04-11-2004, 04:35 PM
[cool][#0000ff][size 1]Utah Lake is a much maligned body of water, that probably has no legitimate right to exist as a fishery. The good news is that in spite of everything humans have done to mess up the ecology and ruin it for fish habitat, it continues to sustain a large biomass of desirable species. And, the even better news is that most of these will readily accept flies.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I've been working on this little project for awhile. I have fished Utah Lake with just about every kind of bait and lure imaginable. Some of my most memorable experiences have been while flinging flies. Of course, the patterns usually do not resemble anything you might work for finicky trout on clear lakes and streams.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I began dredging the murky waters of Utah Lake with flies back in the mid 70's, after spending several years previously living and fishing in California. I brought some of the patterns I used for coastal steelhead and salmon and some I worked in the surf for perch and other tidal zone denizens. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Many of the larger local trout patterns, like wooly buggers, worked on Utah Lake's predatory species. But I added new colors and integetrated them with patterns along the lines of the "boss" flies fished for salmon and steelhead. Instead of palmer wrapping the hackle along the body, as with buggers, the hackle was wound all at [/size][/#0000ff][#0000ff][size 1]the front. These hackles pulse and make a good sound wave in murky water, for predators to key in on. The often bright colors also make them easier to see in turbid conditions.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have attached pics of the different genres of flies I have found most effective...including Pistol Petes, buggers, bosses. There are also a few of my own invention...the over and unders. Most of these flies are primarily my concoctions. Some are adaptations of other patterns. Some are completely original. The ones in the pics often incorporate materials from the craft store as well as standard tying materials.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I offer this stuff only as an idea of what I have found to be most effective, over many trips and countless esperiments. I am sure there are lots of other fairy wand enthusiasts out there that have developed their own patterns and techniques.[/size][/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][size 1]I've been working on this little project for awhile. I have fished Utah Lake with just about every kind of bait and lure imaginable. Some of my most memorable experiences have been while flinging flies. Of course, the patterns usually do not resemble anything you might work for finicky trout on clear lakes and streams.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I began dredging the murky waters of Utah Lake with flies back in the mid 70's, after spending several years previously living and fishing in California. I brought some of the patterns I used for coastal steelhead and salmon and some I worked in the surf for perch and other tidal zone denizens. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Many of the larger local trout patterns, like wooly buggers, worked on Utah Lake's predatory species. But I added new colors and integetrated them with patterns along the lines of the "boss" flies fished for salmon and steelhead. Instead of palmer wrapping the hackle along the body, as with buggers, the hackle was wound all at [/size][/#0000ff][#0000ff][size 1]the front. These hackles pulse and make a good sound wave in murky water, for predators to key in on. The often bright colors also make them easier to see in turbid conditions.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I have attached pics of the different genres of flies I have found most effective...including Pistol Petes, buggers, bosses. There are also a few of my own invention...the over and unders. Most of these flies are primarily my concoctions. Some are adaptations of other patterns. Some are completely original. The ones in the pics often incorporate materials from the craft store as well as standard tying materials.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]I offer this stuff only as an idea of what I have found to be most effective, over many trips and countless esperiments. I am sure there are lots of other fairy wand enthusiasts out there that have developed their own patterns and techniques.[/size][/#0000ff]
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