Adrian, the last time I was there I had used, by recomendation, of the lodge I was staying at, to use mostly, salmon egg imitations...pink and orange.... I never used any type of wet flies, or other large streamers or numph patterns... that is not to say they are not used...but the recomendation was a good one...so, I would just bring some of those simple egg flies as well as others which might also be recommended to you. I also had gone in November which is the key month...I was told.
I'm planning to be there the weekend of 21-23 Nov. In addition to those already mentioned, the "Egg-sucking Leech" can be effective, but egg flies are probably most consistent. The key is to be ticking along the bottom.
Bring studs or Korkers.
Good point I forgot to mention...that Todd says...bring those korkers ...the entire river bottom is shale rock... all flat, large, jumbled up and very slippery.... the current is strong depending on where you wade. A wading staff is not a bad idea , I did not have one but saw some with them..... anyway... you need not go in that far anyway....It's a fairly wide river and you will see drift boats.....(P.S. It's quite a unique town... people with waders on everywhere...people leaving the super market, the drug store, the resturants.... chatting...usual town life but with waders on.....)
I had a good time on the SR. No banner days in terms of hook-ups but I did manage to connect with one nice steelhead that unhooked itself just before I could grab the leader - lots of acrobatics. I also had a brown of about 20 inches that would be considered a baby up there. Indicator fishing is new to me so it took a while to get the technique down. Fishing yesterday in driving sleet and snow was a new experience :smokin:
I am much happier swinging traditional wetflies speystyle but that technique is a low percentage game at this time of year but comes into its own in the spring aparently.
I was impresed with the quality of the river and the amount of access. Some areas felt a bit crowded but there are some really nice spots that get very little attention that can be had with a bit of walking.
Good report Adrian... Todd and Jim invited me to join them but I need to be home when my daughter comes back from Syracuse that weekend. I had thought I could join them and pick her up at Syracuse U... on the way back, but she will be home that Saturday... I would love to go next year though and stop in Cooperstown on the way back
Well John, you missed the following:
* 5:30 am wake-ups
* Some good Steelhead
* Lots of Browns
* Fishing in snow, fishing in sun, freezing the whole time (except for the death-march
through the snow filled cornfields and up & down some snowy icy cliffs)
There were lots of fish in the river (as Jim kept showing me). Eventually, I started to get the hang of it. The water temp was 37 degrees the only time I measured it; that made me decide not to measure it again. The Browns were a bit logy, although some of them jumped quite a lot; the Steelies seemed less effected. One or two pictures to follow.
Good, That sounds like a successful trip...and look forward to the pics and the Douglaston Run. Sorry , I missed it, but with my daughter up in that location I expect to make some trips not to mention that one of my Cape neighbors lives in "Skinnyatelis"..I spell it the way it sounds but that is not the correct spelling, a town on one of the finger lakes and am planning on fishing with with him from his lake front home this spring when I pick up my daughter for summer.
Here's one of the browns. Sorry you couldn't make it John....one of these days we will finally meet in person.
estaz flys in blue & pink worked well (one in "my" teeth in the pic).... Tod did well with a black wooley bugger too.
Great reports. I think I may be headed back there in the spring.
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