Some favorite flies for Sea-Run Cutthroat
Sea-run cutthroat trout feed on a variety of food items in the Sound. Sand lance, herring, smelt, salmon smolt, sticklebacks, euphausids and copepods just to name a few. Luckily for Seattle-based anglers, Emerald-City SRCs don't tend to feed like they're in a spring creek - they're opportunistic and voracious. Here are a few patterns that consistently get grabs in the intertidal zone.
Seth's Marabou Sand Eel - Dark
This little puff of marabou with prominent eyes does more than its share on the beach. Perfect when you're looking for a small silhouette.
2. West's Imitator - Oil Slick
Chris West's pattern presents a larger profile that suggests a herring or smelt, and it consistently performs from springtime until the height of our beach fishing in the early fall. (Umpqua)
3. Foxy Shock and Awe - Brown and Olive
The Foxy Shock and Awe offers a jigging action that can often attract both SRC's, resident silvers, and some of the bigger salmon when they are present. It sinks readily and is a great choice when fishing a beach with a steep dropoff. Please note this is a tube fly and you'll need a hook to complete the pattern. (Solitude)
4. Rolled Muddler
Oh muddler minnow patterns, is there anything you can't do? Tie on a Steelhead muddler and get a grab on the Klickitat. Strip a standard muddler and Yakima trout go crazy. This particular species of muddler seems particularly well-suited to our local beaches. Give it a try.
5. Pinhead
The ol' Pinhead does a great imitation of a fleeing sand lance, and it slims down and has excellent motion in the water.
Want to learn more about fly fishing in Puget Sound? Check out our upcoming class.
