Brand Spankin New to fly fishing with a few questions(please

[Digger0038]

Hello everyone,
I'm new to fly fishing and if you dont mind I have a few questions. I started about a month ago and I practice casting at least a few times a week and I caught my first trout in the Mokelumne a few weeks ago on a nymph. (not important but I get excited just talking about how much fun it was :D ). Anyway I already have 3 fly rods and about 50 different types of flys. One of my rods is a 5 weight I also have a 6 weight and I picked up an 8 weight lamiglas with Okuma integrity reel for a really really good price ....All 9ft rods. Anyway back to the question. I really would love to catch some steelhead on the American river. I have waders but I have no clue where to go or what to use. I know a few spots where people fish but one of them bieng at the Nimbus Dam (too crowded for me to fly fish there) and the other spot that looks good is at the watt avenue river access. Is that an ok spot to try and do I need barbless hooks there? All of my flys have barbs on them where can I get barbless flys or do you grind the barbs off? I am thinking of heading out to give it a try at the first break of light on Saturday morning.
Thank you for and advice you can give.
Dave

[Matt Frey]

Welcome
I don't know about access for you. You should go into the shop and talk to the guys. About the barbs on your hooks, you can easily use a pair of forceps or needle nose pilers to smash down the barbs. Here is a copy of the regulations. In my opinion it's always good to fish barbless even if it's not required. It's a easier on the fish.

Good Luck,
Matt

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regulations/07-08-inland-fish-regs.pdf

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

The fish are scattered throughout the river now.

I would fish in any riffle (water that is "crinkley" on top). Riffles in the river are created by fast drops in elevation. It cases the water to speed up and get choppy. Bugs and fish like to be in the riffles for more oxygen and cover.

I am sure someone here on this BB will meet you and show you the ropes.

I have personally taken hundreds of new people down the river after work over the past 40 years for Halfpounders. What we do is pretty simple because when the fish are in like now they are pretty suicidal.

Andy Guibord told me he hook a dozen Halfpounders (16-18 inches) on Tuesday but on Wednesday he only got one.

Take which ever rod cast best for you between your #5 and #6 with a floating line.

Use a 9' 3x leader and a green #12 nymph with the barb completely pinched down.

Fish early or late in the day because low light gets the bugs moving and the fish too. Overcast days can be good all day long.

Start at the top of the riffle and cast across and down stream.

After the line hit the surface and moves some "mend" you line. By that we mean lift your rod high and move the belly of the line upstream to take the bend out of it caused by the pull of the current. This helps keep you straighter to the fly and slows the swing of the fly down coming across the current.

I like to keep my rod pointed at my fly and I like to keep the tip lower to the water.

If you are waded out into water that is about 3 feet deep and you fly is in the water down below you there is a great chance a fish might take your fly. Just keep casting and slowly moving down stream to cover more water.

If you go as many AMs and PMs as possible in the next month or so you will be showing us pictures of fish too.

__________________________________________________ __________

I took a guy down to the river one night probably 20 years ago. I showed him our 'drill' which is really simple but we did not hook a fish. We learn most of this from fishing with Joe Shirshac many years ago.

About three days later he called me at the shop from his home all excited because he went out a couple more time and that morning had finally connected to a nice Halfpounder.

He has been a good friend and a regular at our shop ever sense.

[Digger0038]

Thank you very much for your posts I hope I will be posting pics soon. It should be good practice even if I dont catch a fish (but a fish would be nice :) ). Mr. Kiene I will use a #12 green nymph with a 3x leader and see what happens. I will be out there at about 7 AM on Saturday. I will be at the Watt avenue river access (I think) I will be wearing green waders if any of you are out that way just swing by and say hi. My name's Dave.

Thank you very much,
Dave

[mark]

Wow,

Bills response is about all you can ask for as a tutorial on the American halfpounder run.

Bill's about a class act guy as you can find and also happens to be the owner of Kienes, so if you are short tippet, flies etc, don't ever hesitate to go in there and in addition to getting you all setup, they always give out great information and advice on some hot spots for the day as they see many reports come in and out of the shop daily.

In fact I bet if you went in there on a weekday close to closing hours you might even find someone who is headed out and will show you the ropes. It always helped me to learn by watching others, made the learning curve much shorter.

Anyhow, welcome to the board, great group of people here all willing to give help and advice. Feel free to pm or send me questions anytime you have one. You also mentioned you fish the mokelumne, which is only about 15 minutes from my house so if you ever head up again, give me a call and I will show you some of my favorite spots.

take care,

-Mark

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great Dave.

If you just get at it and stay with it like SteveC and Erick you will be just as crazy as the rest of us about Halfpounders.

__________________________________________________ ___________

Back in the 1960s my brother Dick and I were trying to catch Halfpounders on flies too.

We had pretty much become expert at catching them with night crawlers so we thought we would try fly fishing for them.

I worked at Sports Unlimited on Arden Way back then so we had pretty good fly fishing equipment and I believe Joe Shirshac and Al Perryman were telling us to go to Watt Avenue then.

One evening just above the bridge we saw some Halfpounders rising to the surface feeding on something. At this time we had some Royal Wulff dries in maybe size 12. We waded out and drifted those dry flies over the top of where fish would rise. After about a dozen drifts a really curious Halfpounder ate my brother fly.

So after that night we figured it that was the way you did it. I told people who came in for flies for Halfpounders to get some Royal Wulffs and just keep drifting them over the rising fish in the evening.

Well one night I was there and ran into Hal Janssen who was then and is now one of the best fly fisherman I know. He was casting them really well and showed me he was using a caddis pupa way back then. That's kind of how we got onto that bug.
__________________________________________________ _________

In the 1970s I had my first fly shop, the Fly Hutch, at Fulton & El Camino. We had evolved some because of the help we received from many old timers who fished the river for years.

Back then we had a huge group of guys who fished the river.

We had all the old timers like Chuck Campana, Joe Patterson, Joe Shirshac, George Martin, Art Rathburn and Walt Bennett......to just name a few. These were the founding members of the fly club in town, the California fly fishers Unlimited. These guys are in their 80s now.

Then we had the younger crowd which was me, my brother, Mike Ziem, Al Perryman, Bob Giannoni, Frank Pullen, Mel Jeffs, Don Rotsma, Craig Ziegler, Bob Long, Al Fong, Cal Guinn, Larry Cullins......many more too. We are all around 60 now.

Then we had the "teenagers" like Galen Geller, Phil Romig, Paul Keel, Rick Maston and others too. These youngsters are in their 40s now.

When the Halfpounders were in we fished almost every morning and evening in September/October. We all ran around together and eat together at "Part Time" restaurant near Watt and Fair Oaks and at Walt's Restaurant right by my shop.

__________________________________________________ _______

So for all of you new to this, nothing has really changed much. We are just older now. Just stay at it.

I am excited that there is a good run this Fall. Brings back old memories.

[Jeff C.]

Hey Bill,

Did Andy say what fly pattern he was using? Just was wondering what kind of sucess he's been having with the flys I gave him.

Jeff C.

[Digger]

Wow, you couldn't come up with a more original alias ? ? ? :roll:

[Digger0038]

Thank you for all of your replies. Hopefully I will learn much more and get a chance at some fish while I'm learning. Mr. Kiene I know the feeling of just haning out with your friends and fishing, there is nothing like it and some of my best memories involve my friends and fishing. Today I just got laid off from work after 4 1/2 years there. I guess while I'm looking for other work I will make the best of it and do a little more fishing. On days when my wife gets home early enough you may even find me at your shop late in the day like Mark suggested.

[Scott V]

Hey Digger0038 if you want I am heading out early Sunday morning, you can meet up with me and Eric, we will take you out there and over what little advice we have. Just drop me a pm.

[Digger0038]

I forgot one question about using a green #12 nymph. Do I need to use some split shot to get the nymph on the bottom or should it float on top of the water. Also should I use a strike indicator as well.

[Digger0038]

Ok I actually have just one more one more question. Do any of you fish by the Sunrise bridge @ sunrise and 50 river access or should I stick with the Watt river access for now or does it not really matter? Thank you gain


Dave

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

In the AM and PM you really don't need anything but a nymph.

Get it out there and let it swing below you and don't be in a hurry to bring it in.

[Digger0038]

Scott V was nice enough to voulenteer to take a rookie out with him on the American today....I had 2 that bit but I could not bring them in. Scott had (I'm just guessing) 5-7 bites and caught one. It was alot of fun. Scott pointed me in the right direction, helped with fly selection, cast technique, and where to stand in the riffles. We saw fish jumping around us early but the fishing was on the slow side for everyone out there. We saw a few guys catch a fish or two early. I had a great time and I learned alot about that particular area. Thank you Scott anytime you need a fishing buddy let me know. Thank you Mr. Kiene also both bites were on the green caddis. I plan on actually catching one next weekend.

Dave

[Scott V]

Hey Dave had a good time on the water, I just can't wait til I get my waders this Wednesday. I finally left the water around 1:30, 6.5 hours on the water. I had a couple more bites but only landed the one fish, a cute little quarter pounder.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y85/PsychoZ/IMGP0345.jpg

See you on the water next Sunday. Same place but I think I will be getting there around 6:30.

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Thanks Scott for helping out on the river.

You are keeping up a fine ttradition of getting other into this fine sport.

Way cool guys.................

[Digger0038]

I will try and get there at 6:30 also. I had a blast also. Nice fish I forgot you snapped a pic of him. After I felt how cold the water was I'm glad you suggested I wear my waders, I don't see how you stayed in that cold water so long. Hopefully Sunday we catch bunches of fish.....

Dave

[WinterrunRon]

and don't be in a hurry to bring it in.

In case you missed it, the key to more fish is in those ten words. :wink: