Sinking Line and Cracklebacks

[Larry Murphy]

I fish Bennett often, and have a lot of success using a full sinking line and various colored Cracklebacks. A poor day is 30 to 40 fish, good days 60+, great days 80+. A few other guys at BSSP fish the same pattern, but not too many.

My question....Do any of you guys use similar techniques at Taney? My total fishing experience at Taney is 2 boat trips, and all I did was drift fishing with midges. Curious if the BSSP sinking line pattern works at Taney as well.

My hunch is that the Taney trout are much wilder than the over-stocked and starved fish at Bennett. A Crackleback doesn't resemble any bug I've ever seen, but that doesn't seem to matter down there.

Thanks....

[Leonard]

if you get into some midging fish... and a midge or soft hackle doesnt work... Then its crackleback time (and it dont have to be in the order)... these are the 3 that can real produce on taneycomo...

Even at night I can strip a crackleback and still catch fish

Although I never tried it with a sinking line... so that part I cant say anything about

[Larry Murphy]

Leonard, tell me more about your technique. What colors, sizes, leader, etc.?

[Terry Beeson]

A Crackle Back is not suppose to resemble any bug in particular. It most represents a "midge ball" or a bunch of midges wadded up together... So looks like a big snack to a trout. When used with sink tip or sinking line, this should produce strikes for that reason.

But my best catch on a crackle back was actually fishing it "dry" in some slow water. I'm not sure what the trout were thinking it was, but they seemed to like it... That was on the Spring River in Arkansas by the way...

[twhit]

I actually fish cracklebacks dry frequently. Like to let them dead drift down (dry), swing, and then strip back in a few strips. I have much more luck on the drift.

That is the beauty of the crackleback--very versatile fly.

Caught a rainbow, a brown, and a cut bow all on the same crackleback (holo green) last Spring doing this in about an hours time down by Rocking Chair.

[jim murphy]

A Crackleback is a good attractor fly. It can represent many different types of food to trout. To me, it is a good representation of an emerging caddis when fished on the swing and stripped, or I believe the reason it is such an effective pattern at Taneycomo is that it possibly represents a swimming scud, when stripped.

When I do fish it at Taneycomo, above the hatchery boat ramp in the shallow water I use a floating line, below the ramp in the deeper water I use an intermediate line.

jim

[Gavin]

It should work, but considering the main food base at Taney (Midge, scud, and sculpin) I'd go with the sculpin instead. Cheers.

[Gallagher]

Speaking of sculpins, what's the normal sculpin size that's fished At Taney, & are they used much while wading during the daytime hours?

Thanks!

[Jack Jones]

I've had some of my best luck on Taneycomo with cracklebacks. I use them on floating line, let them drink, soak, and sink, then strip them back. I've tried them once on a Versileader but came up empty. It was a tough day all around that time, so it may not be representative. I'd definitely use them there.

Full disclosure----I don't own any sculpin patterns, and haven't tried them yet so can't say how good they are. I'll throw in with Gallagher and hope someone answers his questions.

[Phil Lilley]

#4's and #6's and yes they fish them during the day.... a lot.