downstream dryfly

[mambrino]

I have no experience of fly fishing and know the following is not the proper way to start.However I don't understand why it won't catch fish.
I have mainly been into long trotting for coarse fish (preferably chub). Although while doing this I like some others have caught the odd trout unintentionally.I have also caught chub in the summer floating crust downstream on the surface with a small float laying flat on the surface as described by John wilson.Some larger chub are solitary,very easily spooked and like trout will be facing upstream.Consequently I would have thought that floating a dry fly down stream in a similar way,to possible trout lies,would work just the same.
Hope someone can explain to me why this method won't work before I am daft enough to waste my money on some flies to try it.
Thanks in anticipation
Rod....

 

[keora]

Wheb casting a dry fly downstream, in most cases it will be immediately affected by drag. It will start to skid along the surface, leaving a wake behind it. Trout normally aren't deceived by this. Sometimes if the current is slow, the fly might drift naturally for a few yards before it starts to drag. Paying out more fly line doesn't usually stop the drag.

Don't forget that trout will be positioned facing into the current, and so can easily see the fly line and the rod and the angler.

It's more effective to cast upstream with a dry fly. You can get quite close to the fish without being seen.

I do a lot of chub fishing with floating crust in summer. Adding a small carp controller to the line, rather than a conventional float, will give you greater casting range. In some swims I prefer to free line the crust, as the splash of the controller as it hits the water seems to put off the chub.

You could buy a few dry flies - greenwells glory, klinkhammers, (size 12 or 14) some dry fly floatant such as gink, and have a go using a carp controller.

 

[Paul Boote]

Upstream Dry Fly, a very good method, was canonized, sanctified and generally "snooted up" by the late 19th and early 20th Century disciples of the man who popularized (but did not invent) the technique, to them their One One True Way High Priest, F.M. Halford. Funny what adopters and followers can make of a Message....

I'd go so far as to say that Downstream Dry Fly, not merely essential on occasion but highly successful too, requires rather more skill from an angler (casting, presenting the fly without "drag" - look the latter up, as I don't have time now to describe its meaning) than Upstream D.F..

However you fish your flies - whether off a fly rod or with some float controller - do please put your trout back: like coarse fish, they need to be back in the river, not swimming in a fryingpan.

 

[mambrino]

Thanks for the replies and will give the flies a go.
I agree paul about returning them,although I have taken the odd one that has been deep hooked when fishing the worm.I managed to overcome that problem by using barbless hooks for the worms and putting a tiny piece of elastic band on the hook to keep the worm on.It works a treat so just thought I would mention it in case anyone was not aware of it.
Rod....

 

[andygrey]

As previous posters have said your biggest problem fishing a dry fly downstream will be drag. For a realistic presentation the artificial fly needs to mimic the real insect which floats down on the current.
The only exception to this is the sedge fly which skates across the water while laying its eggs so you'd fish this with drag, actually pulling the fly across the surface. This can be a deadly method when fished in the evening when the natural sedges are laying their eggs and trout have switched onto them.
I'd suggest that if you are going to try fishing a dry downstream you try a spun deer hair sedge pattern and give it some movement.
Good luck, trout tend to take sedges pretty aggressively so it's a real fun way to fish.

 

[greenie62]

I started fishing (inc. fly) on a very mixed tributary of the Severn in mid-Wales. It was all about getting the bait to the fish in a manner they would take it. This meant no spooking the fish, observing what they were taking and where they were moving from, and presenting it to them in a way they'd have a go.
This went for Trout, grayling, dace, and chub, on the fly, worm, maggot, cheese, or bread depending on the season, weather, water, surface debris, etc.
That meant I didn't have any preconceived ideas / prejudices about upstream v. downstream presentation - it was just what worked on the day - for a 12yr old.

Over the 50years since I have read many learned tomes on the 'right and wrong' ways of fishing - especially for trout on the fly - and done a lot more fishing on the fly for trout, grayling and chub and am greatly tempted to stick with the original line - get the bait they want to the fish in the way they'll take it!

Try out fly fishing yourself - Dont spend a fortune on kitting yourself out - grab a fishing buddy with some fly gear to lend you and teach you the basics of fly casting.

As an aside - most of the chub I've had on the fly rod have surprised me with how quickly and quietly they've come to the net - compared with the same sized chub on a float rod - or a grayling of half the size!

Tight lines.:thumbs:

 

[andygrey]

I started fishing (inc. fly) on a very mixed tributary of the Severn in mid-Wales. It was all about getting the bait to the fish in a manner they would take it. This meant no spooking the fish, observing what they were taking and where they were moving from, and presenting it to them in a way they'd have a go.
This went for Trout, grayling, dace, and chub, on the fly, worm, maggot, cheese, or bread depending on the season, weather, water, surface debris, etc.
That meant I didn't have any preconceived ideas / prejudices about upstream v. downstream presentation - it was just what worked on the day - for a 12yr old.

Over the 50years since I have read many learned tomes on the 'right and wrong' ways of fishing - especially for trout on the fly - and done a lot more fishing on the fly for trout, grayling and chub and am greatly tempted to stick with the original line - get the bait they want to the fish in the way they'll take it!

Try out fly fishing yourself - Dont spend a fortune on kitting yourself out - grab a fishing buddy with some fly gear to lend you and teach you the basics of fly casting.

As an aside - most of the chub I've had on the fly rod have surprised me with how quickly and quietly they've come to the net - compared with the same sized chub on a float rod - or a grayling of half the size!

Tight lines.:thumbs:

Good advice.
Agree that chub fight differently on a fly rod. Mind you I've had a few nudging 4lbs on a 4wt with 7x tippet that have given me a nervous fight on a fasting flowing river.

Cheers

Andy