Dukes in FEB.

[dave21182]

Just made a reservation for Dukes in early February. Wanted something sooner, but they only that Feb. 04, and Valentines weekend available...
Been married long enough to know not to reserve it on Valentines.

Never fished it before, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

[fishndoc]

Fish sneaky.
Lots of lead.
Fish real sneaky.

 

[Georgia Hard Hunter]

clear water long leaders 6x or 7x, small flys #20 & #22 zebra midges and brassies assorted colors, small pheasant tails #18 & #20, be careful with indicators the fish are spooky. Keep flash to a minimum these fish know about all the tricks. high or stained water olive woolly buggers light on the flash, larger nymphs #12 & #14 hares ear, Pheasant Tails #18 , Stoneflys in brown and golden #12 & #10
Also what fishndoc said stealth is a must and get those flys deep

 

[dave21182]

Thanks for the tips...
Never been before, should have a good time, even if I get skunked.

As far as getting deep... Would the bead headed nymphs and buggers get it down enough? Or is it so deep that I need to put a split shot on.
Also, been wanting to hone my streamer skills...Never been too successful...yet.
Never brought out the fly-rod in winter yet since I've been living down south, so maybe the streamers are a waste of time.
Sculpins, muddlers... Any recommendations in this dept?

 

[Meriwether Mike]

Big tungsten beaded jig hook nymph on the bottom with a smaller one about 18 inches up. Keep your fly line off the water with a long leader and a tight line presentation. Think of it more like hunting instead of fishing. Stealth and slow movement over a holding fish is the key. Stay behind them and fish upstream when you can. The fish do not fight fair at Dukes so be prepared to win a few and lose a few.

 

[Jimmy Harris]

February is an excellent time to be on Dukes. The weather then is so unpredictable that it's probably your best opportunity to find off-color water and that's like finding the key to Davey Jones locker. As for getting your flies down, if you aren't Euro-nymphing, add additional weight even if you have tungsten beads on your flies. Everyone has their own keys to success on Dukes, however, I never fish 7X and almost never fish 6X. Unless you've got considerable experience with big fish on small streams, since this is your first trip to Dukes, give yourself a slight chance of landing one with a stronger tippet. Just my opinion.

This is what you're looking for; an absolutely miserable day (it was snowing in this pic). Water was gin clear but you hope for off-color. Notice the fly. An egg pattern. Never forsake the egg!

 

[dave21182]

(Notice the fly. An egg pattern. Never forsake the egg)


Since I've been in the south, people are always talking about egg patterns...
Never tried em...

 

[Jimmy Harris]

While a lot of anglers chuckle about fishing with egg flies (& even I lump them into a group called "junk food" flies), the reality is that fish eggs are an important food source for trout. If you're on-stream during the white sucker spawn, you'll get tired of catching trout on a green egg pattern. They're that good.

 

[dave21182]

Don't get me wrong Jimmy...
I'm not a snoody fly fisherman... I usually have a spinning rod with me. I just really enjoy the flyrod. And when I take my daughters fishing, I'm not above some live bait to get the kids some fish.
Ice fishing in Wyoming, a female kokanee salmon was a good thing to catch... And finding the shallow 2.5 ft water where the salmon were spawning was great. The big lakers, bows and browns would come in to feed on eggs. I caught this rainbow in my profile pic while ice fishing.
And even if you didn't have the bosses come in, you'd catch salmon all day.
Just egg flies sound foreign to me...

Time to break the comfort zone, I guess...

While we're on the subject, a good dead drift on egg patterns? What colors should I look at getting?

 

[Jimmy Harris]

Just go with basic peach color if you have it. If not, yellow will work and so will white, but don't tell anyone I told you.

 

[fishinbub]

90% of my fish at Dukes were caught with a pink egg on 5x...just make sure your flies are on the bottom.

 

[fishndoc]

Never fished it before, any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Also, just in case you don't know, all flies have to be barbless. Not just the fly you are using, but your fly box also.

 

[JJJSDAD]

I read on a forum the DNR was out the other day checking license and enforcing the barb less fly regulation (no barb flys are allowed to be used or carried in fly boxes while fishing Dukes) Several tickets were written the other day

 

[dave21182]

I actually read about this on NGTO...
Good to know, my plan was to pinch the barbs as I tied them on.

 

[dave21182]

I actually read about this on NGTO...
Good to know, my plan was to pinch the barbs as I tied them on.

 

[dave21182]

Unfortunately...

Did not get to make Dukes today. Had to re-schedule for work...
Will be going in 3 weeks. Hope the guys out there today have some good fishing.

 

[NC Scout]

Hehe

We did! Couldn't have asked for a better day in February at Dukes than last Wednesday.

 

[dave21182]

We did! Couldn't have asked for a better day in February at Dukes than last Wednesday.

Glad to hear it....

Being grown-up and working is lame, but when on of the VP's comes down to visit....

 

[NC Scout]

Good Luck

Yeah, working can put a real damper on one's fishing. If you're going this Wednesday, looks like you'll have decent weather and good chance of rain. Dukes browns come out to play when its raining and/or river is up and murky. They'll devour bright worm patterns.

 

[dave21182]

Yeah, working can put a real damper on one's fishing. If you're going this Wednesday, looks like you'll have decent weather and good chance of rain. Dukes browns come out to play when its raining and/or river is up and murky. They'll devour bright worm patterns.

Gotta get up there first, ahaha...
Im sure the wife will try talk me into staying home, but I'm going.

Gonna work on tying up some buggers, and worms tonight. I have some IPW's too, and egg patterns too. Thanks to Jimmy of course...