Fishing With Dry Flies
Since dry flies are made to fish the surface; floating lines are generally used. This way your fly will stay on the water surface the way an insect that has fallen onto the surface of the water or insects that hangout at the surface of the water, do. Take a few minutes to imagine a kalkatu or an ant that has fallen off an overhanging branch and is now on the water. What do these do? How do they act? Do the same to your fly.
Let us just say that you are fishing on a lake. There are no currents. Movement on the water depends mainly on wind or breeze. You cast out your dry fly that looks like a kalkatu. It lands on the water and it floats. That’s about it. Your fly will just be floating there the way a kalkatu does.
Think And Imagine For A Moment
Of course this is great if you’re practicing your cast. Fly fishing has a lot to do with sight fishing. This means that you cast to fish and this is especially true when fishing with dry flies. This means that you look about and try to spot fishes (rises). Then you cast to them. Best is to land your fly within the fish’s sight. Next is to hope that the fish takes your fly.
What if you are fishing a stream or river where the water constantly moves? Again, let us use our imagination. Imagine a spider falling off a branch into the water. What will it do? Does it not float with the water until it gets close enough to a rock, stump, etc. to be able to climb on and save itself from doom?
Follow The Flow
The same with your fly. Cast it into the water and allow it to move with the flow. But, limit how far you allow your fly to flow. 7 to 8 feet perhaps, before you start stripping line in and doing your next cast. Too much distance and you will have other issues to manage including your line, snags, etc. Again, cast to fish. If you do not see fish then you have got to plan your casts within your fishing zone. We will discuss this in a later issue.
Here is a little exercise I recommend you to do. Go visit a lake or pond and observe nature. Look at the insects, plants, etc. that are found by its banks. Look for insects on the surface of the said lake or pond. Notice how they act if they are not already dead. Collect them if possible and then try to look for flies that look like them (or have them tied for you). Observing nature alone will be a great help in helping you be a good fly fishermen. Stay tuned for Part 8 in the next issue.