Fishing forum > Fly patterns for lakes near Merrit

Author Topic: Fly patterns for lakes near Merrit
eat_sleep_fish

Howdy Folks,

I've never caught a rainbow trout in my life, and am hoping to do some fishing up in the lakes near Merrit. From my research, it seems that the rainbows can be quite particular in terms of the hatch, and that chironomid fishing seems to be the way that many anglers fish. However, not being from the area and not familiar with the hatch schedule, I do not know what patterns to fish. Can anyone recommend patterns that might be useful for some small lakes in the Merrit/Kamloops/Interior region for small lakes?

My background is fishing for coastal cutthroat in Northern BC, and I have a good selection of muddlers, wooly buggers and caddis flies, but am curious if anyone has a "go to" pattern for the lakes here when they don't particularly know what the hatch is?

Thanks!
Bert88

olive colors have been doin well for me, haven't been to merrit this year tho i have been out a little further past using them. I'd try to use some of your wooly buggers as well, as rainbows love em as much as cutty's. Best advice is try a bunch of colors they seem to not care about the fly itself but more interested in colors.
tight lines and good catching.
cleo929


leech patterns work good. hatching times depend on elevation. damselflies rising to the surface of alleyne lake early july. midges all over otter lake mid september. worms work good.
eat_sleep_fish

Neat picture, what type of fly is that? I tried trolling a black leach a few times, but not a single hit. However the rainbows were hitting anything on the surface: adams, and green drake patterns were what I tried, didn't even get to any caddis-type flies or tom thumbs. Lots of action though, but they were small, 12-13", but beautiful fish. But indeed, I managed to catch my first rainbows.

I had big problems with an aggressive loon though: every time I caught a fish the loon would swim in and try to eat them! He got a few off me before I loaded up on rocks, is that common in the Merrit/Kamloops area?

Is chironomid fishing still done through out the late summer and fall, or is that mainly a spring-hatch thing?

Thanks,

Bob
cleo929


not sure, but i think it's a damselfly, they were surfacing from the mud and the fish were only after them. mooching off a shoal or dropoff with a leech or worm works better than trolling. for trolling i would have to recommend a willow leaf or 5 of diamonds. this one caught with an egg sucking leech.
cleo929


the flyfishing people were using chironomids all season with some luck. in the early fall they swarm on the surface to lay eggs. the lakes in this area mostly have pan sized trout. to get the biggies you need a big lake and troll deep. these ones caught with worms.

Fishing forum > Fly patterns for lakes near Merrit


 





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