Three of the easiest flies, and they work!!
Friday, 1 June 2012
Igor & Lise's super-fantastic camping trip (2010)
Me and Lise took a weekend trip to Selbu-area to do some fly fishing and test out some new waters.
Home sweet home.
Since we were a bit tired, we desided to go straight to bed, so we'll be well rested for the next day.
Day 2: Saturday
Wind, wind and more wind. Woke up because the tent was shaking from the bloody wind.... But the sun was shining....
Gorgeous Gorge :D :D :D
So we decided to explore the whole area and see what kind of lakes we got around our camp. Since the wind was blowing like crazy, we didn't see any rising fish at any of the lakes, but there was a lot of cloud-berries, and they tasted soooooooooooooooo good! yum yum! Lise was just a little upset, that we didn't bring that pancake batter powder we planned, because pancakes, cloud-berries and some sugar.... Delicious!!
Around 19.00 the wind started to calm down so we managed to catch a few trout for dinner. And after all that walking around the wild, it tasted good with some woked vegetables and lemon juice. And what is really interesting, is that this trout had almost white flesh. It can only mean that there are not a lot of crustaceans in the lakes.
After dinner, well it was two dinners actually, we did some more fly fishing in the lake nearest the camp, but no big fish caught. Then it was of to bed with hopes of a windless Sunday, the last day of fly fishing/camping.
Day 3: Sunday
Sunday was a sunny day! Hot and no wind. After a quick breakfast, we decided to try the lake that was just over a small hill, south-west of the camp.
Since it was crazy-hot, Lise had to go back to camp and put on some shorts. Meanwhile, I just looked at the water surface and the caddis swimming across the surface, to see if there is any rising fish. Suddenly I hear this plop sound somewhere to my right, and a second later I see one fish rise 20 m from me, but 2 m from land. At that moment Lise came back and I had to fill her in on the intel, when again a fish rises again. This time about 30 m away, but still close to land. so I run a few meters and put my swimming caddis pupae imitation where I saw the rise. Two seconds later the fish takes the fly, head &tail, and I hook it nice and easy. It felt realy big, but alas the fish wins this one.....
Well, when the lunch was over, it was time to break camp and head home. The 10 km hike back to the car was awful. We just talked of what good fly fishing we left behind, but work and other duties call..
In the end we had a great weekend, despite the terrible wind on Saturday and I can speak for both of us, when I say, we'll go back!
Day 1: Friday
Since I had to work till 17.30, we headed out at 19.00, after a delicious pasta dish with mushroom sauce that Lise made. After a 1,5 hour drive, we were at the "parking lot" ready for the ca. 10 km hike to the place we chose to camp at. We reached the place at 22.30, just before dark, and the tent was set up super-fast by Lise herself.
Since we were a bit tired, we desided to go straight to bed, so we'll be well rested for the next day.
Day 2: Saturday
Wind, wind and more wind. Woke up because the tent was shaking from the bloody wind.... But the sun was shining....
Gorgeous Gorge :D :D :D
So we decided to explore the whole area and see what kind of lakes we got around our camp. Since the wind was blowing like crazy, we didn't see any rising fish at any of the lakes, but there was a lot of cloud-berries, and they tasted soooooooooooooooo good! yum yum! Lise was just a little upset, that we didn't bring that pancake batter powder we planned, because pancakes, cloud-berries and some sugar.... Delicious!!
Around 19.00 the wind started to calm down so we managed to catch a few trout for dinner. And after all that walking around the wild, it tasted good with some woked vegetables and lemon juice. And what is really interesting, is that this trout had almost white flesh. It can only mean that there are not a lot of crustaceans in the lakes.
After dinner, well it was two dinners actually, we did some more fly fishing in the lake nearest the camp, but no big fish caught. Then it was of to bed with hopes of a windless Sunday, the last day of fly fishing/camping.
Day 3: Sunday
Sunday was a sunny day! Hot and no wind. After a quick breakfast, we decided to try the lake that was just over a small hill, south-west of the camp.
Since it was crazy-hot, Lise had to go back to camp and put on some shorts. Meanwhile, I just looked at the water surface and the caddis swimming across the surface, to see if there is any rising fish. Suddenly I hear this plop sound somewhere to my right, and a second later I see one fish rise 20 m from me, but 2 m from land. At that moment Lise came back and I had to fill her in on the intel, when again a fish rises again. This time about 30 m away, but still close to land. so I run a few meters and put my swimming caddis pupae imitation where I saw the rise. Two seconds later the fish takes the fly, head &tail, and I hook it nice and easy. It felt realy big, but alas the fish wins this one.....
I spot two really nice rises on the other side of the lake and we, well Lise, decide to fish around the lake. Me on one side and Lise on the other side. Nothing happens, although there are plenty of caddis on the surface. Maybe it was the heat. So we go to another lake to check out if there is anything happening there, eating cloud-berries along the way. When we get to the lake, we see absolutely no sign of life. The sun burning hot, we jump in the lake for a quick cool down. After we got dried, which took just a few minutes in the sun, we head back to the lake where I lost the nice fish.
Lise takes the same side as before, and after a short while I see one nice one, rise some 50 m from Lise. She heads down and casts her Animal. After a few minutes I hear her say "Oh no, it took the fly, but didn't get hooked". Well, can't catch them all, I think for my self. She'll get it next time. Meanwhile I manage to break my 5wt, but after a quick mending MacGyver-style I'm back in the game. Not that it matters, because I don't catch anything and Lise manages to miss the hooking again. I head in Lise's direction, and half way there I hear the all familiar sound of a fish getting hooked. Lise's 4wt is in a nice bend, so I ask her if the fish is of a nice size. "It's OK" she says. After I net the fish for her, I see that the fish is anything but OK, it's f*****g awesome! Lise's biggest so far this season. Unfortunately we had to eat so that pretty thing ended up in our bellies.
In the end we had a great weekend, despite the terrible wind on Saturday and I can speak for both of us, when I say, we'll go back!
SeaTrout Fly Fishing, Trondheim-style
Sea trout flyfishing in the Norwegian fjords is a lot of fun, and everybody shold try it.
As long as they use their brain and follow some simple rules. The minimum legal "killing-size" is 35 centimeters, but I recommend that people (if they must kill the fish) kill those between 500 - 1000 grams. The bigger fish shold be fished C&R since it's that fish that has the genes we flyfishermen want to go on.
Now, I'm no expert when it comes to flyfishing for seatrout, but during the years I have learned somethings. both from the flyfishing my self and other people.
The gear
The most all-around rod for seatrout flyfishing is a fast action 7 wt. This kind of rod will make it easy to cast bigger flies in the wind. And trust me, there will be more days with wind, then without wind. A 5 wt rod is nice for the times you are using thin, long tippets and small flies.
The most all-around flyline is a intermediate line, but you can use sinktips and floating lines too. Although I feel that the floating lines can make it hard to feel "connected" to the fly.
The reel MUST be made from materials that can stand the saltwater, and the same goes for the brake. There's nothing that will ruin your gear as fast as saltwater! And the reel shold have the capacity to take minimum 100 meters of 20 lbs backing. You may never need it, but one day maybe you will. Just like me :D
I'm not shure if there is something wrong with the sea trout in Trondheim area, but I have nerver caught a sea trout on a pure baitfish imitation. The closest thing is a zonker. These are the ones I use most of the time.
Now, what the seatrout really likes are shrimp imitations, nearly all the seatrout I catch, take on a shrimp.
The orange shades are the most popular. When you are retriving the fly, you will have to imitate the movement of the bait you are trying to imitate. But sometimes doing the opposite thing can trigger the fish to take. And another very imortant ting is that you don't need flies of many different colours, but rather different sizes.
The spots
Well this picture tells it all.
The best time for sea trout in Trondheim is April - May and August - September. And I usually fish a few hours before and after low tide.
That's about all, get out and try it!
Three Days of Pollack
What can I say about these 3 days???
Day 3:
This time I was bringing Lasse with me. Met the guy over the fluefiskesiden.no, which is a great site/forum for flyfishermen. Anyway, Lasse has never before experienced big pollock on the fly, neither did he have a sinking line. No prob there, I had a Teeny T-200 that was not on any reel.
When we came to The Good Spot, the water was high, but clear. We rigged our gear, and it took one cast to catch the first fish. Then it was Lasse's turn, and did he like it! Grinnig from ear to ear and making sounds like a little gril. I couldn't help my self but laugh. And this cept on thru the whole day. Lasse catches a fish, laughing and grinning. It's so nice to see real joy and that a simple fish like pollock can produce it!
After a while I start to wonder where the big ones are, and they are so kind that one of them answers me by taking my fly :)
Lasse catches more fish, but none over 5 kilo mark, sadly. Me? Again Mother Nature is kind to me.
Day 1:
I'm at a party, fun time sure, but the sun is up and the wind is gone..... OK, I'll give it a few hours before I split.
Around 23.00 I make my farewells, jump in my car, drive home, gat my gear and head out for The Good Spot. I arrive at 23.50, the water is clear an calm. Yes!
Get the gear set up, put on my Mini-Bunny and star the fishing. 15 minutes, nothing..... 20 minutes, fish on! Oh, you can feel when it's a pollock, the hard jerks, the power..... Well I was a bit rusty, so this one I lost in the weeds.... Well well, the fish is there and biting, so nothing is over yet.
The water is on the way down and I know that soon the current wil increase, and with that the bite-ratio. Just as the first sign of the current was showing, the first pollock was landed. Not big, maybe 4 kilo.
As the current speed increased so did the size of the fish. The current was so strong at one point, that sink 7 was fishing 50 centimetres under the curface....
And for the first time ever I saw rising pollock hunting herring 1 -2 meters from the rocks..... Hearing that BLOP when they took those herrings.... But there was nor time to waste, so cast after cast was taken and with that fish after fish. Not sure how many I took that night, but around 10. Average weight: 3 -4 kilo. It was so much fun that before I knew it, it was 05.00.
Day 2:
No party this time, just got ready and was at The Good Spot at 23.55. Same conditions as last night. Yeah!
Out with the fly, you will never catch fish sitting and looking at the water!
To make this story short, it was just like the day before. Only this time I caught bigger fish. The green mark on the rod is 45 centimeters, so I reckon it's about 7 kilo.
This time I was bringing Lasse with me. Met the guy over the fluefiskesiden.no, which is a great site/forum for flyfishermen. Anyway, Lasse has never before experienced big pollock on the fly, neither did he have a sinking line. No prob there, I had a Teeny T-200 that was not on any reel.
When we came to The Good Spot, the water was high, but clear. We rigged our gear, and it took one cast to catch the first fish. Then it was Lasse's turn, and did he like it! Grinnig from ear to ear and making sounds like a little gril. I couldn't help my self but laugh. And this cept on thru the whole day. Lasse catches a fish, laughing and grinning. It's so nice to see real joy and that a simple fish like pollock can produce it!
After a while I start to wonder where the big ones are, and they are so kind that one of them answers me by taking my fly :)
Lasse catches more fish, but none over 5 kilo mark, sadly. Me? Again Mother Nature is kind to me.
It was a great day, and the fish was biting like crazy. Total count about 20 fish, with average weight of 4 kilo.
Sadly Lasse has moved away from Trondheim, as I'm writing this a message ticks in from him. He's flyfishing for brownes in River Tisleia.
The Trip to the North, Part Deux
Well, me and CC ditched school again to go fly fishing.
Long and thin.....
Then CC got some nice fish, around 1 kg. Me? Nothing much.... Suddenly CC hooks something nice. "I think it's a cod" he says.....
Right, a cod!?
Since we took the whole day "off", we desided to go to the same spot up north where I caught that 3.2 kg seatrout. så we got in the car an sped to the magic-spot ;)
When we got there it was perfect! Just the right water-color and slight wind. So we rigged our gear fast and got to it! It didn't take long till we started catching fish, but none of the size we wanted...
Then CC got some nice fish, around 1 kg. Me? Nothing much.... Suddenly CC hooks something nice. "I think it's a cod" he says.....
Right, a cod!?
!.9 kg of pure silver. CC's new personal best.
Not long after I hook a nice one to. 1 kg on the spot. Then we started making fun of Raymond, since he does't like cold :D (All good fun, we say the same things to his face, just as he tells us we fish with lures & spinning gear (streamer flyfishing) hahahaha). Anywho, right in he middle of the "trash talk", with only my leader out, something bites.
"It feels nice" I say, before the fish takes the line and 30 meters of backing in few seconds.... While I play the fish, CC is saying "don't lose this one, don't lose this one...." Like that is helping :D
Well, I don't lose the fish, and after a superfast photoshoot and weighing, I let it swim away.
What is it about seeing them swim away? It just feels nice, knowing it will live to fight (and spawn) another day.
The run
The fish & one happy guy
Oh yeah, almost forgot. It was 3.2 kg
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