Monsters of the Brule

These are pics of some big fish caught by some friends of Sotafish.  Garrett Svir, Jeff Wenger of jeffsjigs.com and Tony Stifter.  This will eventually grow to five pictures of some of the biggest fish caught on the Brule.  Do you have a pic worthy.   Send me a pic at sotafish@hotmail.com.

Good Brule Morning

I managed to catch three steelhead on a bright sunny morning.   With the sun so bright and the flow at about 130 cfs I wasn't expecting to catch multiple fish.  I was preparing to be very happy with one fish with the flow so low.   Sometimes steelhead don't do what you expect.

Chrome with Attitude

Entomology

      It helps to know a little entomology when trying to decide what fly to use to catch Steelhead. Entomology is the study of aquatic insects. The life cycle and identification of these insects are the most important factors of entomology as it relates to fishing and tying flies to imitate them.  There are four stages of importance during the insect life cycle. They are larval stage (nymphs), emergent stage (emergers), Adult stage (dries), mortality stage (spinners).  Aquatic insect spends most of its life in the larval stage so most of my flies I tie are nymphs.  Dry flies (adult) are also popular flies to tie.  Many people believe catching a steelhead or trout on a dry fly is the most exciting.   I can't disagree. This is where identification of adult hatching flies is helpful. Matching the hatch. The better you know the adult insects flying around on your local river the more success you will have.  Using a seine to collect nymphs or just looking under rocks will also reveal the larval aquatic insects that inhabit your river.  So do a little research and identify the insects that inhabit your river.  Some important insects in Great lakes rivers are Hexagenia, Brown drake, Blue winged olive mayflies, caddis, stoneflies.
      Weather and water clarity are also important factors in deciding what fly to use. If it is sunny outside I tend to use flies with some sparkle. Materials like krystal flash and ice dubbing are examples of materials with sparkle.  Some believe that sparkle imitates air bubbles which makes a fly look life like. Which in turn will trigger fish into biting. Water clarity is also important. The more turbid (cloudy) the water is I tend to use flies larger and more colorful so the fish can see the fly.

Crazy Chrome

So I'm up on North Shore somewhere, fishing for chrome. On my third cast I hook this extremely hot fish. The fish went from the head of the pool to the tailout faster then any other fish that I can remember. When it wanted to rest after 4 or 5 laps it jumped the head into the fast riffle section. This fish went upstream 10 yards and sat in the fast water. I couldn't believe it. Usually when a hot fish stops to rest, it rest in slow water in the bottom of a pool. This chromer was a phenomenal athlete with an attitude. I never did land that fish. Perhaps that was inevitable because when the fish sat in the fast water I think that fish was telling me NOT TODAY Chad. Sure enough the fish made a final push to the lake and snapped me off. I literally yelled with disappointment and excitement like I was cheering for the fish. I was not disappointed at all. EJ and I just smiled. EJ said I don't know why everyone doesn't do this. I agreed.