Quote:
Originally Posted by boot
Doc, thanks for your post. I found it extremely informative.
Could you help clarify the above quoted statement? During the drift, once the indicator goes down and you set the hook, do you then let the drift continue (or do you recast upstream)? Are you setting lightly so that your rig doesn't come too far off the bottom of the river or are you setting like your life depended on it?
What I find is if I put enough weight so that the indicator goes down almost every drift, it usually goes down in the exact same location. I always set the hook and of course, there's no fish. This brings my nymphs well off the bottom of the river and it almost seems pointless to continue drifting. Am I doing something wrong? Then, if I reduce the weight, I'm not even sure if I'm anywhere near the bottom, because the indicator never goes down. The Bow is such a frustrating river....!!
To put things in perspective, I get skunked more than 50% of the time when I hit the Bow (about 3 hours at a time)... but I'm determined to figure this river out!  |
The trick is to keep moving. You have to cycle through the run working your way down stream. You cast and mend, indicator goes under, set the hook. I call it a bow river set 'cause it's the only place I set a hook like I'm picking up for a cast (in your words "like your life depended on it"). Nothing there? make your hook set a cast back up stream. Take a good step down stream and continue (you'll soon be out of range from the spot that keeps grabbing your flies). Take a good step down stream with every cast until you're fishing well into the deep pool. Once at the end of the deep water, leave the river, walk the shore back up to the beginning of the run (where the riffle ends) and repeat. In a long run you can cycle 5 or more guys (not that you'd want to but we've done it). It's important to have enough weight on you rig to get your flies down quick. It's hard to pick up trout if your flies aren't getting down 'til the end of your drift. Also remember to mend (several times if need be) if there's any drag on your indicator. Hope this helps. Any more questions, let me know.
Cheers,
Doc