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Fly Fishing in the Snow

15 Sep
0 112 Post by

Winter can be a hard time to catch trout, as our cold bloody quarry becomes less active and harder to coax into a bite.  However, by using the correct patterns you can continue with your passion for fly fishing year-round.

The major guidelines for winter trout fishing include:

  • Match the Winter Hatch
  • Go Small and Go Slow
  • Find The Right Water
  • Be Safe

But first, you have to consider your reasons for trout fishing in the winter, and what special challenges and joys come from the pursuit.  Initially, you have to come to the realization that winter trout fishing will likely never involve large numbers of fish - the trout simply will not be as active and will not bite as easily.  But the joy of winter fishing more than makes up for the difficult challenge.  Imagine the complete solitude you will feel when you go to that favorite deep pool that is usually packed with anglers but now is all yours. 

You will see unbelievable beautiful sights.  The winter cold strips the leaves from trees, opening up wide views of the trout’s wild lair.  When it snows, you will see images right out of a postcard - a red cardinal or a blue jay perched on an icy tree branch out in the middle of untouched snow.  The ability to get out, exercise, get fresh air, and enjoy nature are always part of trout fishing - and they are the essential elements that balance the cold weather and more finicky fish.

With the right presentation, you can catch fish throughout the entire winter, particularly where water temperatures remain at or above 40 degrees.  Finding the correct pattern is the beginning of success.

Matching the Winter Hatch

Just like all the times of the year, matching the natural prey is paramount to success as an angler.   In fact, it may be even more important at this time of the year, as the trout will be feeding less aggressively. 

Trout winter diets are primarily made up of insects and their larvae.   Predominantly, trout feed upon nymphs and full-grown midges and stoneflies. Both insects continue their life cycle through the winter months making them one of the few insects available for trout to prey upon.

Midges continue to breed in large swarms throughout the fall and early winter months. Therefore midge larva, pupa and full-grown adults will be the main source of prey for trout. A midge pattern is always the go-to first choice in the winter until proven otherwise.

Stoneflies are unusual because they are on the opposite end of the spectrum. Stoneflies go through a very long metamorphosis process for an insect, lasting several years.  Therefore stonefly larvae, pupa, and full-grown adults can all be found in bodies of water throughout the entire year.  A stonefly pattern is one of the most successful winter flies.

There are a few other patterns that will work under some conditions.  Winter is also a good time to use small worm imitators.   Trout will prey upon small worms which wash into the water and float downstream, so red worm patterns are successful.

On occasion, trout will also eat larger prey during the winter months. Large trout will eagerly gobble up a crayfish or a minnow that wanders close to them. However, trout will rarely move far to seek out these prey items.  You may be surprised to learn that winter can be a good trophy-sized trout time.  These larger fish really don’t want to chase thousands of midges around, and might just be teased into slamming a streamer that floats in front of their face.

Go Small, Go Slow, Go Low

So we know that the trout will be much less aggressive than any other time of the year.   They will have a somewhat sedentary existence, moving as little as possible. Therefore, it is really important to use small flies, slow presentations, and drop them right down to the fish.

Dry fly action is not impossible during the winter, but you should see dry-fly hits as a pleasant exception to the winter rule. In the wintertime, you should stick to nymphing almost exclusively - even adding a small split shot when the water is deep enough.  The trout will not be surfacing to feed, but rather waiting for their next meal to drift by slowly where they can reach out with little effort.

You are advised to use smaller flies than other times of the year.  For midges, small sizes between 18 - 22.  You can use slightly larger stonefly imitations around the 14 - 16 sizes.  If you are on a body of water where trout are clearly preying on minnows - try a size 8 streamer.  Many anglers also slide down a tippet size, with around 5x - 6x the best for winter.  This will let the nymph drop lower into the pool.

No matter the fly, try a slow retrieve.  Let the nymph sink slowly down into the holes and pockets behind the best structure.  Keep in mind that trout will really seek out the best pools -  so if you catch one fish try a few more casts in the same spot and you might find a second bite!

Find the Right Water

Finding the right water is just as important as anything else to winter trout success. In the wintertime, the right water means slow-moving water that is relatively warm and stable and temperature.

You can see the clear pattern that the trout are attempting to conserve as much energy as possible. Therefore they will avoid turbulent water which requires more of their power to navigate through.  Trout will also avoid shallows to hide from predators - birds, cats, mink, bears, and all sorts of warm-blooded animals will be looking for the sluggish trout.  They find safety in deeper pools.

Additionally, trout prefer to eat insects floating by slowly, and not coursing through rapid water - so stay out of fast water or stagnant water.  So the best location is a moderately moving stream with enough water structure to provide some quieter water.   Rocks of course will work - but many anglers recommend logjams that slow the water significantly to be the best structure. Make sure to look for eddies and deeper pools created behind the structure.

Water that has a consistent temperature,  especially if it's relatively warm,  will hold the most trout.  The best water is usually spring-fed channels. Springwater actually remains at stable temperatures throughout the whole year.   So while this may seem like very cool water compared to sun-warmed summer water,  the spring water will likely be above the average water temperature during the wintertime when the ambient water temperature plummets. 

Another excellent spot for winter fishing is a tailrace.  A tailrace occurs when waterfalls over a dam, water wheel, or other structure.  Tailwaters virtually never ice over and push bait downstream to the trout.  The water temperature is typically stable and a bit warmer than the rest of the stream,  because the tailwater is dumping directly out of the reservoir -  and large bodies of water do not cool down as low or fast as a small stream.  Flowing tailwater almost never ices over, so it can be fished all winter.  Look for the previously mentioned structure and deeper pools slightly downstream of the spillway.

Be Safe

Fishing is an outdoor pursuit and always involves some small safety risks like any other sporting activity.  Winter conditions make everything a bit more dangerous, so you should take proper precautions. 

Some safety guidelines are:

  • Consider fishing from the bank only and not wading into the cold water.  If you do wade in, make sure to wear winter graded gear.
  •  Never walk on ice over a flowing body of water no matter how safe it looks.
  • Bring a buddy fishing so you can help keep eachother safe.
  • Don’t forget raincoats, hats, gloves, and other accessories.
  • Be aware of the fast setting sun - nightfall comes so fast compared to the summertime, and you do not want to get caught out in the woods in the dark.

Overall, winter trout fishing is more challenging than any other time of year - the combination of finicky fish and chilly weather is challenging.  But you will have the ability to catch fish consistently if you use the right flies and know the best water to match the behavior of winter fish.  Winter is also the most beautiful and peaceful time of year in the wonderful natural areas that trout inhabit.  By following these tips, you can make trout fishing a 12-month pursuit.

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Categories: Winter Fly Fishing

Spring Fly Fishing for Trout in South Carolina

31 Aug
0 74 Post by

An overlooked trout destination

South Carolina is known for a lot of things. Shrimp and grits and mustard-based barbecue. A religious obsession with college football. 

When you’re putting together a list of things to do in this state, trout fishing is not often at the top. When most anglers think of South Carolina, they picture chasing striper in Lake Murray or redfish along the coast. Bordering North Carolina and Georgia, with Tennessee nearby, South Carolina is typically an afterthought when you’re rigging up a fly rod. But there are plenty of opportunities in this small state to target great trout fisheries. 

Like much of the South, South Carolina is known for its intensely hot and humid summers. The kind that makes you want to jump head first into a river, not strap on waders to walk around in it. Outside of these hot months, there’s a diverse system of rivers that fly anglers can take advantage of. While these may not be the biggest trout you land, there’s plenty of reason to grab your gear and head to the Palmetto State. 

Finding the Fish 

Targeting trout in South Carolina is typically limited to the Upstate, which encompasses the region that borders North Carolina and Georgia. There is opportunity in the middle part of the state, but the climate for trout is most conducive closer to the mountains. 

The Saluda River is one of the more common rivers, with its many branches and creeks, that holds trout. Running from North Carolina down through South Carolina’s capital of Columbia, where it merges with the Congaree, the Saluda has great access and is stocked regularly. 

Upstate South Carolina sits at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, dotted by many rolling hills and valley. In the northern stretches of this are many small creeks and streams that are worth wetting a line. 

Like many of the locations in South Carolina, the trip is marked not only by the fishing, but by the scenery. Don’t forget to take in the landscape around you as head for the water. 

It can be overwhelming to identify where to start. Discoversc.com recommends the Middle Saluda River, best accessed from Jones Gap State Park. If you’re looking to make it a weekend trip, Jones Gap has primitive camping. There’s good access alongside the river, so wade fishing is possible. 

The most well-known trout water in South Carolina is the Chatooga River. It is one of the widest cold-water fisheries in the sate and serves as a border between South Carolina and Georgia.

As you head towards the middle part of the state, the Saluda continues to flow into Columbia. Considering the higher temperatures in this region, it’s incredible to see a thriving trout population. The river is wider here and you’ll likely need to float it in several places. There are good access points at Saluda Shoals and Hopes Ferry.  

Most all of the trout fisheries in South Carolina will have some form of public access. It’s important to research these (SC Department of Natural Resources is a good place to start). You’ll need to make sure that where you’re fishing is on public land, or that you’ve received permission from an owner to fish private property. 

Unlike North Carolina, South Carolina does not have a trout pass or trout specific license. However, there are regulations on the type of tackle you can use to target trout. In recent years, the laws around catch and release and size of trout you can keep have changed. You can check all of this out online at SC DNR. 

The Flies You Need in Your Box 

Spring is one of the most ideal teams to go after trout on the fly in South Carolina. The cooler water temps, combined with plenty of hatches, makes for ideal fishing. 

The spring season is generally considered to run from March until May. The weather can and will fluctuate, so you may have an early spring or a longer winter. The SC DNR guide recommends loading up your box with nymphs like Gold-Ribbed Hare’s Ear, Stoneflies, Pheasant Tails, and a few Wooly Buggers. 

It’s always good to have some split shots on hand to add a little depth in case there a few trout deep in a run. 

As the water temps rise, you’ll likely see surface activity from ongoing hatches. Go check out your local fly shop boards to see what’s on. It’s good to keep Adams, Elk Hair Caddis, and Gnats on hand, according to SC DNR. 

The Strategy 

Typically, you’ll want to start early in the day or in the evening. When you arrive to your spot, take a few moments to watch for activity. This will give you a good indication if trout are feeding on the surface. 

Many streams in South Carolina are not so wide or deep that you need to wade. Try to avoid getting in the water much deeper than your ankles if you can help it. Your roll casting skills will be key. Like many streams in the Southeast, you’ll be dealing with overhanging branches. There will not be room for much back-casting, so be prepared to get line out and roll often. 

What you need to rig up 

A 4-5 wt. rod and reel setup should work just fine when targeting Carolina trout. Consider having a shorter setup (less than an 8’ rod) to help combat the trees and shrubs you could encounter. Having both of these rods on-hand is a good idea in case you want to toss some streamers. 

How to get there

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources has put together a great guide on trout fishing in the state. One of the best features is the inclusion of maps and directions to public access points. As trout fishing has grown in popularity, there’s been more development of parking. Use their online guide to help you get to streams you want to target. 

A hidden gem

Don’t sleep on South Carolina. Often remembered for its coastal beauty and sportfishing, the state offers a great chance to fish for trout on less pressured water. License fees are reasonable and there are great places to eat, sleep, and enjoy a great weekend. When you’re planning your next trout adventure, add South Carolina to your list. 

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Categories: Spring Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Midge Dry Flies in the Winter

29 Aug
0 310 Post by

When anglers think of winter fly fishing, it’s not often that dry flies come to mind. 

Rare is the January or February day when we ditch weights and indicators in favor of fly float and parachute dries.  They do happen, however, and the ambitious fly fisher can catch trout on dries throughout the coldest season with a little extra care and a tweak of tactics.  The start of this change usually has to do with the type of insect we are trying to match, which in this case is the midge! 

See It

Midges dominate the winter in most trout streams around the country.  While many anglers focus their efforts on nymphs, it’s possible to catch fish using dries!  One of the great challenges of fishing midge dries, and a major deterrent for fishing them is how small they are.  Colors typically range from brown to black, with maybe just a white thrown in. Once flies of those shades are on the water they vanish.  We are left squinting wondering where our fly is and how the heck we will detect a hit. 

The good news about using midge dry flies in winter is the competition from naturals is limited.  During blanket hatches of summer, our fly can get totally lost in a sea of bugs which creates a problem in its own right.  Even if our midge dry has seemingly vanished, look for any rise in the water being fished.  Since there aren’t many other bugs around, set the hook on any dimple that looks suspicious.  More often than not the result will be a fish on our line! 

Fly Choice

Despite our best efforts, it's still borderline impossible to see those tiny flies on the water.  In these situations, our fly selection can be a huge help!  Most anglers have a variety of Adams in their dry fly box.  This is a favorite pattern to use throughout winter and a small version of it with a parachute can really help our visibility issues.  In fact, any midge imitation with a parachute should be brought along during these cold months.  If the white parachute post is still not enough, bring a pink or red sharpie along and color in the post to give your fly a color that’s easy to spot. 

Another fly choice strategy that can help us involves using multiple flies.  If fish are keying in on a midge in really small sizes, say #26 or smaller, it can be helpful to use a double dry setup.  In these cases tie on a Parachute Adams in a “larger” size #20 or whatever is the smallest that we can still see.  Then, tie on a section of 6X or 7X with a size #26 griffins gnat trailing behind.  The trailing fly will be difficult to see, but watch the larger point fly and set on any rise within the vicinity!

Where To Fish

Since our fly choice is centered around small offerings, faster water can be impossible to effectively fish with dries.  It can be productive to focus on slower water where we have time to spot our fly as it moves through the drift.  This is also beneficial because trout tend to hold in slower water throughout winter.  Taking the time to meticulously work slower water will allow us to focus our efforts where the trout are in a way that makes it possible to see and fish our flies. 

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Categories: Dry Fly Fishing, Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique, Winter Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Cicada Hatches

29 Aug
0 143 Post by

A good bug hatch is always a welcomed occurrence for fly-fishers. Very few hatches however, are backed by the anticipation surrounding what thousands of eager anglers will experience this summer. Starting in mid-May, and lasting through the early days of July, the Brood X cicadas will emerge. 

Brood X cicadas were born underground in 2004, and are one of 12 broods with a 17-year life cycle. They’ve spent all this time beneath the earth feeding, tunneling, and preparing for the final stage of their lives. Once they surface, Brood X will spend approximately six weeks above ground droning their mating songs before dying and falling back to the earth, or better yet, the water.

Known scientifically by the name, Magicicada septendecim, the insect’s black thorax is highlighted by the reddish tint of its eyes and wing veins. Emergences are expected in 15 states including Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington D.C. 

When cicadas hatch, the fish are ready. Trout, carp, striped bass, catfish, smallmouth and largemouth bass will all actively target cicadas, which provides some very exciting opportunities for fishing on the surface. The best part of cicada fishing is its simplicity. If you find the bugs, you’ll find the fish. Here are five tips for fly fishing a cicada hatch. 

Seek the trees

While above ground, cicadas will cling to trees to feed, call, and mate. As they die they fall from the branches and expire on the terrain beneath. Trees that overhang streams, rivers, and still waters will discard the dying cicadas on the waters below, resulting in a fish feeding frenzy. Avoid open water and treeless banks.

Beef Up Your Tippet

You want a heavier leader or tippet than you would throw for other dry fly and surface presentations. Cicada patterns are large and wind resistant, and you’ll be targeting larger fish that are feeding aggressively. The presentation will have little relevance, fish are often fighting over these bugs, so use 3x tippet or heavier if needed. 

Give it a Twitch

Cicadas will often end up in the water before they’ve fully expired. Their fading twitches and buzzes can really liven up a quiet pool. If you find yourself in a section where cicadas are present but not plentiful, and the fish don’t seem to be feeding, twitch the fly and give it some action to inspire a strike.

Fish Above and Below

The topwater action can be great when fishing a cicada pattern, but you may be able to entice even the largest fish to feed below the surface. Submerge a floating pattern with some split shot on the leader and target areas with moving water to attract large warm water fish. 

Don’t be Shy

Cicadas are chubby bugs and are often one inch or bigger in size, so don’t be afraid of making a sizable splat when presenting the fly. Fish aren’t looking for a delicate presentation as they target these insects. So relax, let it fly, and have some fun tossing these bugs.

If you don’t have any cicada replicas in your box, don’t fret. Large, dark colored terrestrial patterns will suffice. If you’re on the water in the next few weeks and see or hear cicadas around, grab your biggest bug and try your luck. 

Fishing during the Brood X emergence should last a few more weeks, but if you aren’t able to capitalize on the hatch this year, don’t worry. The next 17-year brood, Brood XIV, is set to break ground in 2025, and anglers from the midwest to the east coast will have a chance to fish the next 13-year brood, Brood XIX, in 2024. 

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Categories: Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Summer Fly Fishing

Fly Fishing Scuds And Sowbugs For Trout

29 Aug
0 262 Post by

There are times of the year when an angler may go to the water anticipating catching fish in a particular way and it just doesn’t happen. This can be especially true during the colder fall, winter, and early spring months. These times are the perfect time to tie on one of two different flies and give them a shot. Scuds and Sowbugs are great year-round baits. These are the basics of these flies and the best ways to fish them.

Scuds

Scuds are small crustaceans, freshwater shrimp, and they are present in the water year-round. They molt multiple times a year and are a big source of protein for trout. So, when the bite on other nymphs is non-existent and the fish are turning their noses up at streamers, turn to a scud. They also produce very well on still bodies of water like lakes, or ponds. Scuds also help an angler who may not have experience in that body of water catch fish efficiently without needing to drill down on matching the hatch nearly as much. The bottom line is in the cold months you will find my line loaded with a scud when venturing to new water, and my box with a lot of Scud Flies when fishing any stretch of river.

Sowbugs

Sowbugs are less like shrimp and more like a doodlebug. Turn over just about any rock looking for stonefly or mayfly nymphs and you likely find Sowbugs. They are again present year-round, constantly floating up and down the water column. These are another great pattern to swing past trout species during all times of year, but they really shine during the colder times.

Technique

If you’re successful at fishing nymphs that’s great news, you’ll probably be successful at fishing Scuds and Sowbugs as well. The ways to fish them are the same as nymphing, most folks will run an indicator and shot. These flies can be drifted through feeding or resting lies and cover watching for movement in the indicator’s float. Generally, both of these patterns excel in deeper water and probing shelves and other changes in bottom features. Anglers should adjust weight and indicator placement to try and get these flies on or very near to the bottom. Very often anglers choose to run these as a two-fly set up with a dropper line running below the indicator and another bigger fly on the end or bottom of the line.

Another way to run these flies is on a sinking line. This is great for truly finicky fish because the drift will be more natural. When running sinking lines a more natural strip can be imparted as well as a hand twist retrieve. A bit of small movement goes a long way. These aren’t big creatures so the movements are very small and very subtle, strip a few inches at a time.

Patterns

A few things to remember, size may matter more than color in these patterns. Scuds are constantly molting, six to seven times a year, so this can be the matching that has to happen to optimize the fly. Where color tends to come into play is on the Sowbug side, colors may greatly vary by the body of water or time of year.

Bead Headed Scud is where it’s at for me, if I was pinned down to one actual pattern for this fly the simple this would be it. Tied in a natural hue, I would toss this and have plenty of backups in multiple sizes. Remember I’m trying to get this as close or as far into cover as possible.

As far as Sowbug patterns go I stick to famous musicians, I like Ray Charles or a UV Eddie Vedder. The second one is named after the singer and guitar player of my all-time favorite band, so take that with a grain of salt, but The Ray Charles is the classic Sowbug. I would lean on a smaller choice of sizes on these and diversify on the colors for sure. Remember a dull natural color can always draw a strike in a pinch though.

These are year-round, everywhere producers. No fly box is complete without Scuds and Sowbugs and no skunks should be accepted without giving these a few drifts before the end of the day. Everyone likes some good old-fashioned seafood.

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Categories: Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique, Nymphing
dry dropper fly fishing tips

Why Am I Not Catching Any Fish Fly Fishing?

18 Aug
0 278 Post by

When nothing is working.

You could be doing everything right and still have no luck catching anything. Sometimes matching the hatch and making near-perfect casts doesn't guarantee landing a fish.  However, there are a few fly fishing tactics that you can do to maximize your efforts and improve your chances drastically.

Keep moving and cover more water

Your best fishing will come from fish having no idea that you are present and, thus, sense no threat. Their guard will be down and allow them to comfortably feed per usual.  It often comes down to your 1st cast. Some streams are extremely sensitive, and one poor cast could spook an entire pod of fish.

You could be doing everything right and still catch nothing. It could come down to just overfishing the same hole over and over again. Your best bet is to keep moving upstream or downstream to the next pool and try your chances there. What's not working now may work in the next pool.

Don't make the mistake of discounting an open stretch of water just because it simply doesn't look like it would hold fish. It only takes a few seconds to make a cast or two. You never know where your personal best will be.  Sometimes trout break from the typical pool to slower slack water or faster riffles for feeding.  You'll usually find loner trout hunkered down in seams where food is funneled directly into their path. Exposed roots, fallen limbs, boulders, undercut banks, and shorelines are great examples of where trout will gorge themselves on insects being funneled into tiny channels that they have to themselves.

Change your fly.

Changing your fly is a simple solution. The goal should be to narrow down your fly selection to what you suspect trout are eating. Start out with your favorite go-to patterns and then dial it in based on what feeding activity and insect activity you see around you.

When You're Heading In The Right Direction:

  • Trout rises to your fly, but turns away last second.
  • Insects that resemble your fly are swarming the surface.
  • Trout are rising steadily in the pool.

You can also double up with a multi-fly rig to test 2 different fly choices at the same time. One might perform better than the other, which allows you to double up with two -- doubling your chances. For example, you may tie on a size #16 Adams Parachute (imitating a wide variety of mayflies) and a size #16 Elk Hair Caddis (imitating a wide variety of adult caddis flies), and the Adams Parachute ended up turning heads and getting a few bites. Great! Now you can double up on the Adams Parachute or try another mayfly pattern by removing the Elk Hair Caddis. You just doubled your odds.

Go deep. Use nymphs.

While this may not be overly effective in shallow small stream systems, nymphing may be the only thing that works.  Over 80% of a fish's diet is subsurface, meaning nymphs, baitfish and minnows, larvae, and pupae. Read more on what nymphs are here.

When nothing works, aim for the bottom.  The current on the bottom of the stream is actually slower due to the friction caused by the water moving over the bottom. This is an ideal place for fish to lie low and feed without expending too much energy. All you have to do is get your flies rolling near the bottom.

Focus on the quality of your presentation.

Poor presentations mean poor line control, which means excessive drag. If your fly is moving differently through the water than all the other naturals, trout sense the difference and will avoid it like the plague. Learn how to present your dry flies here. It’s not that trout can spot the line and that you need to use thinner leaders and tippets that they can’t see, it’s that thinner tippets aren’t as stiff which means it moves more naturally. Trout will see it no matter what, no matter the thickness. Let me tell you a quick story.

Many years ago I spoke with a fishing buddy who proved this theory correct. First, he took his hopper pattern and cast it out perfectly into a seam that he knew held trout --- nothing took after multiple seemingly perfect drifts. Next, he took a 6-inch section of 1x tippet and strung it through a grasshopper he caught on the streamside. Then he tossed it out back into the same stretch of water and watched it twist, pivot, and float a few feet downstream before a large brown took the whole thing on the first run. That section of tippet was obvious on the surface and easily seen, just like his identical hopper pattern, the difference was that it moved naturally -- just like how the trout expects it too. It came down to having a better presentation that made the grasshopper meal undeniable.

To achieve a natural drift -- mend, mend, mend. Learn how to control and move your line against or with the current to avoid drag.

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Categories: Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish

Trim Your Flies Streamside For A Closer Match To The Hatch

17 Aug
0 169 Post by

Most of the flies in your box can be trimmed, colored, and adjusted to imitate practically any
hatch. Bringing a Sharpie or two and your handy clippers is all you need to take an Adams and
craft it into a spinner.

Creativity

Your ability to match the hatch depends on your creativity and knowledge of fly design. Let’s say
you’re out on the water and all you have are parachute dry flies and the trout aren’t biting. You
may have a hunch that a darker fly that hangs before the surface, an emerger, with be exactly
what you need.

So what can you do with what you have? Simple, snip the tail off and color the dubbing / hackle
a bit with a sharpie. Now that you’ve cut the tail clean off, your hook bend will sit deeper in
the water column. With a darker body from coloring you can no match the hatch a bit more
accurately.

Example Recipes

Adams Parachute > Snip tail. > Emerging Mayfly
Adams Catskill-Style > Snip hackle flat on the underside. > Low Seated Dun
BWO Catskill-Style > Snip hackle flat on the underside and top. > BWO Spinner
Copper John > Take black permanent marker to the wire. > Black Stonefly Nymph

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Categories: How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique, Match The Hatch

How Do You Approach A Trout Stream?

17 Aug
0 135 Post by

When you see visible signs of trout feeding on the surface don't immediately make a beeline for the water's edge.  Your most definitely going to push them away and pause them from feeding. Trout can see quite well directly on their sides about 90 degrees front-to-back.  The best places for you to approach a trout are from the front or from behind.  This means you'll need to be proficient in downstream casting upstream casts.

  •  Approach with a light footstep has trout under the bank or near the shorelines can feel the vibrations of your foot. 
  • Wearing clothes that match the skyline or the surrounding brush is always a good idea to help you blend in.
  • Approach slowly and carefully keeping an eye on the trout you're looking to cast to.

While unfortunate, if you do spook the trout just wait a couple of minutes and they will return to actively feeding. I have heard many times of fly anglers crawling into the pool that they are looking to cast into and, simply, waited for the fish to return. Then, they were able to make short casts just a few feet in front of them to land some trout. Of course, this is an extreme example but often wait for trout to return from afar before casting again with great success. If you don't act like a threat, they will soon rule you out -- well, at least for low-pressure streams.

Hatch Schedules

Some of the best spring and summer hatches occur before noon between 7:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.  You'll typically find trout rising just below the surface to midge larvae in the sun's warmth.  When temperatures rise quickly in the summer you will want to go earlier in earlier to find these hatches.

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Categories: Finding Fish, Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique

Is Euro Nymphing Easy?

17 Aug
0 124 Post by

Euro nymphing is not as easy as watching a strike indicator plunge under the surface at every strike, but not by much. However, Euro nymphing is definitely more effective and, arguably, more entertaining due to the attentive nature you need to do it effectively.

I would say that dry fly fishing is more difficult to master than euro nymphing or tight line nymphing. To start euro nymphing, you do not need to memorize the technical details that experts know to get the job done, such as bead size, bead weight, hook gaps, and leader length or thickness. Nor, do you need to be proficient at casting or mending as you do with fly fishing dry flies.

To give you an idea of a basic euro nymphing cast, it’s more swinging the weight of your fly or flies and a flick than a back-and-forth cast. With tight line nymphing, your leader and fly rig does not have the same thickness as a typical tapered leader you would get at the store or online. The euro leader is made up of multiple sections that vary marginally in thickness and is constructed by thin, flexible monofilament and fluorocarbon sections. It is designed for short casts and reaching into pockets.

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Categories: Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique, Nymphing

Why Should I Use A Euro Leader?

17 Aug
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Why? Literally, every reason is a huge bonus compared to not using a hand-crafted European nymphing leader. The leader is specifically designed for maximizing your nymphing for strikes and feeling takes.

Overall, here are a few great reasons why you should be using a euro nymphing leader versus a traditional tapered leader.

Increased Hook-Ups

This belief is a little deceiving because European leaders do help you catch more fish, but it is more than likely your ability to feel every little take compared to before. You could have missed 5 out of 10 hits on a traditional leader modified for nymphing compared to 9 out of 10 on the euro rig. The thickness of the line used in the euro rig is much thinner and much more sensitive to movement and strikes.

Faster Sink Rate

Because a European nymphing line is inherently thinner by design, they do not have as much drag or resistance when moving through the water. Therefore, your nymphs are restricted less and sink faster against the current. Another benefit of line thickness is that the presentation is more natural and drifts freely within the current rather than being unnaturally stiff.

Easier To See With Sight Indicator

While Euro nymphing leaders provide more sensitivity to the point where you can literally feel the nymph dragging, banging against the bottom, and every strike, your ability to see in low and bright light situations only increases your chances. Euro nymphing leaders, typically, have a section of neon green and neon red built into the lower section of the leader. This provides a distinguishable indicator for strikes when the line goes from having a small amount of slack to a tight, resisting line.

Tippet Rings Make Changing Line Fast

We usually add a section of fluorocarbon as the tippet to tie our nymphs to extending from the smooth edges of the tippet ring. In our worst-case scenario, snagging on something and needing to snap it off, we can be back to fishing within a minute or two after tying new sections on and a new set of flies. Otherwise, we can quickly switch out flies or entire rigs with a simple clinch knot to the ring.

Cons To Consider

Euro nymphing rigs are prohibited over a certain leader length in the artificial fly-only sections -- depending on the state and local regulations. In many cases, commissioners have taken out a measuring tape to measure leaders if they feel it may be too comparable to monofilament conventional tackle lines.

Additionally, euro nymphing leaders are more difficult to cast as the thickness and stiffness of lines you’re used to fishing will not be present. However, this is by design as tight-line nymphing is not meant to reach more than 2x your fly rod length. With euro nymphing leaders, you’re largely swinging the weight of your flies and relying less on the weight of your line to cast.

Conclusion

With all things considered, you’re leaving a lot of room for improvement on the table when you’re not fishing a euro leader. You will dramatically notice the difference in your sensitivity to strikes, dings, and bumps below the surface. Personally, I carry two reels at all times in my pack -- one with a euro leader on the spool for nymphs and one with a normal tapered leader for everything else.

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Categories: Fly Fishing For Trout, How to Fly Fish, Learn By Technique, Nymphing, Winter Fly Fishing
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