How to deal with gin clear still waters?

[Nighthawk]

We have been some days without any rain now so my favorite still water is gin clear for real. It has been so long since I have had conditions like this that I am having trouble dealing with it. Even the bait fishers there are complaining about not being able to hook up because the fish can see the line. I mean this lake averages 25-30 feet deep out in the middle and it is so clear it looks like it's only a foot deep but it's not! You can see right to the bottom, all of the structure, weed beds and the temps are holding at about 65F - 70F.

I am using as light of tippet as I dare considering there are warn water species that run over 40 inches long in there and rainbow trout that are well over 25 inches. Even the pan fish in this lake are big. all of them are really spooky right now. Even the bass will come up, give a look and turn away. I am thinking I need to go back to fluorocarbon for the tippet with a longer leader say over 9 feet total.

Also this lake has a limestone shale bed so the acid levels are always really low. It supports a wide variety of aquatic life and lots of it too! Matching the hatch is so important but one also has to match the stages of the insect life too. Then we have the crustaceans, minnows, frogs and so on.....

I am going to go back to fluorocarbon tippets but I can use any advice or tips you all have for dealing with spooky fish in gin clear still waters.

[Threedayweekend]

This sounds like the still water of my dreams pan fish, trout, and maybe LM and SM I am drooling. The clear water is not so fun but WOW!

[Lotech]

Maybe fishing during dim light hours like very early morning or early evening. Around here we don't have much problem with gin clear lakes. I was present at a Denny Rickards seminar and he mentioned fishing at first light in shallow water with flourocarbon tippets and a camo fly line. Then as the morning progresses, move to deeper and deeper water.

[Mike Thomas]

I second Lotech's comment, try early or late in the day, or even after dark. The other thing I have used sometimes is to try 3 flies, 5 to 6 feet apart, very small with at least one wee wet, the total leader length should be at least 18 to 20 feet and the heaviest fly should be on the point, cast them out and leave them to sink, only give them a very small twitch now and again. sometimes this static tactic will do the trick. I will start with a small bead head hairs ear on the point, maybe a small buzzer on the middle and a wee wet on the top. Sometimes this will save the day, hope it does for you.
Let us know how you go.
All the best.
Mike

[sagefisher]

LoTech you got it right. Fish real early or real late and if you are going sub-surface use an intermediate line. For some GREAT fishing, fish at night, like when it is pitch black, using a black Woolly Bugger up on the surface. During the day, put on the sink tip or full sink line and go down to the bottom, that is where the big fish are anyway.

Larry ---sagefisher---

[MrFishingToughGuy]

Eric,

Have you feeshed a soft hackle there yet? Hope you and the clan are doing well.

Marty

[Jayatwork]

As others have said, clear intermediate line and fluorocarbon leaders usually do the trick. If your fishing drys, a 12 to 14 foot leader might be in order. It seems to me that a longer leader does more good than a finer tippet.

[FishnDave]

The suggestions of fishing morning, dusk, and night are all excellent, as is the longer leader and using fluorocarbon.
The only 2 other suggestions I will add are:
-Fish larger patterns. Make it a worthwhile meal for the fish.
-Retrieve faster or more erratic. Try to trigger aggressive reflex strikes...don't give the fish time to scrutinize the pattern or your line.

[Nighthawk]

Really great tips folks! Thanks! I am going to dig out the running lights for the canoe. Also a trip to Bob Clousers' fly shop in Middletown may be in order. Perhaps Bass Pro Shops in Harrisburg too (it's on the way to Clousers for me). A few years back this lake yielded a 51 inch long 41 pound tiger musky. Last spring there was a 44-3/4 inch one taken just before trout season opened.

The lake does see a good amount of fishing pressure during the open season for it's park and swimming pool. However I have always had good luck bait fishing there at night, dusk, dawn and during foul weather. Terrific off season and ice fishing lake too. I think the additional fishing pressure only makes the fish smarter therefore harder to catch. The average worm dunker or hardware chucker goes home at night and does not come out in the rain. Not so for this fly fisherman.