Page 1 Fly Fishing For Rocky Mountain Trout Presented At The Rocky Mountain VAC Rally 2010 By Jim Cooper
Page 2 Fly Fishing Perspective There s more BS in Fly Fishing than a Kansas City feed lot. Lefty Kreh All fisherman are born honest, but soon get over it. Ed Zorn
Page 3 Jim s Four Rules 1) Fly has to be in the water. 2) Fish where the fish are. 3) Make a good presentation. 4) Select the right fly.
Page 4 First Things First Polaroid Sun Glasses (amber lenses) See the fish and your fly Safety (you don t want a hook in your eye) Hat with brim to keep sun off eyes
Page 5 Speaking of Safety Don t wade if you re afraid Good non-slip shoes Wading staff Auto inflating life vest Whistle & Signal light Sun Screen, Insect Repellent Pliers that will cut hook
Page 6 Equipment - Leader & Tippet 7.5 foot tapered leader 3X add 4X or 5X tippet (18 inches) to first fly add 5X or 6X tippet (18 inches) to second fly 3X tippet 6 to 10 hook 4X tippet 12 to 18 hook 5X tippet 20 to 22 hook
Page 7 Knots Loops
Page 8 Knots Leader to Line
Page 9 Knots Tippet to Leader
Page 10 Knots Fly to Tippet Knot descriptions (except Nail) from Guide To Saltwater Fishing Knots for Gear & Fly Fishing by Larry V. Notley
Page 11 Equipment Rod & Reel Fly Rods 1, 2, 3: Soft action 4, 5, 6: Medium action (Progressive) 7 -- 12: Fast action Reel Match Rod size. Drag not important (1-3), very important (7-12). Large arbor more important in larger reels
Page 12 Equipment - Line Line matches Rod size Get a good line, it s the part you cast Weight Forward Floating # 4 Carry a Fast Sinking Poly Leader if you fish deep occasionally. Carry a Sinking line on extra spool or reel if you fish deep often.
Page 13 Put It All Together 1) 8 foot #4 progressive action graphite rod 2) Reel to match 3) #4 weight forward floating line 4) Backing to fill reel 5) 7 ½ foot tapered leader 6) 3x through 6x tippet
Page 14 Useful Stuff Clipper Needle 3-in-1 Nail Knot Pipe Floatant Forceps Ty-Right Tie-Fast
Page 15 Fly In The Water Casting 20% of the fishermen catch 80% of the fish, and you re not in the 20% son. my dad 80% of caught fish are within 30 feet. me 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. Brian
Page 16 Casting Learn These Basic cast Roll cast no back cast Double Haul Reduce number of back casts (pick-it-up and put-it-down) Add distance to Basic Cast Add line speed to fight wind
Page 17 Casting -- Suggestions Grip: Thumb behind cast direction. Feet: Diagonal to target, left forward. Elbow: Travels horizontal to ground. Wrist: No action if beginner, otherwise very little and only at stop. Finesse, not muscle let the rod do the work
Page 18 Casting Sequence Raise rod with enough force to Pick-up line from water and Pull back to a Stop at about 1 o clock. Wait for line to straighten behind. Push rod forward to a Stop at about 11 o clock. Wait for line to straighten in front above water. Lower rod to Put-down fly on target.
Page 19 Casting False Casts False cast is a back cast and forward cast without putting the line down. Dry out fly Feed line backward and forward to add distance. Make large direction change. Learn to Double Haul to get more distance with fewer False Casts. [After basic cast under control]
Page 20 Casting Practice Pay your dues and practice. Side Arm to observe full cast and loop action. At targets (20, 30, 40 feet). Pick-up 20 and Put-down 30 without false cast. Cast a straight line. Change direction right-to-left and opposite. Cast in the wind.
Page 21 Casting Notes Loop control is very important. The line will follow the rod tip. If problems, slow down. Longer casts require pulling and pushing the rod further with the forearm. Short casts become Wristy with experience.
Page 22 Fish Where The Fish Are Ecosystem Physical Geology: Limestone provides richer food base than Granite basin. Temperature: Effects organisms present (fish incl.) and oxygen content. [55 65 ideal trout feeding] Current: Shapes habitat, influences what insects live where, oxygenates water, and carries food to fish.
Page 23 Fish Where The Fish Are Ecosystem (cont.) Biological Food Base: Algae, moss, and rooted plants contribute oxygen and feed insects. Insects: Insects in stream differ from upper clearfast to lower silt-slow.
Page 24 Fish Where The Fish Are What do fish think about? [Simple minds have simple needs.] Food Mostly insects and mostly below the surface Current carries food to the fish Safety (shelter) Need cover from predators (very sensitive to shadows) Like deep water to retreat to Comfort Oxygen must have and will move to source Energy won t fight current or go far for snack Temperature will move to sun/shade, and lethargic if too hot/cold Sex Pre Spawn Concentrate in spawn area, can be aggressive Spawn Would you be eating now? Post Spawn Can be hungry feeders or exhausted
Page 25 Presenting The Fly Don t spook the fish If fly misses target, fish it. Drop fly on water, don t hit water. Drift with the current If fly causes wake, you re done next cast. Fly or leader drifts with bubbles, not faster, slower, or sideways. Line Drag is a problem when line in different current path than fly.
Page 26 Flies (top 12 in order) 1) Royal Wolf (12, 16, 20) 2) Prince Nymph (10, 14, 18) W & WO bead head If you only have two flies, make them the Royal Wolf and Prince Nymph. 3) Adams Wolf (16, 20)
Page 27 Flies cont. (4 6) 4) Pheasant Tail Flash Back (14, 18) W & WO bead head 5) BYO, Blue Wing Olive (16, 18) 6 ) RS2 (16, 20) Black, olive, tan
Page 28 Flies cont. (7-9) 7) Stimulator (14) 8) Hare s Ear Gold Ribbed (14, 18) W & WO bead head, tan and green 9) Caddis Parachute (14, 18)
Page 29 Flies cont. (10 12) 10) WD40 (14, 18) Black, Red, Chartreuse 11) Humpy (14, 18) Black, Tan (Pale Morning Dunn), Yellow, Red 12) Copper John (14, 18) Copper, Green, Red
Page 30 Flies Terrestrials Dave s Hopper (10) Black Ant (16) Black Beetle (14)
Page 31 Choose Your Fly See what is in the grass, the air, or under the rocks. Use a fly of that shape and color. Search with a dry-dropper combination Royal & RS-2 or WD40 Stimulator & Hare s ear Adams & Pheasant Tail Hopper & Prince
Page 32 What if I get a hit (strike)? How do I know? You see fish hit. Your strike indicator (Dry Fly of dry-dropper) moves. Your line moves or stops. Two seconds max for fish to decide. Light rod set for Dry or Nymph drift. Strip set when stripping Nymphs or wet flies.
Page 33 What If I hook One? Keep rod up. Land quickly, on reel only if necessary. Keep fish in water if possible. Cut off fly if deeply hooked. Help restart fish if needed.
Page 34 Fish in The Pond/Stream Brook Trout Rainbow Brown Trout Cutthroat
Page 35 More Fish Bass & Crappie Crappie Bluegill Bluegill--?
Page 36 Other Fish Catfish Carp Barracuda Bonefish
Page 37 It s Being There That Counts
Page 38 In The End Size doesn t matter. he said. Of course not. she agreed with a roll of her eyes.