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Thread: How long does a dry fly need to float?

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by JohnScott View Post
    ... if you do the math, given a 3 mph* current speed, 10 seconds would result in an approximate 44 foot drift and given a 4 mph** current speed, 10 seconds would result in an approximate 58 foot drift.

    That would suggest that your guess above is a good one, at least for the vast majority of fly anglers in the vast majority of situations.

    John

    *3 mph = 5280' x 3 = 15840' / ( 60 seconds x 60 minutes = 3600 ) = 4.4 fps x 10 seconds = 44'

    **4 mph = 5280' x 4 = 21120' / ( 60 seconds x 60 minutes = 3600 ) = 5.8 fps x 10 seconds = 58'

    John, you show your work beautifully and get full marks.
    For those of us who want to cut to the chase, 1 mph = 1.46666666 ft/sec. or a little under 1 and a half fps.

    Next math problem: If the fish ignoring Ed's fly is 21 inches long and the stream is flowing 1.3 mph, how long will the fly take to pass down the length of the offending fish?




    Ed

  2. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by EdD View Post
    Next math problem: If the fish ignoring Ed's fly is 21 inches long and the stream is flowing 1.3 mph, how long will the fly take to pass down the length of the offending fish?Ed
    The answer is: Just long enough.
    Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!

  3. #23
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    Depends on where I'm fishing. If I'm on my home water, or a few mountain streams around YNP that come to mind, I'm probably going to find smaller (although not always) less selective trout; in that case, I like to use a high floating general attractor like a foam-backed Convertible that is good for more than one fish before I have to swap it out. If I'm fishing a tailwater or any other stream with larger (although not always) more selective trout, I'm willing to use a more realistic fly that may only float long enough for that one nice fish.

    Regards,
    Scott

  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by EdD View Post
    John, you show your work beautifully and get full marks.
    For those of us who want to cut to the chase, 1 mph = 1.46666666 ft/sec. or a little under 1 and a half fps.,,,
    I thought about 1.4666 fps thing, but I also wanted to incorporate / illustrate typical current speeds and Byron's 10 second factor to make a point - the point being that when you are casting a dry fly to rising fish in a stream situation, the fly probably only has to float for a couple seconds at most, unless you are casting way far upstream of the rising fish.

    Using the 1.4666 fps approach, if you are on a 3 mph stream and you cast approximately 5 feet above the rising fish, it will take the fly 1.36 seconds to reach the fish and if you are on a 4 mph stream and you cast approximately 5 feet above the rising fish, it will take the fly .86 seconds to reach the fish.

    John
    The fish are always right.

  5. #25

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    Mine float until a fish takes them down.... Best Regards....
    Exploring the waters of western Montana...

  6. #26
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    You know, I can't quite say that. I love to fish the Henry's Fork below Ashton. It's a pretty big river at that point. Sections are probably 75 yards across. Often, especially when the wind stirs up some waves, I need to pick up, false cast, and lay it down again.
    In MOST situations, however, I think a float of about 6 seconds or so is all we need - especially to rising fish!

  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Byron haugh View Post
    ...In MOST situations, however, I think a float of about 6 seconds or so is all we need - especially to rising fish!
    In MOST situations, Byron, how many feet upstream of a rising fish do you expect to land the fly ??

    John
    The fish are always right.

  8. #28
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    My apologies, for I did in fact forget to put the *S* after my last comment to indicate I was not seriously calling you crazy. At least not any crazier than the rest of us who do this sort of thing. Looking at your fly with the little side floats, tho, I personally would opt for another method. I tie a lot of CDC-winged mayflies and caddis and midges, which seem to float just fine, from choppy water to flat slow water, and their ability to catch fish is limited not by how long they float, but by the skill of the operator (me) at putting them where the fish can choose to take one, and the length of drag-free float I can get.

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