Winter Fishing the Crooked River December 29, 2013

Finally I get a chance to make an actual fishing report since the blog's creation, and what a trip. I hit Oregon's Crooked River, a river I have not fished in a while! It's an interesting little river, with it's spring creek-ish layout and its murky water that the trout are still able to see through to eat a size 20 insect. As for insects, Blue Winged Olives and Midges are the prime food sources during winter, in addition to the prominent population of scuds. The Crooked River is great for winter fishing due to it being a tailwater that has a steady temperature throughout the cold spells that plague Central Oregon. Of course, all of Oregon knows this as well, and the river was peppered with fly fishermen. I even saw one catch a fish in the brief time we drove by him. Fortunately, I found a beautiful stretch all for myself and began casting a Size 18 Purple Haze along the glassy surface.

I could see the parachute fly fairly well on the surface, and I fished quietly for several minutes. Of course, fishing in the open with bare hands soon turned my hands into stiff mannequin appendages. Holding my rod and fly line was tricky enough, and untangling my tippet from the tules on the shore that I would frequently snag on was even worse. At one point my hook got embedded in my finger past the barb. Yes, I know it's barbless hooks only, but I filed it down after I ripped it out. The point was, it was so cold I couldn't feel the pain of a hook being ripped out of my finger, even with blood drawing. Sucking on my finger, I continued to work my way across the river. I cast my line across a likely stretch and was rewarded with a small, ten inch native Redside. Of course, I left my camera phone in the car as I always do after catching any beautiful fish (I did not forget it on the Depoe Bay Ling Cod Tournament or the Squawfish Ransom Fundraiser However!) I gently released it and immediately went back to the car to get a pair of mittens. Of course, once I put the mittens on came the five minutes of excruciating pain that one always feels when heating your hands after being out in the cold, but it eventually subsided.

As the day continued without any more strikes, I began noticing things about fly fishing. Like how cars always drive by when you're untangling your line from the tules or making a sh*tty cast, and how they disappear when you double haul fifty feet with a drag free drift. I fished the same stretch of river some more, and was watching my fly drift by a rock when a trout slurped my fly in. Bumbling to grab the line with my mittens, I miraculously was able to grab it and strip the trout in. It turned out to be sixteen inches, a nice fish for the river, and I gently released it back into its home. Soon, my parents called my and told me it was time to leave. I would have gladly stayed longer, but in a way that beautiful trout was a perfect way to end things.

The Makings of a Classic Fly

As many readers of my blog know, I am an avid fan of the classic Royal Coachman pattern. In my opinion it is one of the most consistent fish-taking flies and has one of the most ingenious designs. It is also highly visible to the angler, and more importantly, the trout. The fast flowing currents often make flies hard to see, but the distinctive shiny red and green Royal Coachman easily catches a trout's eye. Although the original Coachman was a wet fly, my favorite rendition of the pattern is in dry fly form. Below I have given step-by step instructions concerning the tying of the Royal Coachman.

Royal Coachman:



Hook: 10-18
Tail: Brown Hackle Fibers or Golden Pheasant tips
Body: Peacock herl, red floss, and peacock herl in that order
Wing: Lemon Wood duck or Mallard flanks.
Hackle: Brown

1.


Select an appropriately sized hook. In this example a size 14 Mustad hook is being used.

2.


Crimp the barb either with your vise or with a pair of pliers. Always do this before the fly in case of hook breakage.

3.


Lock on your thread towards the rear of the hook.

4.


Select either several golden pheasant tip fibers or several brown hackle fibers. Generally, I prefer the hackle as it is less expensive and more durable.

5.


Tie them in, taking care not to make the wraps too bulky.

6.


Select a wood duck or mallard flank feather. Although some aficionados claim the wood duck is more effective, mallard usually works just as well and happens to be far less expensive.

7.


Tie in the feather and make a divided post wing. it's a hard process to explain*, so either look it up on the internet or get someone to show you how to do it.

*I was too lazy to take pictures of me doing it.

8.


Select a single peacock herl strand and tie it in.

9.


Next, select a spool of red floss and tie in a suitable piece. It helps to have a floss bobbin, but one is not necessary.

10.


Wrap the peacock herl forward a third of the shank (up to the wing, that is), and tie it off. Wrap the floss over the next third, and tie it off as well.

11.


Wrap the peacock herl for the final third, and tie it off. Be sure to leave some room for the impending hackle.

12.


Select one or two brown or grizzly hackles, although I prefer brown. Two hackles give better flotation, but one is more natural (mayflies only have six legs)

13.


Prepare it by stripping the fuzzy fibers from the base of the hackle, and then tie it in.

14.


Use a pair of hackle pliers to wrap the hackle twice behind and twice in front of the wing.

15.

Tie off the hackle, whip finish, and add head cement.

FINISHED FLY



In addition, there are several other renditions of the Royal Coachman. One is using turkey flat segments as wings, a design more similar to the original duck quill Royal Coachman.




In addition, I used orange foam to tie a post-wing version of the fly which I intend to try next season.

I also made a few soft hackle versions of this fly, time tested favorites in my mind.



Of course, I meant the kind pictured above is a time-tested favorite. The one below I tied for amusement and I doubt will catch a cold. Nonetheless, it's still worth a try and could be effective.

Somehow Even More Selected Fly Patterns of the Mt. Hood Area

With Christmas only two days away, it is clear that fishing for trout is pretty much over. Although there are some ice fishing and tailwater opportunities, most trout fishermen have to resignedly hang their fishing caps and stow their waders for next year. Now, with winter in full swing, you might think that I'd be skiing like crazy, living in Government Camp. Well, this is not entirely true. While I am an avid skier, the conditions have been so poor lately that very few runs are open, and the ones that are have bad snow and unbearable crowds. So, to pass the time, I've been busy at the vise, churning out patterns for next year. Here are some time-tested favorites, as well as new flies.

Picket Pin:



Hook: 10-18
Body: Peacock Herl
Hackle: Brown, clipped short
Wing: Calf or squirrel tail
Thorax: Peacock herl
Weight: Tungsten bead head (opt)

Note: A classic Eastern wet fly that works very well here in the West.

Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle:



Hook: 10-18
Tail: Pheasant tail fibers
Body: Pheasant tail fibers
Rib: Copper wire
Thorax: Peacock Herl
Wing case: Pheasant tail fibers
Hackle: Hungarian Partridge
Weight: Tungsten Bead head (opt)

Notes: My attempt at combining the Pheasant tail nymph with a soft hackle. Works very well during a hatch unweighted as an emerging nymph.

Crazy-Ass Rockworm:



Hook: 10-14
Body: Green dubbing
Rib: Flashabou
Thorax: Green bead

Notes: Not recommended. You are welcome to give it a try, but this one was purely for entertainment purposes.

Light Blue Dun:



Hook: 10-18
Tail: Blue dun hackle fibers
Body: Muskrat Dubbing
Wing: Divided Wood Duck or Blue dun hackle tips
Hackle: Light blue dun

Notes: Standard dry fly, one that works pretty well in areas with Blue dun hatches.

Nondescript Brown Mayfly:



Hook: 10-14
Tail: Brown Hackle fibers
Body: Muskrat Dubbing
Wing: Divided Wood Duck Flank
Hackle: Brown

Notes: Most boring fly in existence, but a good one to try when nondescript mayflies are hatching.

Nondescript Brown Mayfly Wulff Style:





Hook: 10-18
Tail: Elk hairs
Body: Muskrat Dubbing
Wing: Dark elk hair
Hackle: Brown

Notes: The same as the previous fly, but with better flotation at the hands of the hair wing.

Hare's Ear Spider:



Hook: 10-14
Body: Hare's ear dubbing
Rib: Copper Wire
Thorax: Hair's ear with guard hairs left in
Hackle: Hungarian Partridge

Notes: Another effective soft hackle fly that works as well as the Pheasant Tail Soft Hackle.

Alternate Kam's Tail:

Hook: 10-18
Tail: Hare's ear guard hairs
Body: Hare's ear dubbing
Rib: Copper wire
Thorax:  Hare's ear dubbing with guard hairs left in
Wing case: Pheasant Tail fibers
Legs: Pheasant Tail fibers pulled back.

Notes: This pattern differs from the original Kam's Tail in that it's more styled after a Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear than the actual Pheasant Tail. Both are effective patterns and should work well in the Mt. Hood area.

Crappy Caddis:



Hook: 10-12
Body: Brown or black dubbing
Hackle: Brown, clipped short
Rib: Copper Wire
Weight: Tungsten bead head and/or lead wire

Notes: Looks disastrous, but is great for the Salmon River, where caddis flies predominate. Also works well at the Deschutes in the late summer and early fall especially.

Kam's Caddis with that Reflective Fish Stuff:



Hook: 10-14
Body: Spun and clipped deer hair
Wing: Translucent reflective fish skin stuff
Hackle: Brown

Notes: I need to know what that stuff is called. If anyone knows send me an email or comment.

Crudely tied Madame X-ish Fly:



Hook: 10-14
Body: Orange or tan dubbing
Wing: Elk Hair
Hackle: Brown
Legs: Rubber legs tied in an "X" shape.

Notes: My fly naming skills need work. Nonetheless, this fly works well as a caddis, cricket, or grasshopper. It is also a good Deschutes Salmonfly imitation in larger sizes.

CDC Wing Caddis:



Hook: 10-14
Body: Orange or tan dubbing
Hackle: Brown
Wing: Tan or Cream CDC.

Basic Insect Life of the Mt. Hood Streams:

ENTYMOLOGY/FLIES

For many years, I fished the Mt. Hood streams with little more than a greased–up Royal Coachman. Don’t get me wrong, I caught plenty of fish, but all were small, in the four to six inch range. Then, one day I decided to try a small Pheasant tail nymph. I was pleasantly surprised by a twelve inch fish. Wondering what I did differently, I investigated by turning over numerous rocks in the river. I found that in the particular river I was fishing (The Oak Grove Fork) there was an abundance of small mayfly nymphs, belonging to Blue Winged Olives. Since then, I have always brought size 14 mayfly nymphs, as well as actual BWO’s during the late summer hatches, and have caught many fish over 14 inches.

Keep in mind, these rivers are still easy to fish. If you want to throw out Royal Coachmans and Humpies on 3x tippets, and catch six inch trout, that is fine. But if you want to precisely cast 7x tippets with size 18 Cascade Flying Ants, you will be rewarded with 14+ inch fish. It’s your call.

Also, I am no etymologist. You should by no means use this as a reference for all forms of insect life on the Mt. Hood streams. These are just a few prominent hatches. Next spring and summer, I will make it my goal to find more groups and species of insects and include them to my blog on how to fish the Mt. Hood area.

Blue Winged Olives:

 

On the Oak Grove Fork, Blue Winged Olives are the main mayfly that can be found hatching during the summer and fall months. These Blue Winged Olives are greener than most, and have unusually short bodies. When they hatch, the waters won’t be exploding like with other mayflies, but the trout will clearly be going nuts, busting the surface all around you. Good flies are obviously the BWO, in size 12’s. Remember that even though it might look strange at first, always tie the wing as big as you can so as to match the naturals more. The nymphs are size 14’s, and are dark brown, so they are best imitated by Pheasant Tails in that size. Some good patterns are below:

Blue Winged Olive, Dry: #12

Blue Winged Olive Emerger, #12

Bead Head Pheasant Tail, #14

Olive Comparadun, #12

Cased Caddis Fly:

As aforesaid, I am not an entomologist. I don’t know or care what particular species the caddis flies that that I catch fish on are, and neither should you. All that is important is that in many of the Mt. Hood streams, especially the Zigzag and Salmon, small cased caddis flies are a staple of the trout found there. They are small, ranging in a size 12 or so, and when they hatch, the normally tricky fishing on those alpine creeks becomes much easier.

Nymphing can also be good, for reasons I will never understand. Of all the crazy and disgusting crawly things trout eat, I can at least understand the motivation with some of the mayflies and stoneflies. However, the attraction trout have to cased caddis nymphs is strange to say the least. These insects are usually, if not always, covered with a shell of gravel, dirt, silt, mud, or plant life. Why a trout would want that in its stomach is beyond me.

Despite this, caddis flies become the main food source for the trout in these creeks. Even during the spring time, these patterns make great attractor flies, and are very productive. Some good ones are below:

Elk Hair Caddis, Gray, Orange, Brown, #10-14

X-wing Caddis, Gray, Orange, Brown, #10-14

Goddard Caddis with spun deer hair body, Gray, Orange, Brown, #10-14

Cased Caddis with pebbles from river glued to body, #10-12

Spun Rubber Cased Caddis, #12

Black Stonefly:

 

Yes, there are giant stoneflies here! Once again, I’m pretty lost on the species in particular, although the Tiny Winter Black might be an option. Regardless, although the sheer number that hatch come nowhere near to rivaling that of the Deschutes River forty minutes away, they still can provide great fishing for some of the bigger trout that don’t fall for as much as the smaller, uneducated fish. The nymphs are also very effective, as long as they are fished deep. No stonefly is going to be caught dead in the middle of the water column.

Black Stimulator, #4

Black Bullethead Stonefly, #4

Kaufmann’s Stonefly Nymph, #4

Terrestrials:

Extremely effective on the creeks during the late spring and summer months, terrestrials imitate beetles, grasshoppers, and a host of other land-dwelling insects that have been blown into the water due to wind.  All are best fished dead drift.  Some caddis patterns can be used to mimic terrestrials because of their resemblance to grasshoppers. Still, in my opinion, the all-around best terrestrial to use on these creeks is a size 14 black foam beetle.

Before tying a terrestrial to your tippet, always take time to observe the local insect populations.  Trout primarily subsist on aquatic insects and only feed on the occasional terrestrial that drifts by.  Tying on a terrestrial pattern is not likely to be productive in the midst of a busy BWO hatch where fish will be focused on emerging aquatic insects.  I used to think of terrestrials as "last resort" patterns, but now I consider them a good addition to your arsenal when going after the big trout when there are no hatches.

Cascade Flying Ant, # 14-18

Black Beetle, #12-14

Deer Hair Hopper, #8-14

Inchworm, #18

Fish Species of the Mt. Hood Area

TROUT AND STEELHEAD OF THE MT. HOOD AREA

High Mountain Cutthroat Trout (“cutts”)

Oncorhynchus clarkii clarki

 

The native trout that live in the streams and lakes of Mount Hood are coastal cutthroat trout.  Now don't let the "coastal" part confuse you.  Although some members of this subspecies spend part of their life in the ocean, these are stream residents, which spend their entire lives in streams. The other two “forms”, of coastal cutthroat are the “fluvial”, which live in large rivers and enter creeks to spawn, and the lake dwellers, which live their entire lives in lakes. Although the biggest cutthroat trout can grow to over 30 pounds in weight (the record being 40 pounds), most of the cutts that you'll catch in the creeks will be a few ounces to a quarter pound. The biggest ones I have ever caught in them were roughly 14 inches in length. They do get larger in lakes. Before you put this book down in exchange for something about more famous rivers known for trophy specimens of trout, keep in mind that these trout are surprisingly scrappy, fighting harder than a lake dwelling trout twice its size. Although I have hooked jumpers, most of these fish have a deep, throbbing or frantic thrashing fight, often trying to foul the line on underwater obstructions. This behavior comes from it living in fast streams.  They are an iridescent golden yellow, completely dotted in spots and have a bright red throat mark, hence the name "cutthroat". They are absolutely gorgeous, with a buttery golden coloration.

Brook Trout (“brookies”)

Salvelinus fontinalis

Brook trout are not as common in the area as cutthroats, which is a good thing because cutthroats are a native species but brook trout are not. They are found in Timothy Lake and an assortment of other lakes in the general area. Brookies and cutthroats are similar in size, although the world record brook trout is only about ten pounds.  Brook trout originated in the eastern United States, and have spread westward by stocking of lakes and rivers. Perhaps the easiest of all trout to catch, fishing for brookies is fairly straightforward. The usual baits such as worms and Salmon Eggs work well, as do lures such as spinners. Nymph patterns such as the Pheasant Tail and the Hare's Ear work well, so do wet flies. They respond to dries with less gusto than cutthroat trout, but can easily be taken on Humpies, March Browns, Cutthroat, and Caddises. Although they rarely jump, brook trout have a hard underwater fight similar to that of a cutthroat, although I have always found Brookies to be a notch below the cutts in strength.

Brook trout differ greatly in appearance to Cutthroat trout.  They are actually a species of char, and are not as closely related to most other trout species.  They are dark green to grey and are dotted with yellow or red markings. On the top of the back are numerous vermiculations (worm-like squiggly patterns).  Brook trout taste delicious, and may be kept (although it is best to check with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife).

Rainbow Trout (“bows”)

Oncorhynchus Mykiss

 

Rainbow trout are by far the most common trout in the area, and are present in both wild and stocked numbers. The main species in the vast majority of the lakes, they are also present in many of the rivers and streams. The great thing about these fish is that they are extremely versatile. They appeal to all forms of fishing, and as a result are extremely popular with anglers. Rainbows are the most commonly targeted fish of all Mt. Hood area fishermen, including fly fishermen, still fishermen, trollers, casters, and shore guys. In addition, they appeal to all skill levels. Some rainbows are extremely easy to catch and can be caught by anyone, whereas others provide challenges for even the most experienced anglers. No matter which particular ones you are targeting, though, rainbows are thrilling fish that offer enjoyment to all anglers.

Brown Trout

Salmo trutta

 

There are self-sustaining Brown Trout populations in the Oak Grove Fork stream of the Clackamas and Harriet Lake, the lake it drains into. Although they are mainly found in Harriet, Browns commonly enter the river for feeding or spawning purposes. I have personally seen, cast to, and hooked these fish in the stream itself (landed is another matter) and catching them is possible. Although I have never bought into the myth that Brown Trout are far more difficult to catch than other trout, this might be true here. However, this is mainly because of their large size and affinity for baitfish. I have hooked Browns on Royal Wulffs and other attractor patterns, but Wooly Buggers and Muddler minnows are probably much more effective. Although there are Browns in the area, there are many other places in Oregon that I fish that have far better populations of these trout. Still, catching a big Brown Trout from a tightly wooded creek is considered an angling feat of the highest order.

Chinook Salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

Not the Chinook salmon you're thinking of, right?  Well, fishing for adult salmon on Mount Hood streams is closed to anglers.  However, the juveniles, or parr, are often caught by anglers seeking trout, often rising to small dry flies and aggressively pursuing wet flies.  They fight like small trout, and can be distinguished from their relatives quite easily, as they are paler, more cylindrical, and have vertical ovals called parr marks along their bodies.  Although not as highly esteemed as the much older and larger adults, they do provide a pleasant consolation if the trout aren't cooperating.  They are usually found in the Salmon River, Zigzag, and other similar places.

Steelhead Trout

Oncorhynchus Mykiss

Although steelhead are not commonly encountered in the small creeks of Mount Hood, there are significant seasonal runs on some of the larger rivers during the midsummer months, particularly on the Sandy and Clackamas River.  Known as the “fish of a thousand casts” for the persistence it takes to hook one of these magnificent fish, fishing for steelhead requires dedication and persistence.  The beginning fisherman would do well to hone his skills on cutthroats, brookies and rainbows before pursuing these elusive fish.  There are innumerable ways to fish for Steelhead, and popular methods include pulling plugs such as Flatfish and Tadpollies, bobber and jig fishing, and side drifting with eggs or shrimp. However, those who choose to fly fish for these ocean-going rainbow trout should fish with an eight weight rod with powerful tippet and sinking fly line.  Fish some of the regular flies that are used for steelhead in other rivers, along with an assortment of shiny Wooly Buggers.  

More Selected Fly Patterns of the Mt. Hood Area

This is a follow up to my "Selected Fly Patterns of the Mt. Hood Area" post. Here are many other interesting flies that have all been successful fishing the streams of the Mt. Hood area. Of course, these streams are fast flowing, so I made numerous ultra-buoyant hair and foam bodied flies. I also have some soft hackles and nymphs as well. All of these flies have worked, although some differ in effectiveness depending on the circumstances.

I made my own pattern I call the Kam's Caddis. Some guy in Jackson Hole or Montana has probably already invented it, but I really don't care. It's like a Goddard's Caddis with spun deer hair. Spinning deer hair can be frustrating, messy, and time consuming, but it's pretty fun once you get the hang of it, which is why I made this fly. It is buoyant and fish love it.

Kam's Caddis

One major material I liked was foam. Foam is rare in that it is buoyant no matter what, unlike the usual deer and elk hair which sink after a while. So, I made some foam-body caddises and terrestrials.

Standard Indicator Beetle

The black sheet foam was really easy to work with and secure for the beetle pattern above. I also added some orange antron yarn so it would be more visible.

Foam Body Caddis

 The foam body caddis was tied with that translucent gummy wing with the scale design on it. I forgot what it was called. Although it seems to look good to the fish, I worry if it sacrifices buoyancy.

Chernobyl Ant

I liked the foam body for the terrestrials, but not so much for the Caddis. It worked, but I felt it had a less realistic profile on the water than my standard Caddises. However, I remembered that foam makes a really sturdy parachute wing, and I set that to work on numerous flies.

CDC Parachute Caddis

I like CDC because it's buoyant and really easy to work with, so I used that for one of the patterns. It also had the added advantage of having a more natural footprint on the water's surface.

Standard Parachute Caddis

 I also tried a standard one with brown calf tail. It seems to have less of a profile than elk hair, but it's easier to work with. The body was tied with orange dubbing.

Parachute Caddis w/Translucent Wing

Again with the strange translucent wing. I really need to find out what that stuff is called before I make a fool of myself at the local fly shop.

Kam's Caddis Parachute

This pattern is probably one of the single most frustrating and annoying patterns in history. Combining a parachute post wing made out of foam, of all materials, a hair wing, and spun deer hair on a size 14 hook is like having to box Paquiao for twelve rounds. It's an effective fly, so I use it frequently, but THIS one you won't want to snag too often.

In addition, I tied some variations of the Royal Coachman. For those who don't know, this pattern is a time-tested classic that I also happened to catch my very first fish on. It has been used to fool trout of all species since the beginning of time (or beginning of fly fishing, but they're pretty close). Nowadays it's largely considered an outdated pattern, disdained in favor of the similar Royal Wulff. However, I still use it today on the numerous rivers and streams of the area, and catch plenty of trout too.

Royal Coachman Dry

Although the original Royal Coachman used white duck quills as wings, I almost never use this material as it is fragile and difficult to work with. Instead, it is better to select different materials, including brown or white hackle tips, CDC, Wood Duck or Mallard flanks, or even white foam. You can use white calf tail, but at that point it becomes the Royal Wulff.

Royal Coachman Soft Hackle

 In addition, I tied up a few soft hackled versions of this fly. I know I included this pattern in the first "Selected Fly Patterns of the Mt. Hood Area", but that one was rather poorly tied. I used dry fly hackle instead of genuine partridge or hen flank, and the result was a fly that would not fish properly or catch anything. The versions above and below are much better patterns.

Bead Head Royal Coachman Soft Hackle

Lastly, I tied another classic Eastern wet fly, the Picket Pin. It's a simple, all-purpose wet fly used to fool the microscopic brook trout the East is famous for. As a result, it also works very well for the microscopic brook trout we have over here. Mine is tied with a larger wing than normal, but I believe that increases the overall effectiveness of the fly. Of course, you are welcome to try a shorter wing.

Picket Pin