Questions I Can't Seem To Find Answers To

[johnnyboy12]

Hi guys, getting along not too bad with fly fishing but, I always seem to have a couple of questions nobody can answer. Maybe because they are opinion questions:

 

1. Greasing the leader. How do I do this? Do I do all of it or leave the last foot before the fly ungreased? How do you do it? (also do you grease your flyline?)

2. upstream fishing with nymphs - do I want the nymphs pulling the indicator or the indicator downstream of the flies?

3. where should the knot be on a dry fly? on top or below the eye?

4. upstream fishing with nymphs again - are you casting the fly to a spot or casting your indicator (hoping the indicator pulls it in line)

 

 

that's all for now.. I'm kind of a "details" guy, so these questions bother me!

 

if you can help thanks!

[Harps]

1. Don't grease the leader> floating line may need cleaning/greasing, but the leader should sink so as not to cast a shadow (mostly from the "dent" in the surface tension).

[Guest RedWiggler]

1. Never greased a leader, as far as your line goes - buy some line cleaner and read the instructions, typically they will say "apply to cloth/apply to line with cloth/let dry for 5 minutes and then wipe off with a dry cloth. This helps your line last longer and cast smoother......I find.

 

2. Depending on the current you need to mend your line accordingly to keep your flies on a natural dead drift either up or downstream - often your line will be lying in water that is travelling at differant speeds so you need to mend however many times up/downstream to keep your flies drifting naturally, you dont want much bend/slack in your line - that said never be in a hurray to lift you flies out of the water at the end of your drift, let them swing around the bend towards the bank and you will be surprized how many hits you get. I get a little excited now and then and probably miss couple here and there starting my next cast to early. MENDING IS LIFE OUT THERE!!!!!!!

 

3. I always just pull the line straight away from the eye after tying my knot????? good question????

 

4.You are just casting your flies to were you want them, but are watching the indy so essentialy you want the indy were you think the fish are and hopefully your flies will be underneath it either up or downstream of it depending on currant and what depth you are at, if you are to deep your indy will snag bottom dragging it under, if your to shallow you will miss the fish........its a fine line cause for the most part thats were the fish are so you have to get down there.

 

I dont know a whole bunch but have flyfished alot int he last 10 years with fairly decent success (i think) and this is my opinion on your questions, might help, might not everybody is differant, my $0.02.

[Conor]

1. You can grease a leader with Musulin (sp?). It is a good way to suspend a light nymph in slack water. Leave a few inches, at least, ungreased.

 

2. I like the there to be a direct connection between my hooks, my indicator and my rod. If the nymphs are downstream of the indicator, and the indicator is upstream of me, I do not have what I consider a direct connection (there is a sharp angle of 'slack' line). I prefer my nymphs to be parallel or upstream of my indicator. I feel I have more sensitivity and better hooksets this way. Note that your hooks landing downstream of your indicator does not mean that they will remain there during the drift. Currents are often slower nearer the bottom.

 

3. I don't think this matters too much. I prefer the line to be under the water, so maybe tilting the knot down would help.

 

4. A little of both. The indicator and your line can influence the sink of the nymphs. If they sink on a slack line, they will sink straight down with the current. This is a "feel" thing. The best nymphers have a very keen sense of where their hooks are in the water and how the current/line/indicator is affecting them.

 

There is more than one way to skin a cat. I like to skin 'em this way.

[DutchDryfly]

If fishing dry flies grease your leader completely. You want your leader to float in the same currents as the fly, if you do not grease te last portion of the leader this will affect the behavior of the fly. If fishing nymphs you do not need a leader, just a piece of mono or fluo. You can grease depending on how deep you want to fish the nymphs.

 

Indicator should always be on the downstream side of the nymphs, oterwise there is to much slack between nymphs and indicator and you are missing a lot of takes.

 

I always make sure the knot is in front of the fly so the fly will drift naturally.

 

I cast the flies to the spot I want them to be and then mend the line so the indicator is downstream of the flies. I fish the flies and not the indicator, the indicator is just there for help.

[johnnyboy12]

Thanks for all your answers! It really helps to get other peoples opinions and tactics!