Tackling The Great Lakes Surf by GLBeachbum and Hexfli The alarm fires off its angry siren at an hour only a farmer would think of to awaken on purpose. Struggling to gain consciousness I force myself to wake up and get going; there are monster lake browns to be had. After pounding a Red Bull and munching down a granola bar I’m ready for the brisk morning charge down to the beach. It is here that the crying gulls sway and crash down into the surf from above, trying to pick off an easy meal, while hostile brown trout converge on the schooled up bait from below. This is my favorite place to target the great predators of the Great Lakes, in the shallows of the big water where they make themselves available by both location and attitude. Walking up to this strategically selected creek mouth I just smile as I see my noisy companions dive-bombing from above to the bait drawn to the warmer water trickling from the creek. I unhitch my fly, strip off half my fly line, and let the double-haul rip. It’s a great day to be in the surf again. People often overlook the coastline of the Great Lakes as a great fly fishing destination; however, my fishing partner Dan and I enjoy the surf more than any other fly fishing endeavor we participate in each year. The surf of the Great Lakes is a much different world in which to target steelhead and salmon than what most people are used to, far away from the congestion and crowds of the famous steelhead and salmon streams of this region. The surf offers a challenging alternative to enjoy some tremendous fishing and get away from the chaos that can be a blue ribbon steelhead stream While stalking the surf our targeted species always include, but are not limited to, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, Steelhead, and big lake-run Brown Trout. This is not a technique that will catch you the most fish each outing; however, the Great Lakes surf offers an opportunity for you to hook into an endless possibility of species that may crash your fly with a vengeance. From such celebrated gamefish as Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike and Walleye to the occasional deep water Lake Trout, and all the way to such up-and-coming Great Lakes sport fish such as Carp and freshwater Drum. With so many species of fish in the water you shouldn’t be surprised at what you catch. The point is - the salmonids are here for 1 of 2 reasons; 1) to gorge themselves on the concentration of baitfish, or 2) they are staging for their annual spawning runs. Either case puts them in a very aggressive mood which makes them excellent targets for a well presented fly. We are going to give you a quick lesson on how to prepare and execute a Great Lakes surf trip with a fly rod. Locating fish with a little "at-home" research The success of a trip (to anywhere, not just the Great Lakes surf) often depends greatly on how you prepare before you even get on the road. Learning to use the Internet as a tool can be an unbelievable advantage. You can find stocking reports, fishing reports, water temperatures, weather reports, and chat with other anglers about techniques. All of these examples, paired up with a good state atlas, can help you with locating fish. The local DNR websites provide up to date statewide fishing reports along with a history of fish stocking. You can find out what species of fish they plant where, and what time of year they are planted. After reviewing this information you begin to get an idea of where the salmonids you are after may home in on for spawning grounds or congregate when an easy meal of freshly stocked fingerlings are swimming aimlessly in their wild new home. The Great Lakes Coastwatch website; http://www.coastwatch.msu.edu/, provides a satellite image of the Great Lakes along with the surface temperatures of the water. Allowing you to see the first major change in temperature and the closer that change is to the shoreline, the better chance you have for the fish to come in really close, cruising the shallows or chasing bait. This site also allows you to locate potential warmwater discharges from rivers or warmer bays connected to the big water. Another very useful site is the USGS stream flow data. When river levels are rising and the flow is above normal this can push more bait into the big water for the salmonids to feed on or, the rise in water levels can help start a spawning migration. Rising levels are not all you should be on the lookout for. When levels are lower than normal and the timing is right for a spawning migration to occur, fish will be staged up at the mouth of the stream waiting for low light conditions or for the water levels to rise to make their upstream journey a bit easier. This is a great opportunity to target these eager and anxious fish. Last but not least, knowing the past, the current, and the next weather pattern can prove invaluable. The wind plays a major part in where the warm water goes. Knowing you have a wind blowing the water you are looking for (either warm or cool) to the place you intend to fish makes things a lot easier. As with any fishing trip, knowing how to properly outfit yourself so you don’t get soaked to the bone or melt away in the unexpected heat makes any trip much more enjoyable. Breaking the Lakes down With such a large mass of water one could go mad trying to find a starting point. This is where you let your natural fishing instincts kick in. There are certain conditions we look for when choosing a small area to fish from such a vast source of opportunity. Look for any water that looks ‘fishy’ for lack of a better term. Low light conditions usually make things easier and make the bite last longer as a high and bright sun is the enemy of the surf fisherman. In the early part of the year just after ice-out, look for places that will hold warmer water. Obvious places to look are river or creek mouth’s that place somewhat warmer water into the lakes. It does not need to be a large influx either; sometimes all that’s needed to bring in baitfish is just a warm trickle. It’s a fact, structure attracts fish. Piers, harbors, and marinas also warm quickly in the early spring sun, which draws in the baitfish and the big fish are not far behind. Another advantage of fishing off a pier is that they can add an additional 30 feet on your cast due to the elevated platform. Points and protected bays are places that the warm water can get trapped against with a good blow of wind are always hot in the spring. Once the water temps move into the low 60’s the fish will remain offshore in the thermocline. Summer time is a different story. The opportunities are limited and conditions need to be near perfect in order to have any success that you would not deem lucky. It’s the exact opposite of the spring, now you are looking for cold water pinned up along the shoreline. This can occur with a strong offshore wind. When the wind pushes the warm water out to the middle of the lake the warm water is replaced by the cool water from the deep, this is called a thermal upwelling and is necessary to get those beasts in close for the dog days of summer. One trip this past summer in the middle of July, the surface temperature at the shore was 49 degrees, while a 2 miles out the surface temperature was 67, all this while the air temp was in the high 80’s. This can bring huge schools of alewives and other bait close to shore, and salmonids within casting distance of your fly. In the fall you again look for warmer water and fishing is usually good all the way up to freeze up. Target the same areas mentioned above. Once you have found the water you are looking for , bait or both it can be as simple as casting in the right spots or looking for subtle drop offs that offer safety to cruising salmonids. Cast right from shore or wade out as far as you feel comfortable. Hit all angles, hit all depths (you would be surprised how close to shore some giant browns really get), vary your retrieve, and change your fly if need be. Don’t be afraid to venture out to the surrounding areas near the drop offs, bottom type changes, and warm discharges looking for cruisers on the prowl for more bait. When in doubt look for the gulls crashing the surface for a concentration of baitfish, if there is enough to get the attention of the gulls there is enough to get the attention of the fish. Rigging up for the surf When gearing up for the Great Lakes surf if looks much like you are headed for a Cape Cod striper expedition. We use much of the same equipment as they do out east. The 3 major equipment components of all fly fishing are rod, reel, and fly line. Along with knowing where to go, you also must have the proper equipment in order to fish the surf effectively. Having the right combination of Fly Rods, Fly Reels, Fly Lines, and Flies will definitely increase you chances for success. RODS Most salmon and steelhead fly fisherman already have a rod that is capable for handling most situations the surf. In most instances you should be looking at a 7-10 weight rod depending on what you are after and the wind conditions. A 7 weight will fair well for steelhead and browns under calm conditions while a beefier 10 weight might be required in stiff wind or chasing fall Chinooks, but in most cases an 8 weight will do just fine. Additional rod length can help you get more distance on your cast than your standard 9 foot rod allowing for more line higher above the water, among the most common rods we use are 9’9” 8 weights and my personal favorite the 10’6” 9 weight Bob Popovics St. Croix Legend Ultra. You also are looking for a rod you can cast hard all day. Throwing big flies a long way into a tough wind can be demanding, so you should be demanding on the rod you choose to use. Again saltwater rods designed for striper fishing our east help out a ton. Manufacturers such as St. Croix, G Loomis, Redington, and Scott all make models that will fit this application. REELS A good reel can make or break an outing, few things can be worse than when you hook a real trophy only to have your reel not do what it is supposed to. A reel with a reliable, smooth drag is an absolute must. Along with the capabilities to hold 150+ yards of backing and being light enough to cast all day. A large arbor helps a little bit for picking up line faster, but it is defiantly not a necessity. Reels from companies like Harris, Ross, and Tibor will do the trick and allow you to fish with confidence. LINES There are a few requirements from a fly line to be used in the great lakes surf. The line must be able to handle coldwater, deliver big flies long distances, and be slick. We like the striper taper lines or the clouser taper lines in both intermediate clear for shallow water (0’-6’) applications and long sink tips (24’+) in 200-400 grain heads. I carry the 2 lines with me at all times so that I can most effectively fish any structure or situation presented to me. Make sure you clean your fly lines frequently to get maximum casting performance from your line. Lines from Rio, AirFlo, and Scientific Anglers can match up very well for surf applications. For leaders you can keep it pretty simple there are 2 types we use most a simple 3’ of 20 pound mono followed by 3’-4’ of your selected tippet (anything from 6-12 lb) in either mono or fluorocarbon. Another thing I have recently been a fan of for my intermediate line are furled leaders, they can really lay out a fly nice if you find the right style. Other Stuff Here are some things you might want to have along with you in your chest pack or back pack while tackling the beach. -Water and Food -Pliers -Hook File -Fleece Hat and Gloves -Camera -Spare Spools -Polarized Sunglasses -Tippet Spools -Waders - Fly Boxes -Boga Grip -Rain Jacket Flies Flies that are used in the surf come in all shapes and sizes. The flies that I use have a few things in common. Most of the patterns used are variations of saltwater striped bass patterns. Just like any other fly patterns, flies for the surf fall into 2 different categories imitative and attractor. No matter what category the fly falls into, there are some characteristics that lie in each pattern. First off are sharp hooks, on those days that you have very few strikes, you want to make the ones you get count. Also for clear water and clear days, you want your flies tied sparse. Trim out material just to give your fly the faint silhouette of a baitfish and also give the appearance of movement. Another thing I make sure every pattern I tie for the surf has is a set of eyes. Either stick on or dumbbell, I think fish key in on eyes and make your pattern more attractive. Lastly, I would say that 80% of the flies that I carry are made with synthetic, water shedding materials that can help when you are casting all day long. For the most part the imitative flies used for salmon and steelhead imitate smelt, lake herring and alewives. In the early spring smelt are usually the most abundant forage close to shore, then after the smelt move out the alewives come in. Clousers, Half and Halfs; and Decievers tied in these natural color schemes will work well. My 2 favorite alewife patterns are a Mushy Bunker and a DNA alewife, both have the distinct profile of an alewife and perform well in the water. When fishing off the piers in the middle of summer, it is important to “match the hatch” so to speak because the salmon are so keyed in on the alewives that congregate around the structure. Smelt and Alewives Brown trout are not as finicky and will usually pick off any forage that is around. Perch, sculpins, spottail shiners, along with the very abundant nuisance spieces of gobies and ruffe are all found closer to shore all year round and can prove effective if imitated. From those whom I have talked to, it seems that the Lake Trout and brown trout especially in Lake Huron really seem to enjoy eating the round gobies that have infested our waters. Olives, browns, and yellows in a mottled effect can really prove very realistic if the usually crystal clear waters of the Great Lakes. Perch, goby, and ruffe imitation patterns Early in the spring, state plants of fingerling brown trout, steelhead, and salmon by the tens of thousands occur at river mouths and harbors across the Great Lakes. Having an idea of when this occurs and carrying some baby brown and rainbow patterns can lead to some fast and furious action. Attractors can be pretty much anything under the sun. I like certain color combinations more than others, but I like to have a few odd ball combos’ on me at all time. Some of the old stand by’s are Chartreuse and White, Orange and Gold, Fl. Blue/Chartreuse/White and FireTiger. Chartreuse and White usually proves very effective and I even call it my slump buster. Again the same patterns mentioned above will work very well tied in these colors. Having a good assortment of imitators and attractors such ranging in size from 3”-6” both weighted and unweighted, even having some flies as large as 9”- 12” will give you a good mix to start attacking the surf. Remember, early in the year there are not many small baitfish around, they need to be pretty hardy to make it through the winter, so don’t be afraid to throw the big stuff. For those that tie their own flies, here are some of the synthetic materials that don’t hold a lot of water, give off a great profile, and are available in the very lifelike colors. -Poly Bear -DNA Holo-Fusion -Angel Hair -Super Hair -Puglisi Fibers -Neer Hair -Mirror Image -Shimmer -Ultra Hair Hatches Magazine Subscription Price: $6.95 for each issue The Premiere issue is ready for shipping & the Fall 2008 issue will be available September 1st.