Backswimmers...anyone...bueller
 

Hey, just wondering if backswimmers have made a showing yet around central or North? Want to spend some quality time next week :)

I've seen a few (very few) at Spring Lake and heard of a few seen at Muir but no rises/swirls to indicate any serious interest by our finny friends.

I'm still working suspended chironomids with some modest success!

Yes. Backswimmers were very active at Sundance in Calgary today. They kept landing in the boat. Trout weren’t racing for the splashes yet. They were hitting a backswimmers stripped back just below the surface.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EhCbquwV...jpg&name=large

Backswimmers, is there anything better than a warm fall day with backswimmers splashing down and trout feeding with abandon. There must be, but I cannot think of it. Yes I know there are better and more important things, but but a hot backswimmer afternoon? Good times.

early summer, calm lake and a flying ant hatch ...

This all day. Yes there are tons of amazing hatches. It is the ferocity of the attack during a backswimmer frenzy...can't wait.

Thanks for the updates all! I'm hoping I see one of the days in the upcoming week. Weather looks to be lining up :)

Since you asked...the sedge hatch in the Kamloops region is tough to beat, or floating hoppers for big browns. But a backswimmers are a hell of alot of fun too.

Great picture. What did u use for the photo?

I’m hoping to get some of my first baotman/back swimmer action. Anyone have any good patterns/recipes to try ?

Check out Phil Rowley's website.

Iphone5

It was raining boatmen from 2 - 4 pm today.

I suspect some people want to know what they look like.

Photos are always nice.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiP6ud-U4AEzGdQ.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiP6ueAU...jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiP6ud-V...jpg&name=large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiP6ueBU...jpg&name=large

Should help folks tie their flies.

Just google backswimmer fly patterns. SFOTF did a sxs on the Ultimate boatman ,which is my fav.Rowley's got some also.Don't just think that you have to have foam in the pattern.A very simple pattern . size 10 scud hook.Peacock herl body,with dark blk plastic [garbage bag] strip pulled over the peacock..Definitely increase your tipet size,vicous strikes.Don't handle the live bug,they have stingers .Similiar to a wasp....

A simple foam boatman works great. I like the black plastic bag idea. I use 12 lb test. Saves getting broke off for sure.

Backswimmers
 

They were dropping the other day at a local eastern Alberta lake, but trout didn’t seem too interested just yet.

Worth fishing them sinking or floating. I fished mine exclusively floating the last two years as that is what I prefer. Just that much more exciting to see the take and set the fly. I'm using 3x most of the time but 2x is not a bad choice in flouro.

Witnessed the biggest hatch I've seen this year. Got to the point where both backswimmers and boatman were landing. Fishing was hot for a bit until they were overwhelmed. Fish stopped feeding on everything. You could see boatman and backswimmers floating around and swimming below the surface unimpeded. Most of the other boats went to trolling. I just went to the windless side of the lake where no one was fishing yet and sure enough, it was on just in that one small section.

I've never tried early spring at ice off. Will have to try that out. And, will use sinking line since they are not landing at that time.

The NSR is loaded with them right now. Goldeye... anyone

Now that’s a blast.

I've watched a few videos recently. Brian Chan's does a great job of explaining it all:

https://youtu.be/U0o7FOjb2ug

Does anyone know where of has bought the preformed foam bodies? Not required for sure but hey, I'm lazy :)

I've seen them recently at cabalas south Edmonton. Its the superfly brand. and they work good enough!

Cool.

Have always wanted to do some fall flyfishing for Goldeye. Are you fishing towards Fort Sask. or out towards Devon?

I've done both. The boatmen are ubiquitous. I prefer upstream of the city, though

There was a thick amount of them landing all over my boat on the NSR throughout from Fort Sask into Edmonton on Thursday :sHa_shakeshout:

Can't figure out what's going on in the Stony Plain area trout lakes. Fished Muir on Saturday and today and never saw a rise or swirl both days, nada. Fortunately Plan B with a wooly bugger worked for some good sized browns and rainbows. The water in Muir is very murky, visibility today was maybe about 2ft. I didn't see today's big 'bow in the water until brought to the net.

Took my tube out to Muir after work on Thursday last week and Wednesday the week before. Both times the water was very murky. Seeing some backswimmers around, only a few swirls. But as you said, the fish were not really on to them.

You didn't miss much at Spring on Saturday.

Very, very slow.


Last Thursday afternoon was a head scratcher.

Beautiful warm day, low wind and there were backswimmers and boatman all over the place.

Hardly a rise.

Tried bead head boatman in different colors/patterns, foam boatman, ultimate boatman, different patterns and sizes of backswimmers. Floating and sink tip line. Nada.

A couple 10"-12" on a olive leech.

Weird.

Tim,


Were you out for a boat ride or fishing for goldeye?


If so did you catch a few?

Stan

Thanks! I will check it out.