Guide – Twig & Stream Fly Fishing

Lessons ? Practise ? Why bother?

“Why bother with lessons and practise? I cast well enough to catch fish nearly every time I go out ?”. This was my response some 15 years ago, when a fishing mate suggested we share a lesson. Proud of my skills back then, I couldn’t see the sense in standing in a park making the same cast after cast, endlessly, monotonously. Especially when I spent most of my time fishing streams and rivers. My older wiser self, would now side with my mate on this one, and has a few answers to that question. However I am not sure my younger self would have listened or understood.

I have no idea what his response was, but I remember being sceptical, and it was probably only the promise to go fishing afterwards that finally convinced me to join him. I remember it was a very windy day, the coach was an experienced angler and had me working on getting rid of the tailing loops that annoyingly and reliably appeared every time I strived for distance. I still remember his sage advice (and his Sage advice), “try not to grip and rip, try to feel the cast”. When I asked him how , he suggested I try a rod with a more forgiving action. I tried his Sage SLT 5 weight, I loved it. It did help, but I still didn’t understand how to develop feel. Also, whilst I am certain this was not his intention, I took this to mean a new rod would make me cast better. It didn’t. (Good rod though, glad I bought it, glad I still have it !). Sadly (for me), I didn’t pursue any more lessons with him or anyone else, and forgot about it for a while, enjoying myself nonetheless.

Why I finally took lessons

Five years on, and I was living in London, trying to learn Italian, and on advice from my language teacher, I took to reading websites in Italian, on something that interested me (fly fishing unsurprisingly). In this way, one spring day, whilst on vacation, I found myself fishing on one of the rivers in Umbria in central Italy with some guys from the SIM Italian fishing association. The river was fast and clear, and I had some great success fishing weighted nymphs. One of my hosts suggested I try casting a dry near the far bank, where he claimed there were some big ones hiding under the overhanging shrubs. I probably put at least 50 or more casts over there, landing the dry in the current seam, only to have it whipped away by the current. At this point I declared, that :

Clearly there were no fish there, and
Even if they were there it was impossible to fish the spot, the drag was horrendous.

My host, didn’t seem fazed and made a leisurely cast across the current, his fly landed, and sat… and sat…. for at least a count of 3, before a sizeable hole opened up beneath it. A relaxed lift of the rod, and the hook was set into the biggest fish I’d seen all day. He did it twice more to prove it wasn’t a fluke. He presented that dry-fly with studied precision, and injected just enough slack in the leader to let it hang enticingly in the still water. I begged him to tell me how he did it. Easy , he said, come to a course, and you can learn. Here was an art, and an art worth my learning (sorry for misquoting Mr Walton). I now had an answer to that question of a few years before. Why take some lessons: to learn some skills to catch fish, good fish, that I otherwise couldn’t !

It was through the Italian SIM association I learned there was a whole lot more to fly-casting and fly fishing than laying a line out straight and accurately. Their approach to fly-casting is all about casts that catch fish, controlling the line, leader and fly to present the fly, in and around and under obstacles, combatting swirling currents to maximise the natural drift. Over the next few years I attended 6 or so courses, improving bit by bit, discovering the joy of playing around with rod and line. Even more so on the river, where there is a lot of satisfaction to be had making a difficult cast, even better if a fish cooperates. Another answer to my question : Have more fun!

How to Practise

None of this came without practising between the courses. Not just any practice either, what is needed is focused practice. For example, when I was on a golfing crusade to earn a single figure handicap. I used to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range twice a week thinking this would really help, until a conversation with my golf-pro. He asked me how I practised, “I take my driver twice a week at the range” I said. “Hmm” he replied, “you drive quite well, but what about the rest of your game? Chips, putts ? fades ? draws ? High shots low shots ? Practise the shots you use most on the course. Spend half your time on your short game, half the rest on the short irons, and then rest on long irons and woods.” Good advice , practice the skills you need!

Learn to cast, improve your accuracy.

A curve cast round an object

Close up of the bend .

I advocate applying this approach to fly-casting. In the off-season I practise at least once a week for an hour or two at a time. I make a rough plan for each session , I go with the intention of working on a four or five skills in particular. I break up my practice time and spend no more than 10 – 15 minutes on each skill.

Don’t be afraid to take a few lessons. If you are in Melbourne we have casting lessons available. Click here.

Try it for yourself: you may catch more fish and may have more fun doing so!

Practise Drills for Fly Casting:

Loops and line control:

Loop control : Try making false casts with consistent smooth loops. 3 or 4 casts then rest. Try doing this at different distances.
Loop size: Practice casting tight loops, medium-sized loops, wide loops.
Rod plane: try casting on various rod planes. from vertical, to horizontal and angles between. Concentrate on timing and making clean smooth loops.
Double hauling.

Presentation Casts:

If you have learned how to do these, practice and perfect them, if not consider hitting me up for a lesson or three:

Curved casts
Wiggle casts
Bucket Casts
Aerial Mends

Accuracy:

Simple accuracy I take a few hoops or targets with me, and set them up at various typical fishing distances, and practice a few casts at each , then try the next one, trying always to judge the distance by eye. I move around so the distance is never the same. On the river you don’t know the distance in advance!
Altering the plane: e.g. Side casting to a target, simulating casting low under overhanging foliage , yet still hitting the target.
Presentation cast accuracy (curve, bucket, wiggle) : Using a hoop, I imagine that I need to make a presentation cast to some slack water, the loop is the target.
Reverse cast (over your other shoulder)
Other hand if you know how

On Water:

If you have suitable water nearby, try practising:

Roll casts (and single-handed spey techniques )
Mending
Different presentations ( fly first, gentle)
Different retrieve patterns (etc.)

Here are a couple of videos from my practice sessions

Fly lines for Twigging

There are so many different fly lines out there it can be a bit daunting choosing one to match your rod and the style of casting. A quick google search returned more than fifty different choices for a three weight floating lines.

What is the ideal fly line for small stream fishing (Twigging)?

Ask this question and you will get a lot of well-intentioned, but often misinformed advice. There are so many different fly lines out there it can be a bit daunting choosing one to match your rod and the style of casting. Especially with textures, colours, coatings and the plethora of complicated tapers offered by manufacturers. A quick search on the internet gave me about fifty different choices for a three weight floating line from three of the main fly line companies. It is confusing, and therefore not surprising that many end up with a poor line choice for this type of fishing.

My advice for small stream fishing line choice is:

Type of line: Double taper (DT) line with a front taper of about 7 – 9 feet.

Weight: Start with the designated Line Weight for your rod and adjust according to your preference for that rod. (Between -1 and +1 line weights of the rod’s designated weight)

Note: this is specific to small stream fishing, and some will disagree with this, but please read on to understand the reasoning behind this advice.

The needs of twigging and the first 15- 20ft. of the line.

When I say twigging, I mean fly fishing small streams with small rods of 7 to 8ft in length, using lines in the 2 to 4 weight range. When fly-fishing these small waters we need to cast accurately in confined spaces at a range of only 10 – 30 ft., hence the most important aspect of our fly line is the weight of the first 15 -20 feet. WHY? Taking rod and leader length in to consideration, the line length used when twigging could be as little as a few feet, and perhaps as much as twenty, but very rarely more. Therefore, we need the first 15 -20 feet, the effective line length, to have sufficient weight to comfortably load the rod. This is where the front taper design is extremely important.

Taper Design and effective line weight

The majority of fly lines in the market are of a Weight Forward (WF) design. They are designed to facilitate long casts (90ft+), and are great for Salt Water and lake fishing where distance can be of importance, but for twigging this design is superfluous. The front section of a WF line, the head, is usually 25 – 40 feet in length and carries most of the lines total weight. The remaining 40 – 60 ft. is running line, which is much thinner and lighter the head section which facilitates making longer casts. Long casts are rarely needed for small stream fishing.

Double Taper lines have the same thickness for the majority of their length and taper at each end. They are reversible; when one end wears out you can turn it round and use the other. (So your DT will last twice as long as a WF of the same make and model).

The first 20 ft of a DT and a WF fly lines are identical.

The taper of the line affects the weight distribution of the line. When you look at the front 20 feet of WF and DT lines of the same make, model and line weight, generally they are identical, with identical taper, taper length and material; hence identical in weight. Therefore, for small stream fishing whether the line is a WF or DT will have no impact on the loading of the rod. See the example below of the Cortland 444 line:

Source: http://www.cortlandline.com

What does make a difference, however, is the length and shape of the front taper of the line. This can differ widely from model to model and make to make.

So how does the front taper length effect the weight of the first 20 feet of line?

According to the AFTMA fly line rating system, the first thirty feet of all fly lines of the same weight class must weigh the same, e.g. 3 weight lines must weigh 100 grains, 4 weights 120 grains. Despite this, manufacturers play around with the taper of the line, and hence the weight distribution, to change the way a line casts. A short taper puts more weight towards the fly end, a long taper, puts more weight back towards the middle of the line.

Take these two true to 3 weight lines : a level line and a continuous (long) tapered line. Long continuous tapered lines surfaced in the 1930’s, developed for Spey casting long distances with ease, with majority of the weight closer to the middle of the line. Typically the taper continues for the first 30 feet of line or more. The first 30ft of both these lines weigh the same: 100 grains. See the chart below, at 30 feet the lines intersect at 100 grains. However, the respective weights of the first 15 feet, the part we most use for twigging, are very different. The first 15 feet of the level line weighs twice as much as the continuous taper, and as such would load the rod more. In between the two is a classic line with a 7.5 ft. front taper.

Why do lines taper?

Tapering from thick to thin, helps the transfer of energy smoothly from line to leader.

It is very difficult to control the turn-over and presentation with a level line, as the difference between line and leader is too abrubt. Historically most lines DT and WF have had front tapers of 7 – 9 feet. I suspect this is because 7 – 8ft is about right for turning over the weight of an average trout fly on a 9-foot leader and making a gentle presentation.

The longer the front taper, the more gentle the turn over, however, it can be difficult to turn over heavy flies and you can’t do much to compensate if the taper is too long for your heavy flies. You can shorten your leader somewhat, but, if the line taper is too long, you may end up with a leader that is too short to fish effectively!

Long Front Tapers too light to load rod at close range:

Long tapers (20 ft. or more) are not suited to the short casting for twigging, and are much better suited for long roll casts, or presenting flies delicately at a distance of 35 ft. or more. Long roll casts need more weight closer to the rod tip to turn over the great length of line.

The chart above compares a standard 7.5 ft front taper, with a current long front taper designs. based on true to weight lines.

You can see that for casts up to 30ft, long tapers are seriously underweight:

A 3wt line (DT or WF) with a standard 7 – 9 front taper, will load a rod better than a 3wt line with a long taper (>13 ft.)
A 21 ft taper 3wt will load the rod less than 1Wt. standard 7.5 ft front taper for casts up to 25 ft. This is serious underlining.
A 13ft front taper 3wt loads the rod less than a 2 wt, but a little more than a 1 wt. About 1.5wt under.

Front Taper: 7-9 ft. is ideal.

Historically, front tapers of 7 – 9 foot were very common and have worked well. They turn over a 9-foot leader and a big fly with ease, and present a smaller fly with delicacy.

Comparing the weight distribution of lines with a 7.5 ft. and 8.5 ft. front tapers to various other current fly line tapers shows that the 7-9 ft gives a good balance midway between the extremes. The chart below demonstrates this; it maps out the weight distribution of a variety of fly lines on the market today, showing cumulative weight of line as you increase the length used for fishing.

Things to note for twigging casts up to 30ft (15 feet of line + rod + leader):

A 3 wt. line with a 5 foot front taper, loads a rod similarly to a 4 wt. with a 7.5ft taper : Changing the front taper by a few feet can have the same or more effect as changing a line weight by one class.

1wt up and 1wt down, on a standard 7.5 foot front taper gives a good range of weights to suit different rods and casters, without going to specialty tapers.

Line weight choice: Consider your preferred casting style and rod choice.

To enjoy casting we want a line that will load our rod comfortably, with not too much weight that we lose control, nor too little weight that we lose feel. We are looking for ‘just right’ weight. ‘Just right’ weight depends on both rod design and the angler’s preferred casting stroke.

Some anglers prefer a longer slower casting stroke; others prefer a shorter and quicker one. (I prefer a shorter quicker casting stroke when fishing the small streams, as it affords me tighter loops – but that is a whole other article.)

Different rods suit different styles: Generally modern carbon fibre rods are faster and lighter. Whilst fibreglass and cane rods tend to be slower and heavier. The former are more suited to the ‘short and quick’ school, and the latter to ‘longer and slower’ movement.

All rods are rated for casting true to weight fly lines, and will work well with them, but may not suit every caster. To adjust the feel you can try using a different line weight: add more weight will in general bend the rod more, and require a longer / slower casting stroke, conversely less weight will bend the rod less and require a shorter faster casting stroke.

Taking into account our preferred style and preferred rod, the right line will be the one that has the right weight to give it the right feel for you. This could be anywhere between 1 weight lower and 1 weight higher than rod’s rated line weight, and will be different for different anglers.

Conclusion: what is the best line for small stream fishing?

Type of line: Choose a double taper line with a front taper of about 7 – 8 feet.

7- 9 ft. front taper, is preferred as it will load the rod better at a short range, yet still control presentations for average leader lengths. For more delicate presentations you can always go with a longer leader (a foot or do will make a big difference).

Double Taper: In twigging, you only fish short, less than 30 ft. and when the business end wears out, turn it round on your reel, and you have 30 fresh new feet of line. A WF of the same taper is fine, you will just need to replace it twice as often.

Start with the Rod’s designated Line Weight and adjust according to your preference for that rod.

-1wt will tighten up the rod action,

+1 weight will give a fuller load feel on your rod and if you wish to fish heavy nymphs, give more control)

Post Script: we now have a great line for twigging for sale here: Fly Lines

Early Season Rewards – Sep 2017

The rewards of early season, are great, but the fishing isn’t easy.

Unlike the past few years, the streams are higher and colder, meaning the trout are not looking up yet. The insects are waiting for the warmer weather before venturing out, and the trout are aware: they are still operating on gentlemen’s hours, 11 – 3pm , or 10 – 2pm now that daylight savings has started. Those that are feeding , are not yet out in numbers, most being tucked up in under the banks and snags, with only the odd fish out in the open actively feeding.

WIld Fishery 90 mins from Melbourne Australia

Wilderness Trout stream, near Melbourne Australia

Trout stream, Buxton, near Melbourne Australia

The one’s under the bank can sometimes be tempted out with a juicy looking worm pattern, a big nymph or a swung wet – a style of fishing that is out of fashion. I like little wets with colour, flash or movement.

Wild Brown trout. Guided Fishing

In the net: a beautiful brown trout caught fly fishing near Melbourne Australia.

Spotted wild brown trout.

October is now upon us, and the mayflies and caddis will soon be hatching in numbers, and the fish starting to look up. Reports are already starting to trickle in about the odd fish taking of the top. I have been fishing the nymph mostly, but had the odd chance on a small royal wulff. I am eally looking forward to the months ahead when I can fish the whole day with just a dry fly; my favourite addiction.

Tight lines !

A simple nymphing set-up

Early season and the snow melt has my favourite mountain streams running hard and clear. It is still too cool for insects, and the trout aren’t really looking up for a feed. They are lying deep, or hard against the undercut banks, keeping out of the heavy currents, but close enough to snack on all of the sub-aquatic nymphs caught in the heavy spring flows.

The fly fisher who persists with a dry-fly on these waters will eventually catch the odd trout, however the main game at this time of the year is the weighted nymph. I prefer to keep things simple, and opt for a well weighted nymph below an indicator.

Recently whilst fishing with another angler, I was reminded how quick and easy the system I favour is to set-up and adjust while fishing. They were faffing about with a gadget, tiny pieces of tube, bits of fluff and floatant for about ten minutes. In the same time, I rigged my rod, added the indicator, made a few casts and caught the first fish!

How does it work?

Since I tie my own tapered leaders, I have handy knots spaced at 3, 4, 5, and 6 feet in depth. These act as handy stoppers for my indicators. This gives me plenty of choices for depth.

Hand tied fly fishing leaders for sale.

I use pre-treated bright yarn as my indicator, with a sliding loop to loop connection. This yarn comes pre-treated, and is highly water-resistant. The photos below show how to attach them. And how to move them.

One piece of yarn will easily support brass or small tungsten bead head nymphs, and two pieces will hold up the larger tungsten bead heads. If you want to step it up, and use double heavy nymphs, you can use the same approach with big Tongariro style indicators.

Try for yourself

If you are sick of messing about with gadgets and floatant, and want to spend more time time fishing, try it for yourself!

If you can’t be bothered making your own, or you aren’t confident in your knots, I have pre-tied nymph leaders, including 3 pieces of pre-treated yarn for sale in the store under leaders.

Opening Day 2017

Opening day: some people avoid it, some embrace it. I have been in both camps. When I first started fly fishing some twenty-five years ago, I couldn’t wait for the rivers to be open to get out fishing again. Some ten years later, I assiduously avoided opening, waiting a few weeks, for other anglers’ leave passes to be used up in the frenzy of the first weekends. By which time the angler numbers diminished and I could fish in peace and solitude.

This year I was invited, by a good friend and accomplished guide Scott McPherson’s to spend opening day with a few fellow guides at his place (Indulgence Fly Fishing) in Eskdale. As a bonus we would meet up at the RISE fly fishing festival in Albury on the Friday evening. I met Scott and Rob at the pub, and it was pumping, the fly fishers were bursting with the joy at the expectation of hitting the rivers the next day. It was easy to get caught up in the enthusiasm.

The next morning we gathered in Scottie’s kitchen to discuss the day’s plans, whilst he cooked up a bacon and egg sandwich to get the day started. Delicious.

Casting for wild trout. Waiting for the take

Conntrating on the Drift

After breakfast, Dave and I headed to one of the local streams, where, in spite of it being opening day, we only had to venture a short way before we found a section to ourselves. On checking the conditions in the river, we found the sub-aquatic insect life a little sparse; just some tiny black nymphs under the upturned rocks. The day was cold, and the water even colder (-4.5C), so not surprising.

Despite this after some diligent work, Dave soon had his first of the season in the net. A typical nicely marked small-stream wild brown trout.

Fly casting

First trout of the Season

Fly Fishing

Brown trout

Catching trout on the fly

… and a rainbow trout.

Catch & Release

If you ventured out, I hope you had as much fun as we did. If not I hope you get out their soon. Feel free to contact us if we can help.

Twig & Stream Fly Fishing