OKFlyFisher44 Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Made my return trip to the Lower Illinois this morning after a long 2-month break from fishing for duck season. It was pretty chilly this morning with the north wind. The bite started off good on the lower section of the Watts area, but the wind picked up and the fish just turned off. I picked through the fly box, trying the usual flies that always produce but couldn't get a take. I packed it in and headed back upstream... I fished the riffle above the parking lot with on a couple of takes...still scratching my head as to what was going on. As I was fishing my way downstream, I had noticed some fish feeding on the surface in a little back eddy on the other side of a gravel bar. It was the 1st time I had seen the trout eating bugs off the surface on the lower illinois. I believe it was some sort of grey midge that was coming off that the fish were feeding on. I tried a couple of dries with no success so I switched it up... Tied on a soft hackle and it was on! The fish seemed to really turn on at that point too...feeding on those bugs up and down the river. It was non-stop action for the next 2 hours, basically a strike on every cast. At one point, I had caught 12 fish on 13 casts. I love to fish soft hackles...its almost as exciting as fishing dries especially in shallow water where you can see the wake from the fish charging your fly. It was a great day to be on the water even with the chilly temps. About 1:30, the sun came out and the fish turned off so I packed it in for the day! Lots of people on the river today...Watts was full, I can only imagine how busy it was upstream by the dam. Chance ...I'm haunted in my dreams of waters I have yet to fish and trout I have yet to catch... Chasing the Dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyO Posted January 25, 2010 Share Posted January 25, 2010 Chance, Sounds like you had a good time. What color and size were the soft hackles? I've been thinking about tying up a few for the Lower Illinois. However, the #10 white beadhead wooly bugger with grizzly hackle was the killer fly for me on Saturday. DaddyO We all make decisions; but, in the end, our decisions make us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKFlyFisher44 Posted January 25, 2010 Author Share Posted January 25, 2010 Caught them on green w/ grizzly hackle and yellow w/ grizzly hackle. I also fished a caterpillar pattern that I used to fish at Roaring River that worked really well. It was green and the hackle was tied at the front and rear of the fly. It pushes a lot of water when stripped...it worked great. I love fishing soft hackles now...I got to fish them several times over the summer at Taneycomo and they really produced fish when nothing else would work when the fish were midging on the surface. Chance ...I'm haunted in my dreams of waters I have yet to fish and trout I have yet to catch... Chasing the Dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopper Posted January 26, 2010 Share Posted January 26, 2010 Chance, I fish soft hackles a some point every time I fish the lower Illinois, one of my best producers. Anytime I see them sipping midges from the top I go to the soft hackle. I fished the watts area from around 11:00 to 4:00 on sunday. Started alittle above the stocking tube with a #18 brown and partridge,copper ribbed soft hackle, and like you had a take almost every cast. Then moved to the bottom of the run below the tube and tied on a #18 all white midge with gold ribbing with a #20 krystal flash midge dropper and again lots of fish. Had a great day. Gregg The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rpike Posted January 27, 2010 Members Share Posted January 27, 2010 Here are the vids this was like crack to a junkie My link and I got my fix......all day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaddyO Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 Rick, That first link didn't work. The second one did. I could see my truck behind that camper across from you and Steve's Silver Land Rover on the end. Did you guys shoot that video and then come up to where we were? DaddyO We all make decisions; but, in the end, our decisions make us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKFlyFisher44 Posted January 27, 2010 Author Share Posted January 27, 2010 Chance, I fish soft hackles a some point every time I fish the lower Illinois, one of my best producers. Anytime I see them sipping midges from the top I go to the soft hackle. I fished the watts area from around 11:00 to 4:00 on sunday. Started alittle above the stocking tube with a #18 brown and partridge,copper ribbed soft hackle, and like you had a take almost every cast. Then moved to the bottom of the run below the tube and tied on a #18 all white midge with gold ribbing with a #20 krystal flash midge dropper and again lots of fish. Had a great day. Gregg Gregg, I probably walked right by you when I was packing up to leave. I headed for the truck at 1:30. Is there quite a few fish below that run below the parking lot? The run that I'm talking about is the "chute" with the good riffle where the big hole in front of the parking lot tapers down below the big boulders on the bank. I've walked down that way past that run a few times and didnt catch or see any fish...but there was a ton of people down there at various times on Sunday. I just don't see many trout holding down there in that "flat" water...but I've been wrong before. Chance ...I'm haunted in my dreams of waters I have yet to fish and trout I have yet to catch... Chasing the Dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopper Posted January 27, 2010 Share Posted January 27, 2010 I fished between where the log is sticking out of the water and the big boulders start, just below where everyone walks accross, looks deceptive but it holds alot of fish. Gregg The gods do not deduct from man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKFlyFisher44 Posted January 28, 2010 Author Share Posted January 28, 2010 Yes, I know that spot holds fish...they are in there for sure. I was talking about the area further downstream actually... Chance ...I'm haunted in my dreams of waters I have yet to fish and trout I have yet to catch... Chasing the Dream... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
On The Fly 6 Posted January 28, 2010 Share Posted January 28, 2010 Yes, I know that spot holds fish...they are in there for sure. I was talking about the area further downstream actually... So, my question for you guys is...whats the best way to fish the soft hackle? Ive never had much success with them the few times ive tried. Any suggestions or video's online I could look at? "The difference between fly fishers and worm dunkers is the quality of their excuses." -Anonymous "I am not against golf, since I cannot but suspect it keeps armies of the unworthy from discovering trout." -by Paul O'Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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