North Platte?

Old Man

Just a useless Old Man.
Forum Legend
I found out when I moved to Montana that I didn't need any special flies to fish here. I just used what I fished with in Washington. Only smaller And under the water type. I had what I needed. So I didn't waste any money on new flies.(y)(y)(y)
 

DimeBrite

Saltwater fly fisherman
Forum Supporter
Heading to the North Platte this spring. I'm not much of a river fisherman. What flies should I be tying for the trip?
If you are fishing the Miracle Mile in spring, tie up a selection of scud patterns in orange tints, also classic San Juan worms (strike indicators). The river bottom has tons of weed beds just stuffed with scuds. At night you can toss streamers and catch some nice fish too. What month are you going? I should mention that the North Platte has some really nice sections upstream into Colorado's North Park. It is more of a stalk and cast spring creek fishery. Saratoga area is really nice too. The weather can be brutal in spring, so bring good gloves and really good long johns.
 

Rob Allen

Life of the Party
I was there for two days last April..all the rainbows were spawning.

Plan your trip for after the spawn.. I spent a couple hours swinging streamers but wasn't really into it.. some guys were catching a few on midge nymphs..
 

troutpocket

Stillwater strategist
Forum Supporter
Depends a bit which section you’re visiting. @DimeBrite covered it for the famous tailwaters. The upper sections fish differently and are more affected by snowmelt. Also, will you be floating? Either way, know the access rules for your area!
 

Scudley Do Right

Life of the Party
No floating, we will be there in the first part of May. We are going to be in WY not the upper part. My buddy from Colorado is setting it up. I like the sound of streamers. What kind of streamers where you guys using. I've been tying some smaller stuff and it's a pain in the ass.
 

DimeBrite

Saltwater fly fisherman
Forum Supporter
No floating, we will be there in the first part of May. We are going to be in WY not the upper part. My buddy from Colorado is setting it up. I like the sound of streamers. What kind of streamers where you guys using. I've been tying some smaller stuff and it's a pain in the ass.
I used bunny zonkers, but it won't matter much.
 

Fishfly

Smolt
Fished the grey reef guided in both April and May the past few years. Scuds, small Baetis and the green egg. Something about the sucker spawn. Not sure about the miracle mile section. Hopefully get there this year.
 

troutpocket

Stillwater strategist
Forum Supporter
Where are your dries :unsure: :giggle:
Ha! I did a lot of solo floating in my watermaster when I lived in that neighborhood. I played the odds with two setups- a 5 weight nymph rig and a 6 or 7 with a full intermediate line for streamers. Since it’s mostly forbidden to touch the bottom of the river, I would usually get 1 or 2 casts at the occasional pods of rising fish. They would usually grab a streamer on the first shot and that would put down the pod and I’d be 100 yards downstream by the time I got the fish in the net. Dries were for the guys paying a guide to row them into position ;)
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Matt B

RAMONES
Forum Supporter
These are out of my Wyo tailwater box.
View attachment 3611
For reference the scud is a 14 and the copper johns are 16’s. Everything else is 18’s and 20’s.
You ever do very well on a shop vac? Anywhere, ever, anyone?
I bought some at a shop a while back (“ya gotta have some shop vacs” :rolleyes:) and have only ever caught small fish on that pattern.
 

jkdurden

It’s all about the size of your D.
I'd pack a "Goldie" bugger or two. White bugger with gold body. There is a pattern called The North Platte Spider but I'd bet that is more of an Autumn pattern. I've only fished the Mile once. It was a great trip. I didn't get anything on the swing that trip. I was a rookie on the two-hander at that time. Tailwaters in the west....can you really go wrong with a Gray RS2 dropping a blood midge behind it?
 

mickey rat

Vermin
Fished there in April awhile back. The guides were setting up clients with 3 peg eggs. The evening prior to my float I landed a good number with a #22 Adams gray RS2 from shore.
 
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