Tailrace trout

[honkerslayer]

Has anyone here ever tried or had any success fly fishing for trout in the tailrace or downstream? I’ve caught some on traditional tackle and I know there are plenty of them there, but I’ve never seen or even heard of anyone fly fishing it. Just wondering if anyone has any intel.

 

[Bfishn]

Every spring I say I'm going to get up there and throw some nymph rigs or streamers and never make it. I have seen a couple photos over the years of guys getting some on the fly rod, but have no personal experience myself up there.

 

[NodakBob]

Tried it once, got skunked

 

[Fly Carpin]

Hell yes. When the smelt are getting entrained and coming through heavy, you can drift a smelt colored streamer on a sink tip line. I prefer an unweighted streamer on a sinking line. Acts more like a stunned smelt. Same principle as with jigs/three-way rigs. Motor up to the line, blast a cast up at the dam, and do a strip, strip, long pause retrieve. You will catch trout, salmon, walleye, sauger, drum, pike, catfish, and carp. I miss that place so much.

 

[Hamm's]

Damn, that sounds like fun! I need to give that a try. I've been looking to get back into flyfishing.

 

[svnmag]

Hell yes. When the smelt are getting entrained and coming through heavy, you can drift a smelt colored streamer on a sink tip line. I prefer an unweighted streamer on a sinking line. Acts more like a stunned smelt. Same principle as with jigs/three-way rigs. Motor up to the line, blast a cast up at the dam, and do a strip, strip, long pause retrieve. You will catch trout, salmon, walleye, sauger, drum, pike, catfish, and carp. I miss that place so much.

You know damn right! I miss your old avatar.

 

[MSA]

The first rule of fight club!!!

 

[77Talladega]

Has anyone here ever tried or had any success fly fishing for trout in the tailrace or downstream? I’ve caught some on traditional tackle and I know there are plenty of them there, but I’ve never seen or even heard of anyone fly fishing it. Just wondering if anyone has any intel.

What have you been catching them on with spinning reel from the bank? What time of the day? I posted in the intros back in November, and got some good advice but I will always take more. I met a guy hunting on the federal land this winter by the downstream campground who had pics of some big trout he caught on the tailrace, said you can see big ones/catch them on the sandbars with flyrod. I tried his spinning reel advice with jointed crank bait in dark and caught 2 big Cisco this winter… I was pumped- thought that I caught a trout from a distance but became obvious once I pulled them up. I also tried smelt on spinning gear and big white streamers to simulate smelt on the flyrod; got skunked. Seems I have a lot to learn on the tailrace.

 

[77Talladega]

The first rule of fight club!!!

Lol, have you had any success this spring, those rainbow/brown pics you posted last November were tanks!

 

[honkerslayer]

What have you been catching them on with spinning reel from the bank? What time of the day? I posted in the intros back in November, and got some good advice but I will always take more. I met a guy hunting on the federal land this winter by the downstream campground who had pics of some big trout he caught on the tailrace, said you can see big ones/catch them on the sandbars with flyrod. I tried his spinning reel advice with jointed crank bait in dark and caught 2 big Cisco this winter… I was pumped- thought that I caught a trout from a distance but became obvious once I pulled them up. I also tried smelt on spinning gear and big white streamers to simulate smelt on the flyrod; got skunked. Seems I have a lot to learn on the tailrace.

My best luck from shore has always been an F9 floating rapala or something similar. I have fished there so long there weren’t a lot of choices way back when. I’ve had good success in recent years on a shallow shadow rap. Late evening or after dark is key tho. Also fluke style swim baits work. From a boat a 3 way rig with a floating minnow bait drifted downstream works when the fish are on.

 

[MSA]

Lol, have you had any success this spring, those rainbow/brown pics you posted last November were tanks!

I posted no such thing

 

[FightingSioux]

What have you been catching them on with spinning reel from the bank? What time of the day? I posted in the intros back in November, and got some good advice but I will always take more. I met a guy hunting on the federal land this winter by the downstream campground who had pics of some big trout he caught on the tailrace, said you can see big ones/catch them on the sandbars with flyrod. I tried his spinning reel advice with jointed crank bait in dark and caught 2 big Cisco this winter… I was pumped- thought that I caught a trout from a distance but became obvious once I pulled them up. I also tried smelt on spinning gear and big white streamers to simulate smelt on the flyrod; got skunked. Seems I have a lot to learn on the tailrace.

Worms, worms catch trout!

 

[SDMF]

Worms, worms catch trout!

Gotta be in a Hills Brother's coffee can.

 

[Sluggo]

Gotta be in a Hills Brother's coffee can.

A roll your own tobacco can works too....gramps taught me that.

 

[77Talladega]

Worms, worms catch trout!

Very true, had a lot of luck in small streams/rivers with a ultra light /4lb test and simple worm on a hook for trout….will a Folgers can work too?

 

[svnmag]

What have you been catching them on with spinning reel from the bank? What time of the day? I posted in the intros back in November, and got some good advice but I will always take more. I met a guy hunting on the federal land this winter by the downstream campground who had pics of some big trout he caught on the tailrace, said you can see big ones/catch them on the sandbars with flyrod. I tried his spinning reel advice with jointed crank bait in dark and caught 2 big Cisco this winter… I was pumped- thought that I caught a trout from a distance but became obvious once I pulled them up. I also tried smelt on spinning gear and big white streamers to simulate smelt on the flyrod; got skunked. Seems I have a lot to learn on the tailrace.

That's the 'race. She's a fickle bitch. I'd also suggest a wire leader as one November I saw a pike bust through a school of freshly stocked fingerlings with a head at least 8in wide. A black leader doesn't make a shit IMO. My PB 8lb rainbow had no problem hitting the wired 8in jointed Rap. I wasn't considering trout at all.

 

[svnmag]

Last time I'm posting this. Don't cast out too far or you'll be snagged. Cast upstream at about 2 O'clock then let the rig settle in front of you. Strip a bit of line from the drag if necessary so you have a slight "belly" pointing towards you.

Tailrace Carolina Rig:

"No Roll" sinker: Point towards rod: Bead: BBL swivel to leader (I go with 14in).

Hook the crawler through the front of the throat then spin the point toward it's rear and go back though.

Inject enough air into the crawler's head though it's mouth until it almost bursts.

Inject another good bubble about a 1/16in behind the collar. This will allow the tail to flutter. You don't want the worm to float at depth like a "Y". (This is MORE pertinent in still water)

Good luck and reports are appreciated!

 

[SDMF]

A roll your own tobacco can works too....gramps taught me that.

My statement was actually a quote of Brad Pitt from “A River Runs Through It.”

 

[svnmag]

Yes the hell it was. And if I'm not mistaken: Again.

 

[svnmag]

The best scene of the movie. Lost a lot of respect for Skerritt and Barrymore for accepting roles in "Poison Ivy": Sick.

Anyways, I always tell kids they're "fine fishermen":