Skook wrote:
Split shot or putty? Yes, please....
Check out this good tip from George Daniel. It's his blog video from May 30, 2019 and should be the third article/video from the top by clicking this link:
GD's Blog
Nice!^
I use T-putty and split shot together all the time. The putty can be added or subtracted to change weight to exactly what is needed in any given situation.
Another other tip for using T-Putty alone when just a small amount of weight is needed. Think spaghetti not footballs when adding T-Putty. Try twisting between your fingers a small amount of putty on your tippet and make it thin like spaghetti and it will stay on your line.
When heavier weight is needed in deep and/or fast water, I often use a size #BB (the slightly bigger shot) as my base. I can take off or add a size #B removable (with the ears) Water Gremlin shot to adjust it to get the perfect drift.
Often in the above situation I put the shot on the point (end) of the rig, tie an overhand knot on the end to prevent slippage, and add shot until I feel it tick the bottom.
The fly or flies are tied in on a dropper 4-5" long 8-12" above the point. A second fly on a dropper can be tied in 16-20" above the first dropper. This fly will cover the middle zone of the water column.
The lower fly will ride just above the bottom just above the fishes nose level, right above his eyeballs, as the shot string ticks along the rocks.
The shot will ride behind the flies, and best of all not have a tendency to hang up like a fly will. Plus the weight being behind the fly will form a direct connection without weight in between not causing slack between you and fish thus improving strike detection.
Another benefit to rigging your weight on the point is moss and weeds on the bottom most times are collected on the shot string behind and not your flies. Plus the rig with most of the weight on the point is easy to cast, tucks well, and is less likely to tangle.
Mess around with your rigs and give this all a try while tightline nymphing to fish the zone instead of using a bobber to float your fly above the bottom and at the same level on every cast, often above the fishes strike zone.
When tightline nymphing, along with weight adjustments, you are able to adjust depth with your presentation cast by using a tuck to get deeper or no tuck to run shallower. Plus adjusting your rod angle will allow your flies to run deeper or shallower as needed to hit the zone.
So try messing with your weights and rigs and adjusting your casts and rod angles. After some time on (actually in) the water you will begin to develop a feel for how to run your flies in the zone, and begin to catch more fish.
Good luck
