Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Fishing The Soft Hackle During a Feeding Frenzy

A quick Saturday morning trip to the Sipsey proved to be productive using the soft hackle. I was not in any big hurry to get on the tailrace this Saturday, because the humidity and fog were heavy. I forgot to mention the crowds. Generators were scheduled to be running at 1 PM so the 2 hours I had needed to be spent wisely. My plan was to spend all my time in two areas right above the pump station. Both spots always have trout and today were no exception. As usual, the trout were in a subsurface feeding mode and feeding on tiny brown midge flies. As I stood there and watched the feeding frenzy I notice other anglers casting above and below me. My little area only covered roughly 100 ft. so I staked the area out and stayed put. Needless to say there were a lot of anglers on the Sipsey today.
I got somewhat irritated with the canoes, kayaks, and even an aluminum boat floating in all the areas that everyone was trying to fish. I’ve never seen any watercraft during the weekdays, I guess that tells me something???
I always get pumped when I can get some action on the dries, so with the size 18 Gnat I gave the dries their due, but to no avail. My first strange-looking wide-body trout of the morning, in fact, I thought I had landed a small skipjack.

The real reason for this Saturday morning trip was to fish some of the soft hackles Alan tied for me a couple of weeks ago. I know I could have waited until the weekdays with less traffic, but I was like a kid with a new toy I just had to play. Even a Geezer can still be a kid at heart!!!
  Structure slowed the midge drift down and that was the area where the heavy feeding was occurring.
Another rainbow which couldn’t resist the silver hackle; this morning the trout was taking the hackle a little different as opposed to previous trips. No drift takes today, all the hits occurred as I was working the soft hackle back across the feeding area. No indicator, just a slow retrieve tight lining. Numerous rainbows landed today using the 3 weight.
One beat up fly pattern after a mornings work. As I’ve said many times the Sipsey is pressured every day with lots of fly fishermen especially on weekends; so when one finds a pattern that will produce they better guard it. I found that pattern this morning in Alan’s soft hackle
 
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16 comments:

  1. RM LytleAugust 25, 2015 at 10:39 AM

    Nice fat Rainbow! Alan ties a good soft hackle. His KILL on the Farmington, so it makes sense that the would work down in your tailwaters.

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  2. Feather ChuckerAugust 25, 2015 at 1:21 PM

    Those look like great flies. What is the body made out of? Just thread?

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  3. looknfishyAugust 25, 2015 at 1:22 PM

    Sounds like you made the best of the situation. Fishing in a crowd isn't my thing...but I guess sometimes it's unavoidable. Good news is hunting season is getting close and that means less people on the water fishing! In AR anyway.

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  4. Mark KautzAugust 25, 2015 at 9:00 PM

    "I got somewhat irritated with the canoes, kayaks and even an aluminum boat floating in all the areas that everyone was trying to fish." Sometimes people are just RUDE.

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  5. Brk TrtAugust 26, 2015 at 5:46 AM

    Hey Bill glad the fish were on those soft hackles.

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  6. Bill TrussellAugust 26, 2015 at 8:42 AM

    RM
    I had a feeling if the soft hackle worked on the Farmington it would work on the Sipsey too. Thanks for the commnet

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  7. Bill TrussellAugust 26, 2015 at 8:45 AM

    Kevin
    I don't tie my own flies, so I am guessing it is just thread. I consider this fly a go to when other flies aren't producing. Thanks for the comment

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  8. Bill TrussellAugust 26, 2015 at 8:48 AM

    Drew
    When one fishes the Sipsey they can expect crowds, it is the only game in town for me, unless I drive 3 to 4 hours to fish the Elk and Caney in Tennessee. Thanks for the comment

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  9. Bill TrussellAugust 26, 2015 at 8:56 AM

    Mark
    The watercraft individuals were only interested in being seen instead of fishing. None that I could tell landed fish. In fact the canoe group wasn't fishing, just cruising up and down the areas where everyone was trying to fish. All had the opportunity to float 11 miles of tailrace below where everyone else was fishing, but chose to stay in the areas where they could be seen. Yes RUDE!!!

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  10. Bill TrussellAugust 26, 2015 at 8:59 AM

    Alan
    They killed the hackle off and on the whole time I was their. I kept trying to figure out what the trout thought the hackle resembled, the tiny brown midges didn't look anything like the silver hackle. Excellent pattern for those slow days. Thanks for the comment

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  11. penbaymanAugust 28, 2015 at 4:56 AM

    now..now..fishermen..can't we all just get along? great outing!!

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  12. Bill TrussellAugust 28, 2015 at 1:58 PM

    Pen
    A little common water curtsey would help sometimes---thanks for the comment

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  13. Rivertoprambles.wordpress.comAugust 30, 2015 at 10:51 PM

    I'd say that fishing the soft hackle there and then and catching trout shows your grace under pressure. Nice work, Bill.

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  14. Bill TrussellAugust 30, 2015 at 11:03 PM

    Walt
    I was surprise that I landed any trout at all, with all the boats and other fly fisherman. Thanks for the comment

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  15. NeilAugust 31, 2015 at 7:47 AM

    Looks like a great trip - a beat up soft hackle is always better than a fresh one. You wouldn't post a photo of a fresh silver hackle, would you?

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  16. NeilAugust 31, 2015 at 7:48 AM

    Looks like a great outing. A beat-up soft hackle always fishes better than a fresh one. That said, you wouldn't be willing to post a photo of a fresh silver hackle, would you?

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