Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[flyrod]

Fished the Skagit on Wednesday with my son.  He had done quite well with a buddy of his the previous week fly fishing for bulls.  He hadn't done well for rainbows. So, we hit the river around 10 am on a gorgeous day.  Hooked a couple of bows on dries and a copper john nymph but nothing over 12 inches.  A hatch began to happen around 2 pm with drakes starting to come off.  We moved around quite a lot looking for both bulls and rising bows.  Later on in the day we moved into an area that had been decent for bulls in previous trips.  We were fishing bunny leeches and egg sucking leeches.  Started to get some response from the big boys.  My son hooked three bulls landing the biggest around 6 lbs. I hooked two biggest landing one around 4 1/2 lbs.  We touched a couple more bulls but couldn't hook up.  Moved to another spot and the bows were coming alive attaching the emerging drakes around 7 pm.  They were taking size 12-14 green drakes.  The pool came alive with sipping and leaping bows.  My son hooked one bow and as he was bringing it in a good size bull started chasing after it; the bow went crazy.  The bull lunged at it twice then circled trying to get at him, but failed to get ahold of it.  There were approx 8 flyfishers on the river.  Didn't hear of any bows over 14 inches.  We caught the only bulls in the group we talked to.  We fished til 7:30 pm then headed home.  It seems from others fishing the river that it is difficult catching any bows over 15 inches these days.  The bull population seems to be improving possibly at the expense of the bows. 

[Noahs Arc]

Thanks for the report dont hear much about this river.

[Novabonker]

Dang Flyrod, I hooked a little rainbow on that stretch of heaven once, a big bull came and latched on. With a 3 pound leader and a stubborn bully, it was one of the best moments of my illustrious fishing career. I was sure I'd hooked up with a gar, until my buddy, rest his soul, tailed it and it spat the baby bow. It didn't appear too much the worse for wear when I released it. Hope that little guy grew big.

[zabber]

It sounds like the 'bows are the more desireable species.

I don't have much experience fishing streams so am wondering why this is. Are the 'bows hatchery fish? More difficult to fool? Better fighters?

I've read that -- pound for pound -- rainbows (specifically the Kamloops strain) are the hardest fighting game fish, but I can't imagine a 6-8lb bully being less of a thrill on the 5wt than a 2lb 'bow. Then again, I've only caught one or two of those char in my time.


Thanks,
-A

[Rodney]

but I can't imagine a 6-8lb bully being less of a thrill on the 5wt than a 2lb 'bow. Then again, I've only caught one or two of those char in my time.

Obviously it's impossible to compare the fight of two different sizes of two different fish species with the same setup. Most anglers prefer to target rainbows in a small stream with a 3wt or less.

[kingpin]

id rather catch a 2lb rainbow on the skagit on my 000wt than 1000 bulls on my 6wt....

[HOOK]

the 'bows are only the more desireable fish on the Skagit because alot of guys fish dries on the river and bull trout are not known for rising to dry flies. I havent caught nor seen a rainbow over 16inches on the Skagit but i have seen some decent sized bullies sitting in the deep pools, I have also never targetted he bulls there but from now on when i hit the flow i for sure will be

KP - have you ever seen a 2lb rainbow on the Skagit ? 

[iCemAn]

Here is the my biggest that flyrod was mentioning.



I would absolutely love to catch big rainbows over the bulls too, but they are few and far between on the river these days. My biggest rainbow was a 17" fish on the dry in 2004, and since then only up to 14". It is nice to mix it up a bit and target both species when dries are not happening.

[zabber]

id rather catch a 2lb rainbow on the skagit on my 000wt than 1000 bulls on my 6wt....

the 'bows are only the more desireable fish on the Skagit because alot of guys fish dries on the river and bull trout are not known for rising to dry flies.

Thanks for the replies. Makes sense now.


Cheers

[Floater]

Here is the my biggest that flyrod was mentioning.



I would absolutely love to catch big rainbows over the bulls too, but they are few and far between on the river these days. My biggest rainbow was a 17" fish on the dry in 2004, and since then only up to 14". It is nice to mix it up a bit and target both species when dries are not happening.

Very nice! its pics like these that make me wana pick up a flyrod.

[kingpin]

the biggest rainbow ive seen on the skagit was probably 3lbs.... last year my buddy got one around 18'' and I lost one over 20''. The bull trout are pincushions up there and dont fight all that great