More Amnesia sighter crap.

[KeithS]

I've been searching and researching everywhere. My catch ratio is 0%. Something's gotta give.
For nymphing, it seem the consensus for Amnesia in the leader is Butt section, 12" - 18" of red or green in 20 lb.; then 12" - 18" of the other; then the midsection and then tippet off of that. Of course, this is all dependent on leader length.
Am I reading this correctly?

 

[jeremymcon]

Yea nymphing is frustrating. I can't speak from experience, but George Daniels in his dynamic nymphing book says he likes to put his sighter right before the tippet. The he greases it and makes he tippet long enough to get his fly where it needs to be. Because he puts it after the midsection, he uses like 8 or 10 lb test. Usually not amnesia. I think he uses gold stren.

He's also an advocate of indicator nymphing using either a dry and dropper or a thingamabobber.

It's a really good book, and the electronic version was free on amazon for a while. If it's still free and you have a device that can read kindle ebooks, it may be worth getting.

 

[ryguyfi]

The "leader formula" is great and all, but it will only help advance your technique. If you're technique is off, then that will only help minimally.

Let's start with a few questions.

Are you getting snags? If not then you don't have enough weight on. If you're using multiple flies then adjust weight first, then flies second. If you're not losing a few flies here and there from snags then you're not getting it down to the strike zone.

If you're using indicators, adjust those too before flies.

Is your arm tired? If not you're probably not picking enough line off the water and there's too much slack in your line. Holding your arm up "high sticking" all day gets tiring and that should be a good thing.

What type of water are you fishing? Fast, slow, pools, riffles, runs, etc? Find the fast water, and find the seams in it. Think of water like a buffet line. All the "food" is going in a certain direction when you look at the water. Drift there and also look for potential holding lies just outside of there for fish to hide, or dart out when they see a tasty meal.

Work on those things first, and then work on the details of your leader.

 

[Dale49]

Jeremymcon is right on regarding sighter leaders. Per G Daniel's recommendations, you can start with several feet of Stren Clear Blue Fluorescent line to begin the leader. I tie a perfection loop on one end to do a loop to loop connection to my fly line. I've successfully used 14, 17 and 20 pound test. I then use a blood knot to tie in Stren HiVis Gold about 8 to 10 inches and then using a blood knot tie in Trilene Blaze orange line. I tru to use a smaller diameter line for each "sighter". I then clinch knot a small tippet rig. I generally use a .55x2.1 mm tippet ring. I will vary the length of this leader based on the type of fish I do.

Why gold and orange color line for my sighters? These are the colors I can see based on a variety of conditions. some anglers may see other colors well.

I get lazy when I'm fishing and don't always switch to a regular tapered leader when I dry fly fish. I just add 4 pound test regular fishing line, sometimes 4 to 8 feet to the tippet ring, then add some regular tippet material. I have found that this method doesn't affect my dry fly fishing as I try to keep the colored sighters off the water as best as I can.

I use the sighter leader for both high stick, indicator and dry fly fishing.

I agree, if you have the funds, get George's book, Dynamic Nymphing.

 

[ryguyfi]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the Stren Gold that everyone coveted different now? I believe they changed the color on it and some people have huge stock piles because they didn't like the newer product.

 

[KeithS]

Thanks.

 

[PennKev]

It's hard to say with just the info you've given.

How are you fishing? Are you trying a tight line technique or just dead drifting with the entire leader on the water?

If the former, consider using the stren (or similiar) in the midsection of the leader and work on your technique.

If the later, consider using an adjustable floating indicator like a thingamabobber, yarn puff, or foam & peg style. I've never been a fan of relying on a amnesia butt for dead drift strike indication. If you have 9' of leader and tippet and are fishing only a couple feet of water, there is often enough slack in the leader that a strike does not register as movement in the butt quick enough. At the very least the fish has to hold the fly longer before you notice a strike. Adjustable indicators allow you to balance between distance to fly and strike detection.

There are numerous other possible reasons you aren't catching fish too.

Kev

 

[OldLefty]

ryguyfi, you are correct. Stren changed the characteristics of the gold mono. It is now translucent rather than opaque and that means the current material is not nearly as visible as the "old stuff." Fortunately, I have a fair supply of the "old stuff."

Dave Rothrock

 

[KeithS]

Well, at last night's meeting a friend was putting these together and gave one to me. Guess I ll try it on some stockies tomorrow. Can't wait.

 

[sandfly]

Isn't high sticking feeling the bottom and fish, so why use a sighter to detect a strike. on a upstream drift with slack line then yes a sighter/indycater will do.