How long does a dry fly need to float?

[Buddy Sanders]

I don't how long a dry fly 'needs' to float.

I know how long I 'want' my dry flies to float. Always. Forever. Until I lose them.

I want my dries to land on the water with the delicacy of live size 22 midge, float like a styrofoam cork through fast water, and last like the stuff they make Yetti Coolers out of. And I certainly don't want to have to rely on false casting to dry my fly out.

I also want to be able to see them from fifty feet away....even the little ones...guess how well THAT'S going as I age ( oh so gracefully).

But I'm a dreamer. Some day maybe it will happen.

Buddy

[Allan]

Mine only have to float until the fish eat them.

Yup! That sounds about right!

Allan

[JohnScott]

...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?...

... 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'

[Silver Creek]

Here's the Airhead by Gary La Fontaine, from this site;

http://nwflytyer.wordpress.com/lafon...m-carousel-604

[Byron haugh]

Nice. Was looking at that one in his book too. Have you fished it? If so, what was hatching at the time?

[tigfly]

Byron, the halo emerger is good for pale morning duns and olives, and the airhead is a good attractor anytime. DG said it best"float until the fish eat them". Can't ask more than that of any fly.

[Steven]

8 strips.

If I cast straight upstream (which is most of my fishing on Wisconsin's spring creeks), I can cast far enough that in 8 strips to keep the flyline tight enough to set the hook, it's time for me to cast again.

[Byron haugh]

So, Steven, would that be about 6 seconds or so?
I started this because I think all you need for float is somewhere around 6-8 seconds - which is not too very long...........

[DG]

except... there are times when you want it to float longer. I've thrown flies out onto deep dark holes on many rivers where you might be able to get a float of a minute or more as slow as the water is moving. Foam hoppers come to mind on the Lochsa in the fall.

Seeking a standard acceptable minimum float time for a dry fly strikes me as someone needing medication and a coat with long sleeves. Or a switch to golf.

[Byron haugh]

Thanks DG. Appreciate your always insightful and helpful comments.




I am intrigued by Gary LaFontaine's "Halo Emerger" patterns. I am also thinking of the need for a dry pattern to give a decent float. I'm wondering if this take-off on Gary's pattern might work for a BWO? It is on a size 18 standard dry fly hook.

I would think that DG probably really did understand where I was going with the posting of this question (at least one can hope). I am torn between a great floating insect imitation and a more realistic pattern. I am not thinking of dredging around in some big deep hole, but rather fishing aquatic insect imitations to rising fish in a stream situation.