Muddy Study

[Loren]

I fished Settles Bridge Sat after the rains and I've never seen muddier water. I had fished for an hour when a kid walked up, tossed a spinner and hooked up on the first cast. So -- what flies/colors work best in opaque water?

Loren

[Drifter]

Loren,

When I fish stained water, I prefer to use spinning gear as opposed to the flyrod. Naturally "flashy" stuff works well such as roostertails, spoons, etc. Somedays I have good luck on silver and white spinners, other days - gold and yellow. Go figure!

When flyfishing in stained water, I use a "mylar-body" Zonker or a white or yellow streamer. My theory is: Trout feed by sight, so give 'em something they can see.

Hooker can probably offer some insight on this subject!

The Drifter

[The Ole Man]

Loren
The kid had a distinct advantage over you that you can't get with a fly. The blade on his spinner puts out a vibration in the water that the fish can feel even though they can't see the bait until they dash over to check it out. The Blue Fox super vibrax that has a little bell chamber built in, in addition to the blade is very effective on trout in clear water and stained. We use to "call em up" with these when they got lock-jaw. he he he

[Hooker]

Loren,
Drifter and The Ole Man are both right. There are times to fish a flyrod and times to fish a spinning rod. Trout are sight predators, and if they can't see or hear the bait, ain't nothing gonna happen. This is why I love October and November fishing so much near the dam. The water has the "turnover" stain in it; the fish are spawning, concentrated,and not spooky; and a noisy high profile crankbait will..... oops, I shouldn't have said that.
Anyhow, for you die hard fly fishermen, Kent Edmonds ties a Wooley Bugger with a rattle in it, which is probably the best muddy water flyrod bait around.

Hooker

[Kent]

Hooker, you're absolutely correct. There is a time to use a spinning rod - after your fly rod and your spare fly rod break! ;-}

[Hooker]

Kent,
You're the ulimate Flyfishing diehard, and I still feel real bad about catching all those trout last spring behind you.

Hooker

[spinner]

Hooker...I haven't heard the fly vs. spinning rig story when you went behind Kent....TELL me more!!!!! spinner......

[Kent]

Spinner -
Don't get him started. Fact is, on virtually every outing of ours, his fish tally has been a bit to appreciably higher than mine. But, boy, have I had fun!

Kent