Risers, gulpers, sippers: all terms affectionately used by fly rodders to describe surface feeding trout. Casting to and hooking fish on dry flies is undoubtedly one of the most satisfying ways of catching fish. Some anglers will do nothing but fish a dry fly and often refer to themselves as “purists”. I, on the other hand, am anything but one of these “purists”. I will often use whatever method of fly fishing is required to get the job done. Hell, I’ll even troll a leech behind my float tube if that’s what it takes. Strangely though many times this past season I found myself tying on a dry fly, often at the expense of more productive methods. It started late last winter when a friend and I were out fishing a nearby tailwater. It was a cool morning and nymphing brought a few trout to hand. About mid-day as things started to warm up the fish started to look up. A midge hatch was underway and fish were steadily rising at the tail of a small island. I stepped up to cast my nymph rig and my buddy yells, “what the hell are you doing, there are fish rising!” I realized my error and tied on a small parachute trailed by an even smaller midge cluster. We spent the next few hours shaking off the winter by feeding hot bows and browns midge dries. I ended up fishing dries as much as possible right through the fall. I caught fish on top during numerous hatches from adult damsels to tiny #22 tricos. The most memorable days were more hunting than fishing. I’d patrol rivers looking for rising fish. Stalking picky fish in shallow water and executing drag free drifts was educational and rewarding fly fishing. Not to mention the difficulties of trying to land 20”+ trout after hooking them on tiny flies. I’m pretty sure the next time I fish for trout I’ll be tying on a #6 tungsten cone head. But I’ll be keeping my eye out for those subtle sippers tight to the bank.
Keith,
Wow! Blast from the past! Good to see ya back on Flies and Fins (not surprisingly, with some sort of beautiful fish, from some beautiful location and killer fish tale) … For those flies and fins old timers who’s memory might be a little foggy .. Keith is the dude who moved from Montana to Maine for a brief stint, working in the forestry industry. Anyway .. Keith, I always admired your style man .. You moved to Maine and got it done big time .. Solo atlantic salmon trips, big brookies and landlocks, stripers, albies etc.. I remember when I first met you on a Maine saltwater flat fly fishin’ for your first striper .. If I recall, you got your very first one that day? And then you became friends with both the saltwater and freshwater east coast crew .. you were there for the legendary steelhead trip to the great lakes, the albies on the wall with me and alex and a trip or two with “striper mike” and that whole salty crew … Than you moved back to Montana and dissappeared from the radar for a bit … Great to see ya again .. and I am sure all the “old school” guys will be psyched to see ya as the newest fish tale on the site ..
EXCEPT for maybe the hard core salters like lets say, striper mike, who wouldn’t be too happy with you pursuing trout (baitfish as he calls them) .. and definately wouldn’t be interested in reading about you casting midge clusters to “small” fish:)!!!!!
And even I have to lie to him when I go trout fishing or I just end up getting laughed at by that crew. You know..
Anyway, takes all kinds .. and all styles and it’s all good! That’s what I liked about this fish tale .. because you contextualized it by saying “I will often use whatever method of fly fishing is required to get the job done.” .. And I know how versatile of a fly fisherman you are .. we’ve dredged some big nasty nymphs DEEP and weren’t too proud to do it .. and had a blast doing it .. so, I totally agree with you .. it’s all fun, it’s all good and it’s all productive at some point or another .. Nonetheless, I still don’t think we are ever gonna convince “striper mike” to join us in Montana to fly fish for trout with midge clusters!!! But, who knows? Maybe someday he will .. No he won’t. More for us, than!
Great seein/hearing from you .. we gotta hook up in Montana this year! I’ll sart tying some midge clusters (actually you know I won’t, so tie a few extra for me cuz you know I’ll be trying to scam some from you :)))))!
Hey Jeremy, Great to hear from you too! As you know, life is keeping me busy. I always find time to check out F&F though. Yeah, I remeber moving to Maine and doing an i-net search for something like “fly fishing for stripers in maine”. I found F&F in its early days and sent you a message. That weekend you met me in the marshes and introducted me to the salt. I could never repay you for the info and insight! I had a blast with the east coast crew both in the salt and sweet water. Some good days on the water for sure. Yep, you were there the day I got my first striper and I think I was there the day you got your first ablie. Man I can remember how excited you were! I miss the east coast fishing scene, so much variety, amazing water, and good people.
Give me a shout before you head out this way. Hopefully we can make it happen this year. If not this spring then maybe sometime later on and we can hit some out of the way water for the big ones. I will have to make it back out east some fall and spend some time chasing the hardtails with you. They are still eluding me every chance they get!
P.S. – I’ve got you covered on midges….just like you had me covered on surf candies that day on the wall.
keith that is a excellent fish and fish tale. I am with you on what ever method works to get teh job done. But, there is nothing like casting dries to picky risers and getting one to take. It is funny you mention your buddy yelling at you about nymphing when the fish are rising. I had to tell myself to do the same recently. It is just such a pain in the A. to switch off all that nymph garb. Good to hear from ya. Looks like MT is treating you well.
Good .. cuz i wouldn’t even know where to begin tying a “midge cluster” .. and to be honest .. .not sure i want to know .. some things are better not tried by everyone .. and (you have seen my fly boxes at total cluster F*) .. and my tying skills (or, LACK of tying skills i should say) .. so, if i helped ya out with the albies and the surf candies .. i’ll glady take the Karma with some midge clusters .. cuz i sure as hell ain’t tyin’ them :))))) .. See ya soon.
Been a long time since I was in Montana and this picture sure looks like I should come again, in fact I think I will this summer!!! Thanks
Keith, good to see you pop up on the radar, looks like MT is treating you well. I am far from a “purist” except on the Delaware system, where I refuse to carry anything in my box other than surface offerings…Like you mention here, it is the visual aspect of the hunt that i find most exhillarating. be well man
Keith,
That is one great fish….and, on tiny dries, well it doesn’t get more challenging and exciting than that. Congratulations.
Keith, really nice fish in the hand right there, It looks like you chose right to me man…keep the killer post coming .. great to have met you on the wall of either fame or shame…