Fishing Report - 1/24

[Hopper]

I dead drift it, most strikes are at the tail end of the drift as the current raises the fly towards the surface film, most strikes are pretty hard, also I dont mend the line, just keep the slack out, you will also get strikes stripping it back in, vary the speed of the strip, sometimes they like if pretty fast sometimes slow just have to experiment.

Gregg

[OKFlyFisher44]

Just like Gregg says, it varies on the technique. I've done it both ways that he described, with success both ways. On taneycomo this summer, I was dead-drifting them on the surface like a dry fly, then letting them swing out, and finally stripping them back to me. Got most of my strikes at the end of the swing or just after I started to strip them back. The strikes are normally very violent so usually you just need to be quick to lift the rod...not "set" the hook so much. You'll break lots of flies off till you get a "feel" for this.

At Watts, I was stripping them back to me by just varying my speeds. Sometimes I'd do a couple quick strips and let it sit for a second, followed again by a couple quick strips. The other times I'd strip them back slowly at a constant speed. They killed it either way...

They are a ton of fun to fish and a nice change of pace from fishing with an indicator....

[On The Fly 6]

I appreciate the information guys! Ill try and fish some soft hackles next time im there! I love fishing without a strike indicator and Im always up for learning new techniques. Color choices?

[OKFlyFisher44]

Green, yellow, red, orange, partridge bodies....all good colors, especially if you tie them with a grizzly hackle.

[Hopper]

I appreciate the information guys! Ill try and fish some soft hackles next time im there! I love fishing without a strike indicator and Im always up for learning new techniques. Color choices?

This is the pattern I tie in red, brown, black,and rust brown. x-small copper or silver ultra wire rib with two wraps of partridge. #16 - 20 #18 is the size I usually tie on