Dry Fly Help

[uglystick]

I have been fly fishing for three years now and can count on one hand how many times I have tried using dry flies. I learned how to nymph and have become very confident in it and have never put much thought into the dries because of how well the nymphing is going. Any way I have the dry flies in the box and I want to start using them, any starter pointers would help give me the push I need to stray away from nymphing. I guess I nymph a lot because I do almost all my fishing from my toon or a drift boat. Is it better to dry fly from a boat or from waiding?

 

Pointers are appreciated!

 

Thanks!

 

 

[bcubed]

Leave anything but dries at home

[scel]

Leave anything but dries at home

 

Wow. Even though there is some truth to what you are saying, that is horrible advice for someone looking to learn the basics.

Examine an analogy:

CARPENTER: I am a carpenter that has been building cabinets for the last 3 years. I would like to start building tables. Does anyone have any tips? What tools should I use?

PRO-CARPENTER-BCUBE: Stop building cabinets. Build only tables.

 

In the last year, this is what I have learned...

I have read 3 books on fishing the Bow River. They all the say the exact same thing---to be successful on the bow river, you have to be adaptable. If you want to catch fish on a dry fly, unless you find rising fish, catching anything on a dry fly is like playing the lottery.

 

In summer and fall, in a 5 hour evening of fishing, if you are quiet and deliberate, there is usually 1 hour of good dry fly fishing. Yesterday, though, was an entire day of good dry fly fishing, but there were rising fish everywhere. Regardless, the best way to learn the nuances of dry fly fishing is to have fish that are willing to feed on the surface.

 

So, Uglystick, you might find it more productive to stalk the banks than float when dry fly fishing. You will generally find the fish rising in calmer areas that would be unproductive if you were nymphing. The SJW, prince nymph and stonefly will catch you fish year round. In order to catch fish on a dry, you need to pay attention to the bugs that are hatching and landing on the water.

 

Once you find the rising fish, you have to choose the right fly. Occasionally, you will find a fish that is simply feeding on the surface. Most of the time, though, the rising fish will be eating a specific bug. Throughout the summer, caddis is a good guess, but Pale Morning Duns and Stoneflies can produce some amazing seasonal fishing.

 

Once you know where the fish are feeding on the surface, pick a hook and try to get the fly to pass over the fish. You want to avoid the floating fly line passing directly over the fish. Start your casts short and start working your way towards the last spot you saw the fish rise.

 

If you do not get any interest in the hook, but the fish is still rising, you have probably chosen the wrong hook. I would first try downsizing the hook (i.e. a size 14 to a 16). If that does not work, I would switch to a different pattern. Last night, for example, it took me 4 tries to get the right fly, but once I had it, I was into an hour of great dry fly fishing.

If the fish is no longer rising, you have probably spooked it. Take 10 minutes to see if it rises again. If it does not rise, it you can keep fishing the spot, but I would move on to hunt for other risers.

 

Technically, your dry fly success will come from getting the drag-free float (the exception being caddis, which skitter on the surface, so a little drag is not always detrimental). The pros seem to be able to mend their line quickly and accurately. I try to quickly mend my line, but personally using a longer leader (i.e. 12') helped mitigate some of my inexperience. As well, I found that matching my tippet to my fly size assisted in a getting a proper float. I personally prefer to use 3x on the bow when nymphing, but found that 4x and 5x tippet are more appropriate for most dry patterns (except stimulators and hoppers, which are fine with 3x). As well, be careful when you pull the fly off the water. If you pull it off too quickly, you will make this thunderous suction noise that will probably scare any other fish nearby.

 

I personally find that dry fly fishing takes more patience and attention. Technically, I think that dry fly fishing is easier than nymphing. But you can make mistakes with nymphing and still catch fish. There is less margin for error with dry fly fishing.

 

As well, for the first 4 or 5 times, expect to be surrounded by rising fish, have tried every reasonable fly you have, and still not catch anything. It is OK though. If you are an adaptable Bow River angler, you have spent your first 4 hours on the river nymphing, and probably caught something. When I go to a new section of river, I usually walk downstream with with an ant, humpy or crystal adams. If I find a rising fish, I will try a couple of casts. On the way back upstream, I will be more deliberate about my fishing. If it was mostly calm, slow water, I will stalk the banks for rising fish. If it was filled with runs and riffles, I will put on the nymphing rig.

 

Good luck.

[uglystick]

Wow. Even though there is some truth to what you are saying, that is horrible advice for someone looking to learn the basics.

Examine an analogy:

CARPENTER: I am a carpenter that has been building cabinets for the last 3 years. I would like to start building tables. Does anyone have any tips? What tools should I use?

PRO-CARPENTER-BCUBE: Stop building cabinets. Build only tables.

 

In the last year, this is what I have learned...

I have read 3 books on fishing the Bow River. They all the say the exact same thing---to be successful on the bow river, you have to be adaptable. If you want to catch fish on a dry fly, unless you find rising fish, catching anything on a dry fly is like playing the lottery.

 

In summer and fall, in a 5 hour evening of fishing, if you are quiet and deliberate, there is usually 1 hour of good dry fly fishing. Yesterday, though, was an entire day of good dry fly fishing, but there were rising fish everywhere. Regardless, the best way to learn the nuances of dry fly fishing is to have fish that are willing to feed on the surface.

 

So, Uglystick, you might find it more productive to stalk the banks than float when dry fly fishing. You will generally find the fish rising in calmer areas that would be unproductive if you were nymphing. The SJW, prince nymph and stonefly will catch you fish year round. In order to catch fish on a dry, you need to pay attention to the bugs that are hatching and landing on the water.

 

Once you find the rising fish, you have to choose the right fly. Occasionally, you will find a fish that is simply feeding on the surface. Most of the time, though, the rising fish will be eating a specific bug. Throughout the summer, caddis is a good guess, but Pale Morning Duns and Stoneflies can produce some amazing seasonal fishing.

 

Once you know where the fish are feeding on the surface, pick a hook and try to get the fly to pass over the fish. You want to avoid the floating fly line passing directly over the fish. Start your casts short and start working your way towards the last spot you saw the fish rise.

 

If you do not get any interest in the hook, but the fish is still rising, you have probably chosen the wrong hook. I would first try downsizing the hook (i.e. a size 14 to a 16). If that does not work, I would switch to a different pattern. Last night, for example, it took me 4 tries to get the right fly, but once I had it, I was into an hour of great dry fly fishing.

If the fish is no longer rising, you have probably spooked it. Take 10 minutes to see if it rises again. If it does not rise, it you can keep fishing the spot, but I would move on to hunt for other risers.

 

Technically, your dry fly success will come from getting the drag-free float (the exception being caddis, which skitter on the surface, so a little drag is not always detrimental). The pros seem to be able to mend their line quickly and accurately. I try to quickly mend my line, but personally using a longer leader (i.e. 12') helped mitigate some of my inexperience. As well, I found that matching my tippet to my fly size assisted in a getting a proper float. I personally prefer to use 3x on the bow when nymphing, but found that 4x and 5x tippet are more appropriate for most dry patterns (except stimulators and hoppers, which are fine with 3x). As well, be careful when you pull the fly off the water. If you pull it off too quickly, you will make this thunderous suction noise that will probably scare any other fish nearby.

 

I personally find that dry fly fishing takes more patience and attention. Technically, I think that dry fly fishing is easier than nymphing. But you can make mistakes with nymphing and still catch fish. There is less margin for error with dry fly fishing.

 

As well, for the first 4 or 5 times, expect to be surrounded by rising fish, have tried every reasonable fly you have, and still not catch anything. It is OK though. If you are an adaptable Bow River angler, you have spent your first 4 hours on the river nymphing, and probably caught something. When I go to a new section of river, I usually walk downstream with with an ant, humpy or crystal adams. If I find a rising fish, I will try a couple of casts. On the way back upstream, I will be more deliberate about my fishing. If it was mostly calm, slow water, I will stalk the banks for rising fish. If it was filled with runs and riffles, I will put on the nymphing rig.

 

Good luck.

 

Thank you very much for your reply! You explained it very well and I will definitely be giving the dry fly a try tomorrow during my float if I see the fish rising.

 

Much appreciated.

 

Uglystick