Chironomid Fishing Archives - Interior Fly Fishing Co.

11 Aug 2018

Stoney Lake Youth Fly Camp 2018 – Day 1 Recap

It has been a hot minute since a new blog post has been written! Apologies, work has a way of consuming a hell of a lot of time through the busy months. Couple that with not having access to wi-fi for the last 5 weeks and it makes things a bit tricky. Luckily, we are at Stoney Lake Lodge this weekend for the 2018 Youth Fly Camp and things are off to a stellar start!

This event is for youth under 16 years old, and it is incredible to see such young people interested in the sport of fly fishing. This morning I was lucky enough to take two young anglers aged 11 and 12 on the water, after a few missed opportunities I got to watch their eyes light up as one nice rainbow after another hit the net. read more

2 Jul 2018

2018 Spring Stillwater Season in Photos

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 0

It is hard to believe that another spring stillwater season has come and gone already, I would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone from Canada and the United States that came to fish with us this spring. It is amazing to have people come from all over to experience the incredible fishery that Kamloops has to offer.

I will be guiding in a land far, far away for the months of July & August, but will be back in Kamloops for our September/October stillwater fishery. A lot of people ask how the fishing is in the fall, and I can honestly say that I would take fall over spring. There are far fewer anglers, and the fishing is absolutely incredible.

Here is a small selection of my favourite photos from our 2018 spring stillwater fly fishing season, enjoy!

They do not come easily, but fish over ten pounds like this make for some unforgettable memories. This fish was taken on a #16 chromie in 18 feet of water, when it ate the chironomid the indicator barely submerged below the surface.

Ken from Park City, Utah battles a big rainbow while the 20+ he just landed rests in the net

A huge cloud of chironomids emerging on the surface of a local Kamloops lake

Last light surface fishing during a Fishing BC hosted trip at Corbett Lake Lodge

Landing the first stillwater rainbow of the season in mid-April. Photo by Brennan Lund

Brian Chan ties his coveted “BMW” at Stoney Lake Lodge

A Brook Trout that is carrying some serious weight!

A pair of big rainbows cruising in 4 feet of water in search of Hyalella shrimp

The ladies hooked up on a double header, this was their first day ever fly fishing!

A big, shiny Pennask strain rainbow trout!

A healthy Blackwater strain rainbow trout from a local lake moments before being released

8 pounds of rainbow trout that fell victim to a #18 Zucchini chironomid pupa

A nice rainbow taking flight as a storm cell closes in

A common sight during the stillwater season on our local Kamloops lakes read more

27 Jun 2018

Stillwater Fly Fishing: “How Far Should I Be Casting?”

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 0

Being able to cast a long distance is a great tool to have in your bag. Anybody can cast a full fly line, regardless of how many reps you did at the gym this morning. I am a firm believer that having sound fundamentals and timing is much more important than the diameter of your biceps, I also believe that just because you can cast a great distance does not mean you will catch substantially more fish.

A very common question while guiding both new and experienced anglers on our local waters in the Kamloops area is “how far should I be casting?”. The response depends greatly on the situation we are presented with at that time. Are we in shallow water? Is the water off-colored? Are the fish being very particular? There are scenarios where longer casts will catch fish and scenarios where shorter casts will catch fish. Here’s a quick breakdown of both: read more

19 Jun 2018

How to Fish a Naked Line Chironomid Setup

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 11

Strike indicators are an incredibly effective tool in stillwater fly fishing, but sometimes it is more fun to take the indicator/swivel setup off and fish a naked line. Though it may feel very approximate at first, it can prove quite effective in some situations and can even out-fish the traditional static presentation. I will typically fish a naked line when I am in water deeper than 15 feet and I know that fish are suspending themselves a little ways off the bottom of the lake. read more

14 Jun 2018

Using a Throat Pump Effectively

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Fly Tying, Photography, Stillwater Fishing | 0

Using a throat pump to acquire a sample of what a fish has recently been feeding on is not an irresponsible or inhumane act. A proper throat pump has a beveled end that tapers down slightly to avoid any harm done on fish, and the fish itself does not have to leave the water for more than three seconds to grab a throat sample. A throat pump is not meant to be jammed into the stomach of the fish, only pull a sample of what has recently been ingested.

To throat pump a fish, cradle it upside down in your net with the pump in your opposite hand. Fill the bulb with water, then allow most of it to be squeezed out while the tube remains wet. Depress the bulb, insert it directly into the fish’s throat and quickly release the bulb. Immediately set the fish back in the water and set your throat pump aside. Release the fish before examining the contents. read more

12 Jun 2018

What’s In Our Boat: Chironomid Fishing Setup

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 3

Every few days, an email comes in on the topic of rod/reel/line setups for chironomid fishing in specific. While it does not have to be overly expensive, having quality equipment goes a very long way in making your experience as enjoyable as possible. Our boats and my personal arsenal are both set up with what I believe are the best tools for the job. Here is a detailed breakdown: read more

6 Jun 2018

3 Tips for Fishing in a Blanket Chironomid Hatch

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 0

Many days are spent cruising around the lake searching for bugs. Even a small patch of mud that is putting off a half-decent emergence can be worthy of your time. What about the other end of the spectrum? The times where there are chironomids blanketing the entire water’s surface and you feel like you are fishing a needle in a haystack?

It is disheartening to think that every chironomid you see hatching is one that made it from the bottom of the lake all the way up without getting intercepted by a fish. A chironomid hatch will turn fish on, without a doubt, but at what point does it begin to work against you? Here are three techniques I lean on during a massive chironomid hatch. read more

13 May 2018

Photo Essay: Fishing BC Hosted Trip

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Hosted Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 0

It is no secret that spring stillwater fishing in the interior of BC is a great time. During this event led by Brian Chan and Phil Rowley, two days were spent at Corbett Lake Lodge followed by another two at Stoney Lake Lodge. The food, the people, the experience, it was an event I am very grateful to have been able to work alongside some of my favourite people in the fly fishing industry.

Here are a few photos that brought back great memories from last week’s adventures:

The 1756 G3 ready to do work on Corbett Lake, BC

Phil Rowley putting a nice rainbow in the basket caught in shallow water

Brennan Lund with an after-hours rainbow caught on the surface at Corbett Lake

The evening shift. Photo: Brennan Lund

Brian Chan explaining what ingredients make a productive trout lake

Steve hooked up on a nice Corbett Lake rainbow

A nice fish that took a size 18 dark brown/copper rib chironomid pupa 6 feet under the surface

Marty hooked up on a nice rainbow caught on a chironomid read more

6 May 2018

Kamloops Fishing Recap – April 29 – May 6, 2018

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 0

Weather and fishing have both been excellent in the Kamloops area the last week. Lakes below 3,000 feet are seeing some great mid-day chironomid hatches and the fish have really been on them. Some of the high elevation lakes are turning or just cleaning up right now, and some are still frozen rock solid.

Best flies for lower elevation lakes that have already turned over and are seeing prominent emergences have been chironomids in the way of the Zucchini, Black/Red Rib, Chromie/Brown Rib in sizes 16 and 18. read more

24 Apr 2018

Stillwater Fly Fishing: 3 More Early Season Tips

by Jordan Oelrich | posted in: Chironomid Fishing, Fly Fishing, Stillwater Fishing | 2

Stillwater season, the most wonderful time of the year, has officially arrived. This week’s forecast is surely going to get some ice moving around and we should see plenty of fishing options start to open up in the next 10 days or so. Here’s 3 tips to help out with early season stillwater that can be very productive or very puzzling.

1) Move Often

Early season means cold water. Cold water means that fish aren’t going to be cruising the shoals at Mach speeds in search of food. Sometimes the first few weeks that a lake is ice-free involves doing some searching to find feeding fish. Don’t be afraid to move around a little bit more than often and you will be rewarded. read more