Fly Fishing with Chris Dore

Awesome April

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:15:00 +0000

April is my favourite time of the year in the South. Massive mayfly hatches return to the Mataura like clockwork and the lake tribs come alive as browns begin their run upstream. Big sea run browns enter our coastal headwaters and our backcountry streams turn on the sight streamer action.

Check out my Awesome April offers here to get you amongst it this Autumn

Chris

The Busmans Holiday

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Found myself with a couple of days off this past week and so a quick call to a couple of Christchurch mates and surprise, surprise - I went fishing. Theres nothng like good mates and a great time on the water to wind down and relax. Following are a few random pics of our adventure. Enjoy!

Wish you were here?

Mo' tips from Chris

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 21:20:00 +0000

Following my previous blog on summertime tips and catching more fish I have recieved numerous requests for more advice on how to improve your catch rate. The following are a few random thoughts over a glass of vino.

Who says the Upper Mataura is tough in summer? Make the right cast with the right gear and you will catch fish.

Everyone knows someone who catches more than their share of fish. The 10 percenter (we also believe there is the 1 per center, but that’s for Mr Chu to discuss). On days when others are scratching for a hookup or two, this angler is onto their seventh. Even in challenging conditions they will pull one or two by some method or other, or through concerntration and perseverance with an effective and adaptive array of techniques alone. I am fortunate enough to fish with a number of these top anglers, and the following are just a few scrambled thoughts on how you too can improve your strike rate.

Practising your rigging and knots so you are quick and efficient onstream will catch you more fish. Not only will your ties be stronger and more durable, but the ability to reconnect fesh tippet within a minute will have your fly in front of the fish sooner, often before they get a chance to notice you standing ther, fumbling around with your mono. Too many people struggle with knots, often taking several minutes to reconfigure a leader. Pick a few efficient knots, and learn them well.

Casting needs not be mentioned to those who follow my blog. Practise, practise and practise is my mantra. The trout dont care if it’s blowing a gale, or wether you only get to fish a couple of times a year - if you cannot put the fly correctly infront of the trout, he will not eat it. One bum cast, and he is gone. Put in the time on the grass prior to your trip to make the most of your opportunities on the stream. When you are on the river you are fishing. Not practising.

Know how different fly and leader configurations will perform. It’s no use practising with a bit of fluff at home on a 9' leader, then tying on a size 10 double tungstan with a 15' lead when called for... It is not going to perform the same. Understand the effects of shortening / steepening your tapers and also just what happens when you lengthen / soften up the leader system.

Also get a feel for softer / stiffer leader materials and their effect on the delivery of your fly. It’s very rare that i fish with a 9' 6lb leader with a couple of feet of similar strength tippett for long at all. I never hesitate to chop and change as needed.

Big fish dont care if you are tired, or only fish a couple of days a year. If you cant put the fly in front of them without alerting them, you will not catch them.

Following on for the above, dont hesitate to change if it’s not working. Areas you are fishing (fish arent always in the foam...), fly pattern, size, weight, tippet weight and length or the entire rigging configuration or even the leader itself. If you need to get deep, get rid of that tapered leader and attach 10' of level fluro to cut through the surface and get deep quick. I will often change my tippet and fly two or three times whilst moving up the same pool depending on where we are required to present the fly (ie; is the fish tight under the willows, alond the shallow edge of the riffle or deep in the run itself? All require different approaches). Are you sight fishing with a single nymph? Do you need a heavier bomb to get the fly of choice to the right level or get noticed? Do you need an indicator or maybe a dry dropper combo in shallower riffles to assist in strike detection? Maybe a hi viz parachute a foot above your willow grub so you know where your fly actually is? If you need to, simply change. If you have practised your knots then it will take but a moment before you are ready to roll.

Change your knots often. When tightened, your knot stretches and stresses your tippet matial. The longer it remains in this stretched state, the weaker it becomes. You only have to leave a tippet tied on overnight to give it a pull the next day and see how easily your knot gives way. I change my knots every hour or so, even if i have not made a cast, more so if i am constantly working the water. It’s just what i do. This way my leader system is the strongest it can be and if i break off a fish, so be it. We all lose fish due to knots breaking, that’s life. But if it’s a freshly tied and tested knot, then i at least know that ive done everything i can to ensure i am fishing with the strongest connection possible, and there was little more i could do.

Know your water. Now this doesnt necessarily mean learning a particular river, but learn different types of water, where trout will sit, and how to approach / work it efficiently. This will leave you in good stead when visiting new territory. And do not avoid the faster water in search of the gentler riffles and pools. A lot of the better fish in any given river will hold in the heavier runs. Learn to read these, sight through them and fish them well and you will catch more, lesser pressured and often larger fish.and get out there in a varity of conditions. I always say, you will learn more in one day of inclement weather than a week of sunshine and calm days.

Have the right flies. Now this doesnt mean carrying boxes of different flies, but carrying a number of "go to's" in a variety of sizes, weights and dressings to accomodate the situations you may encounter. It’s no use having a 2.5mm tungstan bead when a 4mm is called for. Likewise it’s no use having a size 16 spent spinner when the fish are onto 18,s, or size 14 parachutes when fish are gulping big size 10 onisigasters. Familiarise yourself with what the trout are feeding upon, and their habits. The ability to tell the exact moment a mataura brown switches from willowgrub to emergers or duns to spinners can make or break your afternoon. Often, reading the conditions and knowing the behaviour of these insects will give you the upper hand here.

Plan your trip. It’s no use visiting an open tussock valley in heavy cloud and pouring rain, where a river that follows a dark, bush lined bank will give you better visibility. Likewise gale force winds can be unbareable in the afomentioned tussock valleys, whereas a meanding willow lined stream will be much more workable.

Also be aware of seasonal influences on your rivers. That tiny tributary that fished well in October could be a whole different story come feburary, when most fish have dropped out or taken to cover when water temps soar. Trout will often migrate noticeably throughout a catchment. Knowing their habits will put you where the fish are.

Keep your gear in top shape. Is your reel functioning smoothly? Are your rod guides alighned and in good condition, and how about that net? Is it secured well, yet easily removed for the moment when the fish rolls to your feet? Fly boxes should be neatly organised so you can select the right fly at a glance without fuss and your nippers in tip top shape, and sharp, so theres no stress when removing flies etc. spare tippet in different specs should be topped up and adily accessible, and stored in a way so as to remain tangle free. It’s all about making quick changes and getting your fly straight back out there in front of the fish people...

Use good gear. Rods, reels and especially flyline and leader material. Why quibble over the price of a good spool of flurocarbon when your onstream time is limited. Make the most of your time on the water by using good kit and you will spend more time fishing, not retying, and you will catch more fish. Id rather use a top quality $25 spool of fluro than a $10 spool of rot. For the sake of 2 pints of beer you can ensure your day on the river isnt wasted retying broken knots and shredded tippet. Also bear in mind that a good co polymer is much better than a cheap fluro. Go this way if you can’t justify top fluro. (And remember, co polymer for surface presentations and film flies, fluro for everythig else. My approach anyway) good quality tippet makes a difference, and I have often seen that difference firsthand. Watching someone lose a big fish where it could have been prevented aint pretty. Likewise, use good hooks. For the sake of a couple of dollars, the hook is your final connection to the fish. Soft junk just isnt worth it, especially when your river time is limited.

Strong, fresh knots, high quality fluro and an accurate first cast put this fish in the net for Brendon.

But most importantly, you must have the right mindset. When i head out fishing i know i am going to catch fish. When im stalking a run i know there is a fish there and i know i am going to find him. If im blind fishing i know i am going to hook a fish, and if i am casting to a fish then i know im going to make the cast and bring him to the net.

If it doesnt happen i dont dwell on it or curse myself for stuffing it up. This negative mindset will only flow onto the next fish. Get over it fast, move on, and look for his big brother with a clear mind and renewed focus. Every cast is a new cast. Every fish is a new fish. Keep in the right mindset, believe that you are doing everything right and keep an eye open for a better opportunity.

If things arent going your way sit for a moment, think it through and attack it again from a different approach. If it looks like there should be a fish in there, there probably is. If he is feeding then you can catch him... So whats stopping you?

Chris

Back

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 20:20:00 +0000

So I'm back from a great week in the Canterbury High Country. Some interesting rivers and good fish in them thar hills. Glad to be back in the south however ready for another action packed week on the river. Apologies for the lack of email corrospondence to those who have tried to reach me over the past several days, however broadband doesnt reach the backcountry. I hope you are all well and getting amongst it.

Can you spot the fish in the pic above?

Summer time and tips to catch more fish

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 22:05:00 +0000

Well the summer weather is truly here! Hot, sunny days with high temps have both cicada, manuka beetle, as well as willow grub out in droves. However, this also means that rivers are at a very low level, and those smaller waters and others of the low country rise to rather high water temperatures during the day. Morning and evening are now the best times on these waters as trout go a little doggo as water temps rise mid afternoon. However they can still be caught! Look towards the cooler, more oxygenated water of the riffles and the faster sections. Trout will often move into the very heads of these riffles, the shallower, more agressive water providing both cover and oxygen as required. On the mataura and the likes, search out the shaded holes around the willows, as fish will abound here. Watch, and you will notice them moving out into the open periodically to feast on willow grub, mayflies in the film or a bout of nymphing.

In the cooler headwater and highcountry streams fish will be found feeding avidly on terrestrials. But they are by no means 'sitters'. In low water conditions fish become very flighty, and whilst they may be seen to be feeding avidly, a misdirected cast or wayward movement will send him to cover.

Fly Placement

Be especially careful with fly placement. There is a theory that splashing a cicada or beetle down will incite the fish to strike. This is occasionally so, but in low, clear water often the result is a spook. Ensure your line and leader land well away from the fish with the fly landing far enough away so as not to bean him. This is where the ability to accuratly present longer leaders comes into play, and reach casting is of much benefit, keeping the mass of the flyline from landing too close to the fish. check out carl mcneils excellent online tuition at www.onthefly.co.nz to see what the reach is all about. and remember, no matter where the fly lands, fish the drift out. Firstly, trout will move considerable distances at times when feeding on terrestrials, but also, the tear of the line ripping from the surface can be felt / seen from a surprisingly long distance. Many trout are spooked by an angler picking up too close to the fish.

The dreaded false cast...

Forget false casting. Over the past while i have seen countless trout spooked needlessly as the angler false casts excessivly. My calls of " drop that, drop it, lay the fly down now!!!!" are often unheeded as the angler seems to require numerous false casts to provide confidence for accuracy, gain distance, or something. The result is usually the same... The fish takes off for cover, leaving us with the fly still in the air. This is something i encourage you to spend time eliminating. A good drill is to practice single pick up and lay downs at targets on the lawn set at various distances. Drop at the first target, then without false casting and simply pick up the line and drop it at the second target. Experiment with changing angles and shooting line. A short, efficient haul will increase line speed and allow for more efficient shooting. In my eyes, false casting is the devil, and at most, three false casts will get you to a target accuratly at most fishing distances, and two to many.

Another thing you can do to reduce false casting is to pull the required line off the reel prior to casting. Stripping line from the reel during the false cast is a waste of time, acheives distance painfully slowly, and often pulls the rod tip off course (bad tracking) whilst doing so. When i see a fish I often judge the casting distance in rod lengths. My 50' is likley to be different from your 50' but we can both look at the rod and judge three lengths similarly. I then know that 3 strips of line = around one rod length, so if a fish is sitting at around 4 rod lengths then 9 strips plus the length of the leader should about do it.

Now instead of false casting to get this line outside of the rod tip, how about sweeping the tip slowly from side to side, allowing the line to snake its way outside of the rod tip via water tension? A simple roll pick up and you are ready to present.

Its all about efficiency people and the less time the rod is being waved, or the line is in the air, the less chance we have of fucking things up

Wind

Wind too i feel is more of a psychological impediment rather than a physical problem onstream. Simply watch as the slightest bit of wind changes many anglers casting stokes from a short, crisp, efficient stroke into a flailing, wide arced, mistimed mess. When the wind kicks in, maintain your efficient stroke, focus on SLP and tilt tour casting plane accordingly. Read through www.chrisdore.com/dealingwiththewind.htm and www.chrisdore.com/improvingyourhaul.htm to increase line speed and put your fly infront of the fish.

The new Airfo Stealth Ridgeline.

Of recent i have been playing with the new airflo stealth ridgeline. Designed specifically for nz, by new zealanders this is a 12' clear tip floating line, based on the popular explorer backcountry taper. Yes, i am the local area rep for Manic Tackle Project, new zealands airflo distributer and the company who have designed this line, but as those of you who know me will attest, i call them how i see them. theres the disclaimer.

In theory, by using a 12' leader set up on the ridge stealth the colour of your flyline will now be 22' from the fish. great for those who struggle with long leaders and windy conditions. I must admit i was sceptical at first, until paul kirby and i fished the xxxxx river, where wary trout cruise slow pools in gin clear water. The usual scenario is that once you present to a fish seen maybe 40' away, another comes through and passes beneath your line. He then follows your line right up to your rod tip before taking off across the pool, alerting every other fish in he vicinity. On this day we found fish cruising under the clear tip to continue happily, and often taking the fly soon after.

Another try out on the heavily pressured upper oreti saw us drift the line over numerous fish without alerting them. This is not often done, as many oreti regulars will attest.

I did find the line to occasionally get a little sticky in warmer weather. This is due to the supple polyurethene coating and the inability to incorperate teflon into the line for lubrication (doing so would make the clear tip turn white / opaque). However a quick clean with whizz lube or similar line cleaner / lubricant and the stealth was fine for several more expeditions.

If you land the line near the fish you will of course spook it, and for a line which is to be used to detect strikes blind nymphing it can be less efficient for those who lack in line control, but i believe than in many situations, particularly when sight fishing for wary fish, the new airflo stealth may have hit the mark for our clear water nz conditions. im loading stealths to my guide reels as i write.

So have a great new years out there guys and be safe. I still have the odd day available in Feb, March and April and so if you wish to get amongst it on thriver send me an email, and keep an eye out for my Awesome April page on chrisdore.com coming soon!

Chris

December update

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 08:00:00 +0000

Well this recent hot spell sure got things moving. Rivers dropped and trout rose, with manuka beetle and cicada beginning in the high country. And the trout sure were ready; those previously only reached by double tungsten bombs now sat higher in the water actively searching bugs. Mcneils manuka beetle and the usual collection of parawulffs, blowflies and the like were top producers but after a month of fluctuating river flows, fish became a little wired.

This is where those who have put in the effort to not just learn reaches, off plane casts and other accurate presentations, but to make them instinctive reaped the benefits. its one thing to read about a cast, practise it a few times and think you have it locked down but to practise until you no longer need to think about them, ingraining them well and truly into your muscle memory, and performing them intuitively is definatly the way to go.

Water temperatures are starting to soar on many lowland streams with temperatures just today hitting 23 degrees celcius on the Pomahaka. In these conditions, fish become rather docile, and so the riffles, shaded, cut banks and deeper water is where they will be found. Water temps in the high country will remain cooler, and so hitting the headwater streams may provide better opportunities for some.

Blistering on our lowland willows is increasing and it won't be long I feel until we see the well anticipated willow grub start to appear in our more sheltered lowland valleys. Grubbing trout require the most precise of presentations and so if you haven't already, start working on the casts described above to get into form prior to these wee terrestrials falling. Check out www.ontheflydvds.com/pages/Tutorials.html for top online casting tuition and www.chrisdore.com/willowgrubbing.htm for my personal thoughts on hitting willow grubbing fish.

Coming up to the silly season there are likely to be more anglers out and about on southern waters, so how do we deal with added pressure?

Trout may feed a little more carefully as they become bombarded with blowflies and cicada by the masses. So why not give them something a little more subtle to catch them unawares? Often from here on in a size 12 CDC emerger becomes my go - to backcountry pattern when trout are on top. Even if feeding on large terrestrials trout are less likely to suspect an innocent looking 'film fly' than a big floater that they are likely to have seen on a daily occurrence, often presented on less than perfect drifts.

Look for water that may often be overlooked as others race towards the headwaters. And if you enjoy stillwaters now is the time to visit the main southern lakes, and the many smaller waters in the area to enjoy avidly feeding trout without the crowds. An aggressive floater with a selection of beetle, cicada and mayfly patterns will hit those fish feeding off the top, and snails, chironomids and damsel nymphs will hit those cruising a little deeper across the shallows.

And if nothing seems to be happening around the edges then look to the fast intermediate line, a short section of Fluro and small olive woolly buggers and the like fished across the drop offs and around the weedbeds. New Zealand's Stillwater scene is extremely undervalued, with often bigger fish and better numbers coming to the net in most lakes.

And finally do not forget your angling etiquette. It is extremely bad form to enter the river above another angler and even worse form to camp at an access overnight. These things are frowned upon locally and on some waters an angler can require many miles of river to fish throughout a given day. If uncertain, walk upstream and locate the on stream angler and have a chat as to their intentions. They were on the river first, and so they have that beat, but on the other hand they should also be open to water sharing arrangements. Check out www.sexyloops.com/articles/etiquette.shtml before venturing out onto the river.

So get out there and have fun. Season greetings to all and fish hard, but safe.

Chris

I love my office!

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:00:00 +0000

The title says it all.

Photos courteosy of Marius and Kym

An effective stillwater technique.

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 05:55:00 +0000

In another chapter of getting my wife out fishing, I took the lovely Amy up to a local high country lake close to home this afternoon for a couple of hours throwing the fly around. There were several anglers already on the water and after chatting to a few of them was surprised to hear that the fishing was slow. Hot and sunny, however with gusty sou westers rolling down the lake, whitecaps peppered the choppy surface and so I figured maybe their casting or presentation was letting them down.

We went in at a vacant spot and I proceeded to show Aims how to work her spin gear before setting up the S4 for my own pleasure (I guide all week and cannot wait to break out the fly rod on my day off?! I must be mad). An AIRFLO Ridge Clear fast intermediate was my line of choice,to get beneath the surface chop and into the strike zone, allowing a tight, slack-free connection to my fly, important in windy stillwater conditions IMO. I started with a small Mrs Simpson tied to 5 feet of 6lb fluro to get the job done.

Pitching the fly across the drop off then immediatly stripping once to remove any slack in the system, I counted to 5 to let the line sink. No sooner had I hit '4' but BANG, I was into my first fit wee rainbow.

Second cast and I began stripping a short, fast retrieve and BANG, a quick strip-strike and the second fish was on.

This pattern continued over the next half hour or so with every third or fourth cast being hit by fish. So why werent others hitting them? I couldnt tell you... Most were nymphing beneath dries and maybe in the choppy water it just wasnt getting down to the fish, or providing the movement required by these fish? Maybe they werent getting the fly out and down into the 'bingo zone'. Maybe they just werent adapting to the conditions.

However, if you want an easy, effective and consistent method to hit fish in most NZ stillwaters, in particular shallower lakes, choose a fast intermediate line, a short section of fluro and a Mrs Simpson, Olive woolly buggar or similar small bully pattern and work the drop offs and weed beds. Vary your retrieve from short fast strips through to slow, 'figure 8' retrieves to see what hits and have fun!

Get some!

A great week with the Mikola's

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 06:35:00 +0000

Tapani and Leea returned for the fourth season in a row and were welcomed by some rather difficult weather. Backup plans were invoked daily as rivers blew out and heavy wind warnings were widespread. However with determination, a little local knowledge and a variety of techniques we brought some nice fish to the net each day.

If you head out with the mindset that the weather is horrible and you arent going to do any good, you probably wont. Take the day as it comes, make the most of every opportunity you get at fish, and focus on getting that fly into the right place, time and time again. It works!

Chris

The Good Oil

Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +0000

Mike Wilkinson of Cromwell is a good guy. A lof of fun to hang out with, a cracking fly tier, and the host of a very informative fly blog centering around his homke waters of Central Otago's, Lake Dunstan. Check out http://evolutionofaflyfisher.wordpress.com/ for some interesting thoughts,and great ideas on successful stillwater ties and technique.

Chris