Air Time

[gkieser]

I have noticed a few people have started talking about the morning Mayfly "hatches" (Not 100% they are) on the elandspad lately, where the fish go mental and leap out the water to the adult naturals hanging around just above the surface. The quotes are because it could be these are adults hanging above the water and dropping to the surface to deposit their eggs as opposed to hatching from the water, hence the fish launching out the water to take them.

As some guys have found, these fish are very much preoccupied with the mayflies and most imitations will be ignored in preference to the naturals to the extent that one is ready to throw rocks at the fish as they breach.

The past few weeks i have fished the upper elandspad and have come across a lekker way to effectively catch these fish along with the other guys i was fishing with. Most of the guys I know are probably sick of me talking about this lately but since some of you already mentioned it in other threads i thought you might find this interesting.

The first thing that we noticed is that these fish will completely ignore flies fished in tandem (eg dry fly/dropper). The second thing we noticed was that a range of different CDC patterns grabbed their attention, but then later realised that they would take a large RAB too. On one of the days I was fishing, I noticed that the fish would take the dry flies instantly when they landed on the surface. This was so consistent that there had to be more to it. In my opinion it meant that they were watching the fly drift down to the surface while it was still in the air and intercepting the CDC flies confidently as they alighted on the surface. This made me take more care as to how i presented the fly to them, rather than where it landed.

CDC flies help because they drift really slowly to the surface and this gives the fish time to spot it in the air where (in my opinion) they are focusing. They may not even see your fly sitting on the surface because it is out of their focal view. Aim a metre or two above the water and as the fly drifts slowly down the fish spots it, realises it is dropping and moves to intercept it at the surface. This also explains why they are ignoring tandem rigs (well, mine at least) as the nymph, usually weighted, pulls the dry down too quickly for the fish to home in on it.

Like I said this is probably nothing new but I just seemed to notice this behaviour lately and thought some of you might be interested in this tactic which i have found to be very effective of late, and above all it is a pretty darn exciting way to catch these fish!

As to flies, just make sure they are dressed on light wire hooks and incorporate materials that will make them drift slowly down to the surface. Materials like CDC can give your flies awesome airtime. RABs tied in Darryl's Poodle Style also float down very slowly and would be good for this tactic. I suppose larger profile flies will be more visible to the fish as they float down, but you have to find the happy medium between bulk and profile to get that fly floating down nicely.

Now all I want is for one of those fish to launch themselves and take my fly before it hits the surface. This must be an awesome sight! I am interested to hear if anyone else has found this tactic to work for them, or if you try it please let me know how you fare. Alternatively if anyone has other reasons why this tactic works i would love to hear it explained as all my thoughts above are just that - my thoughts.

Ciao for now

[FishWhisperer]

I found the same thing happening to me as well!! The only thing is the take would be different to that of the natural. The fish would slash at the surface as they took my fly but would launch themselves out of the water when it came to the natural. Maybe the movement of the CDC makes it look like the fly has come down and got caught in the surface layer, so the fish dont feel they need to launch themselves at it in case it flies away? Still trying to work out why they wouldn't take 'normal' flies like a Klinkhamer as confidently. Come to think of it I fished CDC Klinks and Normal Klink and the CDC flies WAY outperformed the original!? Especially in these situations.

[Chris Shelton]

........above all it is a pretty darn exciting way to catch these fish!

Agreed!!! Great post Grant. Now this is what dry fly fishing is all about and I'm pleased to see that it is you who came up with this post, but then again, this is what I have come to expect from you. You're a great thinking fisherman, keep it up lad!

[Morne]

I aggree. Dry fly fishing is much more exiting. This past weekend was so great again. We probably would have caught alot more fish with droppers but it was so much more exiting to cast to a rising fish and when I finaly get the presentation right (k@k caster ) to see the fish take your fly.

Tried a dropper in one of the pools but gave it up after a few casts. Just wasnt so much fun. Sounds honkey I know but using a dropper with strike indicator you get a bit of more edge on the fish (by being able to see the take easier) and that sort of make the "hunt" not on a equal foot. Thats my feeling anyway.

Will still try it from time to time though

[smallstreams.co.za]

Now all I want is for one of those fish to launch themselves and take my fly before it hits the surface. This must be an awesome sight!

Hi Grant

I've seen this happen a few times when smallish rainbows have launched themselves clean out of the water to take adult damsels, and on 2 occasions adult caddis. I've never had them taking a fly on mid-air though, but would also love to experience it!

[Jasper]

seems to me what would REALLY work well in a situation like this is DAPPING!! ... one of the oldest forms of fly-fishing. An old (and VERY successful) fly fisherman buddy of mine is using this technique with a lot of success in the Machadodorp area - having imported a 12' dapping rod .. using floss line, etc.

[Jasper]

Hi Grant

I've seen this happen a few times when smallish rainbows have launched themselves clean out of the water to take adult damsels, and on 2 occasions adult caddis. I've never had them taking a fly on mid-air though, but would also love to experience it!

I once saw big (2-4lb) trout taking dragon flies about half a metre above the water at Gubu Dam ... quite a few years ago. We couldn't catch any of them, even though they were going crazy!!

[smallstreams.co.za]

seems to me what would REALLY work well in a situation like this is DAPPING!! ... one of the oldest forms of fly-fishing. An old (and VERY successful) fly fisherman buddy of mine is using this technique with a lot of success in the Machadodorp area - having imported a 12' dapping rod .. using floss line, etc.

Have you read the article from Jon Beer in the Trout & Salmon magazine a few years back? Such a lovely article on dapping/dappling!!

It was called Au Toc if I remember correctly!

[Jasper]

Have you read the article from Jon Beer in the Trout & Salmon magazine a few years back? Such a lovely article on dapping/dappling!!

It was called Au Toc if I remember correctly!

I seem to remember it!! .. it is a very elegant way of fishing .. and can be very productive ...

[Jasper]

.... maybe I will try rig up a heath-robinson dapping rig and give it a try at Millstream next month!