We’re back with the second in a two-part series with Russell Miller from Umpqua Feather Merchants. Last week, we covered reading water and fly selection when fishing a new spot. If you missed it, go take a look here. This week, Russell walks us through a few of his confidence flies – those patterns he just knows will catch fish.
Have a look at the video and check out Russell’s Confidence Patterns.
One of the big lessons learned on this day of fishing, was not to delay when there are active fish. As Davis and Russell worked to film another segment of video, fish were rising. As it turns out, it was a short window.
“A mentor once told me that when the fishing is good, get after it,” Russell told us. “Think about how many days you have to struggle though poor conditions and uncooperative fish. This advice suddenly rang true. Risers were everywhere. We thought it would last forever and didn’t get after it immediately. When we decided to show up for the party – we were just staring at an empty river.”
First lesson of the day – when the fish are active, get busy fishing!
When conditions are tough or when fishing new water, successful anglers turn to their confidence flies. For Russell, one of those patterns is Craven’s Mole Fly.
“If I get rejections on the surface like we did today, I typically move further down into the water,” Russell explained. “That is where the Mole Fly comes in. This trapped imitation is too easy for trout not to say yes to!”
Another one of Russell’s go-to confidence patterns is the Parachute Hopper.
“When we had the wind come up across the grasses, my first change was to a modest Parachute Hopper,” Russell said. “Ed Schroder outdid himself on this pattern. It’s as technical and fishy of a hopper as any other.”
Thanks to Russell and Umpqua Feather Merchants for spending time on the water with us and sharing some great information! Please take a moment to subscribe to our YouTube channel and let us know what other content you’d like to see!
Go take a look at Russell’s confidence patterns here. If you have questions or need help, please visit us at the fly shop in Littleton or give us a call at 303-794-1104. We’d be happy to help you get ready for your next great day of fishing!
