to a dry. Nice to see you had some luck. How's the bluegill count Bill?

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  6. Kevin
    At times I was only using the leader, which was 10 ft. I use a tippet ring so I had tied on some extra tippet for the purpose of using just the leader/tippet combo. Thanks for the comment

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  7. Lester
    The water in some of the pockets were at least 5 ft. and some 3 to 4 ft. The Streamflex/Orvis combo is my go to setup to fish the Sipsey. Thanks for the comment

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  8. Walt
    The nymph is the go to fly pattern on the Sipsey, very little dry action. Thanks for the comment

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  9. Alan
    I would never attempt to wade to some of the areas I fish there without the wading staff. Thanks for the comment

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  10. Riverwalk
    Looking forward to a report with the fiberglass rod. thanks for the comment

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  11. Howard
    Shade the friend of the fly rod when fishing dries for sure. Thanks for the comment

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  12. Mark
    I was lucky today to find trout and lots of them stacked in one place. thanks for the comment

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  13. You hit 'em good for sure..great going..

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  14. Penbay
    When it comes to fishing this tailrace one can assume that each day is going to be different as far as catch ratio, I was lucky today. Thanks for the comment

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