Hello all,
I'm new to the site, have just taken up float tubing/flyfishing this year (spring) with a buddy of mine and had a great year learning the ropes.
Although the tubing season seems to be over (but who knows with this weird weather), I was hoping to share experiences with other flyfisherman who mainly fish using a tube.
Our main focus has been a small (10-15 acre) lake that has been stocked with bows and a some speckle lakes in the Otter Lake area of Quebec.
I can't seem to convince myself to try anything other than a black wooley bugger as it always seems to get me something.
Any cold weather flyfishing/tubing discussion would be great.
I look forward to chatting,
Mak'er a Lak'er
First summer flyfishing/tubing
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Mak'er a Lak'er
- Participant
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:14 pm
- Location: Kanata
Welcome to the board, Mak'er a Lak'er.
I've been tubing for a few years and flyfishing for, well lets not say how long. Yes the black woolley bugger is good and particularly good on the Quebec side, Everyone I know over there have a gold bead head on their black buggers. This fall the rusty bead head bugger was king.
This year I have been fishing more with multiple flies, sometimes with as many as four flies in tandem and it is amazing how they will pick one out one day and ignore the fly they took a few days earlier.
We are pretty much into fly tieing season now and if you are interested, the Ottawa Flyfishers meet every 3rd Tuesday and we welcome newcomers and novices. Fly tieing will definately improve your success as the lakes around here are for the most part understocked. Let me know if you are interested.
bobfly
I've been tubing for a few years and flyfishing for, well lets not say how long. Yes the black woolley bugger is good and particularly good on the Quebec side, Everyone I know over there have a gold bead head on their black buggers. This fall the rusty bead head bugger was king.
This year I have been fishing more with multiple flies, sometimes with as many as four flies in tandem and it is amazing how they will pick one out one day and ignore the fly they took a few days earlier.
We are pretty much into fly tieing season now and if you are interested, the Ottawa Flyfishers meet every 3rd Tuesday and we welcome newcomers and novices. Fly tieing will definately improve your success as the lakes around here are for the most part understocked. Let me know if you are interested.
bobfly
Hi Mak'er.
Welcome to the site and to tubing...I've been tubing for over 10 years - it's a fantastic way to fish smaller lakes.
As for fly selection, I've found speckled trout love conehead marabou muddlers. I caught my personal best (21"!!!) on one last spring. Muddlers were designed specifically for specks and they imitate baitfish among other things.
I've also had success with specks using prince nymphs, wooley buggers, tellico nymphs, grey ghosts, hopper patterns...pretty much anything that a trout would find edible. Watching the surface action for about 5-10 minutes prior to fishing helps in determining what flies and lines to fish.
This year I experimented with small deerhair poppers and they were killer on specks on the surface. I use a heavier tippet (4X) with poppers because they can produce some nasty line twist on lighter tippets.
Something you didn't discuss is the line weight, leader, and tippet your were using. I usually fish trout on an 8.5 foot 4-wt with 9 foot long 5X leaders and about 18" of 6X tippet. I colder weather, you might go with a sink tip line and fish a tandem of minnow patterns. This worked for me on rainbows on the last weekend in November.
Bobfly & I have fished together a few times and we had a pretty good time with speckled trout on dries and wets. I'll second his recommendation about the Ottawa Flyfishers Society. It's a great group of people. You'll learn quite a bit about flyfishing and you'll network with people on good locations. The general meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of every month and tying is on the 3rd Tuesday.
If you're interested, we can get together for some fishing after ice-out...of course, that's if there is any ice this winter........
Welcome to the site and to tubing...I've been tubing for over 10 years - it's a fantastic way to fish smaller lakes.
As for fly selection, I've found speckled trout love conehead marabou muddlers. I caught my personal best (21"!!!) on one last spring. Muddlers were designed specifically for specks and they imitate baitfish among other things.
I've also had success with specks using prince nymphs, wooley buggers, tellico nymphs, grey ghosts, hopper patterns...pretty much anything that a trout would find edible. Watching the surface action for about 5-10 minutes prior to fishing helps in determining what flies and lines to fish.
This year I experimented with small deerhair poppers and they were killer on specks on the surface. I use a heavier tippet (4X) with poppers because they can produce some nasty line twist on lighter tippets.
Something you didn't discuss is the line weight, leader, and tippet your were using. I usually fish trout on an 8.5 foot 4-wt with 9 foot long 5X leaders and about 18" of 6X tippet. I colder weather, you might go with a sink tip line and fish a tandem of minnow patterns. This worked for me on rainbows on the last weekend in November.
Bobfly & I have fished together a few times and we had a pretty good time with speckled trout on dries and wets. I'll second his recommendation about the Ottawa Flyfishers Society. It's a great group of people. You'll learn quite a bit about flyfishing and you'll network with people on good locations. The general meetings are held on the 1st Tuesday of every month and tying is on the 3rd Tuesday.
If you're interested, we can get together for some fishing after ice-out...of course, that's if there is any ice this winter........
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Mak'er a Lak'er
- Participant
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:14 pm
- Location: Kanata
Thanks for the replies guys. I have read a few of your posts prior to joining the forum and you provide great reports.
I have been fishing my whole life and was always weary of flyfishing, but it has made everything new again for me, I love it.
Thanks for the heads-up about the Flyfishers meetings as well. I will do my best to make it out soon, but we have a baby due any day now, so it may be a few weeks before I can sneak away.
All the best for 2007.
Cheers,
Mak'er
I have been fishing my whole life and was always weary of flyfishing, but it has made everything new again for me, I love it.
Thanks for the heads-up about the Flyfishers meetings as well. I will do my best to make it out soon, but we have a baby due any day now, so it may be a few weeks before I can sneak away.
All the best for 2007.
Cheers,
Mak'er
Hi Guys
I have losted my fly roots. I am from out west and grew up with a fly rod in my hands. I have heard about the trout fishing around shawville but not done much. I was laughing about your conversation about wolly buggers and muddlers. I have a solution for you guys. Bow River Special - muddler combined with a wolly bugger. Obviously tied in Calgary for big bow river browns. Also works great on bows.
Cheers
Steve
I have losted my fly roots. I am from out west and grew up with a fly rod in my hands. I have heard about the trout fishing around shawville but not done much. I was laughing about your conversation about wolly buggers and muddlers. I have a solution for you guys. Bow River Special - muddler combined with a wolly bugger. Obviously tied in Calgary for big bow river browns. Also works great on bows.
Cheers
Steve
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Mak'er a Lak'er
- Participant
- Posts: 40
- Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:14 pm
- Location: Kanata
Hey Steve,
Lots of good fishing North of Shawville. Endless really, just need time.
Same would go for the Renfrew/Calobogie areas, my buddy and I are looking to tube a few lakes that way this year.
Another good place to hone your skills is www.bingretreat.com near Westport (yes, trout fishing near Westport). Small stocked lake with Specs and Bows of good size (average 16-20 inches), catch is, it's $40/day to fish it...worth it though.
Cheers,
Mak'er a Lak'er
Lots of good fishing North of Shawville. Endless really, just need time.
Same would go for the Renfrew/Calobogie areas, my buddy and I are looking to tube a few lakes that way this year.
Another good place to hone your skills is www.bingretreat.com near Westport (yes, trout fishing near Westport). Small stocked lake with Specs and Bows of good size (average 16-20 inches), catch is, it's $40/day to fish it...worth it though.
Cheers,
Mak'er a Lak'er
tubing
hey guys,
Interesting chat you're having here. I am very familiar with the stocked lake near Otter Lake, we stop there regularely. My buddy has a cottage not far from there. I also have a cottage on the Ottawa River (Allumette Island QC.) I float with my Water Skeeters, and catch all kind of fish. As for a good fly, I use (2) favorites in the lakes behind Chichester QC, Mickey Fin and Grey Ghost. If my Wolly Bugger doesn't work for me, I quickly switch to one of the other two and bingo, reward time. Lots of Brookies in creeks back in there near Waltham QC.
If anyone is interested in Water Skeeter pantoon boat or floats, send me an email, I am the authorized agent for them from Manitoba to NB.
Interesting chat you're having here. I am very familiar with the stocked lake near Otter Lake, we stop there regularely. My buddy has a cottage not far from there. I also have a cottage on the Ottawa River (Allumette Island QC.) I float with my Water Skeeters, and catch all kind of fish. As for a good fly, I use (2) favorites in the lakes behind Chichester QC, Mickey Fin and Grey Ghost. If my Wolly Bugger doesn't work for me, I quickly switch to one of the other two and bingo, reward time. Lots of Brookies in creeks back in there near Waltham QC.
If anyone is interested in Water Skeeter pantoon boat or floats, send me an email, I am the authorized agent for them from Manitoba to NB.