Sea-runs [Archive] - Fly Fishing Forum

: Sea-runs

03-03-2001, 04:58 AM
Well it seems to me that over the past couple days, the interest in sea-run fishing off local beaches has jumped ten-fold. In fact many are also interested into looking for the mysterious haunts of the saltwater Dolly.

I have literally seen a self-proclaimed steelhead junkie become gitty with excitement as he bought a couple Flashy Ladies and peered over a map of local beaches.

I saw another steelhead addict spend hours in a parking lot throwing differnt line formulas. But this was not for steelhead, it was for sea-runs. Kent who I work with put together a couple awesome lines. The first one was a an intermediate sink 30 feet #7 SA head attached to .027 floating running line while the other was a 30 ft. Cortalnd intermediate sink #8, again attached to .027 floating running line. Both lines were thrown on a #5 9' GL3.
The #7 head seemed to false cast better, giving one the option of slowly working out line but it felt very light in the air. The #8 head did not false cast well at all but it shot like a cannon and seemed to load the rod a little better and it was a tad heavier in the air, giving one more feel.
Anyways, I think the coming weekend will see me prying local beaches with the Pac 8 throwing Flashy Ladies at beautiful native cutts. Could a spring day be spent any better?? Ya probally but I am trying my best to keep my mind of the closures.

Any other sudden cutthroat/estuary afficianados out there? Anyone trying to figure out where the Hell there float tube is?

On a side not, Steve Raymonds, The Esturary Flyfisher is an outstanding read.

03-03-2001, 07:13 AM
Sounds like fun Ryan! There's an awful lot of coastal SWFF going on along the atlantic coastline each season, perhaps we can share some insights along the way.

Are stripping baskets coming into vogue for this fishery yet?

03-03-2001, 10:07 PM
Stripping baskets out here seem to be in sporadic use. I do know that some guys use them for saltwater ffing but at the same time its not a real popular fishery. I seem them more on the rivers although less and less each year due to them mainly used by the true 'old-timers.'

A stripping basket my help me though. If I could improve one flyfishing skill, it would no doubt be my ability to coil line in hands-well more like the lack there of.

On another note, I went up skiing today to Stevens Pass. How odd it was to see the Sky totally empty and the boatlaunch at Sultan deserted. It seemed like May.

03-04-2001, 12:48 AM
Hey Ryan,

Well, I've recently become reacquainted with my original Steelheading tutor from years past - he's a saltwater flyfishing named Leland who does a lot of fishing in Puget Sound. He developed a saltwater slider (foam-head surface fly) that works fabulously for Sea-Runs and Silvers off the beaches. It's even good for the Searuns right now - they're very surface-oriented and it's a blast when you get one to boil on your popper on a cold winter day.

I've fished with him on several south sound beaches - the Narrows most of all - and have been amazed at it's effectiveness. If I can't have steelhead, then any fish that will strike a surface fly in winter is a nice consolation prize. The tide changes are the time to fish for them, and I advise caution if you're planning to take your tube out there!

03-07-2001, 03:58 PM
Turns out the bay in front of our weekend house is swarming with sea run cutthroat. This would be Alsea Bay down by Waldport on the Oregon coast.

Since the steelheading has been pretty bad down there for the seaon, I've been trying to find out how to temp the cutts and have been having some fun with them. This is a 100% C&R fishery, so not too many folks try for them down here and there's abundant opportunity to experiment without feeling crowded.

So far, I've hooked about a dozen, but every one has come off. The estimated size range on the ones I've had on long enough to estimate ranges from about an ounce to probably two pounds. Most of my action comes near the change from low low water to incoming flood. The fish seem very surface oriented, and my next experiment's going to involve dries.

Has anyone else fished sea-run cutts in the spring in Oregon? Any advice to share?