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| There aren't as many folks eager to venture out over deep water as there are who will stick close to structure. There are even fewer who fly fish for muskies. For those who do, is anyone heading out over deep water in search of suspended fish?
Recently I've been dabbling a bit more and more pitching a fly rod and it's a blast. It got me thinking that heading out for suspended fish with that type of set up wouldn't be the craziest idea a guy could have.
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| It is very popular on the large pike we have here out west in the summer months. With sink lines and other fly fishing techniques it is probably a great way to go about it. |
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Location: oswego, il | I seen Sean Birmingham do it once during a crazy hot but very particular bite on Webster back in the day. He caught a bunch over deep water. You can figure eight and catch a musky with a fly rod! |
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Location: Smith Creek | Some guys on St. Claire do it with some success.
Probably worth a try any lake that has a high density of fish.
Not very efficient on lakes with low density.
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Posts: 1168
| Flambeauski - 9/15/2015 9:02 AM
Some guys on St. Claire do it with some success.
Probably worth a try any lake that has a high density of fish.
Not very efficient on lakes with low density.
I've seen a number of things written about St. Clair and videos on guys doing it there....however...with a maximum depth of about 27 feet that's still "shallow" in my mind. I'm talking about going out over depths double that and more.
The question of efficiency is where I go back and forth. Would it be a waste of time or would it be time well spent? So far I've stuck to sight fishing shallow areas and fishing locations that hold fish all season long in order to build up some confidence. After making contact with a handful of fish with that approach the mind wandered to the deep stuff. I've done the basin stuff and prefer that approach when on the right type of water. If the fish are out there you should be able to catch them on a fly rod....but when doing it where does it stop being fun and start being a major pain (figuratively and literally)?
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Posts: 1937
Location: Black Creek, WI | Your arms will tell you when it has become a pain. If you think there are fish there... a fly can catch them. Whether that is over 100 feet of water or 5 feet of water. Good luck with your new adventure. |
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Location: Smith Creek | I'd downsize rods, 10-11 weight would get old quicker than a 7-8 weight. I don't know that I would consider it when the fish are low in the water column, even the quickest sinking line and flies are going to take a while to get into the strike zone, and then your retrieve needs to be slow to stay there, and you've wasted half your cast on the drop.
Everyone is different, and fly guys more than most, but what I like about fly fishing is the satisfaction I get from casting a fly to a small spot and getting to watch the take. Take either of those away and the satisfaction goes way down. |
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Location: Minnesota. | I fly fish 'em but wouldn't spend my time/efforts over water where I'd not seen a fish before or at least knew fish were present...this means structure, weeds etc.
Nope, I'd not do the open-basin thing!
Jeremy. |
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Location: Already Gone | I'm already exhausted thinking about it... |
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Location: MN | When the fish are in the deep basins post spawn in early season and high in the water column I think it could be effective. No need to get the bait deeper than 5 ft that time of year. |
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| Nershi - 9/15/2015 1:31 PM
When the fish are in the deep basins post spawn in early season and high in the water column I think it could be effective. No need to get the bait deeper than 5 ft that time of year.
That's specifically the time I thought this could work the best. When the thermocline hasn't developed so the pelagic forage hasn't gone deep. The other situation would be having a rod at the ready as a throw back to followers which can be utilized anywhere. |
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Location: oswego, il | What is the best flyrod for double tens? |
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Location: Minnesota. | I just LOVE flying for 'ski's when the water begins to get cooler here in MN, like now, until it gets really cold. They're in the shallows, sometimes close to the bank esp. if it's weedy and the pike will go arse-over-tea-kettle just to keep your attention on the fly. I work the mid-depth to shallow structure all over the lake as well.
This is topwater, of course, my fav. In the springtime it's topside and streamers. Really fun stuff. Weather permitting, obviously. Otherwise the big rods and baits come out! Choices...!!!... |
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Location: Smith Creek | ToddM - 9/15/2015 12:58 PM
What is the best flyrod for double tens?
Double 10 flies? 6 weight will do it.
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Location: oswego, il | Do they make a tranx fly reel and does dadson make flies?
My first example was mid to late fall. If you have baitfish high the muskies will be too. Your best bet to fly fish in the basin.
Edited by ToddM 9/15/2015 2:01 PM
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | ToddM - 9/15/2015 2:00 PM
Do they make a tranx fly reel and does dadson make flies.
There's already fly fishing equipment that blows away top shelf musky gear when it comes to price. No need to encourage further price gouging, though I'm certain a Dadson fly would last at least 3 times longer than any other high quality fly. |
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| dfkiii - 9/15/2015 4:09 PM
ToddM - 9/15/2015 2:00 PM
Do they make a tranx fly reel and does dadson make flies.
There's already fly fishing equipment that blows away top shelf musky gear when it comes to price.
There is but you don't need it. You can get yourself a decent fly fishing set up much, much cheaper than a baitcasting set up. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | The same thing can be said about the bait casting set up.
Who really "needs" a St Croix Legend and a Tranx ? Answer: nobody |
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| Flambeauski - 9/15/2015 11:58 AM
I don't know that I would consider it when the fish are low in the water column, even the quickest sinking line and flies are going to take a while to get into the strike zone, and then your retrieve needs to be slow to stay there, and you've wasted half your cast on the drop.
That would be an issue if the fish are truly down too deep and if you have the mindset that when fishing basins you have to fish deep all the time. So many guys think that when out over that stuff you have to get your bait as deep as it will go. Heck, we've had discussion on here about WTD surface baits over the basin. It's not something you are going to do all season long but instead you would opt for that approach when conditions are "right." Same thing with pitching a fly over the abyss.
Another random idea on this is to deadstick a fly that sits horizontal. There have been discussions about deadsticking heavy rubber baits. Having a 10 inch fly hanging on a rod as a boat bobs up and down is intriguing. The colors and movement opens up more dynamic options than a chunk of rubber. |
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Location: Already Gone | Or backtroll a fly....
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| I strongly disagree with this. A 10 weight with a properly sized line will be much less work throwing muskie sized flies than trying to throw the same sized flies with a 7 or 8 weight. Most of the flies I throw would overload a 7 or 8 weight and could potentially break the rod if too much force was applied on the cast. Now it does take a while for the fly/line to sink so you are certainly right about this. |
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Location: Smith Creek | Certainly you wouldn't cast large flies with a 7-8 weight. I meant downsizing your whole arsenal, not just the rod. The other plus with that is that the line and (smaller) flies tend to sink faster, if your intention is to hit the thermocline.
If you're just deadsticking, why not use a spinning or casting rod and just use a fly for your lure?
Edited by Flambeauski 9/18/2015 11:21 AM
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Location: Minnesota. | Flambeauski - 9/18/2015 11:17 AM
If you're just deadsticking, why not use a spinning or casting rod and just use a fly for your lure?
Cause you can't cast it...?
In fly fishing you actually cast the line. That's what delivers the fly.
Hope this gets back on target for the O.P. |
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Location: Northern Illinois | Johnny Sled is the man when it comes to fishing the basin.
If I were you I would invite him to lunch & ply him w/ whiskey
& booze to see if he would give up any secrets. LOL. |
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Location: Sawyer County, WI | This thread has really been food for thought. The next time I'm out sight fishing the basin, I'll consider fly fishing as a tactic. |
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Location: Smith Creek | Jeremy - 9/18/2015 9:15 PM
Flambeauski - 9/18/2015 11:17 AM
If you're just deadsticking, why not use a spinning or casting rod and just use a fly for your lure?
Cause you can't cast it...?
In fly fishing you actually cast the line. That's what delivers the fly.
Hope this gets back on target for the O.P.
But if you're deadsticking you aren't casting. If the rod is just sitting there bobbing with the waves why not use a setup that's less prone to failure and overtiring the fish?
I've tried hanging a fly out the back of the boat for salmon when they're shallow and we're casting spoons. Looks good back there, never been hit. |
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| I have used my 10 weight in the spring sight fishing for them, had a few follows and have caught a few nice bass, but never tried them deep. Might need to try it and see what happens.. |
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| Jeremy - 9/18/2015 10:15 PM
Flambeauski - 9/18/2015 11:17 AM
If you're just deadsticking, why not use a spinning or casting rod and just use a fly for your lure?
In fly fishing you actually cast the line. That's what delivers the fly.
Spot on. The biggest problem people have learning to cast a fly rod is understanding that the physics is different from what they are used to. You can't just wind up and sling a fly the way you can a hard bait. |
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Location: Smith Creek | ulbian - 9/18/2015 9:11 AM
Another random idea on this is to deadstick a fly that sits horizontal. There have been discussions about deadsticking heavy rubber baits. Having a 10 inch fly hanging on a rod as a boat bobs up and down is intriguing. The colors and movement opens up more dynamic options than a chunk of rubber.
Can you explain why casting skill (or even a fly rod) is required to present a fly in the manner listed above? Other than a desire to hook and play a muskie on a fly rod?
Would one not be able to do this with gear? |
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Location: oswego, il | What is the best flyrod for throwing pounders? How heavy does the line have to be? |
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Location: Smith Creek | ToddM - 9/23/2015 4:01 PM
What is the best flyrod for throwing pounders?
You'll need a 12 weight and a Physics degree. |
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Location: Minnesota. | Flambeauski - 9/23/2015 4:22 PM
ToddM - 9/23/2015 4:01 PM
What is the best flyrod for throwing pounders?
You'll need a 12 weight and a Physics degree.
LOL!! Recommend going barbless. It makes it easier to dig the hooks out'a your arse.... |
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Location: Smith Creek | Too late on the barbless recommendation for Todd.
I imagine a pounder in the back would feel like a shotgun blast compared to a big bead head, which feels more like getting shot with high powered air rifle.
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Location: oswego, il | So many questions, can you get a fly reel with a line counter and bait clicker? Thinking about a sucker/trolling setup. |
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| Flambeauski - 9/23/2015 4:55 PM
ulbian - 9/18/2015 9:11 AM
Another random idea on this is to deadstick a fly that sits horizontal. There have been discussions about deadsticking heavy rubber baits. Having a 10 inch fly hanging on a rod as a boat bobs up and down is intriguing. The colors and movement opens up more dynamic options than a chunk of rubber.
Can you explain why casting skill (or even a fly rod ) is required to present a fly in the manner listed above? Other than a desire to hook and play a muskie on a fly rod?
Would one not be able to do this with gear?
It's not required in this presentation. You are combining a discussion within this discussion. My most recent response was directly solely at the comment about casting the line to deliver the fly instead of casting the fly to deliver the fly. In the stuff that I wrote which you quoted I did not address the mechanics of casting whatsoever..It was solely about deadsticking a fly. The casting of line vs. fly stuff entered in later. Same thread, two different discussions, multiple different thoughts. Had I brought up the physics/mechanics of casting a fly in the section of mine you quoted above then your question would have merit...since there was no mention of this your question is a bit of an anachronism. |
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Location: Sussex, NJ | If you're gonna fly fish open water get ready to cast. A lot. Your arm is gonna get tired and you're gonna get frustrated. Targeting deeper fish with a fly takes a lot more patience then throwing a pounder at them and waiting 5 seconds until its in the strike zone as compared to trying to keep a fly in the strike zone. Wind is also a very large factor when fishing open water especially in the fall. So again be prepared to cast. A lot of people don't even begin to realize the amount of time and effort it takes to chase these fish on the fly. Not including the time it takes to tie your own flies also....whatever you do best of luck to you. |
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| I fish open water on St. Clair a lot. And like you said the max depth is usually maybe 23'. But I do fish some inland lakes and have caught musky on flies in 40' of water. I generally fish the same way. Most of my strikes are probably in top 15' of water column. Key for us is to find suspended bait. In 40' of water I have gotten fish just a couple feet under the surface using a two handed retrieve. The fish will come up for it even when the bait is 20 feet down. Trying to get your fly any deeper than say 10-15 just isn't going to happen. And if you let your line sink for a long period of time to get down deep you won't be down in that depth range very long. I mostly use a 450 grain line and will let it sink for a few seconds before starting my retrieve. Go give it a try. Fishing deep open water with flies can be very successful. Best of luck! |
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