Dealing with weeds.

[Janus]

I've been fishing subsurface flies (soft hackles) and the vegitation is getting really tall. It's about 8 inches from the surface now. When I strip my fly slowly in after it sinks a bit I can see fish charging it, then follow it then it picks hooks on some grass and it turns into a 5 inch piece of grass floating throught the water. The fish turn away when the grass gets hooked. I pull it out clean the fly and repeat. Any tips? should I try start my retrieve quicker so it rides above the vegetation? Or switch to topwater?Kinda annoying to clean a fly after everycast.
Janus

[gutbomb]

Sometimes you can tie a piece of mono on as a weedguard, that will slow it down somewhat, but it's not perfect. If that is still bugging you, try fishing up top.

[Janus]

Well I think it's bugging the fish. They charge it and watch but I think dragging a strip of grass on a hook is turning them off. See you are from Sheffield how's the fishing at French Creek worth a visit?

[ducksterman]

What line are you using, Janus? I would suggest an intermediate if you are not using one. Or another thought....floating line with a fluorocarbon leader...either furled or not ...experiment.

[Janus]

unweighted #12 fly on a floating line mono leader 3x tippet . It falls slow through the water . I've been thinking about an intermediate but, in this situation wouldn't that put the fly more into the grass?

[ducksterman]

Yes...I was just wondering if you happened to be using a faster sinking line.

[ducksterman]

There is a recommended way of fishing a dragon fly nymph that might work.....normally they crawl alone the bottom...so the recommendation is to use a sinking line but tie on a buoyant dragon fly nymph so the line goes along the bottom but the fly rides a little higher out of the weeds and debris on the bottom....just another thought.

[FishnDave]

8" is a narrow band to try to keep your subsurface fly in during the retrieve.
I agree with the suggestion to switch to a surface fly.
Alternatively, maybe experiment with your retrieve speed...increase it enough to lift the fly higher, but slow enough the fish will still hit.

And a 3rd idea that occurred to me....tie the same fly pattern on a lighter wire-gauge hook?

[WarrenP]

I have no solution to your problem except to let you know that we have the underwater vegetation here and what I do is locate the "holes or open spots" in the vegetation and put my fly just above the hole and let it drift through the hole and then pick it up and recast. I get many strikes as the fly is drifting through the open space in the vegetation. I also have had very good luck with fishing the edges of the vegetation. Just some thoughts.....

[Joe Valencic]

If the weeds are within 8" of the surface, I would fish the soft hackle just below the surface. If the fish are coming to investigate then turning away, I would use a quick, short strip retrieve to keep the fly moving. Often, they will attack something moving quickly and put it in their mouth to see if it's food before spiting it out. You obviously can see the fish, so keep your rod tip pointed at the fly, and when you see the fish take it you can do a strip-strike (about a 12" quick pull on the fly line) to set the hook. If the fish misses it, you can still continue moving the fly towards you and maybe another fish will attack and give you a second chance.

Joe