Yup, I need to go to another lake to learn this technique. My local favorite really has no shallow area, 20ft deep, 10ft off shore.Unless that’s your favorite honey hole.....I’d move to a shallower area and not have to hassle with all that line under the bobber. Besides casting all that line, if your indicator doesn’t release, pain in the ass to try to net the fish. I chironomid fish in water up to around 14’ max....my .02
@Wetswinger :Yup, I need to go to another lake to learn this technique. My local favorite really has no shallow area, 20ft deep, 10ft off shore.
Thank you all for your never ending help...
Go to another lake that not so deep or learn how to fish with a sinking line.Yup, I need to go to another lake to learn this technique. My local favorite really has no shallow area, 20ft deep, 10ft off shore.
Thank you all for your never ending help...
The lake where you and I met is where I first learned the vertical sinking line technique. We'd anchor up, put a hemostat on our fly, find bottom and reel up to where the rod tip was at the lake surface and the hemostat just on bottom, then strip the line in, get set and make a roll cast without pulling anymore line off the reel. Those big cutthroat takes were rarely a "strike" more like this subtle slight dip of the rod tip. We'd do a slow finger twist retrieve until the fly line/leader connection came into the rod tip then repeat (sometimes we'd see jaws following our presentation up - really cool).If I'm fishing over 20' deep with a chironomid I don't use a floating line or indicator. I use my sinking line and drop it straight down. It's fun to feel that strike on that straight line presentation.
That’s a good suggestion. My deep indicator rig with 25+ leader is a 10’ 5wt rod with a 7 wt SA Titan taper floating line. The extra mass really helps. But I only fish this setup out of a boat where I can stand up to help with managing the “cast”.In addition to what has been said, perhaps try a floater that is made for indicator fishing or use a floater that is one or two weights heavier than your rod. Flopping it out there is about all I can do with over 20 ft of leader. If there is moderate wind and you are fishing in 20 ft you may need to have at least 24 ft or so between your fly and indicator to be near bottom.
I like having the advantage of being able to cover more water than right straight down by the boat - I think it's a HUGE advantage at times. Being able to spot fish in your side scan sonar and make a cast in that general direction can be rewarding, gives me the opportunity to twitch a jig over a longer distance.Just don't do that.
Although, I overline by one wt and use indicator lines. Still, at about 16', it is time to start fishing straight down. Really, it works.
10ft rod. Overlined I.e. if it’s a 5wt throw a 6wt. Roll casting is very effective in these situations with the over lining it really helps. That and practice.Need some tips on casting long leader rigs from a sitting position. My lucky spot at my local lake drops right off the shore to 25ft deep right off the weed line. I went last week for my first attempt at indicator fishing. Tried to keep it in the 20ft zone while using a 25ft leader. Of course, after a short retrieve, I couldn't get the flies out of the water even trying roll cast. If I was standing up in a boat maybe but from the sitting position, no way. It felt like the first time a person goes from a floater to a fast sink line. What the hell's going on down there? Needless to say, it was a frustrating intro. to a lake indicator...
Those were some fun times. I learned that technique from you and another old fishing mentor. Super super slow vertical retrieve.The lake where you and I met is where I first learned the vertical sinking line technique. We'd anchor up, put a hemostat on our fly, find bottom and reel up to where the rod tip was at the lake surface and the hemostat just on bottom, then strip the line in, get set and make a roll cast without pulling anymore line off the reel. Those big cutthroat takes were rarely a "strike" more like this subtle slight dip of the rod tip. We'd do a slow finger twist retrieve until the fly line/leader connection came into the rod tip then repeat (sometimes we'd see jaws following our presentation up - really cool).
If you're in a JW, you're also lower in the water....I maybe see things a little differently because I don't find casting long leaders all that hard. The weight in fishing with any other kind of rod is provided by the lure or the lead attached to the line. The weight in fly fishing is provided by the fly line. If you start by getting about six feet of fly line outside of your rod tip, with a few false casts you'll have the leader off the water and you're in business. I fish out of a low profile pontoon boat, an old JW Outfitters Scout. For chironomids I run 2 10 foot Echo Ions and often run leaders over 25 feet.