Favorite march seeps lakes flies

[Curtis]

Planning on heading over to the seeps lakes the 3rd week of march and was wondering what your favorite flies are for that time of year. Have not gained the patience for chironimids, or even had the patience to learn to fish them, so what else???
Thanks in advance!!!!

[Scott Salzer]

Chronies.... If you pick the right one, hit the depth, you don't need patience.

With that said, WB's, pheasant tails, zonkers, Hale Bopp's, etc. You can always hit one of the three shops on the way over to see what they recommend.

MB

[Wayne Jordan]

Halfbacks, nyerges nymphs, scuds, olive slumpbusters, carey specials. chironomid dries, and calibaetis nymphs/dries

The weather can be crazy over there so be prepared to fish a variety of patterns.

This fish was taken on a halfback from a Seeps Lake last year...
http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/gallery/data/18330/thumbs/DSC02726_1_.JPG (http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=20107)

[uncledave]

I have had several 50 plus fish days w/chronomids under an indicator. Scott's right, match size and color to what you see, you don't have to have be patience. Believing in your fly choice is paramont to success. A brief lesson in entomology will help to ensure presentation is correct. If you move the fly, you ain't doin it right. Let the fish find your fly!!! they seem to know how to find it better than you can present it.

[Curtis]

I guess I have been convinced to try out chiros. Just another fly I need to learn how to tie......

[Wayne Jordan]

Chironomids are hard to beat and pretty simple to tie too. Like Uncle Dave said you can catch a lot of fish if you have the know-how.

[Richard Olmstead]

Scott's right, match size and color to what you see, you don't have to have be patience.

I'm new to stillwater, too, and haven't thought about flies for Chironomid imitations much myself. The only midge fishing I've done has been with #20-22 flies on moving water. I understand that they are typically larger on lakes. In order to have tie up a reasonable selection to start with, what colors and sizes should I tie?

D

[uncledave]

Try basic black, red, green, brown, colored by your tying thread with just a simple wire rib and peacock herl thorax. add a bead head if your to impatient to wait for it to sink. Make your offering suspend about a foot above the bottom with a stategically placed indicator. Any movement, lift rod tip abruptly, fish on!!!! Size 14 is my most used size, although up to size 8 bombers are common early in the season, down to size 26. Just match your fly size to any husks you see. Have fun and I'll see you on the West side.

[Porter]

Planning on heading over to the seeps lakes the 3rd week of march and was wondering what your favorite flies are for that time of year. Have not gained the patience for chironimids, or even had the patience to learn to fish them, so what else???
Thanks in advance!!!!

I understand. I do not care for chironimid fishing....feels like the worm and bobber set up. I have had luck with assorted leeches at the same time others are scoring on chironimids. I'm sure the chironimids are the food of choice for many and most situations.

[Keith Hixson]

Worm under a bobber? Some of the best fishing has been with a San Juan worm under stike indicator (bobber) early in the season, like March and April. Chronomids are also quite effective year round, but leech patterns and wooley buggers fished deep can be effective.

Keith

[uncledave]

If your vision is up to the task, a strike indicator isn't necessary. Its just a crutch for old guys that can't see, like me. Try fishing chironomids under a clean good floating line, just watch where the line meets the water at the tip. This is nymphing at its basics. On calm days this is a very effective method. The more chop, the less you can see, hence strike indicator. So it ain't really bobber fishin. A slow retrieve is critical, just enough to keep the line straight. Think like a chironomid, fish-on.

[Scott Salzer]

Keith:

I would agree, that is why I tend to use a tandem rig, one being the SJW.

[fly4trout]

I think one reasom the SJW is successful is because of the midge larvae, or "bloodworm" migration. They leave their mud tubes and wiggle just above the bottom from deep to shallow water in the spring, and the oppposite direction in the fall. Wind and wave action can carry them all through the water column during these times, so a windy day can be a great SJW and indicator day. Right, Dave?

[sharpshooter223]

what is an sjw, yes im new to the fly game.

[Wayne Jordan]

what is an sjw, yes im new to the fly game.

San Juan Worm

http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/gallery/data/508/thumbs/10-15-2006_017.jpg (http://www.washingtonflyfishing.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=15828)

[_WW_]

If your vision is up to the task, a strike indicator isn't necessary. Its just a crutch for old guys that can't see, like me. Try fishing chironomids under a clean good floating line, just watch where the line meets the water at the tip. This is nymphing at its basics. On calm days this is a very effective method. The more chop, the less you can see, hence strike indicator. So it ain't really bobber fishin. A slow retrieve is critical, just enough to keep the line straight. Think like a chironomid, fish-on.
This is how I fish chironomids. I love to feel the take and casting without an indicator is a bonus.

[ribka]

I really like soft hackle chronies. I use moose mane for the ribbing with grey partridge hackle on a size 16 or 18. I sometimes use it as a dropper fly behind a micro leach. Has worked on all stillwaters in WA, OR and BC and Maine

[sharpshooter223]

what is a good size range of chronies to fill my box with.

[tkww]

what is a good size range of chronies to fill my box with.

See uncledave's post. 12-16 is probably a good way to go. Depends of course on the length/shape of the hook. A 3xl 12 is definitely a different size than a scud/2xs #16!

There are so many species that i'm convinced you don't have to be exact usually. Of course it never hurts to hit it right on. I'd be more worried about depth and general shape of the pattern than I would about the exact color. The clearer/lighter/shallower the water, the more precision you'll probably want.

The first time I ever saw a bomber out there, my jaw just dropped. So huge in the context of "midge." But then right next to them were #14s and 16s coming off also.

[Keith Hixson]

[QUOTE=uncledave;310533]If your vision is up to the task, a strike indicator isn't necessary. Its just a crutch for old guys that can't see, like me. QUOTE] :rofl:

A strike indicator can be good for depth control. A couple weeks ago I was fishing on the Yakima for white fish and didn't have a strike indicator and my partner did. He caught fish I didn't because for some reason they were hitting closer to the surface.

The largest trout I have caught on the Yakima was with olive colored "san juan worm". It was during the early season high water. I don't really know if its a san juan worm if it isn't red but that's what I call them.

Keith

[BDD]

I have experimented the past few years fishing without indicators and have done well enough that I have confidence in the method. The best time is when there is a good hatch and fish are feeding aggressively. That is when you can take the bobber off, cast out, let it sink using the count-down method, and slowly retrieve the fly. I have used floating and sinking lines successfully.

[Keith Hixson]

I have experimented the past few years fishing without indicators and have done well enough that I have confidence in the method. The best time is when there is a good hatch and fish are feeding aggressively. That is when you can take the bobber off, cast out, let it sink using the count-down method, and slowly retrieve the fly. I have used floating and sinking lines successfully.

I usually fish without an indicator, but sometimes the feeding zone is 12'' to 18" and you just have to have an indicator keep it that close to the surface. I prefer fishing without but sometimes the bobber systems works best.

Keith

[BDD]

Sheesh Keith, don't you ever sleep?

I still use indicators too. Something about watching it move, setting the hook, and having a fish on.

[Keith Hixson]

[QUOTE=BDD;311004]Sheesh Keith, don't you ever sleep? QUOTE] :rofl::rofl:

Woke up to relieve myself (an old man's thing) and if I surf the net for a few minutes my eyes get tired and I go back to sleep easier. When we gonna hit the Yakima again?

Keith

[Double-D]

This was an old technique before indicators became the norm, a good high floater and a slooooooow retrieve can some times be more effective than under an indicator particularly when they become extra selective. Also this is a perfect presentation when huge spring rainbows are cruising the shallows (3ft or less), I will fish an unweighted and a more realistic size #16 - 18 chironomide. The takes can be vicious and if your not prepared for a soft set you can go through a box of fly’s in no time.

Another presentation that works well in skinny water is to let your chironomide settle to the bottom when you see a cruiser gently retrieve the fly from the bottom see what happens.

[Tim Cottage]

I really like soft hackle chronies. I use moose mane for the ribbing with grey partridge hackle on a size 16 or 18. I sometimes use it as a dropper fly behind a micro leach. Has worked on all stillwaters in WA, OR and BC and Maine

Ribka

This sounds like an interesting pattern. Can you post a pic?

Thanks
TC