GET YOUR FLY DOWN BY JOHN BERRY

The key to fishing high water is to get your fly down. Trout normally feed on the bottom two inches of the water column about ninety percent of the time. During the high water conditions that we are now experiencing, that percentage is probably even greater. It is a long way to the top to tempt them with dry flies. 

The most productive way to fish the bottom is with nymph techniques. The trick is to get your fly down to the bottom two inches. This is easier said than done when the water flows are as deep as we now have. You will have to begin with a longer leader. Your leader tippet combination must be long enough to allow your fly to sink to the bottom. 

You will also have to add weight to the leader. This is most easily done by adding a split shot or more to the leader. I always place my split shot just above the knot where I attach the tippet to the leader. This trick will keep the split shot from slipping down. There is always the problem with your tendency to cast them off. I also have found that Dinsmore’s egg shaped split shot hang on to the leader better than other brands (I get them at Blue Ribbon Fly Shop). 

 To make sure that I always have a split shot on, I carefully watch the cast when the leader hits the water. There should be a splash where the split shot hits the surface. There should also be a similar splash when the fly or flies hit the water. By watching the cast I can easily tell when my client has lost a split shot or fly. They are always amazed that I know when this has occurred. I also ask them to check their rig whenever we are moving to a new location. 

Another way to easily add weight to the leader is to use heavily weighted flies. While you can always add a few wraps of lead when you are tying your flies, it is usually easier and more effective to add a brass bead to your flies. Tungsten beads are heavier and even better for heavy water conditions. 

Tippet selection can also assist in getting your fly down. Fluorocarbon leaders and tippets have a higher specific gravity than monofilament and therefore sink. While this is a disadvantage when fishing dry flies. It does help when fishing nymphs. Tippet size is also important. Tippets with a smaller diameter sink faster than a large one. This means that 5X tippet will sink faster than 4X. 

All of this stuff is hard to fish under a small strike indicator. I use Thingamabobbers (the half inch size). They float high, are easily adjusted and can be added after you tie on your fly. Buy them in bright colors, so that they are easily seen. 

If you are fishing streamers you will need to use a sink tip line. A sink tip fly line has a forward sinking section with a floating back section. For streamers, you need a twenty four to thirty foot sinking section. You will need a few lines with different weights (they vary from 150 to 400 grains). You then match the sink tip to the water flows. When attaching the fly to the fly line use a three foot heavy tippet to keep the fly down. If you used a long leader, the fly would tend to ride up. 

To catch trout in heavy water, you have to get the fly down. 

 John Berry is a fly fishing guide in Cotter, Arkansas and has fished our local streams for over thirty years.