Let’s get technical

When fishing a dry fly to tempt a trout, a major consideration has to be how to deliver the fly with precision and delicacy. When fishing fast riffly water, my presentation is adequate. However, when casting to trout rising in smooth glides or flat, slow flowing pools, my line usually hits the water as if I was casting using a ship’s hawser. In order to minimize the impact of the line on the water, I use 12-to-15-foot leaders. This helps to put the fly down as far away from the splash of the line as possible. But, a longer leader brings along its own problems. I find that as I lengthen my leader my casting accuracy diminishes, particularly if there is much of a breeze.

Listen to what Bernard “Lefty” Kreh has to say on this subject. At 77 years, Lefty has forgotten more about fly-fishing techniques than most of us ever learned. In a May 1984 article in Fly Fisherman magazine, he pointed out that, back then, the most popular line, tailored for trout fishing, was a six weight, double taper floating line. Today, the most popular line is probably either a five or a six weight.

Lefty believed that you should use the lightest line practical for dry fly fishing. He recommended using a three weight double taper, which even under windy conditions, the average caster should be able to cast 30 feet. Lefty correctly stated that by using a lighter line, the length of the leader could be shortened, enhancing accuracy. As usual, Lefty was absolutely correct. But, did he carry his thoughts far enough? If you put a micrometer on a six weight double taper, the tip will average .03 5 thousandths of an inch. The belly of that line will mike .050 thousandths of an inch. The first 30 feet of a six weight floating line, which is what determines the line weight designation, will weigh around 160 grains. Now mike the tip and belly of a standard three weight floating line. The tip will mike .031 and the belly will mike .039 thousandths of an inch. The first 30 feet of a three weight floating line will weigh around 100 grains. In the hands of the same caster, the presentation of a dry fly should be more delicate using the standard three weight line. However, can we do even better?

This year, I have been using fly lines quite different from the vast majority of floating fly lines sold to fly fishers. The tip of my three weight line mikes out to a super skinny .023 thousandths of an inch. My five weight line mikes out as .025. The belly of the three weight mikes .037 while the belly of the five weight mikes .040. The weight in grains in both lines is comparable to standard lines. Using these lines has enabled me to drop the diameter of my leader butts down to .014 thousandths and my leader lengths now vary from eight feet to a maximum of 11 feet. Now, you might think that it would be difficult to keep such a skinny line floating. Prior to fishing, I always dress my lines with a thin coating of Red Label Mucilin. Following this procedure with the new lines, I have had no problem with either the tip or the belly sinking. In fact, to my eye, these lines float higher and lift off of the water easier than the standard fly lines.

I have become aware that there is a subtle difference in the casting performance of the lines I am using today. While fishing a local tributary, I ran into a casting problem that has always defeated me in the past. At one pool, a tree leans out over the brook. Its limbs and leaves extend two thirds of the way over the water. The space between the limbs and leaves and the surface of the water is roughly two feet. A spot like this occurs on most small brooks. Previously, my fly would hit the water short of the target or would wind up in the tree limbs. Once, a friend, watching me fail in this manner, reminded me that, “the trout are in the water, not in the trees.”

Never the less, I elected to try to place my fly in underneath the foliage. I measured the necessary line carefully and side armed the cast up towards the narrow target. To my amazement the line curled out and slid in perfectly beneath the limbs, dropping my fly well inside the possible lair of a big trout. It would be neat if I could write that a large trout rose and ate the fly. That did not happen. However, I had succeeded in executing a perfect cast into a very difficult location. Could I repeat that perfect cast? I could and did, three more times. On the fifth attempt, grown careless with success, I finally reverted to form and put the fly solidly into the tree.

While driving home I reflected on my new found casting prowess. It seemed that this different type of fly line had made it possible for me to place my fly with an accuracy that I previously could not achieve. One sunny day does not make a summer. However, as I continue to experiment and learn more about the characteristics of these lines I will keep you posted. Stay tuned.