moss problem
I am looking for suggestions on how to fishing a cold water stream that has the bottom covered in moss. I have tried my usual technique of tungsten beaded fly with a dropper but they are covered with moss before the drift even starts. I have also tried a dry and dropper but don't seem to get enough depth to reach the fish. Any suggestion would be of great help to me. Thanks freddyg
Impossible situation I suspose.
You may try an unweighted nymph or tie some with a single wrap of lead (on lead free) wire.
The bead head may be just heavy enough to bury it in the moss.
But as has been said, moss (actually alge) sticks to everything and there's not a lot you can do about it.
Jeff
freddyg -
Don't have a clue if this will work, but it is a slow Saturday morning. The idea comes from watching some bait fisherman fishing with minnows a couple weeks ago on the South Fork. They were using weight above the bait to cast their minnows out to the current, and placed a "corkie" just above the minnow. A "corkie," for those not familiar with them, is simply a small, light, hard shelled "balloon" used to keep the bait off the bottom.
My idea is this - tie flies with some floatation built in, maybe some foam, for example. Or maybe even use something like a small, castable "corkie" above the fly. Then fish the fly with enough weight on the line to get the weight to the bottom, and let the fly float above the bottom structure.
Good luck.
John
The fish are always right.
We've had good results floating a caddis over the seams in the moss. You may not be able to see them, but the fish can see the fly. Many are hungry, or curious, enough to check it out. So don't rule out the little drys!!
Trouts don't live in ugly places.
A friend is not who knows you the longest, but the one who came and never left your side.
Don't look back, we ain't goin' that way.
I would suggest something like what John said...I would use foam....ala the Booby Fly....or a foam body or under body...use a sinking line of the proper sink rate ...and let the fly float higher than the line....worth a try.
I generally don't fish with a floating indicator (bobber), but when faced with that situation the easiest way to stay just above the moss is use a floating indicator set it to float your fly just above the mossy bottom. To do that, keep moving the indicator down until you get a drift without moss. If the depth changes as you move, just adjust it up or down to keep it in the fish zone.
Last edited by afishinado; 05-03-2008 at 06:20 PM.
Wooley bugger.....the answer to everything.
Good fishing technique trumps all.....wish I had it.
warm water solution to a cold water problem
ok, here goes...
when fly fishing ponds in my area aquatic vegitation is a near constant dilemma. I get around the problem of depth control, and weed avoidance by using a foam or deer hair floating pattern with a weighted nymph dropper. I realize it's not a new idea and some may look at it as a bobber with a hook, but hey, catching fish is more fun than not catching fish. using this rig you might also pull up a few fish looking for the big easy meal on the surface.
I tend to use this approach pretty frequently, so I have started tying my high floating patterns with piece of #20 mono doubled over sticking out near the tail section of the fly. just cut a piece of mono the lenght of the hook shank. fold it in half, and tie it to the shank so that you have a small loop hanging past the curve of the hook. make sure to thread wrap all the way forward to the hook eye, and I even give these wraps a light coat of super glue.
doing this allows you use a loop style attachment for your dropper so it's easily adjustable, easily replaced, and you don't have to worry about the attachment poin being damaged by any fish that hit the floater or it slipping off of a barbless hook. I frequently start my trip by tying a couple of drooper lines with the flies that I want to try attached to them and then hanging them on my fly patch. using the perfection loop dropper to the loop connection of the fly I can switch rigs in 30 seconds or so.
hope this helps....
fish
Last edited by hugefish_80; 05-04-2008 at 08:05 AM.
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Impossible situation-no way. Thanks for the many solutions you have provided. The amount of knowledge on this forum is amazing. Thanks again for sharing you knowledge and the time to post. freddyg
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