My preference in fly fishing is to dry fly fish. However, when the trout are not rising, and I don't wish to nymph, I turn to a soft hackle. Other than nymphing, what do you do when the fish are not rising?
This is my soft hackle which really does produce well:
http://i1101.photobucket.com/albums/...oft_hackle.jpg
Dressing?
Thanks,
Ed
Ed,
I think his preference is Thousand Island, but, I could be wrong!
Ed,
Simple dressing.
The abdomen and thorax are made of my own dubbing. It is made by blending 3/8 inch pieces of Dazzleaire (sort of an antron material) in the coffee grinder until it fluffs up. The color is sort of a peach brown (if that is a color).
The ribbing is small gold mylar.
The collar is natural partridge. The "head" is peacock herl.
Thanks,
Byron
I have a page from Han's website with Byron's soft hackle lying on my tying table. I need to try producing a few for this weekend, Saturday is supposed to be good weather wise here in the ATL area.
If nothing is showing I always start with a soft hackle. Depending on the season I choose the size and colour of what MIGHT be hatching, or hatched yesterday.
I hardly ever resort to nymphs, I don't do well, so find it boring. Byron's soft hackle is a good medium colour so would be my choice June thru August. this year has been the year of the midge in Ontario so would probably choose smaller and darker with that experience.
... fishing the water, with dries as a first choice and nymphs as a second choice, to sight fishing or fishing to rising fish.
I certainly won't walk away from rising fish to go fish the water, but I won't go looking for rising fish and pass up the challenge of finding good holding water and pounding fish up with an original homebrew pattern.
The past couple days have been very interesting - field testing a size 22 loop wing BWO. A nice blend of presenting it to fish that have shown themselves taking naturals and fishing good holding water and getting a good number of lurkers hooked up - the best of both worlds.
John
I still throw a dry. If nothing comes from that, sometimes I'll tie on a small streamer or soft hackle. But more times than not, I'll tie on something like a Royal Coachman. Fish it dry until it won't float anymore, then pretend it's a wet fly / streamer and fish it that way. More times than not it works one way or another.
---David
Nice fly Byron!
I love it!...laughing before I go back to bed:cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by WarrenP