DRY FLY TACTICS

THE APPROACH
The two things that alert fish to danger more than any other is motion and sound. From the air, eagles osprey and heron are a constant threat to fish and fish know it and act accordingly. If fish see you approaching you will have two chances of a hook-up; slim and none.

How important your approach is will be determined by the waters you are fishing. The broken surface of fast, turbulent waters makes it difficult for fish to see into the atmosphere due to the scattering of the light entering the water. the clean, calm chalk streams will present the greatest approach problems.

Fortunately, these waters usually offer the most prolific streamside cover. A good rule to follow is if you can see a fish, the fish can see you. When fishing calm, clear waters approach from behind some structure such as rocks, brush, logs or any structure that prevents the fish from seeing you. Avoid presenting a highlighted silhouette from having the sun to your back. Instead, when you can, chose a solid background. If cover is minimal and water is clear and clam, you may need to crawl to a spot while keeping your rod low. 

Proper clothing that blends into the background can also be critical to success. Eastern streams with green foliage should be approached with dark green clothing. Bright clothing will contrast with the background vegetation and you could be quickly spotted by your quarry. On western streams the brownish colors you encounter will call for a light tan fly fishing vest as well as clothes that blend in to this particular background. Highly reflective chrome plated items such as hemostats, zingers and other small tools gives off flashes of light that can reveal your presence to Trout. Try to purchase your tools in a dull black finish or keep them inside your vest.
 

Sound, the other factor that alerts fish, can be critical because water transmits sound at about 4 1/2 times faster than air does and saltwater slightly faster. because of this excellent conductivity, don't consider stepping into a stream until it's necessary to make the right presentation.

When entering the water, lower yourself, wade so as to avoid grinding bottom stones. Some anglers think that wading is only a surface disturbance, however , waves are moving outward from top to bottom If this disturbance significantly contacts the lateral line of a fish it will know someone is approaching. Fishing upstream minimizes disturbance because mud and debris kicked up by wading always travels downstream. All things being equal you will probably catch more fish while fishing upstream as opposed to downstream fishing. 

As you’re approaching fish upstrearn keep in mind that fish don’t face upstream; they face into the current. When you approach a fish in an eddy along a bank, if the fish is at its outside edge it may be facing downstream .

As the water turns in the eddy, its fish will be facing into the current which could be directly down stream or towards the near bank. Remembering this will help plan your approach to correctly place your fly so it arrives in a natural manner

READING THE RISE

The rise which is the most obvious clue that fish are feeding occurs when fish take insects off the surface of the water. The rise may involve a jump, a violent splash or simply a quiet dimple. Whatever the rise it will give an indication of what the fish is feeding on.

The classic rise occurs when you see an unhurried dimple in the water that leaves a few ringed bubbles. The bubbles usually indicate a surface take. As the Trout ascends to the surface, it opens its mouth, allowing the surface current to flow into the mouth and carry the insect with it.
 

The water exits through the gill openings, and as the fish closes its mouth, the insect is swallowed and a bubble of air is expelled. That bubble can often be spotted in the middle of the rise when a spinner is taken. The unhurried rise indicates that the insect is sitting sedately on the water with little or no chance of leaving.

TACTIC : Fish a dry fly spinner that matches the hatch in progress. Small Dimpling with no bubbles characterizes fish feeding on tiny midges, mayflies or spent spinners in the film of the surface and not on top of the water like a newly hatched mayflies or caddis flies. When a fish opens its mouth underwater there won't be any bubbles.

TACTIC : Fish a spinner that matches the hatch of the natural.

Tailing Trout is a rise form not often seen because water depth must he just right. This rise occurs in shallow water when Trout are rooting on the bottom for skuds or nymphs.

TACTIC : Fish a sunken nymph on the bottom that matches the hatch of the natural the Trout are feeding on.

Flashing fish deep in runs of the main current is an indication that Trout are taking nymphs on the bottom or just as the nymphs are rising from the bottom.

TACTIC : A weighted nymph is a good choice at such times. If a down stream drift is not successful try lifting the rod tip giving your nymph the appearance of swimming to the surface.

The bulge results from large Trout breaking the surface to take small nymphs in shallow or smooth water.

TACTIC : Fish an unweighted nymph matching the natural hatching.

Jump rise is typical of Trout feeding on fluttering, egg-laying insects such as stoneflies or caddis that burst rapidly off the water. A splashy rise may also occur in fast water where a Trout has little time to examine the food before taking it.
 
TACTICS: When presenting to trout feeding in this way, you can skitter caddis fly imitations or drift emerger patterns in fast waters. A heavily hackled stonefly or caddis fly pattern is another consideration.

The splash rise often indicates the fish taking subsurface insects such as caddis pupa which are likely to fly away rapidly. This rise can also occur when adult insects are fluttering across the surface of the water.

Splashy swirls sometimes result from small fish dashing up, taking emerging caddis and dashing back to a holding position. Large fish can also exhibit this rise form.

TACTICS: Cast a pupa or nymph imitation of the natural upstream and after sinking, lift the rod tip giving the imitation of swimming to the surface, Skittering caddis fly imitations and dead drift emerger patter can also often be effective.