Trout Fly Line

Trout Fly Line
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whats the right fly fishing line?

i have a fly rod for both spin and fly fishing( im only using it for fly fishing) i was wondering what the right line was to use.

i know theres things like 2x 3x 4x and so on....i get what it means i just dont know what to use.

i also dont know if i shoulod have sinking or floating lines.

also leader? what do i use?

i am fishing for trout in rivers, ponds and lakes

Well you need to match the weight of your fly line with the weight of your rod your using for best castability (that should be on your rod ).

I recommend a floating line for dry fly fishing.

As far as leaders go I like a tapered leader/tippet it helps with the way a fly lands on the water . Also use as small of a diameter tippet as possible ,especially in lakes and ponds.

What are terrestrials?

Strictly speaking, terrestrials are all creatures that live on land. This would, of course, include humans. However, when fly fishing for trout we are generally referring to insects and sometimes even small rodents. There are fly patterns that imitate mice that can be used to lure big trout, but they are most often used in bass fishing. The most common terrestrial flies are ants and grasshoppers (usually referred to as "hoppers" by fly anglers.) There are also patterns that imitate beetles, crickets, cicadas and worms (the green inchworm is a very effective pattern in the spring when these larvae are abundant.) There are also patterns like the Fat Albert and the Chernobyl ant which don't really imitate any specific insect but somehow work their magic in enticing trout to rise to them.

When is the best time to fish a terrestrial pattern?

Terrestrial insects don't become active until the spring. Many, like the grasshopper, don't really hit their stride until late summer. So, the best time to fish these patterns is from early spring all the way through the fall. Like most things in life, there are no absolutes. Sometimes a hopper will work in the spring. I have also caught trout with an ant pattern on winter days when there were no real ants to be found. Often times I choose to fish a terrestrial when nothing else seems to work. You may be familiar with the phrase "match the hatch." This refers to when anglers attempt to match their flies to what the trout are feeding on. Often, if your fly is the correct pattern but is too big or small it will get some looks but no strikes. This is much less of a problem with terrestrial fly fishing because the terrestrial is not usually the primary food source and any size presents a tasty morsel to hungry trout.

How should I fish Terrestrial flies?

The best place to fish terrestrials and certainly the place to start your casts is where the real bugs enter the water. Most terrestrials can't fly, and if they can it is for very short distances. So, it makes sense that most ants, inchworms, beetles and grasshoppers enter the water by falling from overhanging brush or from the side of the bank. Start casting to the opposite bank and let the fly travel with the current making sure to keep enough slack line on the water to prevent the line from pulling the fly causing it to drag against the current. This presentation of the fly is called a dead drift. If there is drag, the fly will not drift naturally and the trout will not strike your fly... usually. With Grasshoppers, often the technique used is to actually overshoot the far end of the bank and pull the fly back to the waters edge. If there is no immediate strike, often a couple of twitches on your fly line will generate some action. With the smaller flies, it is best to stick with the dead drift. Without question the water near the banks will be the most productive terrestrial fishing.

Another option is to use a larger fly as an indicator. My personal favorite is the hopper because of their abundance around the waters I fish. This fly setup is referred to as a "hopper and dropper" rig. The hopper acts not only as a standard fly, but it is also connected to the smaller "dropper" fly and is used to signify any strikes on the trailing fly. The dropper can be any nymph, wet fly, or small dry fly and is connected to the hook of the hopper by a length of tippet anywhere from 9 inches to 2 feet long. My dropper flies are usually tied on with 18 inches of tippet. If the hopper moves or stops in a sudden manner or has any unusual movement set the hook!

If you don't keep a few terrestrial flies in your fly box, you are really limiting yourself. In the very least, a few ants and grasshoppers should always find their way into your fly box. You will appreciate them on those days when you fish with nothing else because of how effective they are as well as that rare day when nothing else worked and your terrestrial saved you from a day without a catch.

Paul Schackman is the Senior Editor for DS Fly Fishing http://www.dsflyfishing.com

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