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[nedly]

Pardon the noob question here--I've just started fly fishing and am loving it despite the realization that I have alot to learn

I've got a 5 wt setup and understand that is too small for salmon.  I'd like to get into some trout on local streams, tho, and am wondering how to target them without hooking into a big nasty chum and having a bit of a problem on my hands  .  Is it as simple as using the correct colour/style of fly?  or fishing the right kind of waters?  are egg patterns a good idea? etc.  Any help would be greatly appreciated, I want to go about learning the right way.

[Flytech]

I would not worry too much, use a super light tapered leader. 3lb or less if you're going for cuties. If you happen to hook in to something huge, just point the rod at the fish and the leader will snap without harming your rod. You'll lose the fly, but a small price to pay... Use single egg patten, muddler minnows, and other trout flies.

[Flytech]

I would not worry too much, use a super light tapered leader. 3lb or less if you're going for cuties. If you happen to hook in to something huge, just point the rod at the fish and the leader will snap without harming your rod. You'll lose the fly, but a small price to pay... Use single egg patten, muddler minnows, and other trout flies.

On a side note, that guy kodiakkidmansell, landed a chum on a 5wt. I really wouldn't recommend it by any means.

[Lyall]

Here is my $0.02. I am by no means an expert but this one of my favourite fisheries of the year. Late November and December are when I head out for this...the rivers are quiet, lots of birds and wild life around, not too cold, ect. Happiness.

5wt is a perfect rig. I use a 10' 4wt sometimes as well.

Look for spawning salmon or spots where fish were spawning, you want to fish downstream of that point. As the salmon eggs wash up the trout gobble them up. Also the trout like peices of salmon flesh from the decomposing bodies. Ideally there will be some old salmon, walking pace water with a few feet of depth, and some structure (i.e. logs, big rocks, ect.).

You can nymph egg patters (glow bugs or pegged beads), with or without an indicator. Indicator is the most effective method but some consider it cheating. Not the most fun to cast either. If you can see an egg or two in the water try and match the size and colour...sometimes they can be picky, other days not. I have found pink or chartreuse eggs work best for me.

When I use an indicator my rig is floating line to about a 9' leader (8lb test) with indicator to swivel + 1.5' tippet (6lb test) then fly. Adjust your indicator depth so your fly will be near the bottom (note that the fly floats up). You want your fly to tumble down the bottom of the river like an egg would naturally. If you see your indicator go down or twitch, assume its a fish and set the hook!!!!

If you hook a salmon, break it off. Don't think that you can land it on a 5wt and it will swim off to go spawn successful; it will likley die from exghaustion. The flies are cheap, let it go.

If you get sick of egg patterns you can use flesh flies. You can dead drift or swing these in the same type of water. Usually I use a sinking line for this.

If you need gear, I strongly recommend going and talking to the guys at M&Y. They will hook you up with everything you need and give you some good info.

Let us know how it goes! And of course if you have any more questions

[RalphH]

FWIW I caught a chum on a #4 rod once but that's not the idea in any event. To add to the good advice above, just avoid the spots where chum are spawning or rolling. Trout don't typically hang with the bigger fish which tend to drive them off, particularly if they are actively spawning. I find the fishing is best once most of the salmon have died off. Then the number of available eggs drops and the trout have to work a little more to find a meal. Standard cutthroat favourites like the rolled muddler, Mickey Finn, wooly bugger and others can be effective as well, particularly in river like the Fraser and Harrison. Once the 1st good cold snap hits the interior sometime in the next few weeks both those rivers will drop and become far more fishable. Mostly I fish a salmon egg pink globug (yarn fly) with an indicator and either a bead on the fly or some weight on the leader. Trout will often show by rolling as they forage on the bottom creating the flash typical of nymphing trout. This is the time of year when there is the best chance to get some very nice cutts in the 16 inch plus range. Good luck.

[nedly]

Great, thanks guys.

[nedly]

Tried doing a pegged bead weighted with shot on the Nic a bit today, and my report is that I can't cast for sh@&% with that and an indicator bouncing around on my line .
Still, such a great day .

[living_blind]

Streams like the nic I imagine would be quite challenging, as the muddy and varied bottom would make it difficult to drift near the bottom without snagging often. Sounds like an interesting thing to try though, curious if you had any success?

We went out into the mountains yesterday with eggs looking for clear water. When we finally found a significant pack of chums and coho, we found the trout. Got three species, couple cuts, couple bows, and bulls. Heavy rains have sure changed my fall fishing experience this year. My buddy saw a trout or two rise so at one point threw a dry on. A coloured fish came up for it that looked like a smallish coho. Was very strange. Anyways was a great day.