Help with fly on the Clack

[Steeliekiller]

Been hitting the clack with the fly rod with little sucess. Shooting for some trout action being I have only a 5 wt and am fairly new to fly fishing as well as fishing the clack. Any advice is good advice. Thanks

 

[dozer365]

Black yellow black Orange. That's all I can OFFer as advice. I'm sure more experienced fly guys will chime in.

 

[fishing_mission]

What section of the clack are you fishing ?

 

[waco]

I would start fly fishing on a stocking lake before going to a river so you can learn the basics and casting better!!! good luck out there!!

 

[nativefish]

I just bought a fly rod too. I have never casted one, where do I begin?

 

[outdoorgb]

I've fished the Clackamas for many years, mostly trout...from the mouth up to and past the confluence with the Collowash River.

I use small mosquito and Adams a patterns (sz 12/14, I tie my own). I’ve always done well…Wooly buggers for lakes.

Look for slacker water fwd/aft of rapid areas but not too deep (3’ or less) of course behind larger rocks where the eddies form is good…just need to hit the spot right and be able to keep it there for a period.

I’m told wet flies are really good…I’m a little biased to dry flies…just an addiction from back in the 80’s.

Areas:
I fished for years just upstream from the I205 bridge, just above the Clackamas water intake structure, north side of the river. Park at High Rocks Pub/Safeway and walk the trail up. You’re casting upstream here with a slow drift down (very easy stretch to fish). I have come upon the occasional Steelie and Salmon in the area during certain times of the year.

Upper: 1 to 5 miles above the confluence with the Collowash River (above Ripplebrook RS). The river is smaller here than the lower section (duh). Great dry fly area with lots of logs/cover for trout. Most are just 6”-10” but I’m not a trophy guy so I find great fun in this fishery.

Northfork reservoir: Tolling a wooly bugger is one way to catch fish…you can cast and retrieve these also. I have caught fish on top with my dry flies (early and late day). Of course a boat (I kayak) helps.
Rivermill (Estacada Lake): Wooly buggers, again, early late dry fly patterns, small darker types.

Barton area: similar to upper river notes but the river is a little wider. Just gotta walk more to find fishable area.

Of course with all of these suggestions (except NF), waders are going to increase your area and fishability.

Hope this helps…now I want to go to the upper Clack this weekend…

 

[outdoorgb]

I just bought a fly rod too. I have never casted one, where do I begin?

Of course having someone show you would be best, describing how to cast a fly rod on a thread is tough...Watching youtube vids is good...

Lets assume your after trout or smaller fish; Buy a tippit (tapered leader). These will be 7' to 9' and seem to cost about a million dollars...
Attach this to your fly line (floating/sinking?)...test it in a sink or bath tub, better yet, go fishing.

Tie a fly on the end of the tippet.

Pull out 10 yards or so of line and and whip the line behind you...once the weight of the line "loads" the rod, bring it forward...NOW, there is a technique to this but I can't do it justice in writing. Sorry about that...I suggest getting out there and trying it. I did some 37 years ago and was addicted from the first time a trout came up and slurpped that fly...I knew I had him before he knew he was had...

 

[Leon Fish]

I often relate fly casting to a golf swing: you can learn the basic stroke pretty quickly, but you'll spend the rest of your life trying to perfect it. lol.

And yeah, hard to describe in words, but I say for the simplest form of it, the motion is like throwing a dart.... But off the tippytop of your fly rod as an extension of your fingers. Kind of.

 

[furflinger]

Learn to roll cast, it's simple, easy to learn and real affective on small and bigger rivers- downfall you might have to wade out a little further- great for hitting a drift multiple times quickly. I've even used roll casting from my float tube-
good luck