Re: Detection And Setting With Cast Of Flies
Sorry I've been really busy lately and this one takes a bit of time:)
Davy explained this to me best. You have to be in total control of the drift and you have to see the leader move when fishing with a floating line set up. If you get really good at dead drifting wet flies as is the case with the boss, you can hook up with almost every fish that takes your wet flies. I noticed that if I waited for the "tug" then I would miss fish like crazy. It wasn't until I fished with him in New York that I actually "got it."
When you are fishing wets on a sinking line you are tighter to your flies due to the line drag through the water column. Hook sets are better and easier as there is tension on the flies, so that when the fish takes the flies the hooks go in.
Rod angle is also important. There are guys the hold the rod high and at a 45 degree angle, then there are others who hold the rod high and on a level plane. However they hold the rod the angle that the line leaves the top guide is near a 90 degree angle. This allows for sufficient tension that us essential to allow the flies to drift in a natural manner and provides a buffer that is needed in case of a very positive take.
Grease up the butt section of the leader and use green amnesia or golden stren to make up the butt section of the leader. This will provide a visual aide for detecting even the slightest of takes.
I will end with this, wet fly fishing is the most difficult of all angling methods that I have fished. There are times and places where other techniqes don't work and wet flies will shine. I doubted it until I saw it first hand.
Re: Detection And Setting With Cast Of Flies
Well now I feel alot better, I have had a tough time with the wet flies myself. Using amnesia on the butt section is a great tip, thanks!
Re: Detection And Setting With Cast Of Flies
There are a number of golden rules here if you want to increase you hooks ups, and l am assuming you are fishing a dry line, it would be same for a intermediate.
1. know at any time where you flies are.
2. Never have a tight line to the flies regardless of what angle they are.
3. Do not rely on feel only for the take.
4. Watch the fly line for take detection.
5. At any indication of fish movement to the flies such as a swirl raise the rod, 90%of the time you will have a hooked fish.
6. Always have free line in your left hand, never direct to the reel.
7. Do not hold the rod at a low angle, the more line you have free from the water surface the better you can control drag free drift (at any angle ) and this also applies when fishing at great range. You need to create the angle of hang which allows a fish to take the flies without feeling instant tension or drag, this takes a great deal of practice.
8. Mending is a very important factor. If l can explain it this way to you. I visualise the taking zone, l then mend my line way before this point, from then on l have total control, if you leave it too late or do it too early then you will loose the most productive zone that fish are more likely to take.
In order to do this right you have to evaluate a number of things which primarily are distance and angle of your cast, speed of water surface in conjunction with the different surface movements.
9.Leader length. very important, here again related mainly to water speed and clarity and how you wish to present the flies. I will use very long leader systems for long range drag free drifts, when dealing with slow flows and spooky fish. So in the case of say fishing 2 or 3 soft hackles this may be 15 ft, the fly line may cause your flies to be pulled down and race.
10. Practice makes perfect.
Hope this helps you some.
Davy.
Re: Detection And Setting With Cast Of Flies
Is it your opinion then (Aaron and/or Davy) that a sinking line is a little more effective than floating line for this method? I only used sinking line 1-2x, several years ago and found it a little difificult to deal w/ for casting. Or, does it depend on the water depth of the river section your fishing?
Re: Detection And Setting With Cast Of Flies
Thanks Guys, That's plenty to digest for a while. I hope to see some acceptable conditions
soon, to follow up with.
