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In terms of flies:
I've also had some success catching little smolts by swinging tiny pheasant tails in the mornings when there's some surface activity. I often see hatches of micromayflies and occasionally tricos in the mornings. And it's not always the micro-fish eating them -- I've caught some over 15" this way. This last weekend there were quite a few tiny black & white mayflies until around 9am, along with some small tan caddis, and several black/green ones. I looked under the rocks and the most small tan caddis are in their pupal form but not yet chewing their way out of their cases. It's possible the tan adults were from a previous day and are evening hatchers like the vast majority of caddis I've seen on the AR.
When the caddis are hatching in the evenings I've had more luck swinging a pupa than with a dry (unless I'm swinging it in the film).
I don't know why, but I've never had much luck with a caddis larva, only a pupa. Trying to tie something that would work -- probably a vain and futile effort.
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Bill, mine is probably a 6, maybe an 8.
Smitty Fish that's a cool fly. Green, brown and red, the holy trinity. The blue head is a nice touch. Is that your own pattern?
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Yes Trout Source that’s a pattern I came up with. But I’m sure there are similar ones out there. It works.
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Almost any #8/10/12 wet fly / nymph can work.........
Most of the time I use a floating line, early and late in the day.
I like a knotless tapered leader as long as my rod.
On a light outfit with small flies you can use 3x tippet.
If your outfit and fly are larger with chance for a larger fish like the Klamath or Rogue I would use around 1x tippet.
Time to get out there.......
September is good on the lower Rogue river for Half-pounders and you can drive, park, walk and wade lots of it.
For the lower Klamath river you need a jet boat, mostly.
The middle and upper Klamath river can be accessed with a vehicle, walking and wading.
Let me know if you have any questions.......
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Attachment 14974
My go-to bugs. Also #10 Invictas and green Dirty Birds
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Those are some sexy looking bugs!
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I asked Rogue river resident and veteran fly fisher Al Perryman what flies he uses for Steelhead up there?
I think he said a size 6 classic dark colored winged Steelhead fly.
Iasked if it was any particular pattern?
He said, "No, every one is a little different."
I think that is the fun of tying Steelhead flies.....they can be similar but a little different.
*Fishing early and late in low light seems to be a key thing for Fall Steelhead.
So a dark unweighted pattern makes a nice silhouette when the fish is looking up.
I use a #6/8 Silver Hilton in most all long rivers in the Fall except the American?
In the American I use a buggy pattern in a size #10/12.
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Renty, that's some nice fly porn.
I just found a collection of AR flies (for halfpounders, winter steelhead, stripers, shad) on this site by Greg Vinci:
http://california-flyfishing.com/BugPhotosAmerican.htm
I'm getting sucked into endless pages of fly porn with flies like Hulk Muddler, Muddy Buddy, Trans Gerbil, Zoo Cougar, Barr's Meat Whistle, Kreelex Fly, Tungsten Thin Mint, Backstabber Leech, Chou's Fortune Cookie.
For when I become famous I'm reserving the following: Warlock, Cluster, Klepto, Sharpie. Please don't tell me they're already taken.
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We should all put up a photo of the flies we use for Half-pounders on the Lower American River.
I have a box full of small wet flies for Half-pounders somewhere.
Now I usually use a size #10/12 caddis emerger-ish soft hackle in olive/green...........unweighted.
Many years ago an old timer said he used a #10 Renegade dry fly fished wet.
So I use that for a while..........
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Late summer / fall flies
Here is some of my go to flies Bill! My late summer / fall box with some various streamers. Got to love sculpin patterns for trout to stripers!
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Many years ago an old timer said he used a #10 Renegade dry fly fished wet.
So I use that for a while..........[/QUOTE]