When Tall Grass Attacks!

[Dave_W]

This is the time of year when meadow grass and other forms of vegetation are at their tallest and thickest. Trout streams often have tall and thick stands of jewel weed, reed canary, and other grasses spilling over their banks. Fly fishing can be difficult.


I took the photo below recently as I thought it was a good characterization of one of these typical situations: an undercut bank with slow water and a riffle further out. For this situation, I'd go with a big foam cricket or hopper and drop a soft hackle, sinking inch worm, or wet ant below it.

My first cast (number "1") would be out across to the riffle. This actual spot produced a fish there. For my second cast (number "2"), I carefully waded around the big clump of grass in the forground and made several shots up against the bank so as to drift the dropper fly along the undercut bank. Although this undercut bank didn't produce, this is precisely the sort of spot where I'd expect to draw out a trout.

The tall grass is tough. I like a heavy tippet, around 6-8lb test for the hopper fly. For the dropper, 6lb works. This allows the option of breaking off the dropper if you get tangled in the grass, as happens to me frequently in this sort of scenario, especially cast number two. Sturdy tippet makes it a lot easier to save your flies.

So how would you approach this situation? What are your thoughts about tall grass?

 

[ryansheehan]

I would flip the order, I would go to the bank I'm fishing from first. The reason I say this is I feel I'm less likely to the spook the fish further away. Casting to the further target first might put some fly line over the fish that's closer and in stiller water. The riffle the other fish is sitting in gives me some margin for error while casting to the closer undercut bank. I would make sure to reach cast towards the stream to stay out of the grass without having to move to much. Good question, I'm going to enjoy reading the different responses.

 

[redietz]

ryansheehan wrote:
I would flip the order, I would go to the bank I'm fishing from first. The reason I say this is I feel I'm less likely to the spook the fish further away.

That was my immediate thought (for the same reason), but realized he picked the order because he needed to wade to cast to the second spot, risking putting fish in both locations down. Might as well play the higher percentage shot first.

One thing I do when there's tall grass and jewel is to use a long rod so that I can reach over it. With a 10 foot rod, I might have been able to reach both drifts without wading involved, and if so, would definitely cast to position 2 first.

One trick I used to use years ago would be to cast into the tall grass, and gently pull the fly into the stream. When the spot is right for it, it can be very effective. I'd only use one fly though (my choice would be a parachute ant.)

On the subject of jewel weed, I love to see it. Not only does it mean that there's probably no poison ivy in that spot, but it can actually counteract the latter (much like Fels Naptha soap). And, it's relatively easier to remove a fly from, unlike thistle or multiflora rose.

I always use finer tippet to the bottom fly than than to the upper fly, regardless of surroundings. I'd rather lose one fly than two.

 

[afishinado]

I would work the spot from the outside-in like DW.

If possible, to fish the spot I would wade out and cast towards the bank with each cast a little closer to the bank.

Also, casting towards the bank would allow me to keep my flyline and leader away from the fish. In addition, sometimes you can coax a fish out of hiding with a close cast before trying any type of suicide cast where you get snagged and ruin the spot.

On my last casts I would try to get an inch or inches from the bank. One the other advantages of slowly working in, is by now I would have my casts precisely measured out and can more accurately read the current, allowing me to better execute a bank hugging cast.

Good stuff.

 

[moon1284]

I'd take davew's approach. I'd probably use 4# maxima to a simulator and 2# maxima to a bh pt or a small ant. I tend to go with lighter tippet.

 

[Wild_Trouter]

You would definitely encounter that situation on Falling Spring this time of year. That's when that place really gets fun.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Without knowing what across and downstream looks like, I would have went slightly downstream and across to the other bank. Angle yourself so you can cast up into both spots without spooking either fish.

I would have used a hopper, cricket, ant, stimulator or something of the like.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

I think it's a toss-up.

An over-powered hook cast may be able to handle the undercut before further wading.

One consideration other is the current speed of the eddie. If you look closely at the mud created by wading, you'll notice it's likely to cloud up the undercut long before clouding the bubble line, especially with more wading.

 

[ryansheehan]

Yeah my thought was to use my long arms and rod to avoid wading completely. That might not be possible, tough to tell for sure with out being there to feel it for myself.

 

[Fredrick]

Maybe I didn't read into this enough but couldn't you go up stream and cast down to it using a slack line cast of your choosing. Doing this you wont line the fish and achieve a better drag free drift but it would require more casting/fly fishing skill .

 

[Sylvaneous]

You have to carefully consider the features of the stream and the strange tendency for some nice browns to hang out right along the bank. Under that grass would be a good spot. I would look for that first. Dropping a terrestrial at the end of the grass at some point about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way up the pool could elicit a V-wake charge to your fly. Be careful not to spook the pool. This may be impossible. Stop and look for a while.

Syl