To Dry Fly or Die?

[Bernard]

in a sportsman-like/traditional DF situation.

Bernard, sometimes I get the feeling that the dry fly purist actually thinks that using any other method than a dry fly is not "sportsman-like" and is categorically resented by the DF following. This feeling was partially the reason behind posting this thread.

I get that and thanks for the clarification. I 100% understand and agree heavily that defining it as "sportsman-like" can really get out of hand. In this instance, I define sportsmanlike with the act of following some parameters for the challenge. It was difficult not to add to my previous comment the mention of a dry-dropper configuration; something I thoroughly enjoy. Good thread here.
B.

[TAlexander85]

I completely agree with this. Let those suckers wear their arms out! Hah!

When I fish, I always take two rods with me. One is a rig I meticulously setup with a wet fly to have it perfectly adjusted to the water levels and location that I am at. Because of this, I do not like to change out my entire setup just for a dry when I see trout hitting the surface.

My other rod I have setup for a dry (obviously a simpler setup) and I only reach to take it out when I see a trout hitting insects on the surface. This dry rod only gets used 10% of my time out on the water.

Having two rods allows me to immediately react faster to a trout nearby because I have seen their behaviors go bipolar on a regular basis...

I come from a bass fishing background which has trained me to use multiple rods with different setups to react immediately. If you don't adapt to change, then the trout will always be smarter than us (I mean this with ultimate respect to the trout).

[BrownBear]

Having two rods allows me to immediately react faster to a trout nearby because I have seen their behaviors go bipolar on a regular basis...

That's especially true on float trips. Last time I floated the Big Hole you needed 3 rods- one with streamers, one with nymphs and one with Trico spinners. We'd use the nymphs in the tailouts of the holes, the streamers in the fast water and the Tricos on flat water. Guy would go through a mountain of tippet and get pretty goofy switching back and forth between them on one rod. But with rods already rigged you could look ahead and have just the right rod in hand every time you switched water types.

[FIGHTONSC]

I get that and thanks for the clarification.

It was difficult not to add to my previous comment the mention of a dry-dropper configuration; something I thoroughly enjoy.

You're welcome,Bernard.

Thanks for contributing to the dialog!

I also like the dry-dropper set up, especially when floating hoppers!

Regards,

Jeff

[acorad]

When I fish, I always take two rods with me.

Alex, what is your system for this?

I've tried carrying a second rod in hand, and then end up accidentally leaving the second rod behind somewhere as I move up river.

On open rivers, like most of the Upper O, I can carry a second rod in the loops for that purpose on my fishing vest, but its not 100% convenient and if there's any kind of trees/bushes the second rod gets caught up so much it's too much of a pita.

Andy

[TAlexander85]

When I fish, I always take two rods with me.

Alex, what is your system for this?

I've tried carrying a second rod in hand, and then end up accidentally leaving the second rod behind somewhere as I move up river.

On open rivers, like most of the Upper O, I can carry a second rod in the loops for that purpose on my fishing vest, but its not 100% convenient and if there's any kind of trees/bushes the second rod gets caught up so much it's too much of a pita.

Andy

I don't think there is a easy way around just leaving it on the banks and come loop back from shore versus wading. It's not too bad as I just walk back down the shore line every 50 yards or so that I fish. Like you said, when there is no overhead brush or much in the way then I would just attach it to my backpack and keep rolling.

Even though it can be a hassle, when you do get those trout surfacing, it's worth all the hassle and that's for sure!

[TAlexander85]

Having two rods allows me to immediately react faster to a trout nearby because I have seen their behaviors go bipolar on a regular basis...

That's especially true on float trips. Last time I floated the Big Hole you needed 3 rods- one with streamers, one with nymphs and one with Trico spinners. We'd use the nymphs in the tailouts of the holes, the streamers in the fast water and the Tricos on flat water. Guy would go through a mountain of tippet and get pretty goofy switching back and forth between them on one rod. But with rods already rigged you could look ahead and have just the right rod in hand every time you switched water types.

That is so true. A lot of my friends are omw with going through tippet but for me I like to keep mine uniform to take advantage of the original leader. I believe the physics of adding more and more knots up the distance has an impact on the cast, not to mention the tangles that get caught up on the excessive knots moving up the wider parts of the leader. I know many would argue that it makes no difference but I just prefer to keep it simple and use two rods.

[acorad]

Thanks Alex. I've also brought along a second reel for dry fly fishing (my nymph rods cast dries well enough for the short-lived hatches) but of course it takes time to re-rig the rod. And then re-rig it again back to nymphing when the hatch dies down.

Andy

[FIGHTONSC]

That's especially true on float trips. Last time I floated the Big Hole you needed 3 rods- one with streamers, one with nymphs and one with Trico spinners.But with rods already rigged you could look ahead and have just the right rod in hand every time you switched water types.

Hank,

Are you floating one or two people? If just one (you and the guide) I could see having three rigged rods. If floating two (plus guide), I see an expensive disaster in the making, especially on the Big Hole during full irrigation mode. We used to float it with an inflatable which would make the chance for rod breakage worse through the faster skinny water if three or six rods were rigged due to the raft flexing and rock avoidance measures from Wisdom (Fish Trap) to Wise River late in the summer. Sometimes we had to do a little portage the last part of August in that run.

If you are floating earlier in the year, say from Dewey or Divide down it makes total sense to me and I'd be willing to risk it.

Regards,

Jeff

[ldr]

I just got home from a couple weeks trailering with friends through Wyoming and Eastern Idaho. Spent one day fishing with a friend who summers in his house in Island Park. We fished the Henrys Fork together. He describes himself as a “purist,” and he fishes dry flies almost exclusively. The exception would be swinging a single wet fly when the moment seems right. He casts beautiful loops, and he knows how to delay the onset of drag. I’m sure when conditions favor his fly fishing preferences, he is very successful.

The day we fished together, I started fishing dry patterns, too. We saw rising fish, but the multiple hatches made it difficult to identify the preferred bug du jour. I don’t think there was one. After a few hours of casting practice, I added a caddis dropper, and caught a couple fish, a brown and a rainbow. As the day progressed, the wind started to howl, and I went, according to my friend, to the dark side (2 nymphs), and I caught a few more fish. Tim celebrated each fish I caught, but he chose to prospect and to cast to rising fish. He had a couple refusals, but no fish, and he enjoyed himself through the entire effort. When it was all over, he said he would probably fish the same water the following day.

You see, Tim loves casting to rising fish. I really believe that he is a “fisher” first and “catcher” second. He fits the model described by BrownBear. Tim has fished for years. He is an expert in so many ways, and now he has chosen to catch fish on his terms. Evolution are devolution, don’t know and don’t care. Tim is avid, and it doesn’t matter if he catches fish. It matters that he finds success on his own terms. Maybe that will be me someday…or maybe not.

[Bernard]

It's interesting how the discussion has evolved to include the topic of second rods. I tried this for years and may still do it again but like some of you have mentioned, see some situations more conducive than others. Clearly, additional gear is going to be great if you are drifting a river leisurely but if you are scrambling through a canyon, it's a bit of a drag wondering what to do with one rod while fishing the other. That said -I do sometimes carry two rods though but often keep the second broken down. Although there's a time expense of setting up a new rod while switching (example: from streamer throwing set up to finesse oriented dry fly rig) I have found that this time often allows me to relax, refocus, maybe hydrate or have a snack. The break helps me not get too spun from the previous maniacal session of flogging the water. This now has me thinking that in some instances, having a Tenkara rod as the second could be neat.

[DarkShadow]

Having two rods allows me to immediately react faster to a trout nearby because I have seen their behaviors go bipolar on a regular basis...

I come from a bass fishing background which has trained me to use multiple rods with different setups to react immediately. If you don't adapt to change, then the trout will always be smarter than us (I mean this with ultimate respect to the trout).

This was the biggest adjustment I had to make. Usually, I have 8 rods rigged and ready to go when fishing for bass.

When I started fly fishing, I always wondered what would happen if the fish were eating streamers that day. Or strictly dries. Or nymphs.

I havent found a "do it all" rod in fly fishing, and never did in bass fishing, hence the 8 rods on the boat. But when I spent most my entire life hiking through shrubbery with 3 or 4 conventional rods and didnt see it as a problem, hiking with 2 fly rods seems like a walk in the park.

[BrownBear]

Are you floating one or two people? If just one (you and the guide) I could see having three rigged rods. If floating two (plus guide), I see an expensive disaster in the making, especially on the Big Hole during full irrigation mode. We used to float it with an inflatable which would make the chance for rod breakage worse through the faster skinny water if three or six rods were rigged due to the raft flexing and rock avoidance measures from Wisdom (Fish Trap) to Wise River late in the summer. Sometimes we had to do a little portage the last part of August in that run.

Floating (inflatable) with a bud who lives there. As the water allows, he fishes too or we trade off on the sticks.

He's got his boat set up for stowing 4 fully rigged rods with no danger.... Lessons learned while guiding the Big Hole three or four decades back. He has two 10' hunks of 2" PVC mounted down each side of the boat, with about an inch-wide slit cut half the length (butt end) of each. Shove the rod tip in, press the rod flat against the pipe, then slide the rest of the way in. A short length of bungee loops up and over the butt of the rod behind the reel to keep it in place. Slick as a whistle and instant access/stowage. Guy's a thinker, planner and builder. Before launching he drops off his prized old Honda 50 at the pickup point and chains it to a tree. Built a rack for it on the front of the trailer he welded up himself. Finish the float, hop the Honda and go retrieve the truck/trailer. No shuttles, and lots of flexibility.

[FIGHTONSC]

He's got his boat set up for stowing 4 fully rigged rods with no danger.... Lessons learned while guiding the Big Hole three or four decades back.Guy's a thinker, planner and builder.

Sounds like he has his act together with the PVC sleeves. I've seen it (Big Hole) low enough where elk actually rest in the shallows and act perturbed when we approached them to pass. My buddy lives in Sheridan, Montana, but still goes the shuttle route when he drifts.

I'm going to try to fish the Ruby, Beaverhead and Big Hole later this summer/fall if our kids moving up here (to Idaho) doesn't alter our plans too much. I thoroughly enjoy that area of Montana, plus I get to throw larger flies at them that I can actually see.

Regards,

Jeff

[briansII]

It matters that he finds success on his own terms. Maybe that will be me someday…or maybe not.

Very well said.

It maters not that you are that guy with a sore back from landing fish all day. Or the guy shivering in waist deep winter flows, trying to entice one fish for the season. Both find success, and comfort at the end of the day......well, maybe.

briansII