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Fishing Reports index > May 2008
Trout chasin’ with Chris Dore
Loch What???
So the first real snow has fallen and the accompanying rain has raised the rivers of the Queenstown area. All those browns that were congregating at the river mouths of the Wakatipu have accepted the invitation to head upstream.
So what have we left?
There are still many fish patrolling our lakeshores and these can provide the winter angler with some exciting sport. Many locals fish these shores blind with an array of nymphs or a streamer pattern with random success. Some days it hits, some days the lake seems devoid of fish. We know somewhere out there our fly is being seen by fish, but how can we motivate them to give chase? How can we better our chances of success?
Of recent I have been playing with various ‘Irish loch style’ techniques with impressive success on Wakatipu. The idea here is that instead of trying to get often lethargic winter time trout to give chase to just the one fly, we offer a team of three in a manner suggesting a chase. This is thought to trigger an aggressive / predatory response from the trout, who then competes for the prize.
Loch Style originated back in the UK on reservoirs and natural waterways and traditionally employed a buoyant, wet / dry pattern on top to create a surface disturbance, but I have adapted this a little to suit my local Southern Lakes.
My standard set up employs a woolly buggar or similar streamer in the ‘bob’ position, that is, hanging off a 7-inch dropper at a point nearest the fly line. Now a woolly buggar on its own will often illicit regular takes as we all know, but the following in my opinion increases its appeal to the fish.
A couple of feet below the ‘bob’ fly, hanging off another dropper is a flashy type of attractor pattern, a soft hackle, or maybe a grey ghost type wet, something to catch the trouts eye.
Finally, three or four feet below the attractor pattern is the point fly. In Wakatipu I usually go to a monsums bully for its slim, aerodynamic profile, and a little added weight will help assist turnover of this longer leader. Checking the shoot of the line whilst casting also assists in the turnover of these often less than aerodynamic flies.
Casting three flies or more tangle free is not as difficult as many imagine; it just involves some good fundamental fly casting mechanics.
As for technique, fire it out across the drop off, into the rip, or ahead of a drifting boat and strip it back rapidly. That’s it! Either a floating, sink tip, or full sinking line may be employed according to conditions.
This rapid retrieve it thought to give the trout a fleeting glimpse of the attractor fly, and combined with the positions of the bob, and point flies, suggest predator chasing prey. Trout, being a competitive beast will often join in the fun, and most fish are taken on the top / ‘bob’ fly – the prey.
Have fun out there the next few months – this is traditionally a time where many of the larger fish are caught in our Southern Lakes, so ‘man up’ on the tippet size and hold onto your shorts – if you hook a fish, it could very well be a big ‘un.
WAC
The Wakatipu Anglers Club monthly meeting is happening at 7.30pm on Tuesday 3rd of June in Queenstown. The Gold Ridge Hotel on Frankton Road is the location and all are welcome, member or non, resident or visitor. If you are in Queenstown on the 3rd, please feel free to come along and share a few stories. For more information contact club president Chris Dore on 027 693 3027.
The WAC newsletter is available using this link
Chris Dore
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor.
Queenstown, NZ
027 693 3027
Chris Dore is an independent fishing guide; his reports are not officially representative of Fish & Game NZ
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