Fishing Dry Flys on the White River

 

Given the few exceptions when we see both the caddis and sulphur hatches, dry fly fishing in our area, is limited. Granted we may have opportunity, if we see low water levels, to fish imitations of chironomids and baetis.

Other than that, it is sunk fly techniques that by far account for the majority of trout caught.

Beside my passion for fishing traditional wet flys, it is dry fly fishing that holds great appeal to me. There is nothing to beat the sight of a rising fish taking your fly. Better still is sight fishing to a target fish.

We do have plenty of opportunity to fish terrestrial dry fly patterns. Saying that, no fly fisher should ever be without these four fly patterns; Elk hair caddis, ants, hoppers, and Adams. Overall these four flys represent a cross section of insect species for any trout water habitat in the world.

Personally l would add to the list of four.  For our rivers; dry GRHE, Muddler crane fly, crickets, Coch y Bonddu, Bivisibles, Ginger quill, and Black gnat.

There are times when we will have to fish flies that are more directly related to the abundant species of interest.

Fishing.

Remember that fluorocarbon filament sinks. It is, as a rule, not to be used for dry fly fishing. Ideally you should use copolymer which has a sink rate much lower than regular mono. Then we need floating agents. Not one suits for all types of dry fly as there are disadvantages to using the wrong type. Ideally you should carry at least two types; silicone powder and fluid. Better still if you also carry a dry fly aerosol spray.

Silicone fluids and powder work great for flies that incorporate deer hair bodies and wings, not so good for hackled dry flys or those using CDC. This is because the hackle or CDC will become clogged and heavy. Such flies are best treated with a spray type floatant that leaves no colored residue. In my book such residue is unacceptable. One of the reasons why hackled flies work well is due to the transmitted effect of the hackle. Destroy that and you have lost much of the intrinsic value of those flies.

Here’s another good tip. If you tie or buy dry flies, treat them with either dry or spray type agents well before you intend to use them. Many products out there are only half as good if you apply them at the river.  One very good product for this purpose is Water Shed.

Further l have no doubt you would have noticed with many fluid type silicones an oil slick once the fly has been dressed and cast to the water. What you should do is to make casts to the water well away from your target fish until this excess reside has gone, then go for your target. You will be surprised how many fish will refuse a fly that creates an oil slick from the get-go.

For leaders, simply the longer the leader/tippet section, the better the odds are you will be able to achieve a better natural float, at any given angle. Or you should; provided you have presented the fly in the right manner above the known fish position and made the correct formation of the fly line so the fly dead drifts to the target. Drag is by far your worst enemy with the exception of dry caddis and in some cases terrestrial species that are struggling, such as hoppers and beetles. Movement here is often acceptable, particularly for large Browns.

Personally, l do not use shop-bought tapered leaders. l determine how l will build my leader system related to its length and type of fly l am going to fish. Other than that, a regular 9ft or 12ft leader with additional tippet is added. Overall l prefer a leader of 12 to 15ft  and at times more, particularly when fishing shallow slower water where the fly line may spook fish due to created shock waves and shadow cast. This at all costs should be avoided.

One very big mistake that many make is not to read the water before rushing into making a cast, and spooking the fish, either with a bad drift or when the fly line and fly are recovered for the next cast.

Spend time and read the water, how the surface movements are likely to influence your drift.  At what position is the fish looking to rise and take the natural?

Is it best to make an upstream, across or downstream presentation?  All have to be considered. It can make the difference, of that you can be assured. You may have the right fly; but if not presented in the right manner, it matters not.

Another good tip is to use a longer section of tippet than normal. If, for example, we are going with a 9ft leader to 5 x, now add to that 4ft or more or 5 or 6x, the finer x of the additional tippet you use the odds are you will catch more fish for the simple reason that line in the surface is more visible to the trout's eye.  Stockers may not care too much; but we are after the larger trophy fish, are we not?! Long sections of fine X diameter line also move way better with the natural surface movements.  The lack of this movement is often a negative factor when using short 9ft leaders.

Rods

If you have fished with bamboo, then you would appreciate its value when dry fly fishing for the reason that it will enable you to cast a very accurate line. I have no use for fast tip action rods when dry fly fishing. For the reason that they will often result in breaking off fine tippets or tearing the fly from the trout's mouth at the hook set.  There is a very big difference in dry fly fishing and hook setting as opposed to fishing a dead drift nymph at depth. Granted if you are fishing larger flies such as hoppers and stones, it's not so much an issue. It certainly is when fishing smaller flies attached to 5/6/7x.

My choice is, without a doubt, a mid flex soft tip action rod.

There are many other options that you may also consider so far as dry fly fishing.  Dry/dropper nymph rigs for one.  Double up with two dries such as a hopper and a smaller imitation. Maybe the hopper is taken. Maybe it attracts the trout to the smaller fly. If you have problems seeing small flies, then the large fly may be added as a dropper above or below the smaller. This gives you sight of the general location of your smaller fly. Watch the surface for the rise if you cannot see the fly.  As often as not the larger dry will move as the fish takes and turns with the small fly.

If l do use a dropper set up, it should be a detached dropper and not an in-line system. The dropper fly is able to animate which is not the case with an in-line system. Although an in-line system may reduce your tangles, that is an issue related to casting; not having the leader system set up right or both reasons.

If there is any one issue l would tell you to work with, it is this: know how to make very accurate straight line casts. Presentation casts such as slack line, puddle, curve casts, are also needed if you wish to become an accomplished dry fly addict.

OK, with the expected lower water flows, go for it with the dry.  Forget the numbers game and learn some new skills.  Fish dry today and nothing else.

Tight lines all.

Davy Wotton