Need help with a downstream approach

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HopBack

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I know it's less than ideal but I need help with a downstream approach. I came across a hole that has a large tree down the middle of it and I can't sneak up behind the trout and cast over it because the tree is too high. I also cant cast under it because there are vines growing down from the fallen tree. Every time I try to cast to the fish I seem to spook them. Normally I would just pass up a hole like that after a few tries but this particular hole contains really nice sized rainbow which I'm determined to catch ; ).


How do you guys approach a hole when you can cast upstream?
 
What's the current speed? Can you just let out some slack line and let the fly "get there", without a casting motion? Or does the tree and vines block every thing..

Kind of hard to picture what you're looking at....

 
The main problem is that they see me even though I don't cast a shadow. I'll have to try and get a picture. It's a really tight stream with Lots of low trees above and high vegetation on the banks.
 
I am presuming you are talking about a dry fly situation. i grew up fishing Green Spring Creek which had many downed willows trees. Wouldn't you know it that many if the nicer fish held in front of or in the middle of these dead trees. Through trial and error, I found I could get a natural drag free drift by casting the fly high (10 feet) above the water to impart the maximum amount of slack in the leader. Two keys are getting well above the fish since they will be raving you and waiting a sevond after the take before rising your rod. A Britsh friend of mine would say "God bless the queen" before striking. I've also had some success with dries by pulling them under the waters surface at the end of the drift. Discovered this by accident, but it
 
Thanks Jon,

I'll mess around and give that a try. I have to agree about pulling dries under water at the end of the drift. Ive done that on more than one occasion now too.
 
To fish a dry fly down stream, strip the amount of line off the reel that will get you to your target, cast so the fly lands a few feet above the tartget, let it drift down. If the fish takes , wait until the fish turns down with the fly before setting the hook or you'll pull the fly away. You can get a pretty long down stream drift doing this. To feed line as the fly drifts, raise the tip of the rod, using the water tension to throw line down stream. With a little practice you'll be able to feed line without disturbing the drag free drift.
 
I fish dries downstream quite often. It has it's advantages and disadvantages like everything else. Check out the current and place your fly so it will drift into the target spot. Feed line out of your rod to get there. You can also "waggle" your rod tip to help feed more line through the guides. If you do get a strike, wait........., then try to strike sideways instead of straight back so you don't directly pull the fly out of the fish's mouth. Sometimes it's inevitable when fishing downstream to pull the fly out, but you'll stick him eventually!
 
If youwant to catch the rainbow. Let a big bead or conehead black woolybugger drift downstream into the lie and let it hang there in the current, jerking it now in then to mimmic a baitfish holding in the current. Do this either early or late in the day and you'll catch it.
 
Well it depends, mostly I drop the fly in the water from above the deadfall, but I try to stay out of site. Otherwise I get up on the bank and dab the fly on the water, or set up and make a cast.
There are some place I just say to myself, there's a trout refuge and I don't see anyway to get a fly in there. So I pass it up and move to the next location.
 
tulenkot wrote:
If youwant to catch the rainbow. Let a big bead or conehead black woolybugger drift downstream into the lie and let it hang there in the current, jerking it now in then to mimmic a baitfish holding in the current. Do this either early or late in the day and you'll catch it.

^ = money
 
The downstream approach is tricky. If you can get the presentation flowing right you can feed more line until your bait gets in their area. The tricky part is also once you have gone through the process you will have to wait/or should wait a certain amount of time. I would say around 10-15 minutes before you try again. Cast after cast will let the fish know that you or someone is there, and they will be more hesitant to strike.

Make sure you are wearing clothing that matches the surroundings as best as possible.

 
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