1 Fly

[Dejon Hamann]

Loren touched on this a few times and it inspired me to run with a single nymph lately.  I must say in certain water types, especially skinny riffles it's absolutely deadly. Strike detection is at least doubled. 

Just curious of anyone else has "dropped the dropper" and what your results, insights might be?

Cheers!

[Aaron Laing]

We don't have much choice in BC... Single barbless regulations.

When I'm given the option I like to go with multiple flies for nymphing, but I still catch 90% on the point fly.

Aaron

[Mark Hanes]

I have done this some and had decent results.  Know you BC guys are experts at this I am sure.  are you fishing them any different than you would 2 flies? 

[Mike Wisniewski]

I love fishing one fly as I find it to be effective as fishing two flies.   However that being said, I have gotten away from fishing one fly as the waters that I have been fishing have a variety of depths and velocities.     In fast moving water and even moderate fast moving water, my one fly has not be able to get down to the fish. It is not the depth but the hydraulics.

While I do not mean to hijack the thread, what are some ways to get a fly down to the fish?   I have used smaller tippet and have casted well above the fish.  I have played with letting the fly sink a bit before taking up the slack but this has not worked out too well.

Mike

[Aaron Laing]

I have done this some and had decent results.  Know you BC guys are experts at this I am sure.  are you fishing them any different than you would 2 flies? 

...Hardly experts, but we're forced to learn.

No second (or third) fly means you can't rely on an anchor fly to sink your flies into the zone. We compensate by generally increasing the weight on most of our nymphs (ever seen a "BC" Czech nymph?--enough lead to poison a horse LOL).

As to fishing differently, I've got to admit that I don't have enough experience with multi-fly rigs to speak on it with any authority. I do know that when short line nymphing with the single fly I'm more focused on a near vertical line than I would be with a multi-fly rig. When I long line it I can't really say there's too much difference, but I'm weaker in this area than the short line presentations.

Maybe Todd might be able to better comment on this?

Aaron

[Aaron Laing]

While I do not mean to hijack the thread, what are some ways to get a fly down to the fish?   I have used smaller tippet and have casted well above the fish.  I have played with letting the fly sink a bit before taking up the slack but this has not worked out too well.

In terms of a single fly the trick is fly weight a near vertical line presentation and keeping as much line/leader/tippet out of the water as possible. The last bit is important. The fly will sink much faster by keeping the submerged leader material out of the water--i.e. the force of the water pushing against slack leader material actual slows the descent of the fly rather than helping it (you'll also miss strikes).

I'm sure others will offer better advice (keep in mind the source ).

Aaron

[Mike Wisniewski]

In terms of a single fly the trick is fly weight a near vertical line presentation and keeping as much line/leader/tippet out of the water as possible. The last bit is important. The fly will sink much faster by keeping the submerged leader material out of the water--i.e. the force of the water pushing against slack leader material actual slows the descent of the fly rather than helping it (you'll also miss strikes).

Aaron

You describe exactly the problem that I have been having.   I have been imagining my presentation like a wrecking ball which a vertical presentation that swings under the rod tip under tension.   However I have been losing contact.     It is easier to keep contact with a horizontal presentation but takes skill to do more of a vertical presentation and keep contact.  Last week, I was having a couple of bad days until I really started focusing on keeping contact.  I immediately got into fish.   

I think what separates us from great fisherman is that great fisherman can strike the balance between taking up slack but not pulling the fly through the water.  Work in progress.

[Aaron Laing]

You describe exactly the problem that I have been having.   I have been imagining my presentation like a wrecking ball which a vertical presentation that swings under the rod tip under tension.   However I have been losing contact.     It is easier to keep contact with a horizontal presentation but takes skill to do more of a vertical presentation and keep contact.  Last week, I was having a couple of bad days until I really started focusing on keeping contact.  I immediately got into fish.

It might help to think of "lowering" the fly into the water like an elevator, rather than the swing of the wrecking ball. If you can do it you'll always have contact without the pull. Once you get used to it you'll be able to fish 6-8' deep fast water--a little deeper than most want to go, but useful when required.

I have to laugh a little... this is sort of like "imaging" in sports--i.e. throw the invisible ball and see it go into the hoop.

Aaron

[Cody Burgdorff]

This is defiantly a deadly technique when used in the right water type. On spring creek I would fish two flies through a shallow riffle or pocket water and if i missed a fish in that water, i would let it rest for a while then come through it with just one fly and most of the time i would be able to hook that same fish. The nice thing about fishing one fly is as already mentioned the ease of strike detection, and that a lot of competition fishermen from my experience just don't do it. I think its also a really good way to catch fish in the second and fourth sessions when you've had someone wading through and fishing the best spots in the beat, and by picking up that extra one or two fish in the shallow "b" water it can really make a difference in your placing.