It is interesting (to me) that I have found large sea runs hiding in places in rivers resident fish tend to avoid. Maybe it's just because there is so much competition (from larger fish) for prime lies this time of year, but whatever the case, I have learned to fish every tiny undercut and anything that even MIGHT provide cover while wading this time of year.
Cutty time
- Thread starter Creatch’r
- Start date
I'm going to mention land-locked Cutties too, especially if they are in a small trib that Kokanees spawn in. They school up in big dark undulating "balls" downstream from spawning Kokes to catch a meal. It's easy to spot the orange Kokes. Look downstream of the spawners for the dark ball of trout. Cast a nymph or "egg" fly below the spawners and drift through the ball. Every cast can connect with a fish and I quickly pull them away from the school, until it doesn't. I've hooked and landed 4 or 5 fish on successive casts, then stepped back to take a drink of water, and eat a bite or few to rest it then cast and land a couple more before moving on. I need to get back to my "Curtis Creek" where I did this for a number of years. I haven't been there for awhile because the governing entity trenched the road 1 mile from the one and only creek access because of nearby cabin owners complained that scumbag "sportsmen" were target shooting into their properties. It's been a couple of years now, I'd like to take my MTB up there to see how my little friends are doing.
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I'm already going through sea-run withdrawal. Unless there is an exceptional dry period in late October/November this year will be the first time in more than 50 years that I will not fish sea-runs in the north sound "S" rivers.
In this part of the world the start of the sea-run season is often driven by flow levels as much as anything else. In my experience the best cutthroat fishing is always a low water game. In years like this year with unusual low flows during the summer I have had very good days as early as late July. In regard to flies 90% of flies in my cutthroat boxes are spiders.
In this part of the world the start of the sea-run season is often driven by flow levels as much as anything else. In my experience the best cutthroat fishing is always a low water game. In years like this year with unusual low flows during the summer I have had very good days as early as late July. In regard to flies 90% of flies in my cutthroat boxes are spiders.
Creatch’r
Potential Spam
Opportunity may be limited but it isn’t non existent unless you know something I do not.
Around here in the smaller rivers I fish for SRC, low flows means riffles are barely ankle deep, runs are more like pools with low current speeds, and fish are very cautious. Yesterday I had a very slow day. The CFS was a comparative trickle. I hooked and lost a couple but did land a brace of 9" Resident Coastal Cutts from two seams in the same run with a reverse hackle spider (Tenkara, Takayama Pheasant Tail). I decided to find the deeper pools and try a (tungsten) Beadhead Olive Ice Jig Nymph that's been very consistent for me, but was lazy and just tied it on as a dropper with a wet fly. Problem was with the low CFS there was barely any current so they could take a long leisurely look. I had one real nice fish come up from below to take look a look at the wet fly dropper rig then slowly turn to the side and calmly swim back to the depths
. Then I tried a 20 ft run into another pool and this was all I could muster to keep the Olive Ice Jig’s streak alive.
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WonderBrad
Steelhead
Really bummed about the closure of my S river. I may try an open P creek sorta nearby...
Yhandi
Steelhead
In my opinion... the best time for SRC has always been winter. I swing something with a lot of bunny fur and give the rod a tug every 3 seconds or so through the entire swing. every time they hit right after the tug. All in rivers mind ya, if you know the exact time of winter you know ahaha. This was one of the larger ones I have caught at about 24.5 inches. 
Attachments
Holy shit that's a tank!
Creatch’r
Potential Spam
That’s an absolute unit right there. That’s the type of slab I’d be making a replica mount of for the fireplace
singlehandjay
Life of the Party
Before and after on my confidence flies. D stroyed
Yhandi
Steelhead
I do believe I have lost larger, unfortunately.
Based on my experience on North Sound rivers over the last 40 years or so where I have spent as much or more time swing/stripping flies in the winter as the fall than the fall it is clear that sea-runs can be caught throughout the winter and generally the average size is larger. The size difference is especially the case when further upriver, due to the fact that the majority of sub-adults do not venture as far upstream. All that said my late summer/fall cutthroat has always been more consistent with much higher catch rates (fish/hour). Easily my best days of sea-run cutthroat fishing has been in the fall (typically mid-September through October with maybe 85% the fish over 20 inches coming in that late summer/fall period.
Curt
Curt
Lucky enough to catch a few up here in BC yesterday. The first one is most likely a rainbow but its markings and fins had me questioning if it is actually a cut with its sea going colors? No throat slash but it came out of cover and slammed a streamer and never jumped through out the whole fight. Very strong for a 16” fish.
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Different kind of cutties, but I did an overnite in the n Sierra this weekend to a lahontan cutthroat lake at @ 8000 feet. They were in the 12-15” range and bitey. I fished a 16 Adams mainly because that is what I usually start with!
Agreed. In the fall in always seem to catch a few of these supercharged rainbows in this river. They are never larger than 20” but the fight in them always makes me think they have spent time in the salt. They are definitely migratory because they are not in there year round and the river is only a few KMs from the ocean.
Greg Price
Steelhead
I am never sure if I am catching resident cutthroat or sea run out of my two more urban streams. One is an hour drive from me and features a pretty steady amount of homeless near trailhead
Greg Price
Steelhead
Other is half hour from me and more people of all socio economics including homeless. I Cary soft treats for homeless I come across. Many have bad teeth and cannot chew more tasty trail mix.
If you fish urban stream, try taking raisins, dried cherries no pits or dried blueberries with you. Instead of ignoring homeless, offer an ear as they take your treat.
I have found orange termites hatching near sunsets. Cuties love an orange stimulator approx same size as termites. Majority of fish 4 to 7 inches. With a few 8 to 12 inch monsters
Biggest fish of season slammed stimulator on surface and made b line for root ball. I horsed it out and landed it. So much fun last Saturday