Callibaetis

Topics 
Callibaetis Party
Local Steelhead
Local Trout
Stretch SST
Marlwalker II's
Blue Ears
All pictures are Mouse-over.

There are plenty of steelhead in the Sandy and Clackamas, but they are going to have to learn how to walk if we don't get some rain.  While Southern California is washing away under torrential rain, Oregon is having bright sunshine and balmy days.  Either we are in a drought or spring came in January this year.  Our rivers are very low, very clear and very cold.  Lack of flow and freezing nights at all elevations have dropped morning water temperatures to 34-35 degrees.  "Ya' better put some warm fuzzies on under your waders or you will be shivering in a matter of minutes."  There doesn't seem to be a lot of fish movement in certain sections of rivers.  I saw a steelhead with a distinguishing mark in the same pool on both Monday and Friday.  These fish are spooky and well acquainted with their territories. 

A stealthy approach doesn't hurt.  In spite of the of the seemingly impossible conditions, some anglers have done very well.  As one might anticipate, smaller flies seem to be one of the answers.  Dig out your summer flies, but pack all your line tips.  Our low clear rainforest rivers in the uncommonly bright the bright mid-day sunshine are beyond beautiful.  They are a great place to test and refine your skills.  Peak air temperatures are in the high 50's.  Polarized glasses will greatly enhance your visual experience.  All local rivers are boney and require special boating skills and a lot of muscle.  Certain kinds of boats are loosing favor.  It is best to hire a guide who has the skills and special equipment.

When Matt Opperman and I climbed into the boat on the Deschutes, the air temperature was 19 and the water temperature was 34.  It was 8:00, Friday before last.  We banged the bottom with many kinds of nymphs until just before noon.  No bites, not even from whitefish.  It was now about 11:30.  In perplexity I moved us to a slick of slower water on the west side of the river were we could sit in the boat in the warming sunshine and eat lunch while we watched for the Baetis hatch.  By now the air temperature had climbed into the high 40's.  The air was calm and very pleasant.  We ate soup and crackers, quietly.  After about 20 minutes a very nice trout rose and took something from the surface only 10' from the boat in full view. Then nothing happened for a long while.  It was now nearly 1:00 and I was stewing inside about whether we were going to get a hatch at all.

Another trout rose a single time upstream from the boat.  a few minutes later I saw a single Baetis dun floating down the current.  It went on by with no takers.  Then another trout rose.  Then we saw more flies and a few more fish starting rising.  We put lunch away and tied my newest Winter Baetis Emerger to Matt's 6X tippet.  In the next hour he landed 10 Redsides from 14" to 16".  The largest fish landed was the first fish we saw rise 10' from the boat.  Matt's score was nearly perfect.  He rose 12 fish.  One came unhooked and one rose but refused the fly.  After that we both hooked fish on soft hackles fished in the film.  My last good one was taken away on the strike by a very heavy fish in very shallow water.  About 3:30 the trout went back to sleep and we were headed home at 4:00.

Patagonia's classic revisited, improved in all ways. it is offered in a new stretch fabric that is lighter, more breathable and more durable. They've also streamlined the pocketing to provide even more storage but cleaner access and less bulk to get in the way of oars, rods and lines. The left vertical front pocket has an inside pocket for tippets. The reversed StretchCoat® gussets seal out water at the wrists; a protective cuff prevents line snags. It has an adjustable hood that folds into the collar, fleece-lined handwarmer pockets, abundant D-rings and a hidden rod holder. The men's jacket has a zippered pocket on the back with a storm flap. All exterior zippers are waterproof.

The durable nonmarking rubber sole of this flats/surf fishing shoe provides a stable platform in all varieties of sand and muck -- from the boneyard shallows of Los Roques to striper heaven on the Cape. In every other way, this Marlwalker is the best available. This newest version features a tread pattern that sheds mud more readily and won't catch on a fly line. Moreover, it's now 10 oz. lighter, more durable, faster-drying and easier to slip into than its predecessor, thanks to deft innovation in the upper materials: strong, lightweight and quick-draining high-filtration mesh and tough, quick-drying synthetic leather, secured with speed lacing and an amply padded nylon/spandex

Blue Eared Pheasant feathers are the most popular substitute for heron hackle on Spey flies. Blue Ears are native to the Kokonor and Kansu provinces of China.  Males and females are almost identical and have full adult plumage by 4-5 months old.  The feathers sold here are plucked from anesthetized live birds. This produces feathers of exceptional size and quality.  Natural feathers when assembled in a fly are nearly indistinguishable from natural heron.  Dyed feathers are first bleached and then dyed which give them very bold colors.  Blue Eared

Color: Yellow Head/Green Running Line

Loop on Tip End for loop to loop connection to Skagit Cheaters  and/or SinkTip  
This is a weight forward line designed Skagit Style casting which incorporates a short, heavy shooting-head type line with a fast sinking tip for presenting very large, weighted flies.  With one of these lines, a 5' Cheater and a 15' sinking tip the head length will be 47'.  This line head might be 7'-8' shorter than the popular WindCutter line of the same weight.  This compact design allows easier casting of large flies and requires a shorter "D" loop which will appeal to beginners or anglers working around stream bank vegetation.  More information below.

New for 2005, Rio proudly introduces the Skagit Spey Lines.  After extensive field-testing by noted casters Mike McCune, Scott O’Donnell and Ed Ward along with others in the spey community, the new Skagit Lines are ready for the market place.  
Available in: 450 grains 7/8, 550 grains 8/9, 650 grains 9/10 and 750 grains 10/11. 

Based on the McCune-O’Donnell formula, Rod/Line match ups work out as follows: 

7-weight rod matched with a 450 grain (7/8) Skagit line.

Rod length 13’6’’ or under go with straight Skagit 450 (no cheaters).

Rod length 14’ formula = 450 Skagit plus 5 (5 foot cheater).

Rod length 15’ formula = 450 Skagit plus 10 (10 foot cheater).

8-weight rod matched with 550 grain (8/9) Skagit line.

Rod length 13’6’’ or under go with straight Skagit 550 (no cheaters).

Rod length 14’ formula = 550 Skagit plus 5 (5 foot cheater).

Rod length 15’ formula = 550 Skagit plus 10 (10 foot cheater).

9-weight rod matched with 650 grain (9/10) Skagit line.

Rod length 13’6’’ or under go with straight Skagit 650 (no cheaters).

Rod length 14’ formula = 650 Skagit plus 5 (5 foot cheater).

Rod length 15’ formula = 650 Skagit plus 10 (10 foot cheater).

As you can see from the above the basic Skagit line/rod formula will depend on rod length with the enhanced use of the Skagit Cheaters (cheaters of matching size).  The cheaters will come in both 5’ and 10’ lengths, both in floating and compensator (intermediate) formats round out the formula. When selecting the appropriate set of cheaters follow the Skagit number, for example a 550 Skagit is a 8/9, use a 8/9/10 Skagit Cheater.

Below you will find a run down of Sage Rods with appropriate Skagit Line match-ups;

6126-3  WindCutter 9/10/11 off the back loop (23’, 320 grains).

7141-4 (this one doesn’t follow the standard format) Skagit 8/9 550 grain  + 5’ 8/9/10 cheater.

8136-4 Skagit 8/9 550grain

9140-4 (another one that doesn’t follow the per-se chart) Skagit 8/9 550 grain + 5’cheater

9141-4 Skagit 9/10 650 grain + 5’ cheater (the “teacher’s” pet is awesome with this!)

9150-4 two choices here (1) Skagit 8/9 550 grain with 10’ cheater. (2) Skagit 9/10 650 grain with 5’ cheater.

10150-4 TCR Skagit 10/11 750 grain +10’ cheater (10/11/12 Cheaters).

As you can see form doesn’t necessary follow function.  In that rod/line weight can be adjusted based on rod action, see 7141 above.   Although not an exact science the above charts are generally user friendly with some exceptions as noted above.  No doubt other rod companies will have these same non-match up/match ups.  

Skagit Lines are purely a design for use with sink-tips.  To be sure most fishing will be with type 6,8 and T-14 tips in 9,11,13,15 foot lengths.  With 15’ being the standard sink tip length.  Aqualux as well as type 3 tips can and will apply depending on strategy or seasonality. 

The Skagit Lines are new and are proving to be an effective tool in the art of spey casting.  The idiosyncrasy of rod to line match ups will continues to emerge in the coming months as spey casters give these lines a try.
Technical Weights For All  Rio Spey Lines