We all love fishing for trout with surface flies, and in our neck of the woods, there’s nothing quite like watching a trout inhale a rodent.. However, at the end of the day, its arguable that the most effective way to chase these big Alaskan bad boys over the course of a season is to get down and dirty with sub-surface patterns.
Whether it be a sculpin, flesh fly, or any other make-shift creature formed in a vice, one important factor we think is frequently overlooked in fly design is weight..
When fishing streamers or other deep riding patterns, fly control is extremely important. On on rivers like ours, where Walter is known for hiding amongst the nastiest snags and/or drop-offs in the run, having the appropriate amount of weight, for the depth at hand, incorporated directly into your fly is a huge advantage. This allows for a direct connection between you and the fly at all times. Therefore, every twitch, mend, or strip you make directly influences the fly itself.
On the contrary, by rigging your weight above your fly (such as a split shot crimped onto the leader), the movement of the fly is often delayed by the ‘hinging’ effect created by the weight of the split shot. This can frequently cause an unwelcome delay in action, or guess in behavior, that makes controlling your fly that much more difficult.
The proper weight needed can be added your flies in the form of eyes, cones, under-body lead wraps, or various other head options available nowadays. Just keep in mind the depth and behavior you want out of your fly and plan accordingly.
So, the next time you’re tying up some big nasties, or browsing the fly bar at your local fly shop, keep weight in mind. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how it will improve your control while fishing most streamer-style patterns.
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