05-15-2012, 05:33 AM
I've found a few things to remember while fly fishing from a tube or toon. first, in my experience, having your presentation at the same depth as the fish is the most important consideration. i have seen great patterns fished at the wrong depth, that yields very little to no action. I've also seen UGLY flies catch fish because they were fished at the correct depth. fish feel much safer under the surface a ways(especially in daylight hours), and spend the vast majority of their time eating and hiding under a good blanket of water. Fish also tend to be somewhat lazy, the less effort they have to expel for a meal, the better. Find the "sweet spot" in the water column. A sinking fly line is an absolute must. a medium sink fly line is a good all around choice, and probably what i would recommend for a starter. Although, my personal favorite is a fast sink line, it gets into the strike zone quicker, and allows me a little more flexibility in the depth of water i can fish. A fish finder is a really good idea (especially with a fast sink line) mostly to monitor depth. while fishing shallow water i like to be close to the bottom without being snagged on the bottom. Most of my fishing happens in relatively shallow water (10-30'), so with the right combination of line, fly, and presentation i can fish anywhere in that range of depth. Without a good depth finder, you are pretty much guessing. you'll definitely hang up more without one. i feel lost when i dont have my old reliable fishin' buddy. Fish finders are not a must, but a dang good investment.
another important consideration is the pattern you're fishing. i like to fish larger patterns like wooly buggers, zonkers, bunny leeches, mohair leeches, etc... bigger bait, bigger fish! If the fish are biting, one of these patterns is sure to get some attention. reds, brown, white, black, and green are all tried and true. you may find one color, pattern, or size might be the hot ticket that day, but overall these are a pretty safe bet on any Utah water, year round.
I always fish with the fly rod, line, and fly in as close to a straight line as possible. drop the tip of your fly rod right in the water, and grip the line with one hand, the rod with the other. this way you'll feel the smallest pickups or strikes. this is really important, as most of the time it takes a good hook set to seal the deal.
i usually slow troll the fly by kicking backwards, a slight twitch or a series of strips at varying speed and frequency can also trigger a strike. sometimes the fish need a little coaxing. you'll even catch a good number of fish while reeling in! i'll use a breeze to my advantage, and drift. if necesarry you can slow the tube in a breeze(or wind) by pointing your feet/fins straight down, it acts like a drift sock.
i would definitely recommend a nice calm morning while you are getting used to navigating with a tube. the wind and waves can be frustrating when you're learning. Also, know your physical limitations, a full day on the water kicking the entire time is hard work. after a long day in cold water, i'll almost always end up with a charley horse or 2. i've seen fisherman get blown across Strawberry and Mantua Res. from not paying attention to the weather, and their own physical limits. what goes out, must come back!
It's my favorite way to fish. The simplicity of the float tube, and fly rod is what has me hooked. good luck!
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another important consideration is the pattern you're fishing. i like to fish larger patterns like wooly buggers, zonkers, bunny leeches, mohair leeches, etc... bigger bait, bigger fish! If the fish are biting, one of these patterns is sure to get some attention. reds, brown, white, black, and green are all tried and true. you may find one color, pattern, or size might be the hot ticket that day, but overall these are a pretty safe bet on any Utah water, year round.
I always fish with the fly rod, line, and fly in as close to a straight line as possible. drop the tip of your fly rod right in the water, and grip the line with one hand, the rod with the other. this way you'll feel the smallest pickups or strikes. this is really important, as most of the time it takes a good hook set to seal the deal.
i usually slow troll the fly by kicking backwards, a slight twitch or a series of strips at varying speed and frequency can also trigger a strike. sometimes the fish need a little coaxing. you'll even catch a good number of fish while reeling in! i'll use a breeze to my advantage, and drift. if necesarry you can slow the tube in a breeze(or wind) by pointing your feet/fins straight down, it acts like a drift sock.
i would definitely recommend a nice calm morning while you are getting used to navigating with a tube. the wind and waves can be frustrating when you're learning. Also, know your physical limitations, a full day on the water kicking the entire time is hard work. after a long day in cold water, i'll almost always end up with a charley horse or 2. i've seen fisherman get blown across Strawberry and Mantua Res. from not paying attention to the weather, and their own physical limits. what goes out, must come back!
It's my favorite way to fish. The simplicity of the float tube, and fly rod is what has me hooked. good luck!
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