Trout Fishing Has It's Moments, Some Teach Humility

I woke up this morning and yesterday was on my mind.  My gut is just in a knot over the events that happened and I am totally baffled.  Let me explain.

I arrived at the river at 7am, not early and not that late either. My friend, Al, was a few minutes ahead of me and crossed over to river right.  Things looked as perfect as can be for the river to fish well and the recent high water should have brought some bright ones down from the lake.  I decided to take up a well know position on river left.  I was in a wonderful frame of mind and starting the day with great anticipation.

Within a few moments, Al was into fish number one.  When he landed number three I crossed over as I figured all the fish must be there as the reason for my lack of connection.  I would work the run, Al would step in behind me and hook a fish.  I would put on a curtain fly, Al would do the same and hook a fish.  This was getting very troubling as I played gillie netting fish after fish for this well accomplished and knowledgeable angler. I was being schooled.

I did everything possible to get the set up correct.  I changed leader lengths, added weight, removed weight. went through dozens of flies, even ones I had Al give me from his box, and nothing, not one take could I make happen even though I worked as hard as possible..

The day came to a conclusion when a couple with two big dogs showed up and thought it would be a good thing to throw rocks and big sticks in the pool.  I guess dogs are more important than people at times.  Maybe this was the fate of my day.  Put me off the water and out of my misery.

Al finished the day with ten hooked and eight landed ranging from eighteen to twenty one inches.  All rainbows and very beautiful.

I will continue to figure this out.  It seems like I will have to evaluate every aspect of my setup.

Al left the river in a state of total bliss.  Like he was a child again in full appreciation for what just happened.  This was a very good thing to see.   Me, on the other hand am haunted by this day and by the experience.  Can't wait till Sunday for another dose of humility.

William

The Tools Of The Take

When I first started fly fishing the challenge to get a take was a big deal.  I am now working hard to see and understand what a perfect connection from reel to fly is and to also understand why.  This may sound simple but the total number of options can be substantial.  Getting them all right takes careful consideration.

My opinion is that the correct presentation is the number one factor in getting a fish to act in it's natural state and strike the fly.  Your ability to understand a perfect presentation for a particular situation should not be hindered by your equipment choices.

The Rod
Hi, my name is William and I am a fly rod addict.  I have a neat and concise collection that I have not been afraid to sell from time to time.  Some rods I have regretted loosing and some not so much, but I am always trying to use the best tool that will present my fly correctly.  That means owning and using what you believe is true.

I use switch rods about 75% of the time as they give me the most versatile assortment of possibilities.  It is easy to carry multiple lines and reels and spools and flies but carrying two or more rods is impossible without making a long walk back to the car.  The only disadvantage to the switch is in dry fly fishing for trout.  Today with all the modern rod building techniques making a solid choice gets harder.  Rod builders are making very precise formulas that determine the way their rods function.  The only way to understand what style will work best for you would be the write down where and how you like to fish.  Don't skip any details.  Give this information to each of the rod companies that you are interested in making a purchase.  In talking with them you will receive a real education and have the information necessary to narrow down your choice.

The Reel
In my opinion, the reel is the most important piece of fly fishing equipment you can own.  It is not just a storage device, although the style of the reel is important to the style of line that needs to be stored.  A reel is a centrifugal device that needs to have an ultra smooth start and finish.  This is accomplished by incorporating sealed bearings that will turn without effort with a brake that does not stick.  Your reel will be tested on that first large fish that takes a light tippet.

The Line
The number of line choices is dramatic and completely dependent on the style of fishing and the fish you are after.  Learning about all the types of lines is possible by reading every top quality line manufacturers website.  There is enough information there to make even the most knowledgeable angler confused.  Learn as much as possible and you will be able to make some clear and important observations.  Your local high quality fly shop will be the key to choosing correct lines for each use.  Again, have your list ready so you can cover every aspect of where and what.  How is determined by the rod choice and your casting skills.  Many anglers today are using single hand rods with two hand casting strokes.  Customizing your line to have the proper weight distribution is necessary.

The key to a proper line is the ability to make a presentation in the way the fish want it to be.

The Leader

Guide Rick Gray Checks My Leader

Using a correct leader is a learned experience.  You not only must consider the diameter but the length of each segment.  Every fish as well as form of presentation and size of fly needs to have a different leader structure.  I will use different leader materials depending on what angling I am doing.  Trout and Atlantic salmon are in the same genome but not in relation to equipment and certainly not in the composition of leader material.  Today I mostly use a copolymer for trout, mono for salmon and fluorocarbon for the salt.  Learning and practicing the knots that have the highest strength percentage is critical.

The Fly
On any given day and any given location any fly could work.  Now, saying that puts me in the ranks of a total fool who does not have respect for what the great angling masters would say.   I have hooked Atlantic salmon on big Marabou flies that on the first cast hit the surface in a pile and taken the moment it hit the water.  I have also hooked salmon when I have removed all the materials except the body.  Trout can be the same way sometimes.

The best way to learn what will work is to ask and see.  Very few successful anglers are so anti social and secretive that they will not be willing to share.  Don't be shy, and when someone hooks a fish simply excuse yourself and ask what just happened.  "May I see it?  Nice fish, will get you a long way.  I have no problem asking or sharing.

If you are a fly tier, one of the best ways that I have used to learn is to purchase one of a pattern that I think will work.  I make sure that I have the exact materials and tie a few for the next time out.  Flies are so inexpensive in relation to the time to build correctly and materials cost that buying one should not be an issue.

So, there you have some thoughts with so many variations that it would take a book to cover a portion of each topic.  Just think about each thing as needed.  Do some homework and ask a lot of questions.  I own rods, reels, lines, leaders and flies that will never see the water.  This is part of the process toward getting it right.

William

Sunday Alone For A While In Bristol

FlySpoke At Grantown On Spey

47 degrees and a misting drizzle when I left the house this morning.  To me this is fishing weather with only one thing missing.  My fishing partner.  I'm going at it solo today and getting a late start.

Now don't get me wrong, I love fly fishing but my wife and family come first and are followed by my friends and fishing. As fishing is an extra added activity it will never rank number one.  I am a social animal first and a sportsmen not far down the list.

What I need to make fishing complete is that other person who shares in a day of banter, comradely and spirit.  Having a fishing partner keeps the day moving forward and offers less chance for an early ending.
I am always searching for a reason why I do certain things and friendship is why I fish.

On the days when I am by myself, if I find other anglers on the river,  I am always open to some company.  We share stories, a few flies and the water making the possibility for quality relationships.  Since Sunday I have had communication from Ken and Joe who I met on the river.  It is like a forever expanding circle of people with the same passion.  Being an angler of the fly is just that kind of activity that is not meant to do alone.  It is the reason we all have stories to tell.

I will agree that there are times when I am out in a wild place and can get a true sense of my miniscule position in the world.  I get that feeling of vulnerability and can fully appreciate what it does for my soul.  I just don't need that from fishing. 

I like to share what I know and am always ready to learn.  The person who I am fishing with the most I met in Lawrence Massachusetts some thirty years ago.  I was his introduction to Atlantic Salmon and he is my mentor for fishing trout.  Be open to to that person you meet for the first time.  You might make a life long friend a special part of why you fish.

William

Fly Tying Tip #114

Never tie in synthetic wing materials by the cut tips.  By choosing half the quantity desired and looping back, you can apply these added flash items in a vertical, horizontal or Temple Dog style for a maximum fullness effect.

By using these creative items in this way you are making sure that they can not pull out and will need far less thread to cover properly.

This fly, I call Black Ice, has individual  strands of Pearl Metz Wing n' Flash tied in and folded back surrounding the center tuft of white buck tail.

Why Get Shy When the Waters Get High?

Today, the rivers all over New England are raging.  Many have been stocked, some are still going through natural migrations and even in these high flows it is possible to have a very good day catching fish.

I see this same thing happen all over.  On the Salmon River in New York most anglers will run home if the river hits 1500cfs.   The water goes up real high and everyone thinks the fishing is done.  The posts on local fly fishing forums become full of complaints.

Muddy Waters

So long as the water does not get too muddy, I say get out and learn how to read what is available and close at hand.  The best place for fish to get out of the heavy water is right at your feet close in below large rocks and boulders.  Let's say you are fishing river left, and the flow is a sweeping left turn, these opportunities are even more pronounced.  All rivers are full of these places and all the fish must find them right along with you.  Now, the fish get a head start because a river does not go from low to high in an instant.  As the water starts to rise the fish will start moving close to shore and keep moving to shore searching for safety as the river builds.

Orange Gremlin

If you know there are fish in the river, and you don't want to lose the day, then find the place where the fish will want to be and keep yourself safe on the edges.  The water was in the bushes and a bit off color today, and with the help of the right color flies, I managed to hook five brood stock Atlantic salmon and had at least five more boil on my fly.  All this happened within a rods length from shore.

William

Striped Bass Have Been On A Drastic Decline..........

I have been studying a bit about migrating fish and am now thinking that the Striped Bass may be experiencing the same plight as the Atlantic Salmon in reverse. I also believe this is not a new occurrence but one that ebbs and flows every 35 years or so. 

Let's just look, for now, at recent history. How was the bass fishing back in 1980? On the increase or decline? I think that the answer is increase. Conversely, how was the Atlantic Salmon fishing in 1980? Increase or decrease? Decrease is the answer. Today the reverse is in place, and if I am correct in my observations, Bass anglers are in for 30 more years of change with the bottom happening in 10 to 15 years. Bad for bass and a good time to be a Salmon angler.  I always blamed the Bass for showing up in New England at the same time our beautiful smolts were going to sea.   Yes, a factor, but not a conclusion.


I have been studying what is called the Multidecadal Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation and their combine effects on food source availability and ease of capture for migrating fish species in the North Atlantic.

For Bass,  I do understand that the commercial over harvesting of Juvenal and Adult Menhaden as well as climate change, pesticides, pharmaceuticals and the like have put an extra burden on Menhaden and other prey such as crabs and anchovies. Yet again, not the straw that breaks the back.  This has only caused the downward numbers of Bass to be a bit more dramatic yet not the main cause. The cause is natural and has to do with climate change cycles that have gone on for thousands of years. 

If you want to do the research it will open the door for you. If not, here is the simple version as I have tried to understand.

Cycles cause weather that starts in the Gulf of Mexico, moves north and east, and depending on where the path between the natural Icelandic Low and the Azores High is located, positions the path of these storms to move into the Atlantic Ocean and across to Europe and therefore determines the amount of ocean churning in that longitude determining how easy it is for predatory species to find prey.  

When the cycle is positive the space between these oscillating climate patterns is further north, when negative the path will be further south. Today's cycle is negative overall. When Chesapeake Bay is being battered by winter storm after storm a disruption and scattering of food as well as a change in the salt content of the estuary occurs and Bass find less to eat. Same problem for salmon in the North Atlantic when the storms move higher through Pennsylvania and Nor Easters are pushed further up into the North Atlantic. Survival of the species will cause weaker members to die for the benefit of the masses. In the case of lower tournament weights for Bass, as written in the Marthas Vineyard Gazette,  I believe is a direct influence of food availability.

Remember, this is a law of averages over 35 or more year cycles. Not every season will be bad or good. 

There is reason to act on the reduction of over harvesting of prey by man for commercial use as well as climate related issues. The reason is Critical Mass. If a species declines for what ever reason below a certain value, critical mass is lost and the species will also be lost. We need only watch the Running The Gauntlet video to understand that migrating fish can lose critical mass with man's help. A good thing for the Pacific Salmon and Steelhead is that the Pacific Oscillations are in change for the better as well.

There are many resources for information toward my hypothesis. I am not a scientist but an angler that likes to understand the reasons why. My studies have been mainly influenced by my love of Salar, but seem to have a direct relationship to Striped Bass.  I gave up blaming all the individual reasons for the Atlantic salmon decline and now believe there is a higher power. 

William 

What A Great Day!!!!!

Seven Rainbows Between 18 and 21.5 Inches Today
A traditional Great North Woods fly called Dick's Killer was 
responsible for the three largest........ 

Maine Warden Service: Dover-Foxcroft Man Sentenced for Illegal Taking of Endangered Atlantic Salmon

AUGUSTA, Maine – A man from Dover-Foxcroft was sentenced to six (6) months in federal prison plus two years supervised release today in United States District Court in Bangor. In January, the offender pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Lacey Act for the take and sale of numerous endangered Atlantic Salmon from the Piscataquis River in Dover-Foxcroft during the summer of 2009.

Honorable Judge John Woodcock commented that the defendant was not a sportsman and the method he used to snag the fish was “appalling.” He described the endangered Atlantic Salmon as a magnificent fish whose recovery efforts represent hope for our society.

According to Maine Warden Service Captain Dan Scott, the Maine man was the subject of a 2009 joint investigation between the Maine Warden Service and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, after a tip was received through Operation Game Thief. Wardens and special agents conducted surveillance on the defendant for multiple nights and days during which time numerous violations were documented, including the illegal take, possession and sale of Brook Trout and Atlantic Salmon. Subsequently, a search warrant was executed on the man's residence.

In December 2009, the accused pleaded guilty to several state charges, including possession of live fish, exceeding his bag limit on fish and selling fish.

Captain Dan Scott attributed the successful investigation to good communication and information sharing between the Maine Warden Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents, the Atlantic Salmon Commission and the United States Attorney’s Office in Bangor. He commented that Judge Woodcock’s sentence demonstrated the seriousness of these violations and the fact the people of the state of Maine and the United States will not tolerate the blatant abuse of our endangered fishery resources. 

Fly Tying Tip #113

Getting the head of your Salmon flies to have a smooth and bright finish takes a little time but is very easy to do.  First using the thinnest thread that you feel comfortable with make sure that you are always placing your winds next to the other.  No crossing and making uneven bumps.  Second always make your whip finish end at the back and bottom of the head and trim with a straight edge razor.  Nice and tight to the head.  Next put on one thin coat of your favorite head finish.  Then after this is dry go back and fill in any places you see thread that was not covered by using the point of a pin and dipping in the head finish.  Let that dry.  Add brush coat #2 and then # 3.  Make sure that this is completely dry and then apply coat #4.   I always us clear and make the color happen by the color of the thread.  One important factor is that you spin the fly on coats #3 & #4 so gravity can make the head finish dry away from the thread.  This is the key to a very smooth surface.  For working flies two coats will due.

Steak & Eggs With A little Hot Sauce

Yesterday was a great day to be in the woods.  Mid state New Hampshire is just starting to show strong signs of coming through what seemed like the longest of winters sleep.   The fiddleheads are well sprouted and I was bitten by the first black fly of the season.

Another aspect to this time is a transition from universal high water run off in rivers that are below lakes and the timing of optimum minimum lake level for the summer holiday season.  The high flow creates places to find large fish that have emigrated over spillways and the quickly lowered flow gives the opportunity to find them.  This becomes the perfect time to be there.  If you look at the the USGS river flow in cubic feet per second, for many New England locations, you will see that these graphs made a dramatic downward motion over the last week.  The keepers are starting to hold back water by putting in boards that raise the height of their dam.  Prior to this time, the rivers flowing into these same lakes are seeing their annual migrations of lake dwellers running to up river pools.  Some are stopped by additional dams and some travel deep into the woods.  The farther north you go, the later these events are happening.  You can still catch these rights of spring in most locations in the North East.

This is a magical time of regeneration and birth that has different results according to situation.  At some places, the river below dams are now low enough to produce hatches.  Fish from below can move up close to the dam to feed. Others are following suckers, walleye and perch for some tasty treats. Smelt are on the move and attract salmon and the rainbows are just doing their spawning ritual and have access to a smorgasbord  after the nuptials are complete.

There are many of these locations and each has it's unique aspect that makes it a valuable possibility to catch large trout and salmon.

This is a time for steak and eggs for our fly patterns.  If you want to attract a large fish then feed it a meal.  Eggs, worms, leeches, smelt, spawn and sculpin are all highly prized tastes in a discerning pallet.

OK, back to yesterday.  The rainbows were as hot as steelhead in the warming water.  The smallest fish we netted was 18" with two others at 21" and one that was a real giant that snapped a 4X tippet after a hard fought down stream battle.  The flies that were the big winners were Floro Pink San Juan Micro Worms, Hot Orange Red Dot Eggs, Red Belly White Sucker Spawn, Pale Yellow Sucker Spawn and Red Butt Woody Streamers.  Although we tried Caddis Larva, Emergers, Pheasant Tails and Hairs Ears not one fish was hooked with these insect replicating patterns.  We saw no surface activity that indicated that fish were even there.

The transition will happen in very short order.  These same locations we will be fished with emergers and dry flies and will transform over a week or two at most.  For the time before the hatches, hit them big and hit them low and make it bright.  The results can be dramatic.

William

Fly Tying Tip #112

Less is more.  When you are tying a group of the same fly, be conscious of the quantity and proportion of materials you use.  I find myself using too much of some ingredients at times.  Trout and Salmon have eyes that act as magnifying glasses.  They see great details up close and less from a distance.  This is why a fish will accelerate on a presentation and only at the last moment jam on the brakes.  Think sparse because the fish see far more than we might think.

William

Summer Solstice June 21, 2011 1:16pm EDT

There are two days each year that get me going.  The first is the Winter Solstice because I know when that day comes and goes I can start the count down till Spring.  I fish all winter long, here in New England, and notice when it is still light out at 5pm.  I notice that when I travel in the morning those days in February that the sun is coming up as I rush to my destination with sugar plums dancing.

The second, and most important day, is the Summer Solstice.  The longest day of light, and in the season of Salmo Salar, represents the start of the most important fishing period possible.  Yes, I do angle in late May and early June for the big bright hot springers, but the Solstice starts the days of plenty.   There are certain rivers like Matane and Moisie and a number of others that run later into July and August as the best time.  For most of North America, excluding the fall run rivers, the end of June and early July is prime. 

There is only one last thing that makes the Solstice ever more special.  That is when a full moon coincides and  creates the perfect alignment and experience.  The attached photo was taken on June 21 on a full moon Solstice at 10 pm.  We were just finishing the day at Toms Brook on the Restigouche.

If you are working on plans for this year or next, these earth science dates are what you need to offer yourself a better chance at a successful trip.  If the full moon is on the 15th of June, then you might see a few early fish, but you would still be better off to push your dates forward a bit.  If the full moon falls on the 20th or later then go for that time and you should be golden.  There is something very special about June 24th for me.  I think it might be that I have been successful on that date more than any other.

Location, location, location is a times old truth but timing, timing, timing can turn the location into a beautiful day.

William

Below Then Above The Bridges Of Matapedia

I love fishing from a 26 foot or larger Gaspe Boat.  The secure feeling and ease of river placement makes the experience a real thrill. Your guide has the ability to point out exactly where the fish will be and you can cover a great deal of water while moving from pool to pool.

My first endeavor into this style of Salar angling came in 1985 on the Matapedia River in Quebec.  The river was not new to me but hiring a guide with a boat was.

The lower river was very different back then. What has happened over a short period of time is mainly the result of clear cut logging. When you remove the trees, sometimes within a short distance from the river bank, a number of bad things happen.  The major problem is that the amount of water, after a heavy rain, that rushes into the river flow is accelerated to the point that the hydrological effects are far greater than these rivers have ever naturally experienced.   The water in flow in harder bringing extra sediment.  The forest does not act as a sponge releasing the water slowly so the river is then subject to low and warm periods during late summer.  The extra sediment is carried down river and causes the lower stretches to fill in and widen.

Let's just say the lower pools of the Matapedia are not what they used to be. Some are completely gone and reside only in my memory.

During those days, Atlantic salmon were in a downward cycle.  The North Atlantic Oscillation was severely positive and the result was you could only catch and release one fish per day by law.  I met my guide and we started below the bridge within sight of where the Matapedia meets the Restigouche. By 10AM I hand tailed a twelve pound bright June salmon just down river after a few drops.  The problem now facing me was what am I going to do for the rest of the day.  I felt lost and needed to fish.

The next morning we road the boat up river to a pool just above the bridge in Ste. Alexis de Matapedia.  This morning was not going to end early and I chose to use an eight pound leader.  I don't understand the logic, but it is what I did.  On cast number four I received the jolt of my salmon life.  This pool is the place where the largest Matapedia Salmon was angled at fifty six pounds.  Now, I didn't have a fish of that size on my line but what I had was at least twenty five and more like thirty.  The first charge was up river to the right of the boat and the line was throwing a wake and splash that I had not experienced before.  It looked like a rooster tail behind a speed boat.  Then, a sudden burst of added acceleration and , SNAP!

I fished all the rest of that day and the next and the next without another take.  I fished hard and felt so stupid.  A world famous Matapedia guide I met many times, the late Richard Adams, would have been very upset with me for using anything lighter than twenty five pound test in June.  Had I not been so brash to think that this was an easy game and I could temp the fate of the river, I would have had a fish that would be most anglers top trophy.

Today the catch limit is two salmon released for the day on the Glenn Emma water.  Or two grilse and a salmon should the grilse come first. This is not the law. but is the chosen rule of sportsmen in Quebec.  Personally, I have had a number of three and four fish days in my life.  Mostly in New Brunswick where there is a four fish limit by law.   I have had far more zero fish days, just for the record.

So what is the point of this story?  I think it is that I should never take a fish for granted.  Treat every precious moment as if it could be your last and savor in what is, and forget about what might be.  Always do what is right..................

William

Figuring Out The Key To A Successful Day

Sometimes a good quality fishing day takes going through each learned possibility until you hit the right combination.  This year though,  it has been a bit harder than having the luxury of making a good guess.

During the past month, I have been fishing one of our spring run landlocked salmon rivers.  Twice a year these fish will move out of the lakes, and up the tributaries, making runs for different reasons.  In the spring they are targeting spawning fishes eggs and roe.  They also will feed on the smelt that are spawning.  In the fall they make their own spawning run.  This can be exciting fishing and I wait in heightened anticipation for these brief days of plenty.

This year has proven to be one that has my thirty seven years of spring river experience a bit mystified. I would have thought by now that we would be deep into the season.  Yet a mere trickle of fish have moved up from the holding water in the lower river.  The suckers have made their way in good numbers yet the salmon and trout have hung back.  There is a mysterious lack of lake rainbows that should be spawning as well.

When things seem out of timing, I always look to nature for the reason.  Sure as can be, man can play a roll in a disruption of nature and with that possibility ruled out nature is the key.  It is not a matter of going through the fly box with proven winners or changing line or weight or anything we have power over.  You must look to a deeper reason.  You must understand and go to where the fish are comfortable by nature.

 Rainbow trout will make a spawning run when the water is approximately 42 degrees Fahrenheit.  Smelt will want to have the water over 39 degrees and according to my observation they wait until the water is in the 45 degree range.

What does this have to do with it?

As most of us will agree, winter just does not want to flip over to spring this year.  The nights have been cold and the days moderate at best.  There was a good quantity of ice and snow and everything has been moved back.  The river, I have been fishing, has just hit 44 degrees for a day time high and is dipping back each night.  I expect things will change as they always do according to this simple fact of science.  Everything revolves around the food source for the young that are to be born and the perfect temperature that is needed must be met for nature to allow the progression to begin. Last year was equally as strange as the fishing started a month earlier.

The river is high, the comfort zone has been met and I expect to be into some great fishing in New England over the next four weeks. 

The fish know when it is right............I'm still learning!

William

Fly Tying Tip #111

Although this might take some time, the time saved overall is enormous.  For what seems like forever,  I have been keeping all my materials in bins, draws, poly bags, plexi glass containers,  and jars.  I had no system for knowing exactly where a certain item is stored and I spent a great deal of my precious tying time just looking for that exact item needed.  I would do a lot of, "Oh yea, I remember that stuff".

So, start to name and number each and every storage container .  Then make a list in category, then name in alphabetical order then by bin and bag.

Something like.......
Golden Pheasant Crest - Draw 1, Jar 2
Natural Pheasant Tail - Bin 10, Poly 14
Peacock Herl - Draw 1, Box 4, Poly 3

Oh, that's where I put that roll of Angora yarn.  You get the drill!!!!  No need to do this all at one time.

Indicators Need To Travel With The Brakes On

Many of us are nymph fishing with the added use of indicators and weight.  I see many fly fishers incorporating this set up, yet I have never noticed one with ideal weight distribution.  I have seen the center pin boys on the Salmon River in New York using the right stuff.

First, let's understand that in any river the flow speed at the surface is very different from the flow speed at the bottom.  If you are fishing with an indicator in moderately fast water and have your first weight three to four feet from the float then you are dragging the weight.  The reason is that the surface current is faster than the bottom where the flow meets resistance from an ever changing path.   You have added weight, to get the fly down, and that causes the place on the leader where the weight is located to move slower than the bottom current.  This is a matter of physics and the energy necessary to push the added weight. Let's use the physics and understand what might happen if the heaviest weight was placed three inches below your indicator?  Then a few more, that are progressively lighter, were placed in intervals down to your fly.  Do you think that you could cause the indicator to move slower than the fly?

This is but one way you can use weight distribution to enhance a certain river situation.


Dead drift, or a drag free presentation, is considered the most appetizing to trout.  I like to call this a natural presentation.  The fly does not move faster or slower than the waters current column, nor does the fly swing and move side to side.  For me the indicator has two main purposes.  The obvious is to show a take.  The less obvious is to always have your presentation moving in straight lines down river.  The ideal situation is to feed the fly directly into the fishes mouth making sure that the leader is not in the fishes face first.  The only way this can be accomplished is to have the fly be the lightest part of the set up and moving in front of everything else.

Your weight choice should be a non toxic egg shape design without the easy removal ears.  I like the dark green color.  The added ears makes it easy to remove the weight, but will complicate your presentation because of spinning.   A well rounded collection from medium to very small sizes is desired.  You can use a small drop of Crazy Glue to make placement positions on your leader.  This will help keep the weights from slipping and not have a need to smash down the weights. 

Each situation creates a different choice you must make.  The faster the surface water the more weight that should be added just below your indicator.  Slow current might require light weight under the indicator and a long tippet from the lowest weight.   Each segment of river is totally different from another and if you want to maximize your day you will need to make choices.  The most important part of this puzzle is to equalize the speed of your indicator and fly. 


Do not confuse indicator float fishing with indicator Czech Nymph fishing.  They are completely different in structure.  I will have another post ready soon to go into that important topic. 

William