Learning from a salt water expert

[Dave Westburg]

A month or two ago I bought Roger Stephens a chowder in Olympia and we talked salt water cutt and salmon fishing. I learned that 90% of his fishing is floating line on the surface. He ties his flies on thin tubes and uses small SC 15 hooks to minimize mortality. Here's a selection of his mostly topwater flies.


I urge you to read his past posts on Washington Fly Fishing and PNW Fly Fishing. They are clinics. Get healthy Roger. You have plenty of fishing left!

 

[Capt Ned]

Roger is a master saltwater fly fisher.
Use to see him at one of my favorite fishing locations on many occasions.
And, always enjoyed our conversations.

 

[roger stephens]

A month or two ago I bought Roger Stephens a chowder in Olympia and we talked salt water cutt and salmon fishing. I learned that 90% of his fishing is floating line on the surface. He ties his flies on thin tubes and uses small SC 15 hooks to minimize mortality. Here's a selection of his mostly topwater flies.
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I urge you to read his past posts on Washington Fly Fishing and PNW Fly Fishing. They are clinics.

It was good talking to you and remembrance about past fly fishing adventures on Puget Sound. Your salt water fly box had many outstanding looking patterns.

For those interested the bottom fly is T. W. (top water) sand shrimp pattern. It is my go to pattern when top water fishing for sea-run cutthroat. I use it around 60 to 70% since it has and excellent hook up ratio(40 to 60%),

The top fly in picture is T.W.(top water) sand lance pattern. I use it late May through early November when ever I see fish chasing after sand lance on the water surface. I caught a 22 1/2 inch sea-run cutthroat which is the largest one that I have ever landed and was on this pattern.

The third fly from the top of the picture is a tube clouser minnow and fourth is a Dehlia squid are subsurface pattern which I use sometimes.. The patterns have junction tubing cut at a 45 degree. When a 8mm pearl sequin(upper left corner of picture) snuggle up to the junction tubing during retrieve, the patterns will wiggle about 1 1/2 inches side to side. Fish really like that action to the patterns.

In the near future I will post a write-up which I did many years ago on the life cycle of sand lance and implications when fishing for sea-run cutthroat.

Roger

 

[Stonedfish]

Roger,
Your topwater sandshrimp pattern has been super effective for me. It provides the best hook-up ratio of any topwater pattern I’ve used locally. I think it being tied on a tube with a static hook position really helps with the hookup ratio.
I still have the flies you were kind enough to send me years go. I use as for reference when I tie my own.
I hope all is well and you’ll be getting out soon.
SF

 

[roger stephens]

Roger is a master saltwater fly fisher.
Use to see him at one of my favorite fishing locations on many occasions.
And, always enjoyed our conversations.

I remember seeing you many times on the west side of a Marine Area 13 island. The resident coho fishing during the winter/spring of 2016 to 18 was outstanding in that location. The fish were 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. and schooled up and moving up and down the shoreline feeding on sand shrimp.

It was always enjoyed visiting with you on the water.

Roger