what should i be doing?

[lozza]

Been out for a couple session on the river recently which has brought up some issues that I need to over come but I am struggling to find answers, can you guys and girls give your thoughts. I have been using ordinary low diameter hook length line for my leaders which has been fine until I try fishing faster water, the problem being the fly line travels a lot faster that the leader and is pulling my fly out of position and making it react very unnaturally, the river is only about 4 feet deep and seems to be a consistence speed and approximately 25 meter across and the fish seem to hug the far bank, I need to use floating line as I can not cast directly were the fish are due to overhanging trees, I have to cast up stream of them and let the line float in to position. I have only been using floating line is it worth trying an intermediate sinking line?

 

Are designed fly leaders denser or a different make up than ordinary mono i.e. less stretch? if I put fullers earth on the line it stands out like a sore thumb compared to standard mono but it sinks faster and seems to make the flies go with the flow rather than drag across the river but its a pain to keep having to reapply, could I use rig putty? Is there such thing as a low diameter fast sink mono? I am using both wet flies and nymphs I put an upstream mend in the line but this does not help at the business end any ideas about how to over come this?

 

I have had some success with the flies that I am using mainly from chub, perch, roach and dace, is there any way to be more specific i.e. trout (I have even caught a few minnows)? I have also used some dry flies (the may fly has been hatching here for around a week) again just getting takes from small fish yet I know there are some very big trout in the river but I can not seem to get through to them can any body help?

 

When stripping some of the flies back I get an almighty tug, some of them have even snapped the leader but I have yet to land any of the fish any ideas? Will a double fly strength leader absorb the take and should I be using it rather than normal mono?

[Steve Walker]

Presenting a fly in a dead drift to fish which are in slower water than that which the fly line has to traverse is - basically - the difficult bit!

 

Have a look at this:

 

http://midcurrent.com/techniques/a-mending-primer/

[lozza]

Thanks the more I read the more I learn. I have tried the up stream mend but it did not have as much effect as I would have liked. Is there a preferred type of fly line that will help the mend?

[Tony U]

lozza

I used to prefer a double taper on the rivers but at the ranges I was fishing I discovered it made no real difference. As you tend to be fishing at short range them a steep forward taper is useful so you can load your rod quickly, without having too much line aerialised.

[greg long]

Try using flourocarbon instead of mono, it will sink without the aid of fullers earth. Also when casting overshoot and stop the line sharply so it falls back in s shaped coils, this will allow more time before the dreaded skating.