Terrestrials

FlyFisherMin

FlyFisherMin

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Jul 4, 2012
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13
I've been going out to Valley Creek, and if anyone's fished here, they should know that the fish here are over-fished and spooked easily. I've had very good luck nymphing with a small thingamabobber, but lately, I've felt like nymphing has lost it's initial satisfaction. I haven't caught a fish on a dry fly, and I plan to at valley creek, and probably just transfer from nymphing to dry fly fishing. It's sounds like the most fun, and sounds like a challenge, and those who know me well know that I like a challenge :) The type of dry flies I'm looking at specifically are terrestrials, and even more specifically the ant. I've met a friend who knows the creek very well and knows how to use terrestrials very well, catching a couple every time he goes out to fish. I asked for some advice and it was very helpful, we even got a fish to come after the fly, but I missed the set. He showed me many different things that can be overlooked and can make the trip a bust. Like leader that isn't straight, and a fly that becomes wet and starts to sink. My main concern is if I should be setting the hook right as I see a fish go for the fly or if I should be waiting a little longer. I was also looking for any other tips or little tricks that could help me get into dry fly fishing. I'm not completely committed to ants, I like ants because of course they're everywhere, but I also like blue winged olives and caddises, so anything on how to fish those would be great as well. Thanks for anyone that is willing to share some advice :D
 
Fish a foam beetle and let it smack the water just like the natural would do. Beetles are very clumsy. Also cast to the bank and stream edge. Don't set the hook to fast. You MUST let them inhale the fly. Good luck.
 
Ants, ants, ants. GG
 
crickets,crickets,crickets and a hopper or two.
Never saw an explosive take on an ant-just gentle sissy like sips.
 
beetles beetles beetles.

Nice thing about fishing them - for someone new to dryflyfishing - is you can plop them right over the fish's noggin, and it'll still take it.

And if a cast is off target, the fish will often move quite a distance from their lie to to smash them.
 
One more question. What rod should I be looking to use for dry fly fishing? I have a 7'6", 3wt rod and another 7'6", 6 wt rod I got from my uncle. I'm looking to get an 8 or 9 foot, 5 wt rod. I've heard that a lower weight rod would do the trick, have I heard correctly?
 
FlyFisherMin wrote:
One more question. What rod should I be looking to use for dry fly fishing? I have a 7'6", 3wt rod and another 7'6", 6 wt rod I got from my uncle. I'm looking to get an 8 or 9 foot, 5 wt rod. I've heard that a lower weight rod would do the trick, have I heard correctly?

For fishing terrestrials in small Pennsylvania streams, the 3WT would be ideal. The general trend in fly rods is toward longer and lighter weights. An 8-9 foot 5 WT is a good general purpose trout rod. I like tiny fly rods for fishing summer terrestrials personally.
And another vote for a foam beetle.
 
Most of my terrestial fishing is done on small streams with a 7'9" - 2 weight. And it's a blast.
However, on larger streams - like penns or the little j - that rod is usually not enough. And I move up to an 8'6" - 4 weight
 
Is catching grasshoppers for awhile and throwing them off a bridge watching the trout eat em and then going down and fishing a hopper imitation considered chumming?
 
Osprey, it is chumming or prospecting and ok in my book. GG
 
Generally, dries are probably EASIER to fish than nymphs. You can see the fly, thus can see when drag kicks in, can see when you have a take, etc. Of course, the fish have to be looking up for it to work.

At this time of year, unless your seeing steady rises, terrestrials probably are the way to go. The mayflies are generally a spring thing, again in the fall a bit. But blue winged olives, size 18 or so, can be deadly in March or so.

Fish to the banks and fishy looking lies.

Setting the hook is all about timing and takes some practice. The fish should grab the fly and turn down with it before you set. For some people, that's all the better their reactions are anyway. For others, they set too early. Especially true in slower, clearer water where takes are slow sips, and often you see the fish coming for it before it takes.

Light rods are fine for a stream like Valley, so are heavier rods. I think that question is way overrated. Length, though, isn't. A little longer rod is an advantage. It allows you to hold more line off of the water, over heavier currents and such, and thus control drag better. Too long, and casting becomes difficult in tight spots with brush and everything. So it's always a balance. As long as you can get away with is a good rule of thumb. For Valley, for me, I like a rod at 8' or 8' 1/2". Your mileage may vary.
 
Back in the days of wooden ships and iron men,six foot bamboos were the ticket-ironically those high Priests of Terrestrial fishing were using and promoting 5 and 6 foot glass rods.
 
Those lit5tle bamboo rods those "high priests" were casting called for 5 n 6 wt lines cause that's all they could get , try a 3 wt.
 
I love catching smallmouth bass on beetles. They explode on them on the perk. I know you are after trout but there is something about beetles.
 
daman1277 wrote:
I love catching smallmouth bass on beetles. They explode on them on the perk. I know you are after trout but there is something about beetles.

He ain't lying...
 
Man from like 7pm on till dark beetles on the perk is liking ringing the dinner bell.
 
Are terrestrials still working for tout this late in the fall?
 
Yeah I don't see why not. I was told to try them on the saucon and the monocacy for big browns coming up the creek this time of year
 
boychick wrote:
Are terrestrials still working for tout this late in the fall?


No doubt. All kind of bugs are usually around until the first hard frost, and even with that, the fish will still hit the artificials for a few weeks after most of the naturals disappear.

Don't forget about flying ants for trout. In Sept into Oct they hatch like crazy in some places. You can tie or buy them with wings, but wingless ants seem to work okay too.
 
Daman - Afish,

Thank you for the info. I would have thought terrestrials would be done by now, I'll be sure to have a few in my box this weekend! I appreciate the help.

-B
 
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