Still Water Fly Fishing

[Benny]

I was recently (earlier today) float tubing on a local lake, and all around me were floating chironomid shucks. I was stripping and slow trolling a black woolybugger, which was doing just fine. C&R about a dozen and a half rainbows with that bugger, anyhow I noticed lots of porpoising trout around me. I got around to thinking I could actually fish for these fish in a style I would normally use up in the Eastern Sierras, Crowley Lake to be exact. Crowley lake is way shallower than the lake I fished earlier today. Is it possible to fish deeper lakes with chironomid hatches with this same Crowley Lake technique? How would one go about the leader and an indicator for a deep lake? I usually figure things out fairly quickly, but I just don't see a way to create a long leader with an indicator. It would be impossible to land a fish with such a long leader with a indicator attached to the line. Any help would greatly be appreciated!

[darrin terry]

I've never fished Crowley though I think I know the technique you mean from articles and podcast interviews. However the first thing that comes to mind for me, is that you said they were porpoising rises. My understanding of trout rise forms, and I could be easily wrong here, is that a porpoising rise is indicative of fish feeding just under or in the surface film. If that is correct, then wouldn't a midge emerger pattern be the way to go? Tiny mayfly emerger patterns like the RS2 or those flies you just posted yesterday from SJDrifli. That seems like a good place to start in those circumstances.

Like I said, I could be wrong and will be looking forward to what others have to say on this one.

[lucfish]

Theres a lake up in the local mountains where I would do exactly that. I could fish as deep as 18 feet or so. Just depends how you can cast with 18 feet of leader. If you can cast with 25 feet of leader this will work just fine. The "secret" is to use a yarn leader attached with the little dentist rubberbands. What you have to do is trim the yarn really small and use a very small shot for weight otherwise the indicator won't float. When you get the strike and hook the fish reel up like normal until you get to the indicator then strip it through the guides. After the tip it goes though pretty easy. The only bad thing is if the fish starts to run after you have the yarn inside the guides you might have trouble getting it back though the guides. You'll get the feel of it. Fish like you would at Crowley.

[Reyne]

Benny,
When I see shucks like that and fish working on top, you should be able to take them with an emerger or cripple, or a shallow indicator rig. I don't have much success with deep indicator rigs (say 8+ feet). I miss too many takes and have to use lead, which means a bigger bobber.
I've had better succuss with a wieghted nymph, say copper john, and a midge pupa trailer 2 feet behind it. I use flouro leader and tippet, on a full intermediate line. What I get is a straight line connection to my flies and better feel for the takes. I'll count down the depth until I start getting bit, using a slow hand-twist retrieve. Depending on how long and fine my leader, I can get down to 20 feet or so. Any deeper, there'd be too much line deflection(belly). Oh, be ready for a take as you start stripping in for your next cast. There's something about a midge slowly ascending that gets their attention.
Good luck.

[planettrout]

"I usually figure things out fairly quickly, but I just don't see a way to create a long leader with an indicator. It would be impossible to land a fish with such a long leader with a indicator attached to the line. Any help would greatly be appreciated!"

Benny...

Here 'ya go:

http://swittersb.wordpress.com/2009/04/ ... isher-but/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsQ6Oyzw8IU

...and finally, some tips from THE MASTER:

http://www.flyfishersrepublic.com/tacti ... d-tactics/

where I get mine:

http://shop.jimmysflyshop.com/index.php ... cts_id=429



PT/TB

[Benny]

I like the strike slip indicators in the video link Tim posted. I really give you the perspective on how it works.

[BobK]

Break away indicators are the way to go if you want to fish deep. The packages have instructions and you should be able to find them at most bigger fly shops. The shops up here have them and I imagine that places like Marriots carries them. I've used them to 18 ft. BUT, to he truthful, I hate fishing with bobbers in deep water. Line management is very tough and some tangles are expected. I usually midge from a boat. From a tube it would be harder still. BobK

[briansII]

Break away indicators are the way to go if you want to fish deep. The packages have instructions and you should be able to find them at most bigger fly shops. The shops up here have them and I imagine that places like Marriots carries them. I've used them to 18 ft. BUT, to he truthful, I hate fishing with bobbers in deep water. Line management is very tough and some tangles are expected. I usually midge from a boat. From a tube it would be harder still. BobK

What Bob said. It's a deadly tactic, but with my short attention span, I can't sit and watch a bobber for very long. I bought the release indicators years ago. Only used them once up in BC.

briansII

[NorcalBob]

Ditto what Brian and other Bob said. I have ADD and it's mindlessly boring.

[Milt Spawn]

One on a streamer is worth ten on a midge. JMO. milt.