bubble and fly huge success

[native steelie]

so i decided to go head over to haystack reservoir to see if i could get a peak at the stocking. it was pouring yesterday so i figured they would go to today. yup they were still stocking when i left. i figured while i was there i should do something. maybe test my luck.....

i showed up around 10'ish near the fishing pier couple locals already there. i climbed down near the inlet to my favorite spot and picked out what i figured would be a decent fly. i traditionally only use woolly buggers and such. not this time, i went for a nymph. I picked out the best looking bead head prince nymph i had (the only one). filled my bubble all the way full, stuck it into place with a tooth pick. I'm ready. i tied on my fly and tossed it into the water near the edge and started to let a few pulls of line off. what'ya know. line twisted and a little knot formed. before i could even get a hold of the knot i had a strike (what i wasn't even fishing yet the fly was barely off the rock...). just goes to show if your line is in the water at all you're fishing lol. at that time the 2 guys that were there before me were all googly eyed and asking what i was using. i told them a fly. they looked at each other, "a fly?....he doesn't even have a fly pole". well we chatted for a while about my setup and i explained to them that its cheap, its easy, and its very effective. plus who likes to get crap all over them from bait. traditionally ive always used worms and such from this exact spot till last fall i came across a post on here (ifish.net) about a bubble and fly. i tried it a time or two and had success but not like today. now i know some of you might be saying to yourself, " you just said they were stocking the lake, no wonder" they were stocking the lake near the west side boat ramp which is about 7-800 yards away. plus they weren't clipped. anyways, all of the guys around me were using bait and soft baits with hardly even a nibble. i was there from about 10 to 1 and prolly caught close to 100 fish, all released of course. one thing i like about bubble and fly fishing is i haven't yet had one hook taken deep. every one has been on the lip or the corner of the jaw. just reach down and pop off they go. i think i found my new favorite way to fish for trout.

[stillwater97]

Sounds like you had a good time.

it even works better on a fly rod. trust me...

[Vance Staplin]

It sounds like you had a great time and a fun way to fish.

I noticed that you wrote that you pinned the bubble with a tooth pick. There is a bubble made called an Adjustabubble that has surgical tubing in it that is designed for exactly what you are doing.

You simply run your line through the bubble to your desired leader length and then pull and twist the surgical tubing a few times to lock the bubble in place. This bubble makes for easy changes on leader lenth without damaging the leader and still can be filled with water.

Most stores sell them including Walmart.

Good Luck

Vance

[Splash]

A most excellent post. Great to see you had such a fun and successful outing. Thanks for sharing with both us here on Ifish and those fellow fishermen on the water.

Welcome to the world of bubble and fly. And you heard it on Ifish.

Trout Forum Rocks!

[viigfish]

Sometimes in a river, a bubble will work better that traditional fly fishing. If there is a good current and a back eddy and the trout are feeding in the seam I use this to slay them. I tie the bubble in the end of my line. Then I run my flies off droppers. When the current starts to drag I can pick the flies off the water and make them dance. I would prefer to catch them on fly gear, but this method will take fish most can't get at.

RV

[native steelie]

thats awesome! i know a few perfect spots that would be perfect for doing that there. i never thought of it but i'm going to have to try it. deschutes opens 24th. few good areas to give it a try just a mile or so hike from trout creek , thanks for the tip

[skeetshtr]

The bubble and fly is also a great pack in lake method for those who do not want to wade or pack a boat. A killer for those hi lake Brookies!

[gordy]

while fly rodding is a great way to fish, sometimes a bubble and fly can be way more effective.
To be able to sling that bubble a country mile using four pound test and a nine foot spin rod is a great advantge to a shore bound angler. We have so much brush alongside some lakes and streams a backcast is impossible and a roll cast can only go so far.

[Paul Young]

Practice your roll casting