After fly fishing for a long time I finally came around to a new, at least to me, technique. That is using a dry fly with a dropper. The idea of using this came to me while fishing a small stream Sunday morning. Small streams at this time it's a given that you fish a dry fly. I did this and while I took a brookie or two I missed many more. Not a big issue and I let it go. Later that day I realized that the reason I missed those fish was the fact they might be a bit skeptical about giving up their position. On Monday morning I found myself fishing the same pools, only this time I tied on a 12inch piece of tippet material to the dry fly which was a bushy caddis. The dropper was a North Country spider, a Smoke Fly.
The third cast and a home run was hit. The brookie took the spider.
It appeared that the fish would rise tentatively to the dry and not really take it. But a second or two they slammed the smoke fly.
The action continued for the 3 hours I fished the stream.
The king of the day. This stream has some very beautiful brook trout.
A North Country Spider...The "Smoke Fly"
That's a great technique. I fish a #14 Bomber with a #20 Zebra Midge dropper, sometime with only 8" of tippet. I'm always surprised to see who takes what. I find that bigger fish seem to take the dropper more often....
ReplyDeleteOn another note, I went and looked at your youtube videos the other day. I am really fascinated with your downstream technique. I would find a post about how you do this to be really interesting, approach to pools, where you cast, etc. Your tips have already greatly enhanced my enjoyment of small streams. I would love to learn more.
Fred NJ
DeleteThanks
Fred what was interesting was the fact that they swiped at the dry, and then just hammered the dropper. Now I don't know if it was the same fish that took a whack at the two flies, but there was a sure preference for the dropper.
I'm glad you found the youtube vids. I do most of my small stream fishing that method.
Tell us more about the videos, where do we find them.
DeleteUnknown
DeleteLook here
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjZDBHNNvALG1LdlLVlSzQ?view_as=subscriber
Thank you , very nice. Need a longer babbling brook video though. Better than some sea aquarium vid.
DeleteAlan, that fly reminds me of a fly by the name of Peg's fly. She would would fish this fly in a sz. 26. On Big spring creek in the town Newville, pa. Near my home. Only difference was she tied them to fish on top. Cream hackle tail ,peacock body and cream hackle. Story goes that she would school all the local men in the summer fishing that dry. Lol. The dry dropper is one of my go to techniques this time of year. Mine is a beetle with a sunken ant for a dropper. Thanks for the post , beautiful Brookies.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
DeleteThanks
Brad, Pegs Fly, I'll have to try that one. I may have to tie it a bit larger though.
Your combo sounds good. Do you use a foam beetle?
Alan
ReplyDeleteThis post has given me some motivation to go back to the dry/dropper technique on the Caney and the Sipsey. Glad you scored with the drop fly!!! Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
DeleteThanks
Bill so you have used the dry/dropper in the past.
Was it productive?
Hi Alan
ReplyDeleteI have fished a dry fly and wet in various configurations for msny years now. Not sure what you call it over on your side of the pond, but over here it's usually known as New Zealand style or Klink & Dink. I normally tie the dry fly to the top dropper with the wet fly on the point or fish washing line style with the wet fly on the wall dropper (and in the film of the water). I have stopped tying a dropper to the dry fly as I think (but can't prove) that it impedes the take and the hookingof the fish.
The smoke fly is a fly I have had some success with since you posted on it a while back.
Thanks
Alistair
Anonymous
DeleteThanks
Alistair, you may be right on the fact that hookups are poor when the dropper is tied to the dry fly. Perhaps a larger fish would be easier.
I like that smoke fly.
We used to use the same technique on the reservoir for browns and rainbows, a swirl to the dry fly and a miss then a violent take would hit the nymph or spider. Exciting fishing. All the best, John
ReplyDeleteThe Two Terriers
DeleteThanks
John I was impressed with the take on the wet fly, I mean they took it with an attitude.
Takes like that make you jump, like an electric shock. John
DeleteA well known technique in salt water-- tie on a float to disturb the surface followed by a 3 ft leader and lure, tied to the float. Fish notice the surface disturbance then slam the lure that follows. Very likely the same principle with floater/sinking flies. Sometimes it increases number of strikes, by an order of magnitude.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
DeleteThanks
John your salty method is the same as far as results go. And I agree it produces more strikes.
Known as "Hopper and Dropper" out West, this technique is deadly on small streams as Alan has discovered. Also, used to fish a Picket Pin or Montreal Whore behind a Wooley Bugger for landlocks in Maine.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
DeleteThanks
Bill I have used the bugger/pickett pin in Maine to.
The Pickett Pin is a fly most anglers don't use.
Another good fly is the Squirrel Tail streamer.
Alan, I use a deer hair beetle and a foam . The deer hair beetle is based off a famous fly tier from pa. By the name of Chauncey Lively. The foam beetle I use has a body of black ice dub instead of peacock like most are done. You can research Pegs fly on utube. The fly is actually used in a lot of places where there is spring creeks. I use it in sz. 18 and 20. I am "not" using it in sz. 26. Lol.
ReplyDeleteBrad I did some checking on Pegs Fly and found a really good video of it being tied. I will try it and in a size 18.
DeleteI was hoping you would see that video, good luck.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a smoke fly, but it sure did the trick! Such little gems it caught! Have a good week.
ReplyDelete