There really are a few separate and distinct parts to fly fishing LP. The first is knowing what species you are looking for. There is certainly the chance to throw something anywhere and pull up anything however knowing what species you are looking for and tailoring to that species will help tremendously at the lake as “bycatch” is not big here. (Fly fishing wise…the Dungees just catch everything ever where they go…) so assuming you are looking for stripers, next look at the season. Spring…somewhere around Mother’s Day each year they start cruising the surfaces in the very back of canyons and points in canyons. Easily spooked. This time of the year I cruise long canyons and look for increasing water temp. When I find a canyon that has what I might looking for ( sunlight, shallow water, dark bottom) I shut down and wait for a few. I look for any tell tale sign on the surface. There won’t be boils but there still could be signs of movement. when I find these slurpers I throw long and light. Somewhere in this section I posted a picture of the fly. Super small and light. When one follows someone will hit. Competition rules.
As we get into warmer months I expect the food source to move out of the back canyons. by early June I am expecting slurps…where is always the key. In the past I have had areas of the lake that attract stripers that I hit up but with the water level so low my guess is whatever attracted them to that area may have changed now, or that area may be dry. I go to a bigger fly at this time, and alternate with a closures and such, moving to surface flies. my biggest thrill is a Striper knocking a fly 3 or 4 ft into the air on a miss. Then having it inhaled on the rebound. Clousers on a size 2/0 are about right at this time of the year. Intend to tie poppers that will last more than a few fish…they may be big and ugly but they always get eaten, and last.
mid summer and the boils are hot. Literally. Maybe short boils but intense ones. My favorites to find are the kind with multiple waves of fish that take turns coming up, seeming non stop action. Flies rarely spook a school…lining them does. I always try for my first few hook up’s ahead of where the school is going and waiting a few seconds so I don’t line them. If you are on my boat and you throw into the middle of a mega school and they all slap and run you might as well jump in after them lol. I don’t think much matters when you get into a school like this but poppers are always my choice. the sound of a big popper can turn a school in your direction most of the time, giving you more time to get them instead of chasing them.
the latest I fish the lake is October, so I can’t tell you much about the winter months. Big flies and potetnial boils, no one on the lake, cool air temps…most awesome.
As to fly lines, I think you may be over thinking. I use three lines. Most often a floating. Second is an intermediate sink such as a Rio Striper line, 3-4 IPS. Third is a depth charge. 7-9IPS. for Stripers it is almost always a floater and I’ll move the fly up or down in the water column with the weight of the fly. A few exceptions: assuming that there might be a big mama fish at the bottom of the school I try to get a depth charge line with a BiG fly way out in front of a school and let it sink. If they go over it in the right direction I strip from about 20 ft down and hope there is a pig down there. Unfortunately most of the time I get a walleye out of that trick, not the big Striper I am looking for. I also use depth lines and a long count down during the early spring, or when the fish are running deep and won’t come up. Truth be told, I am over that type of fishing and grab a spinning rod. and watch your trolling motor with a depth charge line lol.
I think of every species in the order I described. I cruise old reports from Wayne, looking at water temp and time of year to give me an idea of where to start. I also read the current reports from everyone here to get a better idea of what I need to look for. Sometimes someone will give you all the info you need to find fish with a very subtle hint as long as you are paying attention. The old “go to this rock and go left 100 yards and cast right” doesnt work on a lake with constantly changing water levels, nor are people willing to give up a spot publicly to thousands of people who can read this but don’t give back. Ask the right questions and you might get a PM helping you..
Aa last tip for LMB…you might be very surprised at the size of a LMB hanging in a foot of water in the rocks on sure. They might also be 10 ft deep if the water is coming up fast. For LMB I keep 2 rods rigged, both 6wghts, one with a sinker and one with a floater so I can switch back and forth fast Searching for where they are. Remember as a generic…flouro sinks, mono doesn’t. The longer the leader the more a heavy fly will sink. The heavier the fly the faster it will sink and the easier it is to bury it in your head. Tight lines.
TR