Mike Cline
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Zach,
You might want to consider the Tallapoosa River from just below Tallasee Falls (Tallasee, AL) to the confluence with the Coosa just south of Wetumpka. This is a 40 mile+ float with no interim access. Camping on sandbars. Upper sections hold good populations of Stripers, White Bass and Spotted Bass. Farther down is mostly Largemouth and Spotted Bass. No difficult water from the put in just below the falls all the way to the Coosa. There’s an excellent sandbar to camp on just below the confluence of Uphapee Creek where the river takes a sharp turn to the West.
Mike Cline
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Andrew
The crowds will begin to thin around mid-September. A lot depends on where you want to fish. The western side – Firehole-Gibbon-Madison corridor sees good pressure into October but west entrance traffic can be bad between Old Faithful and West Yellowstone. The NE corner — Lamar, Slough and Soda Butte slow significantly into late September and October. The northern section — Gardiner, Yellowstone and Hellroaring stay decent into late fall and generally the traffic between Mammoth and Tower isn’t that bad in the fall. The real key to deal with the crowds (tourists, not anglers) is to get early starts to your fishing destination before the traffic starts to snarl or fish late and well into dusk. Moving around the park between 9AM and 4PM can be like getting out of a packed football stadium parking lot–very slow.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Eric, sorry to hear about your wife’s health. Hope that gets better soon. As Phil said above, social media (Yelp, Tripadvisor, etc,) can be a powerful tool in either getting guys like this to fix the problems and live up to their commitments or if they don’t, go out of business. I would strongly recommend that you post something about this outfitter on several social media forums. Unacceptable behavior that others should be made aware of. On a recent trip to Key West we got weathered out of a trip and the outfitter was very gracious and quick to provide a refund because we were unable to reschedule, They lived up to their promises. Good Luck, looks like you all are going to have warm W. Penn winter.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
The 4 wgt in question is an Orvis tip-flex action which in their language is a fast action rod. Slower rods are a lot of fun to fish and I use mine regularly, but really suck in the wind. I bought this particular 4 wgt primarily to fish small buggers and soft hackles on the Firehole and a few other local streams where wind is more common than not. I’ve showed up one too many times at the river with a nice glass 3-4 wgt, only to be confronted with a wind that made casting a chore. The tip-flex is insurance against the wind and will cast light flies a long distance with accuracy on bigger water.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
I own too many different styles of rods to give an answer here that makes any sense. Your First Fly Rod-Don’t Ask Me The soft glass and graphite rods are gems on small waters, especially on windless days, but on big water like we have out here in SW Montana, distance and accuracy in often less than calm conditions is paramount. Although I fish most of my rods at least once every couple of years, the one/two combo that is with me the most with my kayak on the Yellowstone, Madison, Big Hole, Missouri and other is this: one of a 5 wgt (XP), 6 wgt (Radian) or 7 wgt (XP) with 150/200/200 grain sink tips respectively and a 4 wgt superfine trout bum tip flex with floating line. The sink tips are superb for long-range accuracy and depth with un-weighted streamers while the 4 wgt is somewhat an all-purpose rod for hoppers, dries and the occasional nymphing. My rod choices are definitely influenced by my need for depth. Hey Buddy Your Fly is Down
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Brian,
Although I never fished on Cebu, I did fish extensively on Luzon back in the early 1980s when I was stationed at Clark AB. My recollections are that freshwater fishing is pretty limited due to polluted rivers and lakes (few). There’s a lot of Tilapia available in ponds. The best fishing was in near shore waters off beaches and small islands that were easily reached by small Banka boats.
Typical banka boat found along most Philippine beaches.We would just walk down to the beach near where we wanted to fish and find a banka boat owner and pay him about $10 (in pesos) for a full days use of the boat. The inshore waters off Luzon varied from 15-100’ over sand and coral and the deep faces of inshore islands were loaded with fish. Any medium to large saltwater fly—clousers, etc. fished with a sinking line would connect with reef fish. There was a lot of snapper and grouper in the 12-18” class plus all sorts of other exotic reef fish.
From looking at the satellites of Cebu, there are two nice looking bays on the north end of the island near Bogo City. That’s the kind of remote spots we searched out on Luzon to fish. Where ever you find remote villages along the coast, you will find banka boats willing to take you out fishing for a small price.Most of these fisherman use hand lines and bait over the reefs. They anchor instead of drifting because they don’t want to lose hooks and weights on the reef. We found that drifting was far more productive. You will lose some flies but covering water proved the better way to bag some good fish. We learned that if we brought along a good supply of line and quality saltwater hooks to give as a gift to the banka boat guys and promised them most of the fish caught they were far more amenable to drifting.
So, if I was going back today, I’d bring along a good 6 or 7 wgt fast action rod with a 24-30’ 150-250 grain sink tip, OX leader and lots of clousers, deceivers and such. I’d also be prepared to use a heavy #30-50 lbs tippet if you are getting a lot of bite offs from toothy fish.
Hope that helps. Will be interested in how you make out.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
9 out of 10 not bad
Zach, great tips. Number 7 has got significant merit but suffers in rivers that are wide and large. While upstream approaches can be extraordinarily effective, one can actually cover extensively much more water fishing a downstream approach on wider rivers. Rivers that are wide, where wading is limited to the periphery, downstream approaches allow far more water coverage than any possible upstream approach for good casters My bible on upstream approaches is an obscure title: Worming and Spinning for Trout, by Jerry Wood, 1959. Although it has nothing to do with fly fishing or downstream approaches, it provides some essential clues to successful downstream streamer fishing in large rivers.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
This is where I learned to cast in the 1960s
http://pasadenacastingclub.org/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=727848&module_id=88865
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
You can’t go wrong with any of the Simms gloves: http://www.simmsfishing.com/shop/socks-gloves.html I use both the half finger and fold overs all season long.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Jack,
Any idea in terms of CFS (Cubic Feet per Second) what the average flows are on the river Dodder and what the average fish per mile estimates are? (I probably should be asking Cubic Liters per Second and fish per kilometer.)
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Leeches – Lots of them
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Eric, sent off an email this morning
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Eric,
I’ve never read that blog, so I was surprised to see my name on some of the posts. Mostly references to stuff I did on Wikipedia. I have never heard of a Long-Tailed Bugger, but must assume the tailing is marabou. I much prefer tails on the shorter side, especially on smaller buggers. Long tails tend to get nipped at without hookups.
Did you see my PM about October 17th?
Mike
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Mike, a canoe would be an idea vessel for this area. It is much more tame than stretches of the Madison above Ennis. It is especially nice as you approach the lake and the river bottom becomes much finer cobble and gravel. As far as walk-in access, it is really limited to the Valley Garden FAS. Areas within a 1/2 mile either way from the FAS get pounded. And the farther you go from the FAS, the farther you have to return in the river. Remember, this section of the river is surrounded by private land so all access has to be below the high water mark. No cross-country hiking tolerated.
All that said, whether you float it or attack it from the lake, the lower sections are the most productive as most drift boat drivers don’t venture into the smaller channels, especially in the fall. If you can tether your canoe, you can easily put in at Clute’s landing and access any of the river mouths with an easy paddle. Then wading, paddling and fishing upriver, especially the small channels is highly productive. See my post about “Fishing the Last Mile First” https://www.itinerantangler.com/blog/board/forums/topic/short-piece-in-kayak-angler-mag/. Even if you float down from Valley Garden FAS and want to take out a Clute’s, having a tether on the canoe will allow to you wade and fish without having to get in and out of the boat all the time. I’ve fished the entire length of some of these channels on foot with my kayak tethered to me. Almost all the channels can be crossed at tail outs and pool heads, especially in the fall. Here’s some images for reference.
Valley Garden is ~ 3.5-4 miles from the lake.
The area around Valley Garden FAS is the only walkin access and it gets pounded within a 1/2 mile up and down the river.
The lower reaches offer the best fishing and the biggest fish (many lake run). Most drift boat drivers won’t venture into the small channels.
The paddling distances from the river mouths to the takeout are not onerous. You have to beware of really windy days, especially NW or NE winds. But even if its moderately windy, this section of the lake, especially the SW corner is relatively sheltered.Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Mike, I don’t think water temperatures are going to be an issue this year. We have great water, as flows are holding well above long term averages. Generally temps on the Missouri and Upper Madison haven’t gotten much above the mid-60s so far this year and are unlikely to be any higher in late September. The biggest challenge in September and October is usually low, clear water and blue-bird days. The flows will go down a bit by late September and the water, especially in the Upper Madison around Ennis will be gin clear. Warm, blue-birds will likely still be good hopper days but tougher to get many larger fish, while (my favorite) cool, rainy, overcast days will make BWOs and streamers the go-to patterns for much better probability at larger fish. Its always the luck of the draw on the weather side. If you are using your own boat or can get a guide to take you, the 8 mile Ennis to Ennis Lake float is a really nice option in the Fall. It is wade fishing only, so the boat becomes transportation only. There are so many braids and channels that this section really fishes like 50 miles of remote water and in general is very easy to wade. Plus, this section of the river gets good run up fish from Ennis Lake. I am sure the “Obese” brown and those steelhead like rainbows above spent some time in the lake. The downside–its a bit of a row to the takeout across the south end of the lake, but that keeps all but the hardy off this water. Good Luck.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Eric, I wet wade with Simms RipRap shoe (rubber vibram soles) in the Firehole, Madison and Gibbon in the park without any issues. They also work fine on the Big Hole, Yellowstone and lower end of the Upper Madison. From a traction standpoint they are great. However most of the upper Madison in Montana has those large, bowling ball size rocks that are not only slippery but very hard to walk on. My rip rap shoes don’t provide the ankle support you need on that kind of rock.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Well, we’ll have to meet up some how, some where. Keep me posted as to when. Fishing has been very good post runoff this year. I might try and get you on one of my favorite kayak sections.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Eric, here’s some good instructions: http://www.jsflyfishing.com/blog/try-tying-these-pine-squirrel-buggers/. Where are you headed in October?
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
Wonder what will happen on that Oxbow with respect to the landowner? He looks to have gained a lot of acreage, or at least functionally so.
Generally these Oxbows continue to flood during high water and remain swampy through the summer, so little useful land is reclaimed. The image below is an oxbow on the same river that has fully matured. It was this way in 2004 the first time I saw it, so I don’t know when the breakthrough occurred. Might have been a 100 years ago. You’ll note that the upstream section that first filled with silt and gravel has reclaimed itself with willows and grass while the downstream section remains wetland. It will be interesting to see how fast the new oxbow changes.
Strategy without Tactics is a Slow Route to Victory, Tactics without Strategy is the Noise Before Defeat - Sun Tzu
