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A friend and I fished Millsite today from our kickboats using fly tackle. We fished the western portion of the reservoir using a fast sinking (#7) line and size 6-8 flies. The best patterns were a bead head black/copper crystal bugger, bead head olive/red crystal bugger, a Canada blood leech, and soft hackle patterns in the same colors. The reservoir is 74% full and the visibility in the water is about 5'. The water temp was 43-44 degrees. We caught splake, rainbows, and mostly cutthroats from 12" - 18" long. We didn't catch any tigers or browns on this trip. We probably still have another month of fishing before it ices over.
It was a nice day on the water for the middle of November with air temps in the 30's and no wind.[fishin]
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When using such a fast sinking line do you usually strip fast or what??? I bought a 6 sinking line and still haven't caught anything on that line yet.
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Nice report, looks like a good time.
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The method that I used today was to cast out between 50' & 60' of line, troll (kick) for 20 to 30 seconds, and then strip the line in, not fast but not slow either. The fish were between 15' and 25' down and just about everything I caught was while I was stripping the line in. This time of year when the water is cold I slow things down a little. The number 7 line is probably the line I use more than any of my sinking lines. One thing to keep in mind when using the fast sink, that is to keep your leader short (4'-8'). If I paddle fairly fast I can fish in as little as 10' of water, slow it down and I can get it down to 30'-35' while still moving. There have been a number of waters that I have done well using the fast sink even though the fish were high in the water column. If you get the fly below the fish and then strip it back to the surface it can get the fish fired up.
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Thanks for the tip. Might have too try it out during spring time or if I end up getting back in my float tube.
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Thanks!
I can see from some of your posts that you are getting serious about flatwater fly fishing. Good for you. I've been doing it for years and still haven't figured it all out. I guess that is what makes it so much fun.
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I'm more of a lake person rather then a river. I literately in the spring time I can catch 30-60 rainbows out of deer creek. River fishing is like a once in a blue moon type of thing, basically only tempted too go on river during spawn season, and other then that I'm on a lake. Been only fly fishing for a good almost a good 5 years now.
During spring use type 2 sinking line.
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Nice pics, I sure miss it down there. My folks live just to the east of that reservoir, and if I'm lucky I get to visit once a year.
I've never fly-fished Millsite, but I've done well with various lures or even bait.
Have you ever fished up top that range at Ferron Reservoir?
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Thanks.
I used to live in Orangeville so I've fished most all of the Manti. Ferron, Willow, Wrigley, Emerald, Blue, Duck Fork, Snow, Petes Hole, & Grassy.
Ferron Reservoir is going to be a good place to try next year. The DWR treated it in 2011 and went back with sterile brookies, Colorado cutthroats, sterile rainbows, and tiger trout. The fish were approaching 13" -14" this year. Besides the whole mountain range is beautiful country with abundant wildlife to see.
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