Archive Page for Todd's "Tip of the Week"
When presenting your fly just below or within the water’s surface, a sideways hook-set enables a quicker and more efficient hook-set by using the surface tension and resistance of the water to bury the hook
Spend time on the water during the beginning and towards the end of the season, as the number of anglers is greatly reduced and the fish are far less pressured and as a result.... less suspicious of your offerings
If you aren’t experiencing any strikes, give a fly pattern at least twenty minutes before changing to another pattern or size. But don’t valuable waste time changing patterns if you have a productive, proven pattern, as it may simply be a case of the fish being “off the bite” at that particular moment in time. It's equally important to remember that you can’t catch fish if your fly isn’t in the water!
When fishing in a lake or in very slow flowing water, a fly fisher would be wise to maintain contact with their flies by keeping the tip of their fly rod low and at times even below the surface of the water, which will significantly improve overall strike detection of even the subtler takes
Make the time to practice and refine your casting skills. Possessing the ability to make long casts is at times very impressive, but overall, accuracy and delicacy are far more important qualities of a great cast. Just remember... "Practice makes Perfect"
Polarized sunglasses allow you to peer through the water's surface in order to identify lies and locate fish, but more importantly... they allow you to observe the trout's reaction to your fly and the presentation
Always wet your knots before drawing them tight (friction weakens the leader material). Frequently inspect and test your leader and knots to reduce the chances of losing fish
A wading staff allows you to access and reach areas of the river that might otherwise be inaccessible and left untouched by other anglers
Using a sidearm cast allows you to keep your fly and line closer to the surface of the water, which can be beneficial when fishing during windy conditions and for presenting flies beneath overhanging brush and tree banches
It is often easier to wade across faster flowing stretches of water by traveling in a slightly downstream angled direction rather than fighting the current with a sideways or upstream approach
When attempting a 180 degree direction change while wading in fast flowing water, it is important to slowly pivot on one foot that is securely planted and use the current and your wading staff to help you turn
One of the best ways to improve your fly fishing skills and proficiency is to force yourself to start casting, and resist the urge and temptation to troll - for it is somewhat comparable to the angler who frequently carries both a spinning rod and fly rod to the river or lake, and when the going gets tough, they typically opt for the easier of the two methods in order to achieve instant gratification rather than persevering, which often reduces the odds that they will become proficient with either method. In that particular scenario, perhaps the old saying: "A jack of all trades - but master of none", couldn't be more appropriate...
Down-size and lengthen your tippet or consider using fluorcarbon for the last two feet of your leader, as trout tend to become much more leader-shy when pressured and as water levels drop
When using smaller patterns , use hooks with wider gapes to improve their hooking and holding abilities
Using a dry fly pattern that sits lower in the surface film or trimming the hackle on the underside of the pattern will imitate both an emerger and adult at the same time
Applying floatant to the upper portion of your dry fly will keep it riding lower within the surface film
Present your flies in the difficult and hard to access areas of a pressured river will increase your odds of enticing a fish to strike
Work on your technique and presentation to ensure that a drag-free drift is achieved
Nothing beats time spent on the water!
Learn how to present your fly while traveling im an upstream direction (improves stealth and helps to reduce drag)
Shorten the length of your cast when fishing moving waters (less line on the water helps to reduce the effects of drag and improves reaction times during hook sets)
Study the various casts that allow a prolonged drag-free drift of the fly (serpentine, puddle, tuck, curve, reach, etc…)
Learn how to properly mend your line (an essential skill to possess in order to reduce the effects of drag)
Collect and examine insect samples while on the water
While trout tend to be opportunistic by nature – properly matching the colour of the underside of the thorax and abdomen can be very important during an intense hatch
Always wear an approved PDF (personal floatation device) when fishing or wading
Understanding rise forms and identifying the ring patterns that are created by rising trout can easily triple your angling success rate!
Air bubbles left on the water's surface is an obvious indicator that the trout has taken an insect at the surface, and often indicates the trout’s direction of travel and best location to place your next cast
Using an attractor or searching pattern such as a dragonfly nymph, scud or leech is often the wisest choice if no surface or feeding activity has been observed