Fishing The Fly Scotland
Index => Rivers & Lochs => Topic started by: Chris Connolly on 31/05/2012 at 15:07
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I know that you guys who fish the don regularly have a few different methods / flies for catching those wily old Don troot so hoping to tap into some of that knowledge and use it on the upper tay fish.
I fished two seperate beats on the upper tay over the last week and had similar results the fish were hard on something but what lol. saw one talking a yellow sally / may so tried a copy over it nothing.caught one with black flies all over the inside of its mouth tried a black fly nothing.I had a nice 2lber yesterday which was fat as a pig and spotted like a leopard but I managed to foul hook it as he came for my yellow may with a small black nymph attached new zealand style fight was quite remarkable and took a wee while to revive but eventually swam away happily.
Any way I digress the number of fish I am contacting with, compared to the numbers, feeding hard doesnt add up.
Let me into some of your secrets and I will try them on the tay troot haha.
chris
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Hi Chris,
frustrating to say the least, seen quite a few fish this season focusing on small black stuff while sometimes ignoring Olives and the odd Sedge.
I tied up a few wee black flies (sizes 18, 20 & 22), although on my last trip out I tried to thread the tippet through the size 20 and gave up as I didn't have my goggles with me. These did take a few (smaller) fish and seemed to at least get some interest from the relatively larger ones which were feeding regularly although the smallest tippet diameter I had didn't do the fly any justice.
I will try and post a picture tonight but the dressing is;
Hook of your choice size 20 e.g.
14/0 or very fine black tying thread
Tail & body - one cdc feather, tips tied as the tail and the rest wrapped around the shank for the body.
Post - Pink aerowing
Hackle - black cock hackle or black cdc fibres
Head (if required) - light puff of dudded black CDC fibres
Basically a wee paradun.
It might help.
Iain
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(http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg214/goolager/31512019.jpg)
size 19
hackle is spun CDC
Iain
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Any way I digress the number of fish I am contacting with, compared to the numbers, feeding hard doesnt add up.
Let me into some of your secrets and I will try them on the tay troot haha.
chris
[/quote]
Chris,
I feel your pain. LOL. I know those rivers and how hard they can be, but if you have fish feeding hard, you have a reasonable imitation on, and you're not hooking up, I reckon you should look to your presentation. Here's a couple of tips that might help .
Try squaring up to the fish a bit more, moving slowly to not spook them. An upstream cast will almost certainly be putting the leader across the fish at some point and those larger trout won't stand for it. They might not spook if they are going hard, but they'll just move aside and ignore your fly. You're likely getting some drag as well. A long line makes things tougher, shorten up for more control and keep everything out of sight.
When you are in position across from the fish, and staying low, watch for how a specific fish is feeding. Avoid shotgunning a pool or riffle. One fish at a time. A reach mend is your most useful cast here. Keep your false casting to a minimum, or eliminate it completely (water haul, roll cast). Be careful of line shadow if it's sunny.
The short NZ style 'dropper', or 'hedged bet' - a wee wet suspended below a dry is a good rig. Keep it short, no more than a foot of leader between flies, even just six inches or so is often enough.
Bob
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Keeping us guessing Iain? :z4
...........................................................................
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/2_26_06_13_10_13_57.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=902)
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I've been out a few times recently and had quite a few fish but bar two all were around the 1/4 - 3/4lb mark. The bankside vegetation where I have been fishing is truely horrendous, often as high if not higher than me. Using 11- 14 ft leaders has been extremely difficult especially when fish are within that region of distance from me (close to the bank). By the way I've superglued a 9' 1X tapered leader to my new SLX or I would have gone 9' overall length, tapered to help me out.
Consistently feeding fish are typically in a wee group so when fishing from a downstream position hooking, or pricking :mad, fish is typically done within the first 2 or 3 casts before they move or go silent.
Casting square has been more productive for sure but almost impossible due to fish proximity and bankside vegetation.
I have found downstream dry the most successful delivery method if there are no back eddies to hinder free line drift.
Blasted River!
Iain
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Don't know what happened there Mike but I have sold the copyright to Bob so can't re-post :X2 :z4
Iain
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By the way I've superglued a 9' 1X tapered leader to my new SLX or I would have gone 9' overall length, tapered to help me out.
I use a 6' 1x Iain, that way I can go fairly short if required by building the rest with SS starting with 3x and going down to whatever I need. Works well for me on the river.
Cheers
Ben
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I may have to go down that route, it'll give me a chance to practice those superglue leader connections - C&F needle twisted up the braid, simple and solid, well impressed.
Iain
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I may have to go down that route, it'll give me a chance to practice those superglue leader connections - C&F needle twisted up the braid, simple and solid, well impressed.
Iain
You fancy doing a "step by step" for your superglue connection Iain? I'm sure it would be useful :z16
Part of the secret seems to be in using the right superglue?
Cheers
Mike
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Ok, I'll get some short tapered leaders first :z16
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Great stuff :z16
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Been using the superglue system all season and its the biz.
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No you have not Trig, that's a lie. :roll
Have you?
Kept that to yourself Mr Shareandsharealike :X6
Iain
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:z4
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Been using the superglue system all season and its the biz.
looks like you picked the wrong week
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/3_26_06_13_3_46_42.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=903)
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No you have not Trig, that's a lie. :roll
Have you?
Kept that to yourself Mr Shareandsharealike :X6
Iain
Ok you got me I'm lying. In fact my whole life is a lie I actually hate fishing and I'm a black woman from Nigeria.
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looks like you picked the wrong week
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/3_26_06_13_3_46_42.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=903)
Looks like you took the wrong meds???
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You guys need to get out on the river! :z4 :z4 :z4
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You guys need to get out on the river! :z4 :z4 :z4
Actually its the amount of time spent on the river that's causing the mental issues....
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I dont want to stray this thread off topic (more than it already is!)
but when you guys mention the superglue method is the video below similar to what you mean?
i'm about to replace the connection on my main fishing line (6wt slx/6ft 2x orvis taper)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjSxn0O9qAk
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This the way i do it :z16
Posted elsewhere, but seems to be pertinent here too :z16
All the tools, A C&F Knot tool, Snips, superglue, leader and fly line
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_28_47.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=461)
Stick the needle into the tip of the fly line for a 1/2"
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_29_32.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=462)
Feed tippet end of leader into knot tool
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_30_23.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=463)
Pull leader right through until loop hits fly line
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_30_53.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=464)
Rough up the 1/2-3/4" of the end of the leader
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_31_40.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=465)
Brush roughed up part with super glue and pull into end of flyline until all roughed up portion is covered.
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_33_00.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=466)
Snip Loop off flush with Flyline and wipe excess super glue over the Cut and the joint and then hold straight with a little pressure for 30secs to a min for the superglue to set.
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_34_19.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=467)
Once it is set it should look like this, and you should have only removed about this much of the leader :z16
(http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/gallery/19_31_03_13_5_35_04.jpeg) (http://www.fishingthefly.co.uk/forum/index.php?action=gallery;sa=view&id=468)
Cheers
Sandy
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Cool,
I've just finished fitting a leader to a 3wt Mallard and taken some photo's - just been swinging on the connection :z16
with a few slight differences which I will add to the post.
excellent transition.
Iain
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Sandy didn't you put that up months ago! It was what prompted me to try it. Oh no hang on I don't use that system I'm just a big liar...... :X2
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Cool,
I've just finished fitting a leader to a 3wt Mallard and taken some photo's - just been swinging on the connection :z16
with a few slight differences which I will add to the post.
excellent transition.
Iain
Forget the pics dude, I want the video of you swinging on it. If it'll take your weight I may give it a go myself :z7
Sandy, do you find the line cracks up at the point where the loop was snipped off eventually?
Cheers
Ben
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Cool,
I've just finished fitting a leader to a 3wt Mallard and taken some photo's - just been swinging on the connection :z16
with a few slight differences which I will add to the post.
excellent transition.
Iain
Bout time you caught up with the rest of us.
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goat!
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I've been out a few times recently and had quite a few fish but bar two all were around the 1/4 - 3/4lb mark. The bankside vegetation where I have been fishing is truely horrendous, often as high if not higher than me. Using 11- 14 ft leaders has been extremely difficult especially when fish are within that region of distance from me (close to the bank). By the way I've superglued a 9' 1X tapered leader to my new SLX or I would have gone 9' overall length, tapered to help me out.
Consistently feeding fish are typically in a wee group so when fishing from a downstream position hooking, or pricking :mad, fish is typically done within the first 2 or 3 casts before they move or go silent.
Casting square has been more productive for sure but almost impossible due to fish proximity and bankside vegetation.
I have found downstream dry the most successful delivery method if there are no back eddies to hinder free line drift.
Blasted River!
Iain
Sounds to me like you've got them figured out Iain, you just need a chainsaw.
Bob