How long does a dry fly need to float?

[Byron haugh]

Hi,

I was fooling around with a pattern by Gary LaFontaine and tied this variation. It sure floats with the little foam "buds".

It got me thinking. How long, on average, does a fly need to float before the next cast (at which time the cast will again "dry" the fly)?

I know, when you are fishing to a rising fish, it seems like forever that you need the fly to float into the trout's window. But, I would guess that it is less than 10 seconds in most cases!!!

What do you think?




In the water bowl:

[DUB]

Just long enough to figure out you will catch more fish with a nymph.

Sorry, couldnt resist

[Byron haugh]

Good one!! Lot of truth there.

[JohnScott]

If you can land the fly just to the right of "A", you might get a one second drift on the soft water before the hard current in the foreground drags the flyline and rips the fly away. A couple times that was just long enough to hook up an October caddis with a 17" cutthroat.





Usually the drifts are somewhat longer than that.

John

[Byron haugh]

Nice looking stretch of water. Nice trout too!!

[rainbowchaser]

From where it lands to the fish! In reality, as far as we can keep it drag free.

[herefishy]

Does one false cast really dry the fly? And does being dry(ish) make it float? I think I want something that resists penetration of the water.

[Uncle Jesse]

Does one false cast really dry the fly? And does being dry(ish) make it float? I think I want something that resists penetration of the water.

Doesn't that depend on what makes the fly float, is it hackle or body material. Depend upon our version of whatever fly we are tying we all use different materials hackle, foam, deer hair. I'm definitely not the most knowledgeable trout fisherman but keeping my dry fly floating im important because that's my strike indicator for a drowned ant or soft hackle.

[DG]

Mine only have to float until the fish eat them.

[kbproctor]

mine only have to float until the fish eat them.

bingo!!!!!!