Tips For Bsc

[P_L]

After 10 years of hiking and canoeing the Campbell bridge region I bought acreage a few miles down highway n from bsc.I fell in love with the area and spend many weekends down there camping. I just found out by chance that bsc is a blue ribbon trout stream. I was very surprised at first considering I hike this creek yearly and hardly ever see any fish. I am interested in learning to fish this steam.I know this stream doesn't produce monster fish but the idea that they are wild trout right down the road is very appealing to me. From reading other posts in this section I gather bsc inst the easiest place to learn or catch fish but I enjoy a challenge. I'm planing on spending the next few months reading, going to free classes at C and BPS,hiking the creek with fishing in mind and, talking to other fishermen.I plan to fish there this fall which gives me time to learn, practice, and acquire equipment. I'm looking for literature that helps with: rod selection, reel selection, and fly types that works well at bsc. There is a ton of information to learn with fly fishing. I just want to start small on a specific stream then learn about bigger rods, different files, and other fish once i have a good grasp. Thanks for any help you can offer.

paul

[jah]

Hi-

I'd start with a 2 or 3 weight fly rod, 7x tippet, 9 foot leader, and walk slowly and upstream. Flies should be small, IMO, but if they're small, it doesn't particularly matter what they are, from my own experience. The key to fishing BSC is stealth. It's a shallow creek, so anything knee deep or deeper is prime water to fish. Adams, small elk hair, wd 40s, primrose and pearl midges should do the trick. Good luck

Jim

[mic]

I'd start with a 2 or 3 weight fly rod, 7x tippet, 9 foot leader, and walk slowly and upstream. Flies should be small, IMO, but if they're small, it doesn't particularly matter what they are, from my own experience. The key to fishing BSC is stealth. It's a shallow creek, so anything knee deep or deeper is prime water to fish. Adams, small elk hair, wd 40s, primrose and pearl midges should do the trick. Good luck

I agree with everything Jim posted except the leader. I prefer a short leader of six or seven feet. Try to find an leader with an indicator built into it. Feather Craft has one. If you use it with a single fly, you can save alot of flies by reeling in snags to the rod tip and pulling them free. Two other notes, work on roll casting and use short drifts working from the back of the hole to the front. If you start at the front and get a bad drift you can ruin the hole.

[mic]

Let me add, don't be afraid of bigger drys on broken water. I've had plenty of indicators hit as they went by.

[Al Agnew]

Stealth is the biggest key on any of these small creeks. Your tackle isn't all that important, although I'd go with a 3 or 4 wt. rod that's no more than 8.5 feet long. As Mic said, small flies are good but as long as the fish don't know you're there, they will often take larger dry flies. Match your leader to your fly...you don't necessarily need really long 7X leaders in my opinion, but 5X or 6X fluorocarbon with small nymphs is probably called for. Personally, I wouldn't use an indicator much on BSC, I'd use a two fly system with a decent sized dry fly and a small nymph as a dropper. Toughest thing about BSC is that it's so tight and brushy in most places that you can't make long casts, but the gravelly bottom means you simply can't move silently and get real close to the fish without them at least hearing you and knowing something is coming. But if you KEEP LOW, move slowly, and by all means don't barge into the pool you want to fish, you can do okay. The few times I've fished BSC, I've noted that the fish will be invisible most of the time, but they don't need much water to hide. If you can't see every inch of the bottom--if there is a hollow under tree roots, an undercut bank, or a log with enough room for a fish to get under it, there is likely to be one there.

[ColdWaterFshr]

I'll throw in,

1, 2 or 3 wt rod, 7'6 med soft action, or no longer than 8', I don't own anything lighter than a 3 weight, but I'd really think a 2 or 1 weight would be sweet for this creek.

7x will have you losing and retying a lot due to the brush and canopy, 5x is almost always as light as I go unless i want to fish some very tiny dries (not often). As Mic said, they'll hit bigger dries, 12-16 just fine.

Stay out of the water as much as you can, and that includes your fly line. Don't waste time on long flat pools, and wade/travel upstream as you go, not the reverse or they will see you coming. As others have said, stealth is critical, especially if you want a chance at the bigger fish (12-16 inchers). The little ones will calm down and cooperate again within 30 seconds of you spooking them, but not the bigger fish.

[Addicted to Creeks]

on a side note can any one recommend a decent moderately priced three and reel? perhaps even a combo deal?

[ColdWaterFshr]

Moderately priced in fly fishing could mean anything from $70 rod to $500 rod.

I've got a Cabela's 3-Forks, 3-pc, 3wt that I picked up for $29 and I like it as much or better than my St. Croix Legend Ultra 3-wt. Don't get caught up in price, cast a few and see what you like.

[P_L]

I appreciate you all taking the time to give out all that information. You guys have saved me hours of extra learning and keyed me right in on what is relevant. About the only thing I'm not really clear on is what ColdWaterFshr meant when he said "Don't waste time on long flat pools". Hey, quick question, you guys don't wear full waders do you? I was thinking my 18in mucks would be plenty or even water shoes if the weather is nice. Thanks again for all of your help.

paul

[ColdWaterFshr]

You're going to need at least hip waders if you want to cover any ground. In the summer, that place is a jungle into which I don't venture, but you could easily wet-wade if you don't mind chiggers, spider webs, thorns, and poison ivy.

Long-flat pools, I really mean slow water, avoid the slow water, but that is generally the shallower water anyway. Focus on water where there is at least some depth and current. Its pretty common sense where the fish are in that creek. Getting a good cast to them in a way that doesn't spook them is the challenge.