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Author Topic: Fly fishing setup for lower mainland river fishing.  (Read 5331 times)

awyisss

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Fly fishing setup for lower mainland river fishing.
« on: September 25, 2016, 12:16:34 AM »

Hey all just wondering if someone could tell me how I should set up my single hand 8wt (targeting cohos), as far as what sink tips I should have with me, how long i should run leaders, and what weight of flies I should be using for a given tip. I've done some stillwater fly fishing with lighter fly rods but river fishing on the fly is completely foreign to me. I'll be using this rod primarily for the vedder and the squamish rivers.

I currently have a 10' intermediate tip, 7' t3 tip, and 7' t4 tip that i connect loop to loop on a floating line which i think is rio grand in 7wt.

Yesterday while out on the Vedder i had exchanged between the 7' t3 and t4 tips while fishing a fast-ish tailout w/ approximatley 2.5-3.5 ft of 12-lb flouro leader and a fairly heavy beaded streamer pattern. I dont think I was getting down deep enough.

Ive also been considering purchasing a single hand spey line, but im not sure how that setup works. Would I also need to buy running line and shooting heads? More importantly, would it benefit me to single hand spey rather than overhead cast on the vedder/squamish rivers?

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RalphH

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Re: Fly fishing setup for lower mainland river fishing.
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2016, 09:23:43 AM »

You basically have what you need. With a 7 weight you should be targeting coho and maybe chum - but that's too light for springs.

When fishing coho and chum you want to get them to move to your fly -they will rise up in the water column to take it. If you sink it below the level of the fish they won't respond nearly as well and you'll be more likely to foul hook them

You want to look for coho in slower water for the most part particularly near structure such as wood debris (sunken logs, log jams).

The only other tip I'd suggest is perhaps similar length of t8 or maybe t6 which would be useful when the river is up.

FWIW I fish almost exclusively with a clear intermediate tip.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2016, 11:00:47 AM by RalphH »
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awyisss

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Re: Fly fishing setup for lower mainland river fishing.
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2016, 11:11:35 AM »

Thanks RalphH, do you think 2.5-3.5ft of leader is appropriate when using a sink tip? I'm used to leaders that are 9-12ft directly to a floating or full intermediate line for stillwaters.
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RalphH

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Re: Fly fishing setup for lower mainland river fishing.
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2016, 12:26:55 PM »

that sounds about right, though with intermediates I use 3 to 5
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"The hate of men will pass and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people!" ...Charlie Chaplin, from his film The Great Dictator.