A WINTER/EARLY SPRING HATCH:  THE LITTLE BLACK STONEFLY 

For the fly-fisher Pennsylvania offers trout fishing opportunities all twelve months of the year.  True, there are times during the winter when conditions can be less than desirable - and that's putting it mildly.  Personally, I made the decision years ago that there are three conditions I'm not willing to tolerate:  high water, air temperature below freezing and stiff wind.  Yeah, I know, some of you know I'll make an exception when it comes to wind.

Living right on the dividing line between central and north central PA puts me in that difficult position of having some good mountain freestone streams as well as the well-known limestoners sufficiently close to home that I can be torn at times as to where I want to fish.  Hey, somebody's got to suffer with having to make these choices so I willingly accept my burden.

An added bonus it that so many streams in my area can be described as insect factories.  A stream with a diverse population of critters can be either a blessing or a curse but I'll take it either way.  I find it interesting that most fly-fishers only think of "hatch-matching" as pertains to fishing emergers or dries to include both duns and spinners for mayflies and adult forms of caddisflies and stoneflies.  While in the past there was a fair amount of interest in nymph patterns that suggested naturals that doesn't seem to be the case today.  Look in most nymph boxes and you'll see what I'm talking about.

I derive a fair bit of satisfaction from tying nymphs to suggest the naturals which inhabit the waters I fish.  And that means I look forward to when certain bugs become active and by this I mean to the point we get to experience their emergence.  Sure, the aquatic forms of the critters we look forward to are down on the stream's substrate clinging to rocks and other debris doing what's necessary to survive and grow.  They're doing everything they need to do to arrive at that point when they're ready for that grand change:  transforming into their terrestrial form.  

While midges can be active during the winter the first larger critter to show is the early little black stonefly, also known as the "snowfly."  Of the family Capniidae, these stoneflies are usually size 18 all the way up to size 14 in fly-fishers' lingo.  Forget those tiny size 22 stones.  We won't concern ourselves with them for now.  The early little black can make it's appearance in early February if weather and water conditions are agreeable to these little critters.  I see the adults along the stream bank crawling on the ice or snow if there's any around.  Obviously, the best indicator that it's time to fish a little black stonefly pattern is when I see them.  No brainer here, for sure.  Oh, and here's a little more info for you:  I've never seen a nymph shuck on a rock along the stream bank.  Seems like they hatch in the stream.

Here's where I'm going to make a profound statement that tends to go against what some of my peers say about fishing in winter.  My experience over the years has taught me that cold water doesn't necessarily mean inactive trout.  On the contrary, I believe that if water temps have been stable for at least 18 hours - and preferably 24 hours - trout become acclimated and resume their "normal" activity.  I've had some great fishing in 35 degree water temps in the past.  Now, if there's been any kind of a drop in water temps in the last several hours that's not a good thing and I'd be better off staying home and tying flies, writing about fishing or whatever.

  

I'll admit that I'm not going to be seen on a trout stream when the air temp isn't expected to rise to above freezing.  The last straw for me was when I found myself fishing one cold winter day and I went to cast.  Something went terribly wrong and it was then I saw that about 3 feet of my line and leader had frozen straight.  With that and having to break ice out from my guides I don't need that kind of grief.

Here's where you normally read that I fish deep and slow.  Not really any different that how we usually fish nymphs now, is it?  Nope, it's not!  It's true that I don't fish really shallow water.  During the winter and the earliest part of spring trout seem to hold in a bit deeper water.  Here's where you want to be careful not to pass up water that may be a bit slower with just a little more depth.  I refer to these as gouges or cuts.  They can hold fish.  I've found myself half-heartedly fishing some of this water until I hook a fish...and then another, and another.  If it looks even remotely like it may harbor a trout...fish it!

When I fish a little black stone nymph I make it a point to cover the water thoroughly.  This includes repeated drifts through my targeted area.  I need to ensure I've given the trout ample opportunity to take my fly.  It never ceases to amaze me that, after having drifted through a spot many times, all of a sudden a good wild brown decides that it wants my nymph after all.  Why it took so many drifts I'll never know.

  

It fascinates me that some anglers don't place any importance on fishing a little black stone dry.  I've talked to numerous anglers who say trout don't feed on them.  Obviously, I'm not one of them.  I always have a few in my fly box at this time of year.  I must admit that I really don't expect to see fish taking hatching stones from the surface until later in their emergence and that's usually sometime from mid-March and later.  When they hatch the adults flutter a lot on the surface.  Don't be afraid to impart some action to your fly when you fish dry.  I've had some productive times when trout were taking these adults from the surface.  At the end of the day I don't want to be sulking over missed opportunities.

  

Have I whetted your appetite to get out early and cover some water with a little black stonefly imitation?  You're the only one to answer that question, obviously.  Here's an FYI for 'ya.  The photos of trout accompanying this piece were all taken on little black stones!

                                                 SIPPERS AND A LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP

It's something that happens every year particularly from mid-to late summer through fall.  Streams are flowing at seasonal lows and the major hatches are now a part of recent history.  It's also time to be cognizant of the fact that some streams need a rest...well, it's all about the trout.  Water temperatures!!

Major - and prolific - hatches are history for the year with very few exceptions.  That doesn't mean that the only fare to bring trout to the surface to feed is terrestrials or midges.  On the contrary, many streams still have hatch activity, albeit sparse or occurring either very early morning or near and after light fades to the point I can't see to cast accurately much less recognize that a fish has chosen my fly.

I find it quite interesting that mayflies are the only critter in all insectdom (think kingdom but for bugs) to have two stages in the adult form.  For the fly fisher this just adds to potential opportunity!  While most spinners follow what we'd consider the norm - gathering en masse to do their procreation thing either early morning or at dusk - there seems to be a fair number that are willing to venture out at odd times throughout the day.  And, lo and behold, they somehow manage to end up on the water where they become easy pickins for the trout.

When it comes to mid-to-late summer fishing I'm fortunate to have a good stream nearby that never warms beyond what is considered fishable.  There are more than a few sections of fairly long, slow water and it's here that fish can be found feeding on the surface sometimes for hours a day.  Never one to be tempted to engage in an effort of futility or something relatively close, I tend to focus on attempting to dupe these fish as they sip on surface fare.  Yep, temptation gets the best of me!

What's really crazy is how long the opportunity to give in to temptation extends throughout the season.  That opportunity grows as time passes and the heat of summer gives way to cooler temperatures.  That translates into more fishable streams.  And that's a good thing!

It's typical of this time of year to see stream flows at or near their lowest.  Surprisingly one stream I fished this past fall was so low that some of the best nymphing water was what I felt too low to consider fishing with a subsurface fly.  Yeah, that's bad.  This stream, while considered a premier trout fishery, gets warmer during a hot, dry summer than most people think.  Drought conditions only make things worse and that means I stay away until temperatures drop and water cools to a point that I can resume fishing.

With the option for nymphing off the table it didn't take me long to spot some fish activity.  I was a bit surprised when I observed more trout, along with a few fallfish here and there, feeding on the surface than what would normally be the case.  While fish could be seen rising in this particular stretch it usually takes a bit of hatch activity to get these fish to look up.  Typical of these kinds of days I couldn't see anything in the air in the form of bug activity.  And also typical of these kinds of days there was nothing to give a hint as to what these fish were taking.  

Once I've decided to target these trout I can look at it what's behind my giving in to temptation a couple of ways:  either I really get off on a challenge or I'm a glutton for punishment.  In reality both are applicable.  Regardless, the sight of smutting rises is ... well ... you gotta' feel it to understand it!

So, what's a smutting rise, you may ask.  Well, the best way I can define it is the subtle sip of a trout taking small stuff off the surface.  After all, trout don't have to work hard at all when they hold in slow flow as the surface currents bring them food items that ain't going anywhere.  And that holds true for small mayfly spinners.  The vast majority of spinners that find their way to the water seem to be dark brown, yellowish-cream and olive/olive-brown.  And, when I say small, I'm talking #18 on down to #24 or smaller.  The spinners of Paraleptophlebia and Baetis account for the larger flies and other minor mayfly species account for the smaller/smallest spinners I encounter.

Mid-to-late summer Paraleps are hatching in the mornings;  however, fishing a spinner throughout the day can be productive.  This justifies my carrying and fishing these patterns when I encounter subtle sippers.  These bugs are active well into September.  As we move into the fall the olive spinners, as well as those pesky little #20 to #24 creamy yellow and olive-brown spent-wings come into their own.

When choosing or tying spinners for this type of fishing I keep my patterns sparse:  two split microfibett tails, thin body and either grizzly hackle or pearl antron fibers tied spent for wings.  When I go for hackle wings I usually use 2 to 3 wraps, divide them and figure eight around the divided hackle to secure the hackle in a spent position.  By manipulating pressure as I work my dubbing thread around the hackle I can kick fibers out to splay them and give me a widened wing appearance.  For antron wings I apply some head cement or equivalent to the wing material at the hook and pull on the fibers front and back to splay the fibers.  The wings on spinners are transparent and I believe that too much wing material moves the pattern away from suggesting the natural.

  

When it comes to equipment my choice depends on more than one factor.  If I'm going to be fishing a medium sized stream and I believe I may have an opportunity to fish nymphs I'll choose my Douglas DXF 10' 3 wt.  If I plan on fishing only on the surface I'll carry my Douglas 9' 3 wt.  While the 10 footer casts a dry adequately the 9 footer seems to present a tad bit more accurately.

No matter which rod I carry I always fish a 2 wt. line.  Yes, I have more than one.  If I plan on fishing a sighter system for nymphing it's my Cortland Spring Creek line.  If I'm strictly fishing dries it's my Cortland Ultralite line.   My leader will run between 13' and approaching 20' in length depending on which 2 wt. line I'm fishing.  By this time everyone should know that even my sighter leaders are designed to turn over to present a dry fly.  At the terminal end of my leader (that's the tippet end for folks like me who need some clarification) I prefer to use 6X when it works.  There's a reason I always carry a spool of 7X with me.  Sometimes the 6X just doesn't cut it.  My tippet length is going to be as long as I can present and still have the tippet turn over.  If anyone really wants to know what length I start with it's around 4'.  If I start out too long I just cut back a bit until I get the performance I want. 

 A further note about leaders is that there's a major big-time difference in leader tippet performance fishing a fly on the surface versus fishing a fly deep in the water column.  It can be compared - quite roughly - to fishing in 2D and 3D.  Fishing a surface fly would be fishing in 2D.  The leader and fly line are presented across varying currents and each one of those currents has an effect on the drift.  Add to that the fact that there is no weight to resist, in any way shape or form, the effects of the current.  That's why, in contrast to when we fish a nymph on a "tight" line, we don't want a completely straight (think tight) line from where line contacts water just beyond rod tip all the way out to fly.  I'm intrigued by the fact that I can sometimes get a better drift with 7X over 6X when fishing a surface fly.  Micro drag is a reality, for sure.

Let's dig a little deeper and consider the inherent characteristics of tippet material.  First, monofilament  is superior to fluorocarbon for two reasons (well, three if you add in the higher cost):  mono is more supple, or less stiff, than fluoro and for some reason that makes it a bit more resistant to drag.  Too, mono is neutral buoyant and has less tendency to pull a small dry fly under.  Second, and here's where diameter differences matter, the smaller diameter the more supple the material.  It's a no-brainer, thinner isn't as stiff as thicker.  For those who would say "well then, if 6X may provide a bit better drift that 7X why not go down to 8X?  My response is that I want to land a hooked fish and not only retrieve my fly but also release the fish in at least fair condition.  I believe going below 7X is putting both of those in jeopardy.

Now that I've covered my approach to flies and tackle let's consider the actual stream strategy.  The low flows of this time of year mean that I have to give more than fleeting thought to how best to approach sipping trout.  While I don't want to put myself into a position to be seen by the fish I have to be just as conscious of where the sun casts my shadow.  These fish are always on the alert for predators and I definitely fall into that category.

As soon as I place a foot into the water I watch the wake move out across, down and upstream.  It's unavoidable.  The only way I know to keep my wake to a minimum is to move slowly.  The slower the current the slower I move to get into casting position.  Sometimes no matter how slow I move it's still too much and those smutting rises I'm focusing on just stop.  When this happens I keep going, get into position and hope the fish resume feeding.  Sometimes they do ... and sometimes they don't.  It's the old adage "You don't know if you don't try."

I don't like to present a dry directly upstream from my position.  It's not about spooking the riser and I'm not really that concerned that may happen.  It's more about the real possibility that when the trout commits to taking my fly as it's snout pierces the surface film it will encounter the tippet and push the fly out of the way in the process.  Believe me, it happens!  A cast that presents the fly on an angle to the current in which it's sipping is my preference if I'm casting across or upstream.  Some anglers prefer to present from an upstream position for a downstream presentation and there are many instances I find myself identifying with this crowd.  Anyone willing to label this "the fly first presentation" gets my vote.  

So, now I'm in position.  I know, a general statement like this doesn't tell much so let's get a bit more specific.  If there's any way possible for me to slowly place myself within 30 feet of my target I'll give it a try.  If not, I definitely want to get within no more than 45 feet.  Ultimately conditions dictate how close I can approach the actively feeding fish.  Accuracy is easier at closer range.

I'm seeing a few to several subtle smutters within casting distance.  What now?  Well, let's look at this as target shooting.  Pick one riser, focus on it and offer the fly.  It's what we do.  After all, I can't make 'em eat it.  It's always very rewarding if the fish takes on the first drift.  If the fish doesn't take the fly I may ask myself if it was refused or just ignored.  Not a question I can answer every time.  Sometimes I watch the trout rise to the fly only to follow it for for a short distance and descend to it's holding position.  That's an obvious refusal and it leads me to believe drag was the culprit.  Cast again, watch the drift, no reaction on the part of the trout.  Repeat, same result.  Just because one fish won't take my fly isn't saying they'll all treat me so badly.  Hey, I've invested a fair bit of time tying a great looking fly.  I'd like to think I'm offering them something they can't refuse but I guess I'd be lying to myself??  Fantasy and reality are somewhat different, after all.  

And then it happens.  My fly arrives right where the trout has been sipping and it's one of those things that's just plain great to watch.  It's sucked into the mouth of a trout and it looked just like all of the other smutting rises - except this time it was my fly.  Yes, I love it!

Some days the odds are in my favor, others not so much.  I'm one to say that trying to figure out what the trout will find acceptable ... well, it's not something I can say with qualified surety I've figured it out.  You see, on the days when the trout make a fool of me I can't say they're doing it intentionally.  While I've thought I caught a glimpse of a trout snickering at me I chalk it up to my mind playing games with me.  And yes, I hate it when it happens.  It ends up being a slightly perverted invitation to come back again and see if the outcome may tilt in my favor next time.

   

        

   

   

 

 

                                                                    A FLY TYERS' REUNION 

It's always good to get together with those who share a common interest.  In this regard today's fly-tyers are no different.  Whether its demo tying at a T. U. or FFI meeting or at a show we're always eager to mingle with other tyers.  It's so much of what we like to do.  Sharing experiences relating to on the stream or at the vise is commonplace.  And, it just plain adds to the appeal and enjoyment of what many refer to as "the craft."

My earliest efforts at tying a fly takes me back to another time:  a time when those who tied flies made it a point to NOT share.  Yes, there were those few who had begun to break through the membrane of secrecy that had surrounded this craft but they were still seen as the exception rather than the norm.  Fortunately, it didn't take long for this to change.

  

Today, it's a matter of "ask and it shall be given unto you" when it comes to information about tying a fly.  Secrets only remain so as long as the tyer hasn't yet had the opportunity to share a new technique or a new variation of an old one.  I'm one of those who believe there's VERY little under the sun that's actually new or that new isn't always better.  

For a long time one of the few ways to expose one's self to a variety of tying techniques was when the local Trout Unlimited chapter had some of their members tying before the business meeting.  I was fortunate to find a few guys who wanted to get together through the winter to tie.  We'd rotate hosting the group at each other's house from week to week.  Never any set patterns to tie, just tie what we'd want.  Of course, there was the food.  Goodies galore!  Those were good times.

Today we have the Fly Fishing Show circuit with the tying celebrities tying their most notables and then there's the grandest of them all, the Fly-Tyer's Symposium.  For many years I was one of those tyers and I can tell you first hand the admission to these shows is more than worth it just to be able to watch and learn from the vast volume of talent there.  Yeah, I know.  What about YouTube?  Sorry, but I just haven't been able to get any of those tyers to pay attention to me when I ask a question.  They simply go on as if I'm not even there.  Hrumpf!

While I may not get to fellowship with other tyers as I did in the past (I'll never admit I miss it just slightly) there is one event that provides us an opportunity to spend a little time together.  You see, Chuck Furimsky and his son Ben are flat out O.K.  It's because of Chuck's generosity and desire to express their thanks to the tyers that we have the Fly-Tyers' Reunion weekend.  This event is hosted by Chuck at Seven Springs Mountain Resort at Highlands Sporting Clays.  It was held this year (2022) on April 28.  I can safely say a good time was had by all.  I absolutely must give a giant shout-out to Chuck and Ben Furimsky for their including so many talented tyers in their shows.  The biggest THANK YOU to both of them.

On a sad note the fly-tying community lost one of our finest this year.  Randy Buchanan was a constant at the shows here in the east.  You could always count on Randy tying his signature stonefly nymphs and other assorted patterns using Larva Lace.  I counted Randy as a friend and now-and-then even a fishing companion.  I was hit hard by his passing;  yet, it's something we'll all have to face at some point as an inevitability.  For me, it is so critical to plan for what comes after.

And, who knows.  You may see me sitting behind a vise one day at one of the shows.  It's not beyond the realm of possiblity, you know... 

   

  

 DAVE ROTHROCK'S APPROACH TO FISHING NYMPHS PART 5:  STRATEGY  WITH A SPRINKLING OF TECHNIQUE

Egads, I can't believe there's been this much time passed since my last piece.  So much for getting out on the water and actually fishing - and some serious procrastination - getting in the way of my writing!  And, yes, I've had some really good days on the stream when the water was cool!

Now that I've covered most of what goes into my nymphing game in the previous segments it's time to apply it to real world fishing.  And, just maybe, it starts where you may not expect it.

First things first and that has me make sure that before I leave the house I have everything I may need to meet the conditions I'll encounter.  Yeah, I usually pack a few rods and I always take both reels.  It's not unusual for me to put whichever reel I won't be using to start in a vest pocket.  If conditions change while I'm on the water I can always switch if I so choose.  Versatility, remember!  

When I arrive at the stream the first order is deciding what rig or system I'll fish.  What factors play in the decision making process?  The most important is wind.  I can get by with a sighter system if there's only a light breeze.  It doesn't take much wind to push on my exposed leader to the point where it can move my fly/flies right out of the drift lane.  Too, wind  can inhibit my ability to detect any abnormality in drift which includes a trout's take. This is especially true if I'm going to be fishing fairly shallow water and using little weight.  

Another factor I consider is whether I can cover most of the water with short casts and reposition with minimal difficulty as I move upstream.  We all know that presenting flies with a sighter system is a short line game.  There's this "thing" I call my personal mobility factor.  I'm old and I'm also a very conservative wader.  Actually, I've always been a very conservative wader.  You could even say I've been a wuss for wading for years.  I'm not afraid to admit it.  If I get into the water and can't move around easily - and safely - the short game won't serve me well.

So, what are some of the benefits of fishing a sighter system?  First, there are only 2 anchor control points:  rod tip and weight.  You may notice I didn't say flies.  I'll get to this shortly.  Too, I can control angle of drift in the water column which allows me to vary slightly the level at which my upper fly is moving.  Combine this with varying the distance between my bottom and top flies and I've got even more with which to work. ,Also with the exception of a New Zealand strike indicator I don't have the splash of an indicator landing on the stream surface.  Some anglers are overly concerned with an indicator spooking trout and this just isn't always the case;  however, using a sighter can give some of us a little more peace of mind.  Finally, there may be a little more sensitivity associated with a sighter system.  After all, a sighter is only an indicator.  This all adds up to having a bit more control when presenting and drifting nymphs using a sighter system.  As much as I don't like to admit it this is my preferred nymphing system.

  

So, what about indicators?  Well, first off, with an indicator system we have 3 anchor control points:  rod tip, indicator and weight.  Some fly fishers feel there is loss of control with the indicator - and, to a limited degree, it's true.  However, I believe I can control (to a point) from rod tip to indicator and I can plan for acceptable drift from indicator to weight.  The only thing I can't control is the angle of drift from indicator to weight and I can live with that.  

An indicator riding on the stream surface is gripped by the surface film.  There have been times when I've used a thingamabobber and when I've lifted the indicator off the surface there was resistance - actually, a lot of resistance.  The surface film didn't want to give it up.  Now think about that pesky wind trying to push on line or leader.  The surface film's grip on the indicator will hold it in place and I can get the drift I need.  As for the thingamabobber...well, sometimes I felt it was "stuck" in the surface film to the point that it impeded my ability to set the hook quickly.  Good enough reason for me not to use them.

What about fly selection?  For me it's something I don't do until I'm at the water.  I'm not one to choose my flies and tie them to my tippet before I make my way to the stream.  Since I'm going to use flies to suggest the naturals prevalent at the time I don't want to be surprised to see something going on I didn't expect.  Also, Picking up some stream rocks and examining the critters clinging to them can give me a handle on what the trout may be feeding on in real time.  Besides, I'm intrugued by bugs!

Once I've determined what I'm going to use fly-wise it's time to take a minute to check out the water to determine my strategy from presentation through the drift.    Always cover the water nearest to you and that means don't put yourself in the water you should fish first.  There needs to be a method to our casting madness.  I'm always looking for pockets, depressions, deeper cuts in the channel's flow.  Some of the indicators are obvious, others are more subtle.  It can be a matter of seeing the substrate clearly in more shallow areas.  In other areas it's a matter of recognizing the change in the color of the flow indicating increased depth. 

Identifying changes in current speed is a key factor in determining where to drift my nymphs.  Some current seams are obvious and others are subtle.  Substrate and stream bank are two of the major players in contributing direction of flow as well as speed.  Keep in mind, too, that it's not only surface flow that changes it's also subsurface.  And we'd be absolutely, majorly (is this a legitimate word?) surprised to see how crazy different subsurface currents can be in contrast to what we see on the surface.

Current speed and depth are the critical factors in determining how much weight to use.  Since I use unweighted flies most of the time I have a pretty good idea of how much weight I need to get my flies down where I want them.  It's quick and easy for me to change weight as depth and flow rates vary - and vary they do!

When we consider the water to be fished we need to recognize we fish from the rod tip.  For me that means I can plan on effectively fishing at about 12 feet (roughly the length of my rod and outstreached arm) beyond - that's directly across the stream - from where I'm standing before I find myself casting across multiple currents.  And this is something I do my best to avoid.  Why?  Because I do not want my leader crossing multiple subsurface currents.  Let's keep in mind fishing a fly along the stream bottom is a three dimensional thing unlike drifting a surface fly which is two dimensional.  It's a matter of avoiding drag.  When I present my flies I cast upcurrent to ensure that everything lands in the same current through which I want my flies to drift.  This is my targeted area of drift and, just like when I shoot a firearm, I always choose my target before I execute my cast.  All of this pertains to whether I'm fishing a sighter or indicator system.  

My desire is that with every presentation my fly and leader is aligned in the same current.  O.K., so I admit I'm not perfect and it doesn't happen every time ... but I'm working on it!  My experience has revealed that when we present a nymph with weight either in the fly or on the tippet in a manner that has tippet angled cross current through the water column the flies will drag through the varying currents and the odds of achieving a drag-free drift are at best greatly diminished. Aligning flies and tippet to land in the same current usually eliminates this problem. 

  

A bit of experience fishing a sighter system reveals the fact that there's a fine line between keeping tight to weight without impacting drift and pulling or lifting flies out of the drift.  Here's where it's possible to effectively fish an indicator system at distances greater than a sighter system.  I mentioned earlier that an indicator acts as a form of an anchor to hold in place in the surface film.  This provides a benefit with regard to inhibiting the effects of keeping a high rod tip position and subsequently  allowing the angler to keep a good amount of leader and line off the water.  This holds true for both more direct upstream presentations and across current presentations.  The benefit in upstream presentations is fairly obvious;  however, the effectiveness of across current presentations needs some more explaining.  

I'd bet the majority of anglers envision all presentation as straight line casts from rod tip to end of tippet.  If this be true then we'd be casting and presenting across - and through -  varying currents from indicator to flies.  We do this and the benefit of keeping everything off the water from indicator to rod tip is out the window.  So, the question is:  how do we execute a cross current cast and have the indicator, tippet and flies land in the same current?  It can be done!!  And, surprisingly, it's not that difficult.  Hey, if I can do it...you know where I'm going with this.

Casting weight is a lot different than casting only an unweighted fly.  Interestingly, this actually works to an angler's benefit when casting an indicator system.  When executing an overpowered side arm cast with the rod parallel to or angled slightly upward to the stream surface and checking the cast abruptly the angler can force the tippet and weight (that's from indicator to weight) to create a sharp angle with the indicator being the point of intersection thus allowing the indicator, tippet and weight to settle on/in the same current.  By having presented the flies this way the only part of the system that has actually crossed any of the currents from rod tip to indicator is the leader and possibly some fly line.  By keeping the rod tip high as well as reaching out as far as possible you may be surprised to see how much line can be held off the surface currents that might otherwise impact our drift.  A bit of experimentation will reveal how far across the stream you can present without having anything from rod tip to indicator on the water.

For larger streams or stream sections which don't allow ease of mobility longer casts still allow for presenting flies at distance.  It helps to take a good hard look at surface currents to determine best line placement for the initial presentation.  Once flies are in the water we have to rely on the indicator to provide feedback and mend periodically to achieve the longest effective drift.  The best mend is one that doesn't impact the indicator's drift;  however, if the impact is minimal don't be afraid to allow the drift to continue.  One way of looking at this is to envision how we might mend to prolong the drift of a dry fly.  Sometimes we mend and see no impact on the fly's drift.  If mending causes the surface fly to move but it doesn't result in the fly sinking it's customary to let the fly continue to drift until drag pulls it under.  

Here's another fact regarding drifting nymphs with an indicator system.  Depending on conditions it is possible to achieve significantly longer drifts if an angler learns how to introduce controlled slack for the greatest advantage.  I won't give you any examples to support this statement because I'm sure there are those who wouldn't believe me.  Enough said.

Obviously, the vast majority of time I want to have my bottom fly drifting right along the stream substrate.  So, how much weight do I use?  Well I'm not one to say I use a particular size bead.  In fact, when I ask another angler how much weight they're using and they respond with bead size I'm as uninformed as before they uttered their first sound.  To me, weight is not size and size is not weight!!

  

The vast majority of my nymphing is with a drop-shot system.     When drop-shotting and those infrequent times I put a shot on my tippet a few inches above my fly I'm using split shot.  As I stated in earlier in this series I know how much each shot weighs.  O.k., that's fine and dandy but how do I determine how much weight to use for the first cast?  Well, that depends on current speed and depth.  Obviously, faster and/or deeper requires more weight than shallower and/or slower.  That's a no-brainer.  Over the years I've come to the point that I can be pretty much right on right away;  however, if I'm not quite sure I always start out on the light side.  It only takes a couple/few drifts to know if I'm good or if I have to add more weight.

All of the above brings us to actually fishing.  I knew we'd get here at some point in time.  Ain't it great??  I related earlier what I look for to determine where to drift my flies.  Really, it comes down to imagining where trout might be holding.  From there I plot my presentation to have my flies drift through the area I've targeted.  It's a matter of determining where my flies should enter the water column and at what angle to ensure their quick descent. 

While weight gets flies down we can't ignore the effects of the leader tippet on fly descent.  With leader landing on the water parallel to the surface descent is inhibited.  The longer it takes the flies to get down to depth the shorter the effective drift length.  There is good reason for saying the flies should always land first.  This has the tippet coming down to the water at an angle which allows for the flies to descend quicker.  One of the best casts to achieve this is the tuck cast.  The steeper the tuck the less impact on the descent through the water column.  Once you get the tuck cast down you find that you can back off a bit on the amount of weight needed to get the flies to depth.

Well, there we have it.  Now it's time to take all of this, put it together and go fishing.  The more we do the better we become.  We become better at determining where trout hold.  We become better at presenting our flies more accurately and we become better at recognizing takes.  And all of this means we get to admire more trout as they're brought to hand! 

    

       

  

   

DAVE ROTHROCK'S APPROACH TO FISHING NYMPHS, PART 4:  FLIES, ACCESSORIES AND RIGGING

FLIES

Some who read this will know that I have chosen to remain "old school" with my approach to the nymphs I tie and fish.  So, what is "old school" you may ask?  Best way to answer is to say I tie and fish mostly non-beaded nymphs.  Go back and read that last sentence again and you'll see that I said mostly.  Yes, I do tie and fish a beaded nymph now and then.

When I go into a fly shop and peer into their fly bins most of the nymphs they sell have beads.  Hey, that's fine with me.  I certainly have nothing against beaded nymphs.  However, there's something beyond this that glares back at me very powerfully.  It's easy to find a good Sexy Walt's or a Frenchie or a Red Dart or a Perdigon.  Try to find a good Blue Quill or a Quill Gordon or a Hendrickson nymph.  Yup, the tastes of those anglers who fish nymphs have changed.  

I've always justified my fly-tying approach with the statement, "I can't buy the flies I want to fish."  This is more true today than ever.  Sure, we can still find the common Hare's Ear and Pheasant Tail nymphs but most of these are tied with beads nowadays.  And here is where I have to admit that the majority of my beaded nymphs are these generic flies.  Hey, they flat out catch fish!  Too, the vast majority of the time I fish a dry-dropper set-up I'm fishing streams that I feel don't warrant a more intricate pattern to tempt more "sophisticated" fish.  And for those of you who are thinking this argument is shot down by a Perdigon nymph duping large numbers of wild browns on pressured water...you'd be right on that one!

So, if a Perdigon takes a good number of wild browns on a regular basis why, for Pete's sake, do I invest so much time tying the patterns I choose to tie?  I'll try to explain my (mostly speculative) reasoning.

Humans and trout alike are curious critters.  An example:  a human walks into a shop, sees an item that piques the curiosity factor, walks over to the item, reaches out and takes said item into hand to examine it.  All this time said human has absolutely no intention to permanently posses said item.  Once human's curiosity has been satisfied the item is returned to it's resting place and human moves on.  

I've observed a number of trout over the years.  As they hold in the current they frequently move slightly to intercept something drifting to - or very near to - their holding position.  Most times as they have taken the item into their mouth it remains only for a slight moment and then it is expelled.  I don't believe the trout ever had any thought (yeah, I know, trout don't really think) of making that object a part of their daily caloric intake.  Their intent was to satisfy their curiosity.  

Somehow you gotta' admit this almost makes sense, doesn't it?  So, let's go back to the question about why a Perdigon nymph is so effective?  My answer:  they look nice!  O.K., it may be a little lame but it's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!

I'm one of these folks who goes out, catches the real critters, brings them home and photographs them in their watery environment.  From there it's on to the tying vise to somehow transfer - through the power of suggestion - what I see in the real critter to my fly.  I'd like to hope that what I produce by combining fur, feathers and at times other stuff might just suggest what the trout take to satisfy their need for caloric intake.  No beads, no hot spots.  Just materials applied in such a manner as to suggest life...with a BIG maybe.  And, yes, I get a bit of satisfaction from so doing.  It ain't the same as tying a Red Dart or a Frenchie, that's for sure!

  

Now, don't get all beside yourself thinking I have anything against those flies or any other bead head or jig nymphs.  I don't.  Again, it's whatever trips your trigger.  There is, however, one other major difference in my nymphs and that's the fact that I don't use any weight in my flies.  I place all of the weight I need to get my flies to the depth I want them on my leader.

  

After all, does it really matter if a trout inhaled our fly out of curiosity or need for caloric intake?  Hhmmm, something to think about.

ACCESSORIES

Next up is what I refer to as accessories:  strike indicators, weights, and the like.  As with so many other things its all boils down to personal preference.  

Let's begin with strike indicators.  And, no, I don't call them bobbers.  First one up is the New Zealand strike indicator.  Good stuff.  Floats like ... nah, I can't say floats like a cork since it's not cork.  I guess I'd best say floats like a tuft of wool since that's what it is.  It comes as a complete package:  wool, tubing and a tool to attach it to the leader.  I found early on that I can easily get by without the tool.  Loop my 4X tippet, run it through a small piece of plastic tubing, place a tuft of wool through the tippet loop and pull tippet tight.  This brings the base of the doubled over wool into the tubing and, if there's enough wool in the tubing, it holds in place pretty well.  I really push it by using so much wool I can barely get it to go into the tubing.  I also don't cut the wool short if I can avoid it.  I like to keep the wool long because when it rides on the surface it usually stands up vertically and it's really sensitive.  While this indicator can be moved up and down it can't be moved over any knots.  This isn't a problem for me since I use a long (at least 5') knotless tippet.  While I was surprised at how much weight a hefty chunk of wool can support when it is dressed with fly floatant it's also an indicator you might want to avoid when a stiff breeze is blowing.

Next up is the Airlock indicator.  I like 'em.  They are easy to attach to leader and, other than having to be careful not to loose the little rubber washer when putting one on or taking one off, the only other points to make is that they float very well and they're easy to reposition.  Oh, and they come in 3 different sizes and a variety of colors.  My first preference is white.  Check out the foam floating on the stream surface and that will explain why I like white.  Too much foam to be able to track your indicator?  Go to another color.

Another option is the Lightning Strike indicators.  These indicators have a hole through which the leader is threaded and they are held in place with a toothpick-like wedge.  Before I use one of these indicators I break the wedge to shorten the piece sticking out from the indicator.  One of the pluses of this type of indicator is that the wedge protruding from the indicator acts like a pointer to show me where my tippet and fly is in relation to the current.  If the wedge points in any direction other than up-current (I always have my wedge pointed toward the fly) my drift is screwed up in some way, shape or form.  Believe me, this happens a fair bit.  These indicators come in several sizes and a few different shapes and colors.  Choices, choices. 

All of the indicators I've included have one important thing in common:  they will not kink leader material.  It's why I don't use thingamabobbers or any other indicator which requires looping leader around to hold in place.  And for the indicators that paste on...YUK!   And as for the indicators that have a slit with a piece of rubber tubing I can never get them to remain on my leader.  I make a cast and off they go into the wild blue yonder! 

The only other accessories I'll cover are split-shot.  As I mentioned earlier I don't weight any of my non-beaded flies so that means shot are essential to getting my flies down where I want them.  Lead shot seems to vary from soft to not-so-soft and it doesn't always like to stay where I put it.  Then, there's the question whether the use of lead is environmentally sound.  My favorite split-shot is non-toxic shot available from Orvis.  It has a slightly rough black coating and it holds in place fairly well.  The other non-toxic shot I use is the Dinsmore shot with a green coating.  This coating comes off fairly easily.  No big deal except that I don't really like shot that's really shiny.  It's mostly tin and tin is shiny.  I just have to get over it.

RIGGING

I revealed in PART 3 of this series that I fish with a fly line.  No all mono rig for me.  I cut off the welded loop from the line since I've found that, especially with single foot guides, loop-to-loop connections don't like to slip easily through the guides.  Too, they are extra weight.  It's what happens when line is doubled over line to form the loop.  And that's not all.  Can you imagine playing the best fish of the year and the weld breaks.  Bye, by leader, fly and ... trophy!  Don't think this hasn't happened.  Removing the loop eliminates your being at risk of becoming a victim.   

A nail knot is what I use to connect the leader to the fly line.  Some folks would recommend a needle nail knot and that's certainly an option.  I've never considered a nail knot an easy knot to tie.  In fact, over the years, I've had friends come to me to tie their nail knots because they felt they were too hard to tie.  I never could understand that.  I'm pretty sure those folks were happy when welded loops came on the scene.

There are two knots which are commonly used to connect sections of leader material together:  the   surgeon's knot and the blood knot.  When connecting larger diameter sections together the surgeon's knot is the more bulky knot.  This isn't really an issue with smaller diameter material.  I've always used the blood knot for this purpose.  Another factor to consider is that with the surgeon's knot one tag end angles toward the fly and the other angles toward the butt.  The blood knot has both tag ends coming out at a 90 degree angle from the leader.  I prefer this particularly for my dropper tags.  I believe this contributes to keeping my flies away from the main tippet and reduces the potential for my dropper tag to wrap around my tippet.  The more time I have to dedicate to tangles the less time I have to fish. 

When I use my indicator rig with the knotless tapered leader having a small perfection loop I've tied at the end, I attach my tippet to the loop via a clinch knot.  With my knotless leader cut back to 2X or 3X the perfection loop holds up well over time and it is really easy to change out a tippet.  

I hear that familiar sound of brains questioning why I haven't mentioned tippet rings.  Well, that's an easy one to answer (really?).  I normally say I'd lose all of the rings fumbling away trying to tie one onto my leader.  I know this is a lame excuse but when you don't want to do something one excuse is just as good as another.  I just like my blood knots! 

So, why do I use dropper tags?  Why, when fishing multiple flies, don't I tie off the bend of a hook or directly off the eye of a hook?  I'll admit there's a bit of speculation included in my explanation.  First, I believe that with tippet tied onto the bend of a hook it may inhibit hooking potential with a trout's mouth parts coming in contact with the leader material and pushing the hook point out of the way.  Another issue applicable to both is that it takes more effort to change a fly.  In contrast, with a dropper set-up when I want to change a fly I only have to change out that fly and go back to fishing.  Sure, I'll admit it.  I'm a bit lazy.

For attaching fly to tippet I still use a clinch knot.  No, I don't use the improved version.  The key to tying a good clinch knot is pulling the tag end tight so there's no slippage.  Too, I've seen knot strength tests and the regular old clinch knot is stronger.  Goes to show just because something is labeled improved doesn't really make it better.  I still think I need to check out the Davy knot a bit further.  After all, the name sounds a bit catchy, don't you think?

So, there you have more of MY take on things.  And more food for thought for the reader...      

  

 

 

    

 

                                                                          

Let's get one thing out of the way right now.  I do not fish an all mono rig.  It's just not for me.  I happen to be one who likes the feel of a fly line.  I feel like I have more control gripping fly line rather than mono and that's good since I happen to be a bit of a control freak.  And please don't misinterpret this to mean I'm anti-all mono rig because I'm not.  If it trips your trigger fire away!

And then there's this business of my being a stickler for demanding versatility in my choice of equipment.  Yup, that includes a fly line.  In fact, the fly line is one of the most critical components.  Why so, you ask?  Well, if I need to be able to switch from drifting nymphs to presenting a dry fly the line is an important component contributing to the cast.  Yeah, there's something else that comes into play here but I'll cover that a bit later.

Go back a fair number of years and everything was geared to fishing tapered lines for all types of fly fishing with double tapered lines being the more popular.  Yeah, there was some talk of using other lines and there was one that I recall really stood out:  the rocket taper.  This was the label Cortland Line put on their weight-forward lines.  Since I was always thinking of delicacy in presentation I just couldn't associate rocket taper with delicacy.  

For some crazy reason from the time I began fly fishing I felt that by using a fly line smaller than what was recommended I'd be presenting my flies more delicately.  It's true that I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing and I had nothing to hang my hat on regarding this approach.  Of course, back then a 4 weight line was a very light line and that's where I drew the line.  I felt no need to go any lighter at the time.  I fished everything from soup to nuts on the same line.  It's just what we did.

As time passed I began fishing a 4 wt. rod with a 2 wt. weight forward line and I wanted as long a front taper as I could get.  Again, think delicacy.  And, yes, I fished nymphs and dries on the same set-up.

Along comes the Euro nymphing line.  The vast majority of these lines are level lines with a diameter of .022".  As I see it these lines are designed for one application:  fishing nymphs and allowing competitor fly fishers to meet the tackle requirements for competitions.  Leaders can't exceed twice the length of the rod so a fly line is a necessary component.  

So, what's the big deal?  While some of my friends might say I'm a fairly good caster I can't cast a dry fly with any degree of acceptability with a .022" level line!  It just doesn't work for me.  If I'd use a Euro line I'd be going crazy when fish would start to rise and I just don't need that kind of hassle in my life!  I know that some anglers carry a second rod or, at minimum, a separate reel or reel spool to switch to something with which to present a dry.  Not my cup of tea, folks.  Wwaaayy too much time and effort spent switching things up.  By the time I'd be ready to fish the hatch would most likely be over.  Talk to my wife and she'd tell you I'm really that slow!

With versatility such an important factor for me I've had to determine how much I'm willing to compromise in my choices.  As crazy as it sounds I have to defend my choices to my worst critic:  ME.  And here is where it may get a bit interesting... 

Based on my personal fishing experience as well as talking with and observing other anglers I believe it is only the rarest of occasions that someone fishing with a sighter system has more than 4' of fly line out beyond the rod tip.  Whoa, wait a minute!  What about that greatest of taboos called sag??  Oh boy, here we go.  My take on this is that way too much emphasis has been focused on this issue.  Yeah, it's true that sag is due to weight of line and, to a much lesser extent, leader.  For me, I actually find a little sag - I call it manageable sag - desirable.

                                                                     

  

I posted on social media some time ago that I was thinking about the issue of sag relating to the fly line.  Wow, did I get some "interesting" comments.  Many folks commented about the all mono rig being their choice even though the post related to fly line.  Of those who stuck to the issue, most felt that there's a big difference in weight between a Euro nymphing line and a tapered fly line.  Unfortunately, they had no idea what I had in mind as I deliberately withheld that info.  It was obvious that those who responded that way were thinking of the more popular line weights anglers typically use for fishing a variety of fly types.

So, what tapered fly line do I prefer when using a sighter system and why?  First, I use the same line whether I'm fishing my 3 wt. or 4 wt. rod.  It casts a dry adequately on either rod even with my longest sighter leader.  The Cortland Classic Spring Creek 2 wt. serves me very well.  That's right, a 2 wt. line on even a 4 wt. rod.  It works.

Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty.  You'll see this info is directly related to the issue of sag since the key here is how much a section of fly line actually weighs and now we go back to something I related earlier.  Using the first 4 ' of fly line I weighed both the Spring Creek and a .022" Euro line.  O.K., O.K., I cut the welded loops from both lines before I did anything else.  Gotta get rid of those pesky, heavy, bulky loops!  I weighed 1', 2', 3' and 4'.  Here are the results with all weights recorded in grains.

.022" Euro line:  1' = 1.3 grains;  2' = 2.8 grains;  3' = 4.4 grains, 4' = 6.2 grains.

Cortland Spring Creek 2 wt.:  1' = 1.6 grains;  2' = 3.6 grains;  3' = 5.5 grains;  4' = 8.1 grains.

Here's where it's important to ensure we know the difference between grams and grains.  There are 15.43 grains in 1 gram.  Obviously, grains are the more precise measure.

And, yes, you're reading the info correctly if your mind registers the fact that there's only 1.9 grains difference in 4' of line.  To put it in simple terms 1.9 grains is the equivalent of 1 1/2 bare size 10 2xl nymph hooks!  Sorry to burst all those bubbles out there but, in MY mind, that difference is miniscule.  Somehow I'm thinking it would take a sharp eye to discern the difference in sag between these lines especially when there's less than 4' of fly line beyond the rod tip.

What contributes to the 2 wt. coming in so close to the Euro line?  It's the profile.  The 2 wt. has a 4' level front tip and only begins to taper around that point.  How well does this 2 wt. perform?  In my hands I can present a dry out to about 60'.  No reason for me to have to cast a dry any further.  When you think about what it takes to switch from nymph to dry it's just a matter of taking one off and tying on another.  Sure, there are times I may have to go down in tippet size but making that adjustment doesn't add much more time to the equation.  And, yes, that's what I call versatility!!

When I arrive at the stream and determine that conditions would make fishing a sighter system difficult I have no problem with using an indicator.  I know there are anglers out there who feel this is inferior to a sighter system;  however, I'm not one of them.  As I related in a previous piece I scoffed at using indicators for years until I started using them.  Over time I've developed a fair amount of respect for fishing nymphs with an indicator system.  

No doubt I can just put an indicator on my sighter leader and fish and I do that now and again.  It's definitely a viable option;  however, I choose a different route when I know I'll be fishing an indicator system from the get-go.  Oh, yeah, this system meets my requirement for versatility quite well, too. 

When I choose a line geared toward casting the additional weight of an indicator or, in the case of an indicator which provides air resistance when casting I want a line that's front-loaded.  Now, some of you may be wondering what in the world do I mean by front-loaded?  A line having a short taper puts more of the weight of the line toward the tip of the fly line.  Hence, when there's more line weight toward the tip the line is front-loaded.  This aids in turning over the indicator's weight/resistance to casting...at least somewhat.  Here's another compromise on my part.  While some additional fly line weight is acceptable and may even be desirable I still use a very light fly line. For this application I'm using a Cortland Trout Boss Double Taper 2 wt.  This is about the time some who read this begin to chuckle and say, wait a minute.  You want more weight and you still use a 2 wt. line??  That's hilarious!!  Chuckle you may but in the end it works!  Yup.  First, it's not a true 2 wt.  A 2 wt. line should weigh 80 grains plus or minus.  And that's in the first 30' of line, of course.  This line weighs 100 grains.  Isn't it interesting that a 3 wt. is supposed to weigh 100 grains.  So much for what we're seeing in the world of fly lines these days.  Too, this line has a 6' long taper which is a bit shorter than the average.  So, yes, it does give me some additional weight which is enough for most of what I want it to do.  Of course, I use a totally different leader system when fishing this line with an indicator.  I'll cover that in a bit.  Oh, hey, before I forget let's get rid of the welded loop on this line, too.  It doesn't help and in fact it's flat out a pain. 

Now that I've established my choices for fly lines for fishing nymphs - and more - and the reasoning behind them it's time to move on to leaders.  There's been an interesting...I'll call it evolution...in thought and application regarding leaders for nymphing and I'm sure that many - perhaps even most - anglers would agree.  When I say this I'm referring to sighter leaders.  In contrast, leaders for fishing indicators don't seem to get anything beyond the most insignificant attention these days;  here, however, I'll be covering them both.

                                                                         

 

When I was first introduced to a sighter leader I thought, "hey, now that's pretty nifty!"  I could actually see what was going on with my drift and the visual feedback was wild!  Of course, when you're reading this and picturing in your mind what I may have experienced back in the mid-70's is most likely different from what I had.  While we used Maxima Chameleon mono for some leaders the sighter leader I began using used something different.  Think of a mono that's much more visable.  If for some crazy reason Stren fluorescent clear blue spinning line popped into your mind you'd be right on the money.  And yes, it's what I still use today.

There are some significant differences between Maxima and Stren.  Let's look at Maxima Chameleon first.  I think we'd all agree it isn't easy to see and that means it makes following any part of a leader tied with it very difficult at best.  I'm one who kinda' likes to see as much of my leader as possible when I'm focused on watching my drift.  The more feedback I can get the better it is for me to detect any abnormality in my drift.

Another characteristic of this material is that it is stiff.  I've always felt that stiff mono doesn't transmit "feel" as well as soft mono.  Think about that.  With the emphasis on "feel" or sensitivity nowadays I've often wondered how much thought most anglers have given to how it might play in leader material.  I've said it before and I'll say again I believe there's way too much emphasis placed on feel or sensitivity;  however, for those who count it important this gives them something to ponder.  

Finally, there's this business of diameter.  For the most part it's how we relate to the size of the material we use to construct our leaders.  Now, I'm one of these folks who questions most everything.  I like to know what I have and use.  Same goes for leader material.  My experience with Maxima Chameleon is that when I put it to the micrometer test it ain't what it's supposed to be.  This stuff pretty much runs .002" larger than it's labeled.  That's a lot in my book.  Maxima tells us this material is more abrasion resistant.  Well, when you have that much more material than what I've been led to believe it will be so!  

Let's go a little deeper with this diameter issue as it relates to Maxima Chameleon.  Some leaders start out with 20 lb. test which is labeled as .017".  Many anglers who aren't using one of those micro leaders tend to use what I call a "middle of the road" butt section of 12 lb. test which is shown as .013".  Add .002" to these diameters and let's go from there.  It's true that I would/could not use a butt section of .013" because it wouldn't do well when casting a dry fly and that makes it unacceptable.  A .015" butt section is a whole different ballgame.  Even so, I still wouldn't use Maxima.

Now, let's consider the characteristics of Stren fluorescent clear blue mono.  First, it's visible.  It gives me feedback and that's a positive.  Second, it's soft.  Should transmit "feel" a bit better.  Third, it runs fairly true to labeled diameter when put in a micrometer.  How 'bout that!  Using my rating system it beat out Maxima in the three important categories.  I'll take it!!

I almost hesitate to even mention the more recent interest in micro leaders.  Can't cast a dry fly with one so no more needs to be said.

Do I have more than one sighter leader formula?  Yup.  Why, you ask?  Well, over time I've experimented and I've just kept the formulas.  Now, for small streams not only will I use a shorter rod I'll also use a shorter leader.  One interesting note is that I've offered a leader to some folks in the industry and I was surprised when they indicated a preference for a shorter leader.  Personally, I find it aggravating when someone only talks in generalities like longer and shorter like I just did.  So, for clarity my longest (and most frequently used) leader will measure up to 20' to my shot when I'm rigged for fishing two nymphs.  The short leader will be around 11' to 12' to the shot.  When I use the short leader I'm usually fishing only one fly and I'm fishing smaller water.

There's an old standard guide for constructing leaders:  60% butt section, 20% mid-section and 20% tippet.  It's a guide and believe me when I say I stretch it to the limit.  True, all things have their limit but I'm always pushing it.  Here are two of my leader formulas with one representing the longest and the other the shortest.   

.018" (20 lb. Blue Stren) - 26"

.016" (17 lb. Blue Stren) - 22"          86"

.014" (14 lb. sighter mtl) - 16"          22"

.013" (12 lb. Blue Stren) - 12"          18"

.011" (any sighter matl)   - 10"          14"

.009" (matl of choice)      -  8"           12"

Below 2X (.009") I use about 60" of 4X (.007") and that's about as low as I go.  For years I'd go down to 6X (.005") and every once in a while 7X (.004").  I've determined there's no need to go lower than 4X after I really gave some thought to what goes on with a tippet drifting through the current with weight attached at the bottom.  It's not at all akin to drifting an unweighted fly on the surface.  And then there's the fact that trout aren't leader diameter shy;  however, they are leader drag shy.  

Here are some additional factors I've had to consider when determining what I use.  First, I don't use fluorocarbon.  I think I'm starting to hear some rumbling about now and it isn't my tummy reacting to what I ate for dinner.  I won't repeat myself because you read it right the first time.  Why, you ask?  Because I don't believe the potential benefit - and I believe there may be only one - isn't worth the cost.  It's a heck of a lot more expensive than nylon monofilament.  Yes, it's heavier than water and that means it sinks.  Hey, once mono absorbs water it becomes neutral buoyant.  Not a problem.  And now for the biggy.  Fluorocarbon is stiffer than mono.  While I'm not saying it's impossible to convince me otherwise I'm not so sure that the increase in stiffness over mono may just negate the idea of the finer diameter providing any benefit as the tippet rides through the current.  Just a thought...  But it's enough to bring me to the point where, as indicated earlier, I rarely go below 4X in contrast to those who regularly fish 6X or 7X.  So, what's the one benefit fluorocarbon may have?  Abrasion resistance...maybe.

One thing I discovered as I looked at some of the new mono offerings out there.  When I put a micrometer to them it became apparent as to why they're so much stronger than the standard stuff:  some are up to .002" larger diameter than what they are labeled.  If I want 4X I want 4X, not 2X!

Now that I've covered my sighter leader approach we can move on to what I use when I fish an indicator system.  Sure, in a pinch I can just add an AirLock indicator and I do just that.  Most times when I get to the stream I know right from the start it's not a day for a sighter system and out comes my reel with the double taper line with a leader I find more suited to fishing an indicator.

Here's where I do almost a 180.  Rather than constructing an entire leader I start off with a standard knotless 3X or 4X tapered leader and most of the time it's a 9 footer.  I cut the leader back about 1 1/2' from the tippet end, tie a very small perfection loop and attach a section of 4X about 5' long.  I want this long tippet with no knots at least 3' down from the connection with the knotless leader.  One of the indicators I like to use doesn't play well with knots and I need to reposition the indicator as I encounter different depths and current speeds.  A small change can make a big difference at times.

When it comes to adding my nymph(s) and weight I do it the same whether I'm using a sighter or indicator system.  I'll cover specifics in a later article.  Oh, and let's not forget that all of these leaders will turn over a dry fly.  Versatility!!

So, there we have MY approach to lines and leaders.  Under no circumstances would I say my choices and reasoning are superior to anyone else's.  It all boils down to knowing what we like and having confidence in our choices.  It helps if the results we see satisfy our expectations, as well.  

Next up:  Flies, accessories an a bit more on rigging.  Stay tuned!  

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