Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Wilson Creek Dry Fly Time


Hey Everybody!!



Mike Daniels (aka RedRoverMike) here after a long cold weekend up in the hills on Wilson Creek. The fishing friday was horrible as i only managed to catch two fish in two hours. I was cold, it was late in the day, and on top of that I was starving. I went back, got some food at the campsite, and thought about why the fish were so held up for that evening. Everyone i talked to this weekend was only catching two or three in a day and most everybody was using eggs or those overly large stonefly imitations. Saturday I awoke early and was on the stream when the fog was just lifting off the water. Baffled from the day before, I decided to set out trying just about everything I could think of in my flybox. I started off fishing midges from large stimulators and caught one fish in an hour. Around 10:00 am it was like someone flipped a switch on the fish and although I wasn't catching them right away they began hitting small tiny sulphurs everywhere on the water. I switched to a size 20 sulphur spinner with just a little bit of floatant power and began casting in a way that caused it to almost smacked the water. As soon as it hit the water the brook trout would come up and sip it in. I caught 24 fish Saturday and 31 Sunday, all but two caught on dry flies. All the fish I caught were brook and brown trout. Although I saw a ton of rainbows I just think the water was too cold for them. During the middle of the day the water temp was at 45 degrees. The flooding from the snow melt as all but ended and the water levels are about normal. If you have fished Wilson Creek before be ready to find yourself a few new spots because the topography of the river has changed drastically since the post winter floods.


Just a few tips, when fishing these tiny dry flies often times it is imposible to look at the flies in the hatch and figure out what exactly they are. I used tiny sulphurs because in the light they looked like tiny yellow mayflies, but in all reality just about any small tiny mayfly dryfly pattern would have worked. Trout do not have the selective eyes that some people claim them to have. When a fly is moving past a trout they typically judge it on size and shape first and foremost. In my personal opinion color only has a major role in slow water or underwater. Between fast water and light refracting off the surface dry fly color isnt important. There were several fish I cought this weekend on size 22 black and white mayflies. The point I am trying to make is to just have a good time and don't worry too much about matching the hatch exactly. 


Anyway yall, tight lines, good luck, and let me know if you have any questions. I am always happy to help out. Don't forget to check out Peiroway Rod Company up in Canada. They make some great stuff and they are the only rods I use. Build to last and can handl just about anything you can dish out. Basically they are the Yeti Cooler of fly rods. (THEY AREN'T BEAR PROOF THOUGH") Also don't forget to check out Betsey's Ol Country Store up in the DH on Wilson Creek. Right on the river, great place to camp and Bruce sells just about anything you could need for a camping trip. He also has an awesome HOTDOG STAND. Nathen's Hotdogs, chili, onions, coleslaw, and mustard... Very Good $3 each and if your in the mood for something old school he has every soda in a glass bottle that I can think of. Check it out on Facebook!!! Just google Betsey's Ol Country Store only 2 and a half hours from Charlotte. 

Take it easy and Tight Lines!!









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