[flyfishcolorado]

I do alot of reading of fishing reports and I always read one report on the Green River and it lists the hot six flies for that week so it seems we have some stillwater guys in here so what are your HOT SIX flies when you go to a lake. I'll list mine in order it will be interesting to see if I need to add a couple of new patterns to fill out my box.....

#1 Scuds either olive or tan normally a size 12 works perfect

#2 Hare's Ear Both Olive and Natural again size 12 works best for me

#3 Pheasant tail I normally use from 14-20 here

#4 Midges from 12-18 all colors and forms

#5 foam back callibeatis spinner size 14-16

#6 Hornberg the lakes i fish have those big i call them motorboat caddis and theres nothing better then the evening hornberg hatch....


Honorable Mentions...... Black Wooley buggers,prince nymphs, muddler minnows and a floating ant all have there place in my box

Hope everyone has fun with this


Fish

 

[slayerfish]

I always have a couple Platte River Specials size6-12.Also some SIZE 16-18 beadheads in gold or gold/red.

 

[OURAY]

Hard to come up with only six but these are the ones I use most often:

Midge patterns #18-20
Pheasant Tail Nymph # 14-18
Prince Nymph #12 - 16
Elk Hair Caddis #12-16
Parachute Adams #12 -16
Black Wooley Buggers


Honorable mentions: Golden Ribbed Hares Ear, Rusty spinner, Brassies, Royal Wulff ...list goes on and on!

 

[Neal/CO]

Pretty much concur with your six. I also like egg patterns and San Juan Worms. I like to drift a Red San Juan worm just off bottom. They take it for a midge Larvae? I also tie a Chickabou feather Damsel fly nymph that can really be effective once the water gets warm!

 

[epic]

For still water I like:
Yellow poppers for bass and large bluegill.
Elk hair caddis
Black Wooley Bugger
Pistol Pete
Little brown trout
Little rainbow trout
and Dave's Hopper

I know that is 7 but the trout streamers are kind of like 1.

 

[flyfishcolorado]

Pistol Pete????? U have to be kidding

 

[epic]

pistol petes for still water yeah I've caught tons with them.

 

[_colorado]

Pistol Pete's work great on the Michigan River in Walden for those big, bank hugging, rod bending browns that lurk there.

 

[Guest]

Hey Colorado,

I didn't get out on the ice again this year. My wife and friends like open water better so I got talked into taking the boat out instead, plus the reports did not look so hot. Sounds like the March ice fishing tournament at 11 mile was Madness as advertised.

I have a canoe for fishing Quincy, and an aluminum bass boat which I picked up at the end of last year. Can't wait for the ice to melt at Elevenmile and Spinney to get after those Pike, Kokes, and bows. Anyways, Sounds like you know quite a bit about fly fishing, do you ever fly fish Elevemile or Spinney? I don't have a fly rod (yet) hoping to pick one up this summer and learn. Right now I fish a fly and bubble but never catch anything. What flies would you recommend for 11 mile /Spinney and what kind of leader?

 

[_colorado]

YJ,

This may sound a little snobby but I don't flyfish stillwater :-[ My philosophy is catch and release all year on the streams but, once winter hits, take 'em through the ice (cold water and flash freezing makes 'em taste better!).

Now comes the hypocrisy: I bought a canoe last year and am sorely tempted to take it out and try tossing a few bunny flies at the Spinney pike at ice out. I'll keep you posted if I do and if I have any success. I'm not even sure why I bought the canoe because I haven't used it yet - I guess my son talked me into it.

But my best answer to your question is probably to refer you to Slayerfish - based on what I've read on this and other boards he gets around and probably has your answer.

By the way, I connected with a guy from Ch 8 in Denver via the other ice fishing website and we're going out to 11 Mile this weekend to film a documentary on ice fishing. They are going to stay with us the whole day and do a half hour show: unloading, setting up, drilling, hopefully catching, moving, etc. Pretty cool, eh? I'll let you know when it's going to air - it's the show "Colorado Outdoors".

_colorado

 

[slayerfish]

Hey,thanx for the plug-anyway,I've done quite well using fly and bubble on 11-mile and spinney.Black wooly buggers work,also wooly worms with red on back portion.In june there are these amazing hatches of whitish/light blue insects with long curved wings,I dont know what theyre called.I just use pretty much anything white and slay 'em. Also I always fish from the boat,so I'm right out in the middle of it.All my best days have been in the shallower inlet area.7ft to 20 ft.or so-Also if the trout are finicky just add a tiny pinch of worm to the fly---on 11-mile of course!!

 

[Neal/CO]

Those are Damsel flies. They migrate to shore in nymph form usually in June. They are big nymphs and are totally vulnerable as they try to get to shore and morph into the big blue insects you see. Goto any fly shop and ask for Damsel pattern.

Also get some big Chrononmid Midge patterns, scuds and Water Boatman patterns.

During the summer you have to be able to imitate the millions of Callibeatis nymphs in the water. Usually a standard Hares Ear in size 12 or 14 will do! This is the one time I don't use beadheads.

I always have a spinning rod handy with a leech pattern jig if it gets to windy. Sometimes jigs are more effective! Especially in the fall. Spinney fish eat alot of Crawfish also. Last fall a 3" Berkeley Power craw was the ticket!

 

[slayerfish]

My bro is an excellent fly tier and as a result I have quite a selection.I rarely know what kind of bug yhey are,I just look at them and match the hatch with something from my box!A lot of times I use a dry but fill the bubble with water so it sinks then drag the dry just under the surface-it works well.

 

[Bronco]

My best days at spinney where from my boat using my flyrod and simply cast out and use the indicator like a bobber and that was it. best luck was the inlet end of the lake and I have the same problem as slayer, I have no idea what flie I'm using. My buddy who owned All-Pro would give me some flies and instruction to find lanes in the weeds and wait for the cruising trout..

 

[slayerfish]

Hey it doesnt matter what theyre called so long as it works!Just like lures,its a matter of size,color,depth,speed,etc.

 

[Zman]

Parker Tom

That is one of the best methods for Spinney...Quincy for that matter too...let the waves do the work...a scud or egg fly below a tiny plastic bobber on 4 pound line casts a ways...and you dont need to use a fly rod if you dont want to or dont have one...little dime size plastic floats...I spray paint mine makes them more visable and better yet doubles the weight of the bobber and they cast even further...add a small micro shot or tie your flies weighted and it makes a killer combination...the rangers always stop at Spinney because with a spinning rod and a strike indicator errrrr bobber <sarcasm> they think you are using bait...

 

[flyfishcolorado]

I fish with an indicator 95% of the time out on lakes and I know at Delanney I refer to the best fishing as the 6 inch chop. Nothing fools a fish better than a dancing scud 10 feet under an indicator. And Colorado I think you are missing the boat if you dont fish for stillwater trout I know the season is in full swing once i hear my reel screaming and see the backing. I feel lake fish fight 5 times harder than river fish.

 

[slayerfish]

I feel your joy!Lakes win hands down.IMO.

 

[Zman]

I dunno...I hooked a Brown below Hebgen dam on the Madison in turbulant water...it was 10 minutes before I saw him...I thought I had finally gotten my 10 pound brown...it was 19 inches...I was stunned...not that there is anything wrong with a 19 inch brown...it had gotten damn strong (bad pun) fighting those currents...

 

[flyfishcolorado]

Well all i can add is i hooked a fish in Hebgen and come to think of it Henry's lake that I never got a chance to turn around. But hey I'll take a river fish anytime i can as well its all good. Time to get that vise cranking.



Fish