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Thread: Wet Flies / Soft Hackles For Lower American

  1. #1
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    Default Wet Flies / Soft Hackles For Lower American

    Anyone have some productive wet flies / soft hackles for swinging on the Lower A this time of year?

    I do well nymphing with a Dirty Bird version of the attached fly (even swinging it) so figured I'd tie this soft hackle version and try swinging it: Peacock Hare'e Ice Dub thorax, medium copper wire for ribbing, charcoal antron thorax and India hen neck for the hackle.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #2
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    Default Soft Hackled Flies - Yes

    Soft hackled flies and similar patterns can be very effective in the springtime on the American River. Check out this blog I wrote this time last year highlighting methods and effective patterns.

    https://dennisplee.com/fly-fishing-t...ing-steelhead/

    Dennis
    www.dennisplee.com

  3. #3
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    Default something caddis-y....

    Caught a few trout-sized swinging this on lower American.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Trouter925; 02-05-2021 at 12:55 PM.

  4. #4
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    For winter fish, my go-to flies on the American are the Spawning Purple and Orange Comet. That said, I’m not exactly killing it so far this season.

    By early March, a soft hackle Hares Ear, size 14-16, is pretty effective for bluebacks and the occasional adult fish. I fish all the above on a dry line, because it’s a personality flaw of mine, but I’m sure fishing them deeper would work just fine...

  5. #5
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    I have fished the Lower American river with a floating line, tapered leader and some kind of a #10/12 caddis wet fly for decades.

    My friend Al Perryman, who is a real top steelheader, told me if I had used a large fly I would probably have caught some larger fish.
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
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    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Kiene semi-retired View Post
    I have fished the Lower American river with a floating line, tapered leader and some kind of a #10/12 caddis wet fly for decades.

    My friend Al Perryman, who is a real top steelheader, told me if I had used a large fly I would probably have caught some larger fish.
    Bill, I’ve fished mostly flies tied on 1.5 and 3 Alec Jacksons the last couple of seasons for the winter fish on the American. Drawn some attention, but only a few to hand over the last couple of years, and only one hookup so far in 2021 (smaller soft hackles in spring and fall, and they have been much more successful on the smaller fish).

    On the other hand, I got a 12-13” cutthroat on a size 4 muddler a couple of years ago while chasing summer steel on the Rogue. Not a big deal, except it still had a 4” smolt halfway down it’s throat, and the tail was still sticking out of it’s mouth. Yet it still found a way to impale itself on the muddler. So, I guess they have plenty of room in there...
    Last edited by hwchubb; 02-08-2021 at 11:58 AM. Reason: Spelling / detail

  7. #7
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    Default

    Any of the Nemes' soft hackle patterns scaled up on beefier hooks are good especially when the water is low and clear or the fish have been pounded. Can't go wrong with that BRF classic, the Shakey Beeley, either.

  8. #8
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    Good one Steve....

    When the fall Half-pounders come in late August they are still in schools and in ocean colors, dark blue over silver.

    At this time they eat most anything that is a spare size 6 or smaller.



    After they have been in the river a while, October, they seem to spread out and get local trout coloring.

    At this time they seem to feed more like a resident trout, so matching the hatch is "more gooder".

    .
    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

    567 Barber Street
    Sebastian, Florida 32958

    Fly Fishing Travel Consultant
    Certified FFF Casting Instructor

    Email: billkiene63@gmail.com
    Cell: 530/753-5267
    Web: www.billkiene.com

    Contact me for any reason........
    ______________________________________

  9. #9
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    Thanks everyone for the ideas for what I can do at the bench and then on the water. It's interesting, a lot of steelhead flies could be classified as wet flies, others as streamers, and lots that are somewhere in between. On my rig Saturday I basically swung one streamer and one wet fly -- it was my pictured fly swimming behind an olive Beldar bugger: https://flyfishingthesierra.com/beldar.htm
    I had 3 grabs, including a very brief hookup, but landed none. I'm not sure which fly they took.

    SteveS it's funny, I just read about the Skakey Bealey earlier this week and now you mentioned it, so I'll have to tie a few. This article says "the big ones" love a purple version of them: https://www.blueribbonflies.com/shakey-beeley.html Since purple is also in vogue now in fly tying for trout, I'll have to tie some in that color.

    I've typically swung Beldars or muddlers trailed by a caddis pupa, but figured it can't hurt to try other types of flies. Yet, despite my OCD fly tying, I sometimes have to admit that the fly probably doesn't matter that much. I listened to a podcast of Ken Morrish being interviewed by April Vokey where he said that for steelhead the flies matter less than they do for other fish -- that it's mainly just a numbers game (# of casts). She disagreed.
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  10. #10
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    To me, the Shakey Beeley suggests a lot of things. Tied in the traditional orange and yellow I think it is often taken as an egg or glow bug, besides an October Caddis or golden stone. I also think the two tone thorax and abdomen acts as a better trigger than a single color. I have yet to try it in purple, but that is certainly a color I fish a lot of in full sun.

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