Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Streamer Green

by MAngler

You wont find it at Ace, or Sherwin-Williams. It’s not a recognized color on a mixing wheel, and it varies from angler to angler. But it’s a color, all right. When the water isn’t brown, but it isn’t clear, it’s Streamer Green

Trout have an IQ of 4. Don’t tell anyone, we can look foolish enough on our own without that info getting out! It means trout can’t do two things at once. The rivers are full of food right now, and the fish are out feeding like crazy. Get so focused on your food, and the next thing you know, you’re dinner! Big fish eat little fish. Lots of food makes little fish get bigger. It’s a risk/reward type of thing, and sometimes the risk is substantial. Add the dropping water, which is moving the fish from place to place in search of new homes. The fish are displaced, vulnerable and trying to feed. All this screams streamers to the angler.

If you have a dedicated 7 or 8 weight streamer rod, you already know what to do! Bang the banks with a big fly, like the Beastmaster or Hop Scotch Sculpin. The big heads push a lot of water, so the fish can find your fly more easily. Work the shoreline, work the structure. Use a short leader on your sink tip, so the fly gets deep and stays there. Use the big stuff, 15lb Maxima. These fish aren’t leader shy, and heavy tippet has saved many a $6 fly from dangling in a tree branch. If you really have to reef on the fly to get it free, check the hook and make sure it’s not bent out. Then cast it out again! You know the drill.

If you don’t have a dedicated streamer rod, there are ways to handle the bigger, green water with a streamer. Use the heaviest line weight rod you have- it helps to control the bigger, heavier flies A long leader and a well weighted fly will help you attain some depth. We often recommend a Bonefish leader 12’ long with a 12-16lb test. The big, stiff leader helps turn that heavy fly over, and again, trout eating streamers aren’t leader shy. The trout doesn’t have a lot of time to make up its mind to eat or not, so leader thickness is not an issue.

There are two schools of thought on fly size. One says to use the largest fly you can throw, and get it close to your target. The other school says use a smaller fly, and be more accurate. Big fish are where big fish are. If you land a 5 inch fly 2 feet away from a trout, it might eat because the fly is big enough to risk coming out from cover and expending the energy to eat. If you drop a 2.5 inch fly 6” from the trout, it might be an easier choice. Both methods work, and both have their adherents. It’s good to know about both!

If you don’t think you’re getting deep enough with a long leader and weighted fly, you can purchase sinking leaders. They come in different lengths and sink rates. You can get a few and experiment, but we often find the longest and fastest sink rate you can handle is best. We stress that you can handle. Use a short leader (2-3’) off the end, as the mono leader doesn’t sink as fast and if it’s too long, the leader is way deeper than the fly. Keep in mind you’ve added a lot of additional weight to your fly line when you add the sinking leader. It’s like casting a 7-8 wt line on a 5-6 wt rod. Make sure you bring the fly close to you before starting your backcast, or the cast may fail. Worst case scenario, the rod fails! Depending on how deep the fly and leader is, you may need to roll cast the fly to the surface, and then pick it up. Sink tips work a little differently than a floating line, so be ready for some changes to your casting stroke.

With the rivers so big, you’re going to want to work the banks. 80% of all trout are found within 10’ of the shore, so let your cast swing all the way out if you’re wading. Work the soft water and any structure you find. If you’re using a bigger fly, make a couple few casts and then move on. If the fish was going to eat, it would have already. Streamer fishing isn’t like nymphing. Continuous presentations aren’t always what is needed. If you’ve gotten good casts to a likely spot, and seen nothing, move on and find a new spot. Plenty of fish in the river! If you’re floating the river, this is all built in. Bang the banks, and be ready for a fish off every shelf and behind every log.

On general principles, the more off color the water is, the darker a fly you should use. A dark fly creates a better silhouette than a light colored fly, and in murky water that’s a big plus. If the water is light green, you can start with a lighter color. Vary your retrieve. Let the trout tell you if they want the fly subtly moved, or violently stripped. Always keep in mind you can’t move your fly fast enough to keep it away from a big trout bent on eating, so if the slow strip isn’t working, start to move the fly with some speed. Vary the flies entry into the water, and use aerial or water mends to give the fly line some slack, which will allow the fly to sink. Be ready for a fish on the flies first movement, as many large fish will take a dead drifting streamer as an extremely easy meal.

Streamer can be boom or bust. When you’re throwing a big fly, a lot of fish aren’t capable or willing to attack something that large. But the fish you do take on a streamer can be significant. Streamer fishing isn’t for everyone. It takes a lot of effort to throw the big rod and sink tip all day, especially if the fish aren’t cooperating as you think they should! But if you love streamer fishing, or are ready to check out what all the fuss is about, take advantage of the off color clarity that is Streamer Green, and get the big bug in the water!

Salmonfly Pattern Blackfoot River
Flies and Fly Tying

Thoughts On Fly Patterns For Fishing Montana In June

by MAngler

June fly fishing in Montana. It’s why so many of us live in Missoula! The best fly fishing in Missoula, the best fly fishing in Montana is happening right now. Salmon Flies. Because when the big dog barks. . . . . .  Green Drakes. Big fish rising consistently. With summer just around the corner, so a smattering of Pale Morning Duns, Pale Evening Duns and Golden Stones will round out the month. If there was ever a time to do a little distancing, pretty much pick a spot on the Clark Fork River, Blackfoot River, Rock Creek or the Bitterroot River for the next four weeks, and enjoy the best fly fishing of the year.

Picking favorite flies for this month is a pamphlet length affair. So we’re going to concentrate on a style of fly, and then apply that style to all the different hatches that are bursting out right now. And we’re going to be talking about a specific type of imitation, and that’s the ass in the water fly.

A very good outfitter in Missoula invented the Gould’s Half-down Salmon Fly, and he told us this story about the first time he used it. He said he knew he had a winner, and couldn’t wait to tie it on. When the first salmon fly starts to fly, he puts it on a clients rod, who does nothing for 45 minutes. So he takes and early lunch, feeds his guests and then asks if he could borrow the rod, and of course the guy says sure. Off he goes, up the stream, to find out why the magic isn’t working.

Third cast along the shore, and a beautiful 15” trout gently twists its pectoral fins and lazily drifts to the top of Rock Creek, and sips that salmon fly just like a mayfly. Released, and a couple casts later another nice trout slips up and sucks it down, same slow rise form. And the big 500 watt lightbulb went off over his head. The bug is SUBMERGED! It can’t get away! Why waste energy slashing at a trapped insect when a slow sip is just as effective. Back to the clients, and tells them to look for a subtle rise, not the classic Rock Creek slash, and they were off to the races. An epic day on a fly that imitates, what in mayfly terms, would be a cripple. This is basically a stonefly Klinkhamer.

We carry a lot of stone flies that ride with a half submerged body, in addition to the Half-down. The 64 Impala Salmon Fly, The El Camino Grillo and the Demoes Mill all float with a submerged abdomen. As long as you dress them correctly! For these flies, we use a gel floatant and only apply it on the front half of the fly. We want the rear to sink, so no floatant on the rear of the fly. It makes these flies a bit trickier to see, and they may not float a dropper as well. A small price to pay for flies that really connect with the fish. That ass in the water sends a message to the deeps- this fly aint going anywhere.

If you’re looking for the same “action” in a mayfly imitation, look for the Sprout and the Sparkle Dun to provide that sunken backside that’s so irresistible to trout. Once again, the submerged abdomen means the fly is trapped, and is worth the energy expenditure to move for. Breaking the meniscus with the abdomen is a clear call to all trout- this fly is easy pickings. Get your Sprouts and Sparkle Duns in all the June hatches you plan to meet on any of your fishing adventures.

So while this may not detail the exact flies you need for June, it certainly helps you get started with knowing which of the hatches are present, and gives a strategy for meeting them. To be honest, the fishing in June might not be this technical. The water is still big, and the fish are hugging the shore. As the flies zip by, the fish don’t always have a lot of time to make a decision, so you can use pretty much any hatch matching fly and be sure of some success. Big Orange and medium Gold/Tan cover the stoneflies, while pale mint green and pale olive cover the Green Drakes and PMD’s/PED’s. Stop by our Missoula fly shop or check out our online store to find the flies you need for June fly fishing in Missoula, and then get on the water. Don’t squander the years best fly fishing in Montana!

Half Down Salmon Fly

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Demoes Mill Creek Golden

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El Camino Golden

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Missoula Montana Guided Fly Fishing Trip

Come enjoy a day on the river with Missoula’s best fly fishing guides. We float the Bitterroot River, Blackfoot River and the Clark Fork River. All gear, lunch and transportation provided.

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Montana Guided Fly Fishing Float Trip
Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Unfocused Fly Fishing

by MAngler

. . . it takes several years of serious fishing before a man learns enough to go through a whole season with an unblemished record of physical and spiritual anguish.

Ed Zern, Are Fishermen People? (1951) Quote taken from Nick Lyons, The Quotable Fisherman

No truer words have ever been spoken! Ask any unsuccessful angler what happened and you’ll get a double earful. Too sunny! Too cloudy! Too hot! Too cold! Rising barometer! Leaky waders. The list goes on and on. Why, to hear them talk, the day was doomed from the moment they started, and tomorrow . . . . . . . well, tomorrow is even worse.

We’re not going to catch fish every time we hit the water. That’s a given. Some days, for whatever reason, you just suck! The first cast you make spooks 5 trout you didn’t see. Your dry fly lands 4 feet wide left, and leaves rings because your presentation was so “light”. Your jig nymph, even inverted as it rides, seems to find every submerged branch in the river. You pop flies off on your back cast, or snap so hard the indicator flies off. You drop fly boxes in the river, and lose your forceps. Again. Every mosquito seems to be telling you, maybe I should be on the golf course, or cutting the grass.

And you can’t fall back on your standard reason any more. You’ve been at this for a while. You’ve done your research, reading books and online with the Mangler’s Resource Pages. You fish 50 days a year, and know things now. You’ve tasted the heady champagne of success, and it was good! What happened?

You’re not a novice anymore! You can’t say I’m just learning. You’ve climbed that hill. Of course, you never do stop learning, that’s the joy of this sport. But the days of everything being new are gone. You no longer rejoice at tying a Surgeon’s Knot on the first try .You know it’s PMD’s on the water, the Goldens will be there later, and if you make it, the Pale Evening Duns fly at dusk. You have the knowledge to succeed. What a double edged sword!

We all know mid summer clouds are magic. (Cloud Day)We plan our days to be on the water when conditions are perfect. Yet the sum of our day is measured in single digits, in both fish length and count. We pounded the water to a frothy lather, we delved deep in the vest for last years magic, changed tippet, leader and tactics. We got squat.

And then the knowledge starts to come out, slowly and painfully! It’s a full moon- the fish were feeding all night and now they’re sated and not moving in the day. I knew that! Why wasn’t I out last night!! A new weather front came in, and trout hate barometric change. I know this! I had oatmeal for breakfast. I never catch fish when I have oatmeal for breakfast! How could I have been so stupid!

The list grows. Every minute on the water seems to reinforce another reason for tiddlers, one dink every three hours. You’re sunburned, because you took the sunscreen out of the bag to make room for that new box of killer flies. You forgot to hydrate, and there’s nothing more annoying than to be thirsty surrounded by water! How can I fish with all these problems! This never happened before. I know what I’m doing. Why, just 4 years ago, I took 18 fish out of this stretch in just under two hours.

Woe is me!

And visions of 7 irons dance in your head. You haven’t had the mountain bike out for a spin in quite some time. And yes, if asked, maybe, just maybe, the garden could use a little weeding, and the garage could be tidied up. You haven’t been able to park in it for two months, so it might be time to clear a little space.

Your feet don’t listen. It’s like they have a mind of their own. They shuffle a little further up the river, taking care not to disturb the water. Your mind goes into overdrive. If the weeds are growing, so’s everything else. Last time I golfed, my idiot cousin almost beaned me with his crappy slice. And it’s summer. The car is fine in the driveway.

You twist another fly on. It comes from the box that replaced the sunscreen. You take two baby steps, and then tiny third. Flick, and the fly is air born, cutting through the air with the grace and skill you’ve worked long and hard to attain. You can see the spot 35 feet above you, where the bright silver water drops off to dark green, just below a dancing riffle. At the last moment, just as the fly is about to hit the water, you twist your wrist and make a left reach cast. The fly lands, two feet above the prime spot, with just enough slack to float exactly as you’d planned, using all the skill you’ve gained on the water, all the guile you’ve worked so hard to learn, and starts it’s float to the zone. . . . . . .

You know every reason why it’s not going to work. Too hot! Wrong tippet! Should have mended right! Full moon! Oatmeal!

Your brain, locked in the cranium and covered by a hat so ugly a guy at the put-in offered to loan you a different one, is babbling excuses like a drunk husband coming home at 3:00 AM.  But just like his wife, you’re not listening to that BS! You’re listening to your feet, you’re listening to the feel of the rod, you’re listening to that little voice, located way under the drone of non-stop negativity, saying, just one more cast. Just one more, and then I weed.

Just one more, and then I maybe I’ll get the mountain bike out.

Just one more cast. . . . . . .

Because you know every reason why you shouldn’t be on the water. All those lessons learned- some the hard way, some the easy way. All molding an angler who has savored great success, and choked down bitter failure. An angler who’s put in his time, and found out that there’s only one lesson that really counts. It’s the tenet they learned first,  the most important knowledge any angler ever gains. No matter what else is lodged in the fishing brain, screaming out one more rationalization for another fishless cast, another fishless day, fishless week, month. . . . . .

YOU CAN’T CATCH FISH WHEN YOU’RE NOT ON THE WATER

Yeah, it’s too cold. Too this, too that. But we go anyway. Because it’s what we do. Because we honor the first lesson. Because the essence of all angling, the spark that drives the first lesson home is hope. We know all the reasons not to go, but then the most powerful force in the fly fisherman’s arsenal takes over. We remember a 100 degree August day 7 years ago when we crushed with ants. A March day in a white out, with every trout in the river eating Skwalas. Shouldn’t have been out then either.

But we were

Trico Nymph
Flies and Fly Tying

Small Nymphs For Trout

by MAngler

There’s a small but dedicated cadre of nymph fishermen who go small all the time. It seems contra-indicated in Missoula, where you’re surrounded by Salmon Fly, Golden Stone and Skwala nymphs, but we’ve seen the proof, and tiny nymphs work in Missoula. We’re talking about size 18 and smaller, mostly used on a standard nymph rig. They can be used on a euronymph rig, but you’ll need to take extra steps in rigging to get the smaller flies deep enough quickly enough.

We understand the conundrum. You’re standing on the bank of a river that’s 80’ wide. It takes some mental gymnastics to convince yourself that any trout would be looking for food that small. It’s also easy to fall into the mindset of even if the trout are eating them, how are they going to find something 5mm long in such a huge area. But it makes sense to go tiny more often then most of us do, and this is why.

Midges are one of the most prolific insects in any body of water. In Missoula rivers, we tend to focus on them in Winter, when they continue to hatch, and are eaten by the trout on the surface. But the next time you’re on the water in Spring, Fall or Summer, look for midges flying. You’ll find them. The fish don’t care (see Skwala, Salmon and Golden!) but the insects are out and moving. This means the Midge larva are available to trout 365 days a year. Consistent food will find consistent feeders.

There is also a constant supply of tiny mayfly nymphs year round as well. When a mayfly lays its eggs, it lays anywhere from 100-500. When they hatch, they are close to microscopic, and of little value to the fish. But there are a lot of them. With some growth, they hit a size 22 and the fish begin to take notice. This is an extremely plentiful food source, and as mayflies hatch from Spring to Fall, this underwater cycle goes on for 9 months as well. Add caddis larva and stoneflies to that same cycle as well, and the trout has a myriad food supply if they can find the correct lie.

The last factor comes into play when you’re fishing hard fished water. When a stream is seeing a lot of anglers, and the fish are getting hooked frequently, they rapidly learn larger food forms are dangerous to their health! Think about the Yellow Breeches in PA, the Farmington in CT and the San Juan or Green River out west. These rivers see 100’s of anglers every day. These highly educated fish have seen it all, and a larger fly simply doesn’t look natural to these fish any longer. But a tiny fly, by definition, has less going on. They’re easier to imitate, and they look more realistic to the trout. When you’re struggling to find a place to access the water due to pressure, you might use your down time to rig tiny for more success.

Tiny nymphs take the same care in rigging as tiny dries. You have to go to light tippet, 5X and thinner. The thinner tippet allows the fly to behave in a more natural way, as well as allowing these lighter flies to sink faster. This is also the place where your microshot comes into play. This type of fishing is way too subtle for a B or BB size lead weight- you need to get your tiny weight out, and rig accordingly. The large lead is simply too dramatic with a smaller fly, dragging the nymph in an unrealistic way along the bottom. Because the rig is so lightweight, scale your indicator down as well. You don’t need a ¾” inch Thing-A-Ma-Bobber to hold these flies up, and on hard fished waters a smaller, lighter indicator is so much less intrusive.

Depth control is crucial with tiny nymphs. While a trout may roam 2-3 feet to take a Salmon Fly nymph, they’re not going to move far to take a 5mm insect. You need to put these flies directly in front of the trout, or they’re not going to eat them. The energy expenditure is too great for the calories taken in. “Foam is Home” is never so important as when fishing tiny. The foam you see on the surface tells you where the currents are coming together in the river, which in turn tells you where the majority of food will be. Get your indicator in the foam line and let it ride.

Classic depth of your nymph is 1.5 times the depth of the water. But when going tiny, use a bit more length from your indicator. Tiny flies don’t sink all that rapidly, even with microshot, so they don’t stretch out tippet as well as a larger fly does. The extra length allows the fly to reach the depth needed to take fish. The only time this might not apply is if you’re using a small perdigon in your rig. Perdigons, with their tungsten bead and coated bodies, sink very rapidly. With a perdigon, you may be able to run less length from your indicator because the sink rate is so much greater. As a rule, tiny flies will require tiny adjustments to your leader to be effective.

Some may be asking why you don’t take a fast sinking fly like a wire worm or Pat’s Rubberlegs and attach it above the smaller fly to get it to sink more rapidly. This technique certainly works in less pressured water, where fish are less apt to shy from a larger bug. But in those high pressure situations, a larger bug may serve to drive the fish away. Also, at least in Montana, the maximum legal number of flies that can be used is two. We prefer to have two effective bugs if we can, so the larger bug is less useful in those situations. Go with two effective bugs, not a single fly and what’s essentially weight.

When you’ve found a likely spot, don’t be in a hurry to move. This is delicate nymphing, and not easy to control because of the light weight. Drag, any drag at all, will keep these flies from sinking. So you might want to make more than a few passes where you think the fish are. Not every presentation is perfect. Allow some wiggle room to make sure your fly is getting to the fish in a natural way, It won’t happen every cast, so make sure you make enough casts that it does actually happen! Drag is the enemy at all times, but its affects are magnified with lighter flies and longer leaders.

It’s so easy to fall into the thought pattern of big flies taking big fish. Which is true in so many times and in so many places. But while it’s a good thought, it’s not the only way to think about what will take trout. Trout are always on the lookout for a consistent food source, and tiny nymphs are there all the time. A constant stream of small food is as good as minimal stream of large food, from a caloric standpoint. If you can broaden your nymph selection to cover the tiny flies that are so abundant in the river, you’re going to find yourself getting into more trout. Plus, think how much fun you’ll have learning that when on a big river, the tiny flies are as effective, if not more so than those size 4 Double Bead Stones!

Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Buying Your Second Fly Rod

by MAngler

You did it. You bought your first fly rod. You stumbled and suffered through the steep learning curve, and you stuck to it. All the knots that failed, all the flies that mysteriously flew off after someone shot a pistol behind you, those days are past…. mostly. You’ve done some very foolish things, most prominent being borrowing a buddy’s rod. And now you have it. Rod envy. We know, it starts small, but then it begins to build and build. There comes a time when you say to yourself, my best fly fishing in Missoula is only going to be found with a new fly rod. One that I want, and depending on how you roll, is SO much better than your buddy’s!

This is all good. Starter rods have definite limitations, and you’re starting to find them. It means you’re growing as an angler, acquiring new skills to be more effective. You know the old rod works, it simply no longer enhances your experience. The die is cast. You’re on the hunt for a new magic wand. That old 5 wt is being relegated to the back of the closet, or a niece. That’s not clear yet. What is clear is it’s time to make the move.

As you go for rod two, you should be aware that there are so many rod manufacturers out there making high quality rods. They all cast really well. In fact, if you spend over $100, it’s very difficult to find a lousy rod in this day and age- a far cry from 35 years ago when most rods weren’t even decent tent poles! That’s a comforting thought, that you can’t really screw this up too badly.

You’ve done research and know that some rods are fast action (don’t bend as deeply, return to straight more rapidly) and some are slow (flex deeply, takes longer to return to straight). Each rod has it’s advantages and disadvantages. That’s a completely different subject. This is not about why you want fast or slow.. This is about you. Because, truth be told, you don’t actually need a fly rod, you just want one. This is about finding what you want.

Now you’re on safari, searching for the elusive white tiger that will transform your time on the water. Your first move is to set a budget. This very important, and not as much for monetary reasons, though those certainly matter! When buying a car, you don’t go test drive Cadillacs, Mercedes and Ferraris, all while really contemplating buying a Ford or a Subaru. Because when you go to drive the car you’re going to buy, you’re going to think it’s terrible. And we know for a fact its not. But in comparison, its not in the same league, and therefore feels lesser. This applies to fly rods as well.

If you enter a shop and say you want to cast rods, you might end up with a $1200 rod in your hand. And yes, it will be phenomenal. And then every rod you look at after won’t be up to snuff. Set a budget and stick to it. If you have an unlimited budget, our address is 802 S. Higgins!! We’ve been in business for over 30 years and we know some things about tackle. Once you hit a certain point, and for rods its about $300, to get 10% better it costs 50% more. That seems to be a pretty good rule of thumb. Here’s another thought about buying fly rods. The longer it takes to find a fly rod, the more you’re going to spend. The longer you spend looking at fly rods, the more satisfied you’ll be down the road. It’s a trade-off.

We’ve seen this done as well at our Missoula fly shop. A customer is looking for a new fly rod, and has the old standard, a 9’ 5wt. They come into the shop looking to upgrade, but they’re not comfortable about duplicating. They’re thinking about spending $500 or more on a 7 ½” 3wt, or a 9 ½’ 7wt. Both those rods are more specialty sticks when it comes to Montana trout fishing. Why would you spend so much money on an ancillary fly rod, and have your main rod be a less effective tool. Get ready to purchase pretty much the same thing you’ve already got, because it’s your go-to rod. Put your money where you’re going to use it most. It’s why your niece is getting the old one!

When you bought your first rod, you probably had no idea what you were buying. You bought something inexpensive, in case you didn’t like it. You trusted the people who sold it to you, and it worked. You might not have even put it together. This time is different. This time you know what you want. And if you don’t know, you’re going to find out. The only way to find out how a fly rod feels is to cast it. Shaking a fly rod doesn’t get it done. You need to put a line on it and go cast it. That’s the only way to know how its going to perform. If the fly shop doesn’t have a line for you to use, bring your old one.

We’ve seen this happen when traveling or just in other shops. A customer walks in and says they want to buy a fly rod. The salesperson says I know exactly the rod you want, and starts his spiel. Beware! You’re buying this rod because you want to, not because you have to. Sure, the salesperson might be right. But probably not. They haven’t seen you cast, so how can they make a recommendation?  Everyone at the MAngler has their favorite rod, and at some point it’s going to be in your hand. But we’re doing more than handing you rods and saying how good it is. We’re watching you cast, we’re watching your loop, and comparing distance to the other rods you’ve tried. This next bit sounds rude, but it’s not. We don’t care what rod you buy. Our only vested interest is you buy it from us, and you’re happy with your purchase. Many times we sell rods we’re personally not enamored of. Why? Because the customer casts it better than our favorite. We’re not buying the rod, you are! So we watch you cast, and then start matching rods to your preference.

Your Mom always says, don’t fall for the first pretty face that comes by. The same applies to fly rods. Even if the first rod feels like magic in your hands, go cast more. Sure, that rod might be the one, but you’ve got to check. Don’t be swayed by some slick talking salesman or a discount. Do your due diligence. The rod will be there when you go back. And if it’s not, they can order another one! The last thing you want to do is buy the first rod you cast, and then later cast a buddy’s you like much better. That will haunt you every time you use your rod, and the haunting will go up in proportion to how much you spent!

Because you’re doing this to make yourself happy. Its not a chore to go and cast a bunch of rods, it’s a privilege. Go out and enjoy the experience. Have a great time casting each rod. Every time you pick up a new stick, you learn more about your casting. You find out more about likes and dislikes. You hone in on your happy place, and crystalize in your mind exactly what you’re looking for. Because the goal is to find a rod that makes you go “Ooooohhh” every time you fish it. You want a rod that makes you smile when it comes out of the tube, that fills you with confidence every time you take it out to play. Because if it doesn’t, then what’s the point? You have a rod that works- this is about a rod that makes you smile. It will take a little time and a little effort. Trust us, it’s worth it. Having that magic wand, the rod that does it all for you, is such a good feeling on the water. It’s worth the time and effort to make your second rod exactly what you want.

Fall Fly Fishing Clark Fork River
Fly Fishing Hot Topics

Choosing Fly Lines

by MAngler

Remember those awesome days when we went spinfishing? Things were so easy then. Snag your lure? Just cut the line and start again. Lose to much line, and $10.00 later you were back in business. Oh my, how things have changed! A River Runs Through It never mentioned fly lines can cost over $100.00! Not in the brochure!

And look how many fly lines are out there! Pike Tapers, Grand and Trout and MPX. We’ve gone from one size fits all to seemingly no one line can be effective. Add the amazing technological advances in fly rod design since AFTMA (American Fly Tackle Manufacturers Association) codified fly lines in the 60’s, and now you seem to have an unsolvable puzzle in front of you. But you have to solve it, mostly because you can’t remember if the fly line on your reel started as tan or orange, and it has so many cracks it looks like a zebra. After 5 minutes, it might as well be a sink tip. Something’s gotta give.

Because you can’t mend a sinking line. Sure, a reach cast or other aerial mend, but once it hits the water, it’s no longer mendable. And since mending is the most important thing you can do to be effective with insect imitations on the surface and below, you need your line to float, and float well. The higher a line floats on the water, the easier it is to mend. Less disturbance, more distance in your mend- high floating is the better way to go.

That’s one of the features you get in the top quality fly lines, very high floating. Technology has hit fly line manufacture as well, and the new lines float like corks. Many of the tapers are designed to enhance mending, and all of a sudden you’re back in control of your fly again. The newer fly lines are also designed to go further with the same effort, and some are textured to provide even more distance.

As you decide what you need from your fly line, decide if distance is really that important in your trout fishing. If your throwing streamers, it can be critical, and well worth pursuing. But since the average 9’ fly rod can’t mend beyond 37-40’, distance may not be as important to the insect imitating angler. If you can cast further than you can mend, distance may not be your number one consideration. Here’s a grumpy aside. If you can only throw 30’ with your old line, don’t expect a new line to go 70’. At that point, it might not be the arrow, it might be the archer. Just saying.

When it comes to the weight of your fly line, unless your very sure about what you’re doing, stick to the manufacturer’s recommended line weight. That still leaves some wiggle room, because some lines weigh a half size more than prescribed by AFTMA.

For the nerds, fly lines are sized in this way. Only the first 30’ is weighed, and a 3wt should be 100 grains. 4wt-120 gr. 5wt- 140 gr. 6wt-160 gr. 7wt- 185 gr. 8wt-210 gr. 9wt- 240 gr 10wt- 280 gr. From a modern perspective, many casters reach way beyond 30’, so when you have more than 30’ out, you are, in a sense, overloading the rod. Some fly rod manufacturers are asking for an overhaul to the system in place, but so far it hasn’t happened. So we go with what we got.

Back to choosing your fly line. If you’re happy with your rod, get a standard weight fly line. If you bought a fast rod and like it, don’t put a heavier line on it, as it will slow it down. If you bought a soft rod and like it, don’t put a heavier line on as it will change the action. But say you have a rod and you don’t truly like how it casts. Now is the time to fiddle with the line weight. If it’s too stiff, go up a half size in lines, or maybe even a whole line size. If the rod is a noodle, go down a half or whole size. You’ll find the rod may work a whole lot better than it did with a different weight loading it.

Let’s go back to distance. It you’re always into the running line, then a half weight heavier might be a bit much for your rod. If you’re a small stream angler, or consistently throw less than 30’, consider going to the half weight heavier line. Because rods are designed to have 30” of line out, the heavier line will compensate for the shorter line length. The rod loads faster, and short casts are now a lot easier. The additional weight also helps with mending, as it loads the rod tip and gives a better feel when shifting the line. Many small stream anglers will go up an entire line weight to get the rod to load with 20’ or less line extending from the tip top.

When you go to choose a fly line, price may well be a concern. While the more expensive lines may be more durable, they are not twice as durable, which is how they might be priced. Again, ask yourself what the fly lines main purpose is. If you’re a distance caster, get the best line you can afford- it will maximize your distance. Texture will also increase your distance dramatically. The more expensive lines have emollients impregnated in them, designed to ooze out slowly. These also help for distance, as well as easing cleaning. And for Pete’s sake, get a fly line cleaning pad and use it! A dirty line doesn’t shoot as well, doesn’t float as well and is just not as effective. Stick it in your vest pocket and at the end of the day, pull your line through it. Too easy not to do!

As you look at price points of lines, and their names, think back to the advertising you saw in magazines and online 15 years ago. The “mid” priced lines now were the top of the line 15 years ago. They worked just fine then, and they’ll work just fine now. Just fine isn’t the same as spectacular. But saving $40 is not to be sneezed at either! The new lines will seriously out perform the older lines, and if you’re looking to gain any edge you can, the new lines will help your mending and presentation. The tapers are more advanced, and they allow an angler to do more on the water.

You still have the zebra line, and you have a decision in front of you. Is there any way to stretch the life of that line out for a little bit as you contemplate your next move? Sure. Clean it as best you can with soap and water. Use mild scrubby pressure to remove grime. What, are you going to ruin it? It’s already done, so get the dirt off. Then coat the tip with 5-6 coats of Armorall or 1 coat of Mucilin. It’s a replasticizer, and will give the line a little coating and a bit of waterproofing. Let each coat dry completely before putting on the next one. It’s going to take a little time and effort.  Its not forever, maybe 16 hours. But the Armorall is something while you decide what the next move is, or as a stop gap till pay day. But the piper will need to be paid, and soon. We’ll tell you what we tell all the zebra line people. When you put the new line on, remember how well it performs. Remember how easy it is to cast and mend. And next time, don’t wait so long to get a new line. Your fishing will improve, and that’s why we’re out there on the water, for the best fly fishing experience possible!