Big Spring Creek Help

[Mikey2006]

I made it out for a few hours on Big Spring this afternoon. I got my *** kicked like I have every single time I’ve attempted to fish it. But this one especially hurt as I was finally able to make it out there on a day where the skies were cloudy. I saw fish everywhere. I spooked nice fish out of pretty much every good looking stretch of creek. I did not wade at all unless absolutely necessary and I felt like I made some really nice casts. It didn’t matter. All the fish spooked anyway.

But I finally was able to get within casting distance of one of the giant bows I saw (probably close to if not over 20 inches) after 10 minutes or crawling on my hands and knees and another 5 minutes of watching it feed while slowly sliding my feet into the water to get a better angle for a cast. I somehow placed my dry dropper rig 10 feet upstream of it with zero splash three straight times in a row and on the third drift it hovered underneath my dry while sliding backwards for 10 seconds or so before I saw it’s gills flare and my dry fly went under. I set the hook and… nothing. The fish went bolting downstream never to be seen again, leaving a huge wake behind it.

There was also one deep channel where I saw a ton of nice fish grouped up. I casted over them for 20 minutes and only had one fish swipe at my nymph. Then they all spooked when I tried to throw a streamer at them.

I wasn’t even able to get a single fish out of the riffles. Not even a strike. I feel like I’m missing something. I know it’s a hard stream and the only way to figure it out is by failing over and over, but it’s starting to get irritating. Are there any key patterns I should be using? I tried pheasant tails, caddis nymphs, scuds, small woolly buggers, and just about every dry fly in my box and besides the big one that miraculously didn’t spook and actually mouthed my fly for a split second, I haven’t had a fish over 4 inches actually eat my fly.

I know it’s probably unrealistic hoping for shortcuts but I just want to catch a damn fish. Just one 6 inch bow would make me ecstatic. Any advice at all would be greatly appreciated. It’s been a real struggle so far.

16-17 Incher that spooked the second my flies hit the water

The big one I missed actively feeding. I have no idea what it was eating. To this day this is the only big rainbow that hasn’t spooked either on my approach or on my first cast

 

[JG63]

Try a #16/ 18 red midge larva by itself with little to no weight - wrap red thread in a single layer on a 1x long dry fly hook - bead heads tend to spook the fish - fish it as you would a dry fly (only under the surface) - drag free on a 12 (or so) foot 6x leader - keep false casts to an absolute minimum - you can grease the leader a bit to suspend the fly at a chosen depth - the greased leader also becomes a strike indicator - look into the water (not at it) when fishing this stream - or fish a yong special (pictured) the same way. Blood red larvae on this stream are about a half inch long - sometimes bigger - the Yong special should be no bigger than a size 20

 

[Mikey2006]

Try a #16/ 18 red midge larva by itself with little to no weight - wrap red thread in a single layer on a 1x long dry fly hook - bead heads tend to spook the fish - fish it as you would a dry fly (only under the surface) - drag free on a 12 (or so) foot 6x leader - keep false casts to an absolute minimum - you can grease the leader a bit to suspend the fly at a chosen depth - the greased leader also becomes a strike indicator - look into the water (not at it) when fishing this stream - or fish a yong special (pictured) the same way. Blood red larvae on this stream are about a half inch long - sometimes bigger - the Yong special should be no bigger than a size 20

I’m not great at tying flies but those seem simple enough. I’ll give it a try next time I’m up there

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear Mikey2006,

You can also try the infamous IPW, even in the slow pools. It at least gets the attention of the fish and gets them to show themselves. It also catches fish too!

If you are not familiar with the IPW, it's essentially a Squirmy Worm invented by a guy from York PA named Fred Bridge before they even had the chemicals available made to produce the Squimy Worm. I never got to meet Fred, but we often chatted on-line in hopes we could fish together.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

Video: How to Tie the Infamous Pink Worm - Orvis News

When I got the email from Joan Flagler of Tightline Productions pointing me to this week's video, I responded, "Tim's just trying to **** people off now, isn’t he?" Of course, I was kidding, but I. . .

news.orvis.com

 

[Mikey2006]

Dear Mikey2006,

You can also try the infamous IPW, even in the slow pools. It at least gets the attention of the fish and gets them to show themselves. It also catches fish too!

If you are not familiar with the IPW, it's essentially a Squirmy Worm invented by a guy from York PA named Fred Bridge before they even had the chemicals available made to produce the Squimy Worm. I never got to meet Fred, but we often chatted on-line in hopes we could fish together.

Regards,

Tim Murphy 🙂

Video: How to Tie the Infamous Pink Worm - Orvis News

When I got the email from Joan Flagler of Tightline Productions pointing me to this week's video, I responded, "Tim's just trying to **** people off now, isn’t he?" Of course, I was kidding, but I. . .

news.orvis.com

I’m a proud “pink worm” user. Works like a charm for Brookies and I’ve noticed the wild trout on falling spring sometimes respond well to seeing a squirmy wormy or a bright egg pattern, presumably because it stands out and they don’t see it as often. Never thought to try it on big spring, I’ll give it a shot. Thanks

 

[JG63]

I’m not great at tying flies but those seem simple enough. I’ll give it a try next time I’m up there

Here’s a shot of what a bloodworm should look like - this one is done with micro sized “midge tubing” but red twisted thread is as good - nickel is for size reference - other shot is my “Big Spring” box . I strongly recommend reading anything by Frank Sawyer his “killer bug” has been an ace in the hole for me on Big Spring for decades - Sawyers method was simple flies with specific presentation - fads on spring creeks come and go - but foundations which work always will - I’ve caught trout in every stream I’ve fished using Sawyer’s flies and methods. LeTort, Big Spring, Falling Spring, Logan Branch, Yellow Creek (Bedford), Slab Cabin, South Platte, North Platte, North Fork Shoshone, Slough Creek, Yellowstone, Arkansas, Eagle River, Blue River, Tarryall Creek, Wildcat River, Saco, and many others I’ve forgotten along the way these 50+ years on the water

PS: I’m no longer involved with any part of the industry/business of fly fishing

 

[Wild_Trouter]

Try micro eggs. Crazy right? You'd be surprised. I have receipts. Drop it on a gravel patch and/or clear bottom in front of the fish and watch someone vacuum it up. Apricot Supreme or Niagra Gold work best.

 

[Swattie87]

I respect your persistence. I’d just pick an easier stream. 😉

 

[Mikey2006]

I respect your persistence. I’d just pick an easier stream. 😉

I like the challenge of the limestoners. I also want to fish them as much as possible right now while good fishing can still be found considering their future looks grim.

Also being able to see trophy fish in crystal clear water makes you want to keep coming back. Some of the bows are humongous and I saw a few really big brookies as well.

 

[tjsingle]

I'm by no means a Big Spring expert. That creek frustrates me to no end. However, I have had some success tossing streamers in the riffles, like small buggers. Not perfect, but sometimes a streamer can save the day!

 

[Mikey2006]

I'm by no means a Big Spring expert. That creek frustrates me to no end. However, I have had some success tossing streamers in the riffles, like small buggers. Not perfect, but sometimes a streamer can save the day!

I tried that exact same approach. Tiny micro buggers in both tan and black. Although I probably changed back to a dry dropper rig before giving it enough time to prove itself. When I tried the small buggers in the slower water for the bigger fish, they spooked pretty much instantly. My casting was far from perfect though

 

[JimKennedy]

Super tough creek. It's mainly about being stealthy.

Best tips I've got: don't fish for fish you can see (if you can see them, they can see you). Fish to the near bank deep spots. Work your way upstream (fish a spot thoroughly and move on; trying to catch a fish that has chased your fly once is a fool's errand). Watch your shadow. Don't stomp. Don't let your mud drift into the spot you're about to fish. Hopper - dropper can be effective, especially in the old lake bed (the ditch, so-called). Streamers are also very effective, especially if they feature black marabou. Best time: first light to the moment when the sun hits the water. Second best time: late evening, from when the sun is off the water until dark. Best time of year: autumn when they're hungry and hormone addled.

Keep after it: catching a Big Spring trout is a major accomplishment for anglers of all skill levels, and they are absolutely beautiful.

I've caught a few really nice fish in the creek (up to about 15 inches), and plenty of little dudes. I've struggled to hook anything in the 16 and up range, but I've had some chases on streamers and hard looks on grub nymphs drifted under hopper and beetle dry flies.

Hopefully the recent rains have recharged the aquifer. The creek has been disturbingly low for more than a year. It is much better when the springs are bubbling up in the parking lots. A few inches up or down makes a huge difference on that creek.

This one came out from under the bank below the dam at the old pond (ditch) and blasted a black and gold marabou streamer. She dodged the bullet on a heron attack probably a day or two earlier; you can see the beak marks on her flanks. The males are even more brilliantly colored, especially in the autumn. The rainbows are equally striking, with bright red stripes and white-tipped lower fins.

 

[Mikey2006]

Picked up three today, two brookies and one bow. One of the brookies was actually a respectable trout at 9 inches long. The other brookie was 4-5 inches and the rainbow was 3-4 inches.

I didn’t have time to tie any flies or pick up any new ones, so I did the best with what I had. I caught the rainbow on a scud and the smaller brookie on a size 18 red zebra midge. The bigger brookie actually took the size 12 elk hair caddis that I was using to support my nymphs on a dry dropper rig. So that was cool. I also had a very nice take on the scud out of a slow moving stretch, my dropper went down hard and there was a nice wake. Might have been anywhere from 13-16 inches. Other than that the only action I had came from the riffles. I found the big one again along with its buddies but it wasn’t as cooperative today.

 

[JimKennedy]

Picked up three today, two brookies and one bow. One of the brookies was actually a respectable trout at 9 inches long. The other brookie was 4-5 inches and the rainbow was 3-4 inches.

I didn’t have time to tie any flies or pick up any new ones, so I did the best with what I had. I caught the rainbow on a scud and the smaller brookie on a size 18 red zebra midge. The bigger brookie actually took the size 12 elk hair caddis that I was using to support my nymphs on a dry dropper rig. So that was cool. I also had a very nice take on the scud out of a slow moving stretch, my dropper went down hard and there was a nice wake. Might have been anywhere from 13-16 inches. Other than that the only action I had came from the riffles. I found the big one again along with its buddies but it wasn’t as cooperative today.

View attachment 1641242720

Well done. Keep doing what you're doing and your jedi powers will expand.

 

[tjsingle]

Picked up three today, two brookies and one bow. One of the brookies was actually a respectable trout at 9 inches long. The other brookie was 4-5 inches and the rainbow was 3-4 inches.

I didn’t have time to tie any flies or pick up any new ones, so I did the best with what I had. I caught the rainbow on a scud and the smaller brookie on a size 18 red zebra midge. The bigger brookie actually took the size 12 elk hair caddis that I was using to support my nymphs on a dry dropper rig. So that was cool. I also had a very nice take on the scud out of a slow moving stretch, my dropper went down hard and there was a nice wake. Might have been anywhere from 13-16 inches. Other than that the only action I had came from the riffles. I found the big one again along with its buddies but it wasn’t as cooperative today.

View attachment 1641242720

Nice job, beautiful brook!

 

[just_jon]

BS is not an easy place to fish. Don't overlook streamers. I like to hit the water just before sunrise and run a sculpin between the weed beds. Once the sun is up, I switch to a #16 cress bug with either a #16 scud or #18 red zebra midge on a dropper and rarely change flies all day,.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

BS is not an easy place to fish. Don't overlook streamers. I like to hit the water just before sunrise and run a sculpin between the weed beds. Once the sun is up, I switch to a #16 cress bug with either a #16 scud or #18 red zebra midge on a dropper and rarely change flies all day,.

JJ ..if I remember right, don't you live just up the hill from BS?

 

[just_jon]

JJ ..if I remember right, don't you live just up the hill from BS?

Not anymore. I'm about 10 minutes away now.