Zoo Cougar's On The Loose!

[solopaddler]

Flies that is.

 

Big thanks to young Christopher K on the board for tying me up a large batch of big meaty zoo cougar streamer flies. I have a couple of trips on tap this year for big river brook trout and the fish in those big northern rivers love these flies!

 

He tied them in 3 colours for me, white, olive and tan and did a superlative job. Thanks again Chris I'm sure I'll put them to good use!

 

 

 

[Joey]

Those are gorgeous. Nice work Chris!

[bigugli]

and here I thought the women of Stevensville were running wild again

[Aaron Shirley]

Those are really nice flies. Hope you have some great trips for brookies this year Mike. I look forward to the reports. Those look like they will work well on God's Lake. What weight fly rod do you use for brookies Mike? 6wt?

[BillM]

That's a baby compared to what I'll be tossing

 

[solopaddler]

Those are really nice flies. Hope you have some great trips for brookies this year Mike. I look forward to the reports. Those look like they will work well on God's Lake. What weight fly rod do you use for brookies Mike? 6wt?

 

God's River is a huge powerful river bud, I would be fishing it with an 8 weight for sure. These kinds of streamers are so big and bushy you need a powerful stick to cast them. Also you're going to need to get yourt fly down fast in that current so a fast sink tip is needed. An even better system is a regular WF8WT floating line used in conjunction with a sinking leader. Perfect for your application is the Versileader's made by RIO. 12' length with a sink rate of 7 IPS is exactly what you need. You run a short section (maybe 2') of heavy tippet off the end of the versileader to your fly. 10lb Maxima Ultragreen is perfect.

 

That's a baby compared to what I'll be tossing

 

 

 

Do you have the sex dungeon in white? They like white.

[misfish]

Those are sweet and Im not surprised you are happy Mike. He does great work.

[DRIFTER_016]

Gotta love loose cougar's!!!

[BillM]

Mike, lots of white, yellow, black, and a few other of Galloups streamer patterns. Plus a bunch of cone headed zuddlers and one really cool articulated Zoo cougar

[bigcreekdad]

The Zoo Cougar was invented by a guy (or guys) who fish Michigan's Au Sable River. Check out the book "Modern Streamers For Trophy Trout by Bob Linsenman and Kelly Galloup (sp?). If you are a streamer flinger for big trout it will geek you up pretty good.

 

As for God's River, the brookies are like freakin footballs!! And the river is wild. The 8 wgt fly rod advice is dead on. However, the water isn't so deep and a good medium sinking head line ( I used a Teeny T-300) will work fine. I find casting the sinking heads ( the 20-25' ones) to be much easier to cast big flies, and you can usually get a decent distance cast with only one false cast. Just my opinion.

 

Also, that rig will work for the big pike on God's Lake, although I moved up to a 9 wgt (with the same line) for pike.

 

Have fun!!

[BillM]

Let's hope these brookies like topwater mouse patterns like the Sutton fish did. I'd much rather toss that all day then a streamer.

[solopaddler]

Let's hope these brookies like topwater mouse patterns like the Sutton fish did. I'd much rather toss that all day then a streamer.

 

Agreed, but the nature of the river calls for streamers I think.

[esoxansteel]

As for fly rod weights its better to be over gunned then under gunned, go big or go home, and when you have put all the time and effort to book a world class trip, not to mention the money, your bang on with the 8 wt and even a 9wt, you see TV shows where they recommend 5 and 6 wts, but if the rivers are high and flowing your pooched with those outfits. Im running a 9 and 10 wts right now throwing streamers for river walleyes.

[bigcreekdad]

topwater mouse patterns....i fished with one a bit on God's River. I caught nothing on it, but a brookie I'd guess an easy 6-7 pounds porpoised over one and I was damn neat speechless....couldn't raise it again....hell yeah, try one!!

[BillM]

topwater mouse patterns....i fished with one a bit on God's River. I caught nothing on it, but a brookie I'd guess an easy 6-7 pounds porpoised over one and I was damn neat speechless....couldn't raise it again....hell yeah, try one!!

 

We destroyed then on the Sutton using topwater mouse patterns.. It's addicting to say the least. I've also caught them on Nipigon the same way.. We'll get a few on topwater patterns I'm sure.

Edited May 20, 2014 by BillM