Won't be making it out on opening day[I tend to avoid the madness] but might possibly venture out Sunday[I know, the madness will still be present to a degree]. Just wondering what kind of fly rig you fellows would suggest using to compete with the "Baiters". My initial approach will be Hares Ears or Pheasant Tails fished deep and slow. Are tandems recomended? I may have already answered my own question. Any thoughts? Thanks.
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Opening day rig
- Thread starter sonny
- Start date
iskipowder21
New member
egg and san juan worm
tkhour
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
Sonny,
You are on the right track. I always fish a tandem rig thinking that 2 offerings are better than one. I dont think you can go wrong with your selection as well. Fishing slow and deep is probably a good idea in that the water is usually still cold and those fish will hunker down not to expend alot of energy. Also depends on which river you are fishing if your looking to match the hatch. Always check out a local shop in the area where you will be fishing and they can give you some advice. Dont forget your streamer patterns early in the season. With the waters typically higher they tend to do very well. You can cover alot of water. I typically use woolybugger and leech patterns in white and black. Hope this helps Good luck
You are on the right track. I always fish a tandem rig thinking that 2 offerings are better than one. I dont think you can go wrong with your selection as well. Fishing slow and deep is probably a good idea in that the water is usually still cold and those fish will hunker down not to expend alot of energy. Also depends on which river you are fishing if your looking to match the hatch. Always check out a local shop in the area where you will be fishing and they can give you some advice. Dont forget your streamer patterns early in the season. With the waters typically higher they tend to do very well. You can cover alot of water. I typically use woolybugger and leech patterns in white and black. Hope this helps Good luck
BIGBOW
Wilderness Fanatic
If its warming up like they say, dont be surprised to possibly see some Hendricksons, early stones, and midges hatching here in Jersey. I'll be bringing them just in case along with an arsenal of nymphs and streamers. If they're hatching try a dry as an indicator with a nymph below. Flashback PT are usually a good choice for a dropper, as is a GRHE.
quality time
Just finished a River Runs Through it!
A few of my favorite early season rigs are tandems....
This season I am going to try the bugger with a zebra midge trailer as well.
QT
- White bead head Bugger with a small flash back pheasant's tail or hares ear
- Green Weenie with a small bead head flash back pheasant's tail or hares ear
This season I am going to try the bugger with a zebra midge trailer as well.
QT
Drossi
If they can't take joke .....'em
My go to's for Opening day stockies, in the order presented....
1) Grey Ghost
2) Wooly Bugger - Olive, Black, or Brown, your call.
3) Egg pattern perferably orange but that's just me.
4) GRHE nymph
5) Whatever is hatching if by luck something is and fish are on it.
I usually don't make it past #2 without some semblence of success but remember go DEEP on #'s 1-4 and GO SLOW on any action given to #'s 1 and 2. Very slow, short strips with long pauses work best for me when fishing streamers early season.
1) Grey Ghost
2) Wooly Bugger - Olive, Black, or Brown, your call.
3) Egg pattern perferably orange but that's just me.
4) GRHE nymph
5) Whatever is hatching if by luck something is and fish are on it.
I usually don't make it past #2 without some semblence of success but remember go DEEP on #'s 1-4 and GO SLOW on any action given to #'s 1 and 2. Very slow, short strips with long pauses work best for me when fishing streamers early season.
Considering we're talking stockies here, you can go with whatever and have success. Tandem rig for sure, no need to use a dry fly, and my personal choice is a greenie weenie with a moe egg in trail (or a bead - glass drops fast, plastic is a tad slower, if you don't want such a fast decent, glo-bugs or illiamna pinkies). San Juan Worm can fit the bill as well. All I know is if I see stockies breaking the surface, I'll take a brown styrofoam ant, cut the legs off, and pretend I'm in a hatchery feeding them. Can't go wrong, why waste natural patterns best suited to native or educated fish, my 2 cents at least.
Dr. JM
Dr. JM