![]() A tension loop will also form when fishing a sinking tip or a full-sinker, but the degree of tension is less when compared to a floating line because the sunken section is positioned in the slower currents below the surface.Īnother consideration when fishing upstream is controlling your drift.įishing streamers in a down-and-across position is easier because of the immediate tension that is created by placing the fly downstream of your position. Remember, faster currents lie on the surface, and a sinking fly line will sink below those currents, which will result in less tension. Again, this is assuming we're dealing with a floating line, not a sinking-tip or full-sinking line. A smaller loop (created by an upstream mend) creates less surface tension and will slow down the speed of your streamer retrieve. The larger the loop, the larger the increase in the speed of your retrieve. You can manipulate the size of the loop to increase or decrease the speed of your streamer retrieve. Often, the tension created by the tension loop is all the pressure needed to set the hook. Second, the drag created by the downstream belly (tension loop) helps create more tension during the hook set. The floating line lying on the faster currents creates tension on the streamer and pulls the pattern downstream. Drag is often a desired result, especially when fishing streamers, because the floating line acts like a bobber on the surface. I believe the downstream bow is useful for two reasons: First, it helps maintain control of your drift, as the floating line literally drags your streamers downstream. Some anglers prefer to make an upstream mend to eliminate the downstream bow in the line, but I prefer to keep the bow when fishing riffled water. Because of this, you only need to strip line fast enough to manage the slack as the line drifts downstream. ![]() If a downstream belly occurs in your fly line, the fly will move faster as a result of drag. Casting across a riffle with a floating line creates additional drag, which increases the speed your flies travel downstream. If I want to swim my pattern higher and faster in the water column, I'll cast more across-stream with the floating line and 8-foot leader but switch to a lighter-weight streamer. If I want to bottom bounce a streamer, I choose a heavily weighted pattern that will anchor itself, and I can retrieve the fly back at the desired speed. My favorite approach is to cast upstream with a floating line, an 8-foot leader, and a weighted fly. I find that larger trout positioned in riffles are normally ready to feed and are willing to chase food items. Riffles are prime feeding grounds for larger trout when the right conditions exist. The riffles come to life with insects feeding on plant matter, smaller fish feeding on the insects, and larger trout feeding on the small fish. ![]() I have noticed this time and time again when using a flashlight to illuminate a riffle while night-fishing. Larger trout are attracted to the feeding grounds of larger prey, which also feed on insects during lower light periods. Dawn and dusk, a rain or snow event, or even a cloudy day can get larger trout feeding in the riffles. Because larger fish are light sensitive at least in many of the pressured waters I fish my success rate increases when I fish during low-light periods. ![]() For me, streamer fishing the riffles is a hit-or-miss proposition. The oxygen-rich environment attracts bug life, which in turn attracts smaller fish, such as sculpins, minnows, chubs, dace, trout, and other species. Riffles possess a high concentration of trout food, which in turn can attract larger trout during certain periods of time. The following is an excerpt from Chapter 3 of his new book Strip-Set: Fly-Fishing Techniques Tactics, & Patterns for Streamers (Stackpole Books/Headwater Books, 2015). ![]() Fly Fisherman Contributing Editor George Daniel says that with the right lines, flies, and presentation, riffles should be primary targets of successful streamer fishermen looking for large trout. When they see a bubbling riffle, they automatically reach for their nymph box. Too many fly fishers equate streamer fishing with large sweeping runs and deep mysterious pools. ![]()
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