This late fall/early winter I have really had a ball catching trout OTF.
As my mentor Ralph Phillips says “Elephants eat peanuts”. When the bait is gone or scarce, often the fish key in on the very little baits like Ralphs “saltwater assassin”. If you’ve ever seen one of his seminars you know what bait that is.
Well, what better way to deliver a very small bait to the fish than a fly rod? I’ve had success on mostly clousers (white, white/chart, white/brown).
I fish it like a mirrodine, let sink, slow strip, deadstick, slow strip. They nail it on the deadstick.
Here are some flies I tied the other day with rabbit and craft fur. The upper two are examples of what I use for trout. I am not the best fly tyer, I know
This trout was fooled by the brown/white clouser yesterday.
Often, the trout I catch OTF are some of the better quality fish, too. In the 18" + size.
Any one else target trout OTF? and what is working for ya? I’m interested to learn since it’s new to me.
Help me out, what structure are you fishing/tide etc. Ive have luck on trout tricks where a smaller creek comes into a larger but I cant get them to touch a clouser.
Good question: I’ve had the best success in 2 - 3 ft of water when a trout bite is on with plastics - usually trout tricks.
That being said, a few years ago I was catching them in 15 ft of water with a very heavy chartreuse clouser - in that case it has to get to the bottom or no love. I don’t have a sinking line but that would help I bet.
This was a very good year for trout OTF, threw allot of top-water fly
also when there really ganged up and chewing. I love Specks OTF, If you find them you can do some serious damage.
they also make skint tips that are loop to loop and you can add them to the end of your floating line… works well to get a fly down deep and also for fly casting in the surf… I have been doing well on dark colored clousers along grass edges…
