subsurface flies

[gs]

Hello All,

I'm new to fly fishing, 2005 was my first season with approximately 10 trips between June 15 and September 15. I am very puzzled. While fishing Halfords Run today (4/20/2006 1:pm - 5:00pm) I saw many trout pulled out of the water by spin casting fishermen fishing the bottom or below the surface. In an attempt to put a fly where the fish were biting, I completely struck out with Hornbergs and BWO Nymphs. The only fish I caught were on a Hendrickson Emerger pattern floating on the surface or slighltly below. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what may have worked below the surface as well as the bait the spin casters were using?

Just an observation (and not a commercial), but I seem to catch fish in the trips conducted just after visiting with the people at Upcountry and reading their web reports. The point is that some of us may feel we have bad technique, however, it seems to me that the right fly is far more important than technique. After all, even the most "casting challenged" among us will have a good one every once in a while. And when it happens, we should at least have the correct fly on the end of our line. Today, I saw a number of different bugs in the air. I know from study that some were Hendricksons and BWO. Whith all the "bait" in the air and dancing on the surface, what might have been more appealing under the surface?

Thanks,

Gaylon

[The Patriot]

The eternal search for subsurface flyfishing success continues......

You are not alone my friend.... this is my tenth season flyfishing... I have fished the Farmington, the Catskills, the Great Lakes tribs, and the salt.... I have caught trout to 20 inches, steelhead to 31, stripers to 28... I have caught fish on streamers, nymphs, egg patterns, wooly buggers, and every kind of dry fly you can name.... and STILL, I am not consistently proficient at subsurface fishing....

Today I was at the Boneyard.... along with about 25 of my new closest friends..... I got one good fish, about 15 to 16 inches, and missed a half dozen strikes, fishing nymphs and wets all day.... I saw folks upstream from me in the prime nymphing water get fish after fish, fish up to 21 inches.... I saw a light hatch of Hendricksons and Blue Quills, no BWO. Blue Quills have 2 tails and a distinctively different body color than BWO, and these were definitely Blue Quills.

Based on what I saw, I would think that subsurface patterns that might have been effective would be #16 to 18 nymphs, wet flies, and soft hackles, and #12 to 14 nymphs, wets, and soft hackles. The hatch was light, and the fish were reticent to rise. A fellow angler fishing near me did very well with a Hendrickson "Flymph".

I must respectfully disagree with you about pattern vs. technique. It is my opinion, and has been my experience, that technique is far, far more important than pattern. A #16 nymph is a #16 nymph.... if it is fished properly it will take fish if the fish are eating nymphs. It doesn't matter if it is a pheasant tail, GRHE, angry jake, jailbird, copper john, BWO, hendrickson, sulphur, or whatever other pattern you might imagine.... it's all about presentation.... and this is coming from one who has yet to master subsurface presentation.....

Now put me over rising fish, and I'll stick every fish in the pool.... but if they're not rising, I'm lost......

Welcome to the game......

Best of luck....

Jim

Keep at it,

[Troutfitter]

I have many opinions about nymphing based on years of practice and observation. One is similar to 3weights... I have spent much time sight nymphing to trout and have discovered that just about any nymph that drifts into a trout's path will be eaten. Sight nymphing is where I find the trout on the bottom of the river using polarized glasses and taylor a presentation to that specific trout. Most of the time I can detect when the trout takes the fly by seeing the gills flare to suck in the nymph.

My second belief is that we only see about 10 percent of the takes using nymphs. Using a sight nymphing method and a strike indicator I will only see a fraction of the takes watching the indicator that I see when watching the trout inhale the nymph. The trout suck in our offerings and spit them out without even a twitch on the indicator. Our results with nymphs are only a little behind the bait fishermen.... but bait is held onto because it is food and the strike is easy to detect, while the tied fly is only held onto for a fraction of a second.

Even though trout are much less selective underwater, the correct fly will almost always outperform the wrong one... even in subsurface situations. Size and shape, then color, particularly light or dark, will affect the number of trout that take the fly. Beadheads and Flashbacks are effective but are most often taken by the trout for their flash.... making the the type of fly unimportant.

[gs]

Thanks for your responses and indulging my lack of experience.

[FK]

Our results with nymphs are only a little behind the bait fishermen.... but bait is held onto because it is food and the strike is easy to detect, while the tied fly is only held onto for a fraction of a second.

Grady, are you suggesting we should add some bait to the hook, PT/mousey grub?

Regards,
FK