stillwater fly fishing Archives - Interior Fly Fishing Co.

2 Jul 2018

2018 Spring Stillwater Season in Photos

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

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

1 Jun 2018

Interior Stillwater Fly Fishing in June

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

June is an excellent month of the year for stillwater fly fishing in the interior of BC. Typically, weather is a little bit more stable and the fishing becomes a little bit more diverse. Chironomid hatches are still in full swing, especially at higher elevations. Dragons, Damsels, Mayflies are all taking place while the start of the annual Sedge hatch is seen at most elevations depending on the time of the month.

Chironomid fishing in June is very enjoyable as most fish have moved out into deeper water with warming temperatures. Fishing water that is 20 feet or more can yield some incredibly powerful grabs, especially fishing a chironomid on a naked floating line with no indicator or swivel. The hit and run on a naked line chironomid setup fished in deeper water can be one of the most addictive things in stillwater fly fishing. read more

28 May 2018

Fly Tying: The G.B.D Micro Leech

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

Whether it is in a morning/evening session or after a big chironomid feed takes place, micro leeches are a staple food source that can save even the toughest of days. This fly works great in the shallows under a strike indicator, fished on an intermediate sinking line, or in deeper water on a full sink.

This is an incredibly simple marabou micro-leech with a collar of Arizona Simi-Seal in “Black/Purple”. To me, that is the most important part of the fly itself. The iridescent and translucent qualities of this dubbing allow you to keep the fly sparse while still maintaining a teardrop profile. read more

21 May 2018

Kamloops Fishing Recap – May 6 – 20th, 2018

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

After wrapping up the Fishing BC Hosted Trip on the 10th of May, guests from both the United States and Canada have been enjoying some of the best fishing we have had all year. Steady chironomid hatches, warm weather and fairly consistent winds in the Kamloops area have yielded some great fishing conditions.

Chironomid pupa, bloodworms, boobies and the occasional mayfly nymph have been on the menu as of late. Dark gray/Red rib, Light Gray/Black rib, Olive Green/Black rib and the Chromie/Brown rib have been the bugs of choice, with the Cranberry Larvae being the go-to bloodworm for morning sessions. read more

19 May 2018

3 Tips for Catching Brook Trout

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

Brook Trout, or “Brookies”, are a member of the char family and inhabit many lakes throughout the interior of British Columbia. They fight differently than a lot of our rainbow trout, preferring to hang underneath the boat over launching themselves into the air. Typically the runs consist of short bursts, typical with many char species. read more