September 2015 | VOLUME 9, ISSUE 1 | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | #fishingischeaperthantherapy

Trout Unlimited NW Women’s Weekend UPCOMING SPOKANE WOMEN ON THE FLY EVENTS

September –

Tuesday 9/2 Spokane Falls TU Monthly Meeting

Saturday 9/12 Clark Fork One-Day Float & Fish

Saturday 9/19 10am-2pm Women’s Fly Fishing 101 Class

October –

Tuesday 10/6 Spokane Falls TU Monthly Meeting

Friday – Sunday 10/9 – 10/11 NW TU Women’s Weekend

Friday 10/30 Fly Tying Evening 6-9pm

By: Heather Hodson, Flyer Design: Deanna Camp

What better way to spend a fall weekend then

socializing, learning and spending some time on the

water? Learn to cast, present the fly and improve your

knowledge to catch & release wild fish on the beautiful

Yakima River.

Join Spokane Women on the Fly and the Yakima

Headwaters TU Chapter to focus on learning and

socializing with other like-minded women in Cle Elum

Washington 10/9/15 – 10/11/15.

Weekend Event Details

Friday Evening – Social Time at the “Brick Saloon”

in Roslyn WA

Saturday Morning – Classroom

o Entomology

o Rigging (hands on)

o Reading Water with Line Management

Saturday Afternoon – Yakima River Clean-Up

with the Yakima Headwaters TU Chapter

Sunday Morning/Afternoon – River time with

both single and two handed casting instruction

with “On the Water Tactics”

Cost - $50.00 (donations are gladly accepted)

Lodging – See Event Details for Lodging Links

Event Details - http://www.spokanewomenonthefly.com/trout-unlimited-northwest-womens-weekend/

Space is Limited to 25 Women. Sign Up Today!!!

Heather’s Monthly Tip Water temps are starting to cool, focus more

on the deeper pools and slower riffles.

Page 2

Monthly Mend

Tiger Muskie on the Fly By: Connie Tedrow

Smoke from nearby wildfires hangs heavily in the air as

Spokane Women on the Fly arrive at Curlew Lake State

Park for a weekend guided Muskie outing. Dave Dana,

aka “Muskie Dave”, our guide from Silver Bow fly shop in

Spokane, has agreed to guide 14 ladies of Spokane

Women on the Fly. Big Muskie and Tiger Muskie are his

specialty and he is one of the better known Muskie

guides in the Northwest.

Names are drawn: two women will go out for 1 ½ to 2

hour shifts, casting 10 and 11 weight rods to these

predatory fish that Dave calls the “Kings of the Lake,”

and the “Top of the Food Chain,” and who are

exclusively meat eaters. We have also brought pontoons

and kayaks for fishing the lake in between outings and

Dave chuckles and says to “yell loud” if we hook a

Muskie on our own, and if help is not available, to cut

the leader. He suggests we fish in pairs for safety, and

he is not kidding.

Dave intends to fish from sunup to sundown Saturday

and as long as people want to fish on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the first two women return with tales of a

huge fish following their fly. It sounds as though the

fish was as long as a bathtub with a massive head and

broad back. A few drinks and the freedom of the

outdoors brings out a festive giddiness to the group as

we turn in for the night full of expectations.

The rods are heavy. The lines are heavy. The flies are

heavy. Casting the line out the required 30 foot

minimum can be challenging. Having that drenched,

flashy pig of a fly on the end of a sinking line wanting

to drop straight to hell keeps your loops tight and low

over the water. We strain to find a successful rhythm

that will send our flies to meaningful distances.

That morning, toward the end of our allotted time, a

large Muskie trails a fly line. We don’t see it in the

water until it is close to the boat. Attempts are made to

jerk the fly, figure eight the fly, push the rod tip into

the water as deep as possible – every conceivable fly

and rod movement ever considered is attempted - but

we have missed an opportunity. The big fish has

vanished.

Then the last outing of Sunday, in the early afternoon,

a miracle happens. The 10,000 cast quota has been

met and a beautiful Tiger Muskie is landed. Gail Bailey

is tossing out a big streamer “Uncle Charlie” type fly

and she feels a sudden hit on her line, then a low tug

and she sets the hook. A small Tiger Muskie (in Tiger

Muskie standards) darts away from the line pressure

and after hitting the reel set to a hard drag he jumps

completely from the water, writhing and twisting. The

heavy rod handles him adroitly and he is brought to

the boat, landed and photographed.

Page 3 Monthly Mend

By Heather Hodson

Fall Spawning Fish Etiquette

Fall is in the air. Days are getting shorter, weather is

changing, water temperatures have started to decrease,

and foliage colors have started to change. Fall fishing

can be an incredible time to get out. Kids are back in

school, the fair weather fishers start to stay indoors and

the fish can be quite active. With fall fishing also come

some ethic decisions. To fish or not to fish during the

spawning season?

Browns, Brook Trout, Arctic Char, Dolly Varden,

Mackinaw (lake trout), and Bull Trout spawn in the fall.

Their eggs generally stay in the gravel until spring and

then emerge. Many rivers close at certain times of the

year to protect the spawning fish. Spawning trout are

already stressed and vulnerable, it's best not to fish to

them during this time.

The Inland Northwest main trout species are Westslope

Cutthroat and Rainbow trout. Both of which, spawn in

the spring. We are only a few hours of Western

Montana where trophy Brown Trout reside. In the pre-

spawn phase, usually in September, these fish are

starting to prepare to spawn. They do this by moving

up to spawning waters and begin to consume extra

calories to allow energy needed during the spawn.

This can be a good time of year to catch some

aggressive “big” fish.

Many of us, including myself, need a refresher on

identifying spawning beds and spawning fish.

How to Identify Spawning Fish

Fish hug to a site and refuse to move even if

disturbed.

Large numbers of fish are concentrated in

shallow water over a gravel bottom.

Fish are darker-colored than normal. Their

bellies are dark instead of a light, silvery color.

Fish will fight sluggishly because they’re

expending most of their energy on spawning.

Don’t walk through a spawning bed. If you have

identified spawning fish or a spawning bed (redds),

make sure to go around them. The eggs are located in

the hump of gravel and are not buried in a hole. See

the “How To” column for identify redds.

Don’t target a fish that is actively spawning: These fish

are already under a lot of stress. It’s best to direct

your focus on deeper pools, and the immature fish

sipping on mayflies in the back eddies.

http://onlinefishinglog.com/blog/23/Spawning-Trout-and-Redds

By : Sean Visintainer – Silverbow Fly Shop

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNiYv08ZEhA&feature=youtu.be

During the Fall as temperatures begin to change, so should the water that you are fishing. Most trout move out of their

summer time holding lies into the main pools in preparation for the cold winter months. You can sometimes find a

couple trout in the smaller, moderately fast pockets, but most will move into the slower deeper sections.

If I had to sum up what kind of water would be the "ideal" it would go

like this...

Ideal Fall water would be... Currents that are "walking speed pace" or slower.

Main pools and runs.

Softer current seams as the riffles dump into the pools.

Deeper water.

Not near your cozy couch and TV. Get outside.

Reading Fall Trout Water

Page 4

Monthly Mend

Gadget Geek

Tossing meat, twitching, jerk stripping, dying drift,

dragging stripping, swinging. No, we’re not talking about

a backstage party after a Miley Cyrus concert. It’s streamer

time. Time to hunt for big, aggressive trout with big,

aggressive flies. I like to fish streamers all year, but for

most people fall is the prime time to chuck streamers.

When I choose a streamer line the first questions I ask

myself is “where are my target fish going to be sitting and

what do I want my fly to be doing?” Here are a few lines

I’ve used and how they shine:

Airflow Streamer Max Short - $84.99

http://www.airflofishing.com/

Aggressive Skagit like head, allowing larger

streamers to cast more easily

Floating line allows it easily handle

Hard to cast across several different currents due

to the larger head

Airflow Streamer Max Long - $84.95

http://www.airflofishing.com/

Designed by Steamer Guru, Kelly Galloup

Go to Streamer Line for medium/large size rivers

30’ sinking head transitioning to an intermediate

running line

Cast and start to retrieve right away

Rio Streamer Tip Fast Sink - $59.95

http://www.stillwaterflyshop.com/

Closeout at Stillwater Fly Shop

Medium Sized Rivers – St. Joe & CDA River

Easy to cast close to the bank, making your strips

into the boat or the shore, and getting it right

back in the zone quickly

For a complete Streamer Line Review by Bjorn go to

http://www.spokanewomenonthefly.com/bjorns-product-

review/

How to Identify a Spawn Bed (Reds):

http://onlinefishinglog.com/blog/23/Spawning-Trout-and-Redds

Spawning Beds (Reds) are the nests of spawning trout. In the spring Rainbow and Cutthroat Trout spawn and the

fall Bull, Brown, Brook and Lake Trout Spawn

How to Identify a Red

Clean oval patches of small to medium-sized gravel typically 2 to 3 feet wide.

Gravel is lighter-colored than surrounding gravel.

Small depressions and mounds in the gravel indicate nest sites and eggs.

What Type of Water Can Reds Be Found In

Riffles: 1 to 3 feet in depth with ample current to provide oxygen to the eggs

Gravel Bars: gravel bars allow eggs to sit among and below small rocks with

clean water flowing over them.

How to Identify Spawning Fish

Fish hug to a site and refuse to move even if disturbed.

Large numbers of fish are concentrated in shallow water over a gravel bottom.

Fish are darker-colored than normal. Their bellies are dark instead of a light, silvery color.

Fish will fight sluggishly because they’re expending most of their energy on spawning.

By: Bjorn Otsby – Catch Fly Fishing Fly Deisgner

Page 5 Monthly Mend

Mahogany Dun

Fall is finally near, the water levels are low and clear and the fish have earned their PHD in imitation flies. The Mahogany Dun, "Paraleps" are a fall hatch that requires a little more technical presentation. This hatch occurs in both the spring and the fall. Due to the spring run off or several other spring hatches, the Mahogany Dun hatch is usually fished in the fall. As the nymphs start to mature they travel to slower moving water. Therefore, most hatches occur in slow, almost slack water near shore. The Dun's (adults) will be found in long slow runs, giving the fish time to slurp them up. The slurp usually is not an aggressive take. Lifecycle of a Mahogany Dun: Mahogany Dun's have 4 stages to their lifecycle; Nymph, Emerger, Dun & Spinner. Presentation: While fishing all lifecycles, keep in mind that because you're fishing slower water and the fish have had a chance to see many artificial flies throughout the summer. Because of the fish are well educated and will have plenty of time to inspect your fly, it's best to sneak up in the fish as much as you can. Your presentation should be subtle and not disruptive to the water. Nymph - like most hatches fishing nymphs (subsurface) can be very productive, especially about an hour before the hatch. Emergers - Duns tend to emerge just below the surface, this is a good time to fish an emerger or floating nymph pattern. Duns (adult) - Cast only to fish you see feeding, cast above the fish to allow the dun to drift by the trout. Casting near the bank can be very productive. Consider a downstream presentation so the fish see your fly before the leader and fly line. Spinners - Mahogany dun spinners tend to land with their wings upright, rather than the typical spread-eagle posture. So a dun imitation can do double duty.

Match the Hatch

Mahogany Dun Nymphs Mahogany Dun Adult

Hare’s Ear Nymph

Mohagany Parachute

Prince Nymph

Mohagany Dun Extended Body

Parachute Hare’s Ear

Mahogany Dun Emerger Cripple PMD

West Fly Fishing - http://www.west-fly-fishing.com/entomology/mayfly/mahogany.shtml

What’s Hatching...

Click here to find the closest location to purchase Catch Flies. http://catchflyfish.com/locate/

OUR FLIES JUST TASTE BETTER!

By Heather Hodson

Page 6

Monthly Mend

Where can I fish in September?

The water is warm, the sun is bright and the fish have

seen thousands of flies but us anglers are still itching

for more and with fall just around the corner

September can be a great month. Temperatures may

vary from day to day hopefully with some cooler days

for some great fishing on lakes and rivers. A

reminder “Hoot-Owl” restrictions might still be in

effect so please double check before you head out.

Check out Silver bow’s Fishing Report for the

updated information.

http://www.silverbowflyshop.com/fishingreports.

1. Area Lakes

Newman Lake - smallmouth fishing

Pend Oreille Lake - small bass fishing (late

evenings work best)

Curlew Lake - bass, trout or tiger musky

High Alpine Lakes -

Washington - http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/high_lakes/

Idaho - http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/fish/?ge

tPage=251

Montana - http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/

2. North Fork of the CDA River (Kingston ID)

Fishing from Prichard and downstream

are best

Small Stimulators, Purple Haze, X-

Caddis, October Caddis, BWOs

3. St Joe (Avery Idaho)

Above Avery to Gold Creek is the best

Pink Hoppers, Caddis, PMX Style

Patterns, Ants, Lightning Bugs

4. Northfork of the Clearwater (4hrs)

Good fishing and cast to deeper slots,

riffles and oxygenated water

Hoppers/Dropper Rigs, Caddis, BWOs

Great dry fly river with big foam leggy

bugs

WDFD file for fishing rules.

http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01590/wdfw01590.pdf

By Sara Cochran

Kelly Creek Event has been Cancelled!!!

Due to the risk of fire in the nearby canyons of Kelly Creek, the outing has been cancelled. Instead we will be doing a

1 day float on the Clark Fork River. See the closed Facebook Event for more details or email us.

Rising Nippers

Spokane Women on the Fly Rising Nippers have arrived. Head to the Silverbow to pick-up and pay for your order.

12th Annual Spokane River Clean-Up – September 19th 2015 – High Bridge Park - 9am

The Spokane Falls TU Chapter is looking for leaders to help with the River Clean-Up. Please contact Stewart Maxon at

srmaxson64@yahoo.com for more details.

Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited Chapters Offering Women Free Memberships for 2015

Are you new to TU and want to be a part of the amazing organization? If so, please let either

Hilary or Heather know so we can get you signed up. You can also email us at

spokanewomenonthefly@gmail.com to get more information.

Tales, Tangles and Tightline Blog

Heather Hodson, Northwest Fly Girl, has created a blog for her personal adventures, women

specific articles and anything else she feels like writing about. She currently is writing a

series, “Chase the Rainbow”, about her Alaska Adventure this August. Part 1 is ready to view.

http://talestanglesandtightlines.blogspot.com/

SWOTF and Trout Unlimited News

Page 7 Monthly Mend

September – Tuesday 9/2/15 6 – 8:30pm Spokane Falls Trout Unlimited Monthly Meeting Heather Hodson and Britten Jay will be present on their Alaska Adventure in August Friday-Sunday 9/11 & 9/13 Kelly Creek Camping/Fishing Weekend CANCELLED Wednesday 9/9/15 7 – 8:30pm Spokane Fly Fishers Monthly Meeting St.Francis School Steve Temple will be presenting “Secrets of the Clark Fork”. Saturday 9/19/15 10am-2pm Beginner Women’s Fly Fishing Class Silverbow Fly Shop Final women’s class offered this year at Silverbow Fly Shop. The class discusses gear, knots, where to fish, what to look for, entamology and we finish the 4hr class with an hour of casting practice.

October – Friday-Sunday 10/9-10/11/15 Yakima Headwaters Trout Unlimited Women’s Weekend Spokane Women on the Fly is partnering with the Yakima Headwaters Trout Unlimited for a Northwest Women’s Weekend. What better way to spend a fall weekend then with a group of like-minded women, socializing, learning and spending some time on the water? Learn to cast (single or Spey), present the fly, and improve your knowledge to catch & release wild fish on the Yakima River. http://www.spokanewomenonthefly.com/trout-unlimited-northwest-womens-weekend/ Friday 10/30/15 Hackle and Hops Fly Tying Event It’s back. Space is limited to 15. Brng your tying tools and let’s get twisting.

Upcoming Event Details

10 Fun Facts about Rainbow Trout

1. Rainbow trout is a member of the salmon family.

2. A group of rainbow trout is a hover.

3. Trout eat insects, crustaceans and small fish.

4. Rainbow trout and steelhead trout are the same species (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Rainbows are found

primarily in freshwater and steelheads are seagoing.

5. The ocean living trout, steelhead trout, are anadromous, like salmon. This means they spend most of

their adult life in the ocean before returning to their stream of birth to spawn. However, unlike salmon

which die after spawning, steelheads return to the ocean and may spawn 2 or 3 times before they die.

6. The coloration of rainbow trout depends on their habitat, age and whether they are getting ready to

spawn. This variation is reflected in the names, rainbow and steelhead, as rainbow trout tend to be

colorful while steelheads become more silvery, or steel, colored (helping them blend into the ocean)

7. Trout is the oldest fish aquaculture industry in North America. The first trout hatchery was started in the

1880s both for recreational stocking and with some interest in bringing fish to the market. Commercial

scale trout farming for the food fish market began in the early 1900s and began growing rapidly in the

1960s.

8. Today, all rainbow trout found in stores is farm raised. Limited amounts of wild steelhead may be

available.

9. Rainbow trout were originally native to North America west of the Rockies and parts of eastern Asia. It has

been introduced to freshwater rivers and lakes throughout North America due to its popularity as a game

fish. It is one of the most popular game fish for recreational anglers in North America.

10. Rainbow trout are a great option for aquaculture as they grow quickly and have a good range of

environmental tolerances.

By Sara Forsythe - Coeur d' Alene Adventures www.cdaadventures.com and Adventures with Western Waters www.westernwaters.com

Spokane Women on the Fly Brag Page On and Off the Water River Therapy

Cindy with a Silver Salmon in Alaska

Jane with a Beautiful Montana Brown

Heather with a beautful Alaska Leopard Rainbow Trout

Sara with a Curlew Lake Small Mouth Bass

Shelley with a Curlew Small Mouth Bass

August Silver Women’s Fly Fishing 101 Class