Purpose of Presentation • Show you how I fish the Crooked River
– Others may use different techniques • Goal is to help you have a good time and catch some fish
Presentation Outline • 1. Chuck and Duck setup and what I use • 2. Fishing the Chuck and Duck • 3. My favorite flies • 4. Crooked River Flows • 5. My favorite fishing locations • 6. Version on COF website – fly patterns
Presentation • Different than many presentations • Not a bunch of photos of fish
– You all know what rainbows and whitefish look like
• Not a bunch of photos of scenery – Crooked River is only 45 minutes from Bend
and you will see it yourselves
1. Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line
Leader and tippet 5X
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line
Leader and tippet 5X
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Fly Line • I use floating weight forward line • My preference is Orvis Power Taper
– ½ weight heavier; so 4wt is really 4.5 – Helps load the rod for short to medium casts
• I mainly roll cast and this makes it much easier and efficient
• You have seen others with level or double taper line whipping and struggling
Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Leader and tippet 5X
Leader and Tippet • I use 5x fluorocarbon
– No need to go finer or heavier – This is 5 lb test and is more than
adequate for Crooked River fish • 5X will fit through #22 eye • Has a refractive index closer to water
– More difficult for fish to see • I want any advantage I can get
Fluorocarbon Material • Some people say it costs too much
– Add up the cost of your equipment – Then add the cost of gas – You have to buy leaders and tippet anyway so
you are looking at the differential cost and this is what I call Chump Change
• Some say it sinks dry flies – More on this later
Leader and Tippet • I start with 9 ft tapered leader • Try to keep length fly line to lead fly about
8 ft or so
Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line Leader 5X
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Strike Indicator • Deep pools I set strike indicator about 5
feet above lead fly • Shallow areas I set strike indicator about
18 inches above lead fly • I change depth rather than flies
– Deep pools change 12 inches – Shallows change 6 inches
• Should touch bottom about half the time
Strike Indicator • Remember: IT IS AN INDICATOR NOT A BOBBER • If it moves or pauses or stops or does anything
different than a normal drift
STRIKE • Lift the rod tip to make sure it is not the
bottom – don’t jerk – You can continue your drift if it was the bottom
• You don’t have to rip the lips off the fish
Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line Leader 5X
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Split Shot • I mainly use two sizes
– bb size in irrigation season – #1 or smaller shot in non irrigation season
• Goal is to get into fish zone quickly • Put it about 12 to 15 inches above lead fly
Split Shot • It should be called Slip Shot
– Tends to slip down when casting • I found that if the shot gets within 4 inches
of lead fly - hits stop • Check position of shot often • Tempting to really crimp down hard to
keep shot in place – This puts a crimp in line and you reduce the
test of 5X to 6 or 7X so say goodbye to any big fish
Chuck and Duck Rig
Fly line Leader 5X
Strike indicator
Split shot
Lead fly weighted
First dropper
Second dropper
Fly Setup • I don’t use fancy knots • Improved clinch knot
– Tie fly to tippet at eye – Tie droppers to bend of hook
Fishing Chuck and Duck Deep Pools and Runs
3
1
12
9
2 10
11 Set up and sink zone
Drift zone
Drag and fly rise zone
Fishing Chuck and Duck • Cast into Set Up and Sink Zone
– Do all your mending in this zone – The goal is to get the flies down to the fish
• Fish alertly in the Drift Zone – Watch the strike indicator – Try not to do mending in the Drift Zone
because mending changes the depth of flies – Rather move your rod to follow strike indicator
at the same speed.
Drift without Mending Fishie
Current
Line & Leader
Flies
Rod movement same speed as indicator
Rod
Indicator
Why Does This Work Fishie
Current
Result is force of strike is downstream
Result = Good hook set
Direction of strike
Fishing the Chuck and Duck • At the end of Drift Zone you enter the Drag
and Rise Zone – Line and flies straighten out – Drag causes flies to rise away from bottom
• Good time to do another roll cast – River puts pressure and loads rod for an easy
cast
Fishing the Chuck and Duck • I found most rainbows hit at the start and
middle of the Drift Zone • Whitefish are not as fussy, they hit
anywhere in Drift and Rise Zones • Trick for whitefish
– Raise your rod to jerk flies off bottom – Make sure you have no slack – Movement gets whitefish to strike almost
immediately
Fishing Chuck and Duck Shallow Riffles and Small Pools
3
1
12
9
2 10
11 Set up and sink zone
Drift zone
Drag and fly rise zone
Shallow Riffles and Small Pools
• Set Up Zone is much smaller • As soon as flies hit water, lift your rod tip
– Keeps the flies from getting stuck on bottom – Take out slack line
• Get ready for a hit
3. My Favorite Flies • Happy Pulik
– Regular – Beadhead – Emerger
• Kodi’s Emerger • Midge Nymph
• Beadhead Scud • Peeking Cadis • Egg pattern • Zebra Nymph • Lights Out
Favorite Flies • Sometimes rainbows hit the strike
indicator • Frustrating so I use a fly I bought in
New Jersey in 1970
Spun Deer Hair Egg
My Favorite Dry Fly • I use a #18 or #20 Blue Wing Olive
Parachute • Fish seem to like it and I can see it
Dry Fly Fishing • Fluorocarbon leader
– Yes the leader sinks – You need to dress flies more often – Most dry fly drifts are not too long
• When the leader sinks it is less visible to the fish
Dry Fly Fishing • I use two materials
• Silicon first to coat fly • Then Frog’s Fanny
– Silicon makes it stick much better
Dry Fly Fishing • Optional casting techniques to try • You do everything right and a rainbow hits
and you hook it • Fly is wet
– I squeeze the thorax against my shirt to dry – Then redress with silicon and frog’s fanny
Dry Fly Fishing • Sometimes the rainbow goes to the
bottom and you get Gunk on your fly • My fingers are too big to clean gunk off
a # 18 or #20 dry fly hackle • I use a small brush from an electric razor
to clean the fly
4. Crooked River Flows • Two main seasons of flow
– Non irrigation season 60 to 80 cfs – Irrigation season 230 to 260 cfs
• Check out river in low flow – Learn pools, riffles, pockets and seams – Learn where fish lie – Learn where to wade and cross – Apply that in high flows
Crooked River Flows • Remember cfs is a volume • Velocity varies with depth and width of
channel • Deeper or wider sections flow slower to
pass the volume of water • Narrows and shallows flow faster • Rule of Thumb
– When the velocity doubles the force against you quadruples SO BE CAREFUL
5. Favorite Fishing Spots • Big Bend to Lower Palisades • I catch enough fish in the section to make
me happy so I don’t go farther downstream
Big Bend Area • Irrigation district trucks smoothed the
crossing path • Things to check out
– Old gaging cable car – Kingfisher uses the cable – Great Blue Herons – Brown fuzzy things Mink? – Deer crossing – Eagles
Fishing Chimney Rock Big Rocks
• Backwater behind rocks and rainbows gather here for an easy meal
• Fast current in short run chute that rapidly drags you fly line downstream
• Carefully wade out to edge of chute – Hold rod high to minimize line in water – You can get a good drift before current drags
line downstream
Lower Palisades Crossing • Wide and shallow so water velocity is not
too great • Allows you to cross the river to fish the
canyon area between Lower Palisades and downstream part of Chimney Rock aka Upper Palisades
6. Fly Patterns • Happy Pulik • TCM 100 #20 • Thread Olive VEVUS
10/0 • Tail Lemon Wood Duck • Thorax Stripped Peacock
Quill • Abdomen Ice Dub Olive • Wing Case Lemon Wood
Duck
• Happy Pulik Beadhead • TCM 100 #18 • Thread Olive VEVUS 10/0 • Tail Lemon Wood Duck • Thorax Stripped Peacock
Quill • Abdomen Ice Dub Olive • Wing Case Lemon Wood
Duck • Bead 3/32 black tungsten
Fly Patterns • Happy Pulik Emerger • Hook TCM 100 #20 • Thread Olive VEVUS
10/0 • Tail Lemon Wood Duck • Thorax Stripped Peacock
Quill • Abdomen Ice Dub Olive • Wing Case NONE • Wing Gray CDC
• Kodi’s Emerger • Hook TCM 100 #22 • Thread Black VEVUS
10/0 • Tail None • Thorax Stripped Peacock
Quill • Abdomen Black tying
thread • Wing Case Few strands
white Antron
Fly Patterns • Midge Nymph • Hook TCM 100 #22 • Thread Black VEVUS
10/0 • Tail None • Thorax Stripped Peacock
Quill • Abdomen Black dubbing • Wing Case None
• Beadhead Olive Scud • Hook TCM 200 # 16
Curved Scud • Thread Olive VEVUS
10/0 • Shellback Midge Flex or
other translucent olive material
• Body Olive Ostrich herl • Rib Gold wire fine • Bead 3/32 gold
Fly Patterns • Peeking Cadis • TCM 100 #16 Thread
Black VEVUS 10/0 • Weight 0.15 lead about
15 turns • Rib Medium gold wire • Thorax Streamside hare’s
ear plus dark dubbin hare’s ear
• Thorax Lime green dubbing
• Legs Brown partridge • Head Black ostrich
• Egg • TCM 2487 #16 • Thread White VEVUS
10/0 • Egg D’s Flyes Super Egg • Size 16-18 • Color I use both Orange
or Cheese
Fly Patterns • Zebra Nymph • TCM 2487 #16 and #20 • Thread Black VEVUS
10/0 • Rib Fine gold wire • Body tapered tying thread • Bead 3/32 gold for #16 or
1/8 for #20 • I also use red thread with
copper bead and wire
• Lights Out • TCM 100 #16 • Thread Orange VEVUS
10/0 • Tail Black Krystal Flash • Body UV Ice Dub black • Rib Hot orange wire • Head Orange thread