10-21-2020, 09:25 PM
Sorry my comment is so delayed but have you ever tried jigging with chironomids and balanced leeches right off the bottom on a fast sinking fly line? Its a technique I've tried at another reservoir with good results. The best way is to anchor up as soon as you mark a bunch of fish, then clip your hemostats to your bottom fly and drop the line all the way to the bottom until the line goes slack. Then reel in any excess line so that when you take off your hemostats and drop your line back down, the bottom fly is 2-8 inches off the bottom. It probably works best in 25 feet or less of water. Then do a subtle jigging motion until you feel any resistance and then set the hook. I've only tried it once at lost creek but it was so windy that I was having a hard time keeping my anchor in place to tell how effective it could be. In those warmer months, it seems like the only bite you can get is right at the bottom like you mentioned. Brian Chan and Phil Rowley are good resources for learning more about this and other stillwater techniques.