Bow river help

FreshFish · #1 03-23-2016, 09:12 AM

This is only my second season of fly fishing and I'm looking for some pointers for fishing the bow. Been out 3 times and I've had one bit! I was using a indicator at the top of my 9' leader then 2 BB split **** about 12" above a worm pattern, then about 12" below that was a small zebra midge. Then I tried same setup with a black leech and pheasant tail nymph below that. Then just the leech and I got a strike. Then I tried a olive woolly bugger. I was fishing deeper slow moving water.
Am I deep enough with my rig? Not deep enough? How do I know? Am I using the completely wrong flies? Very frustrating when guys are standing beside you with spin casts pulling fish out ever few minutes..

Scott N · #2 03-23-2016, 09:39 AM

It sounds like you're on the right track as far as length of leader and fly selection.

Are you mending your line, meaning that you manipulate it so that your flies are bouncing along the bottom, drag free? If not, that's the next part of the equation you should work on.

I like to use a large (#2 -#4) wire San Juan worm instead of split shot, then tie a dropper fly on a few feet below that. I find that I don't get as many tangles that way.

270WINCHESTER · #3 03-23-2016, 10:06 AM

You should be tapping the bottom at least every other drift, if not every drift. If your not you need more shot or other manners of weight to get deeper. Since your going to be tapping bottom almost every drift, you should be setting the hook at every drift. Set the hook at every sign of an indicator movement. Even if it just seems like bottom, set the hook. For flys, since the worm is a well know producer may as well always have one on as your lead fly, as your dropper flys try something like a #16 bead head pheasant nymph, or a copper john.
Other wise you seam to be setting up very good. 9' leader with indicator at the end, deep slow runs about 4-6' deep moving at walking speeds.
Another thing to try if nymphing isnt doing so hot for you is either just swinging streamers, to try and match what the spinning guys are doing. Or dead drift a streamer under the same indicator set up. This way having a perfect drag free drift isn't nearly as important.

FreshFish · #4 03-23-2016, 11:50 AM

Yes I am doing my best to mend and keep a drag free drift. I will try some more weight seeing how I don't seem to be hitting bottom. Also, what is the best way to cast with all of this extra junk on my line. Getting ALOT of nasty tangles

goose slayer10 · #5 03-23-2016, 01:22 PM

To your last question FreshFish. Try letting your line float down stream of you so that it becomes tight, then lift it and almost sling it back up into the water you want to fish. its not pretty but it gets your fly in the water and limits your false casts that tend to cause the knots and tangles. Good luck.

270WINCHESTER · #6 03-23-2016, 03:51 PM

Try to avoid false casting, its during these in the air when the knots form. Goose slayers tip is good. Another way that i like is this.
Cast forward, let your line land on the water. Cast backwards, let your line land on the water. Than cast forward a final time where you want to cast. This prevents false casting, also when your line lands behind you on the water, the water tension loads your rod on the forward cast to give you a good strong cast. Such as the way a roll cast does. Your pretty much just lobbing your line around not actually casting it.

sanjuanworm · #7 03-23-2016, 04:01 PM

One of the biggest mistakes people make on the bow are staying in one spot. If you don't catch in the first 5-10 mins move upstream a bit. Get your flies in different water. Even if you're doing everything else right, if the fish aren't there you are wasting your time. I see this time and time again.

rycoma · #8 03-23-2016, 06:00 PM

First off try a longer leader. I start with a 13' min especially in pools. The thing about the bow is that it moves alot faster then it looks. Even in the pools. When you cast your fly line and indicator start to pull in the current almost immediately causing your flys to rise up no matter how much weight you have on. The extra length gives you a moment to allow the flies to get down on slack line before the leader straightens out and begins to lift them up. 1 bb shot usually does the trick but it all depends on water speed. As for the water try selecting an area that you can cover in a few hours learn it inside out instead of jumping all over. In two to three outings you will learn if the area is decent or not. I don't fish the bow alot anymore. I have an area that I can fish in two hours and do extremely well but it took years to learn the area and a couple to relarn after the flood. To keep the tangles down slow way down feel the weight transfer bac, big open loops. Also move the split shot closer to the top fly 6" max and tie the bottom fly to the bend of the first hook 12" max length on that tippet. Hope that helps

FreshFish · #9 03-23-2016, 11:26 PM

Thanks a lot fellas. Going to try my luck tomorrow. Appreciate the adcice

goldscud · #10 03-24-2016, 10:08 AM

I've never used more than a 9ft leader in 25yr of nymphing the Bow...but if you like the longer leader, have fun with it

rycoma · #11 03-24-2016, 05:42 PM

Never an issue gold. My catch ratio doubled. But I always change it up accordingly with conditions. Like I said I don't wander around the bow too much it is my late fall, winter get my fix river. I stay away in the spring and summer. If I'm fishing on a smaller creek or river my leader is usually 9' tops

spinN'flyfish · #12 03-24-2016, 06:45 PM

I've used a 20'' leader, and it got all tangled up.... lol. Go with the length of your rod and maybe add a few more inches. The river is quite fast, quite hard to mend your line if you're fishing without waders.

scel · #13 03-25-2016, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sanjuanworm

One of the biggest mistakes people make on the bow are staying in one spot. If you don't catch in the first 5-10 mins move upstream a bit. Get your flies in different water. Even if you're doing everything else right, if the fish aren't there you are wasting your time. I see this time and time again.

^^^This. So much this. There are a few exceptions. If I have caught fish in the run before, I will fiddle with my indicator depth and work through the run a couple more times. Still, unless I am catching fish, I will never spend more than 30 minutes in a run.

FreshFish · #14 03-25-2016, 08:13 AM

Well I caught one. Fished all day and only caught one but it was awesome. First fish out of the bow. 12" or so rainbow. I ended up trying a clouser minnow with a golden stonefly dropper. I think it went for the minnow and I was a little slow on the set and ended up snagging it in the belly with the stonefly... Haha.. That or i got lucky enough to snag it on the way by.

rycoma · #15 03-26-2016, 10:48 AM

What a weird day yesterday. Lost a nice one but the whites were jumping like crazy for tiny little midges. At least thats all I could see for sure on the water. Tried a #18 adams but no luck. Put on a #12 black and red stone fly and got two strikes. Man whites are tough to catch on a dry fly. Had some big guy jump less then 2' away from me.

weedhaul · #16 03-26-2016, 12:32 PM

FreshFish....I feel your pain. I'm the same exactly, been out numerous times in the last 2 years, got all the advice, set up just right, good technique, found good spots. I've caught 2 fish total...

I was out this morning, fished for about an hour with no luck. Some guy comes along just down from me with his kid....makes 2 casts and gets a white. I'm like, WTF am I doing out here? Insanely frustrating. I know I'm doing things right, and I enjoy just going out, but it would be nice to get a little positive reinforcement.

I can go out on my boat and catch 30 pike in a day at the lake, but I'll admit it took a while to get to that point. From that experience I know that subtle things can make a big difference, and once you "get it" it's a great feeling. Just need to figure out that little thing that will tip the balance.