Yellows

[vanderw]

Hi Guys,

I am quiet new to this but the yellow fever has definetely got me. Just a general question. I was at the Vaal on the weekend and I found myself infront of a deep pool with alot of acitvity. The fishes were extremely active especially towards the evening.

I kept on casting right between them using a few caddis, mayflies as well as some dry flies. No results though. How long do you wait before you change your fly, confident that it's the wrong fly?

[Gael]

One possible contributing factor is not achieving a drag free drift. (other than just incorrect choice of fly)

I was chatting with one of my more skilled buddies and a few weeks he was nailing the fish on dry during a good evening rise, though one of his mates fishing next to him on exactly the same fly was not having the same luck, possibly due to drag.

I know when it’s getting early evening and with the sunsets reflection on the water it can become real difficult to mend correctly as you fly line becomes difficult to monitor (I really struggle with this)

[vanderw]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

Stupid question!!

What do you mean with "drag"?

[dpammenter]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

Stupid question!!

What do you mean with "drag"?

not stupid at all..

drag is when the flow of the water 'pulls'/'drags' your flyline which in turn will cause your fly to act/react in an unnatural manner

[Gael]

Mmmm, Drag, the four letter word in fly-fishing

Usually when was fish our flies, we try and get the flies to drift downstream in a natural manner (swinging excluded, ok Scythe).

Drag occurs, usually, when the fly line drifts at a faster rate than the flow at which the fly is situated, causing the fly to be dragged at an un-natural speed in relation the water that the fly is situated.

To prevent this we mend the fly line, which is basically adding loops to make up for different flows across the water surface.

Take a look at this mending primer: http://www.midcurrent.com/articles/t...n_mending.aspx

The topic is widely discussed on the web, Google it and you’ll find a multitude of articles

[vanderw]

And how do you prevent this?

Do you change your angle of casting by moving physically or do you just left your line drift without pulling on it?

This is quite frustrating. They seemed to be everywhere except they won't bite.

[MaXiMuM]

Mmmm, Drag, the four letter word in fly-fishing

That and "Rose Hip"...

[FIGJAM]

Hello,

Thanks for the reply.

Stupid question!!

What do you mean with "drag"?

Come to the Cape and I will teach you all you need to know about drag and how to prevent it. On the Cape streams we have to combat micro drag. I think on the Vaal you don't have to worry to much as long as your fly does not represent a water-skier on a Sunday banging the wake

[MaXiMuM]

And how do you prevent this?

Do you change your angle of casting by moving physically or do you just left your line drift without pulling on it?

This is quite frustrating. They seemed to be everywhere except they won't bite.

You need to throw an up-stream mend, in other words, pick the line up, and move it up-stream of the fly...

If you have a pool at home, stick on a dry fly, cast it to the corner of the pool. Now, the line between the fly and the rod tip needs to be moved, without moving the fly, well it can move a little, but the better you get the less it should move. You now try flip the line to the left or right, by pressing the rod tip up and across, pulling slightly on the line to load the rod. The better you get the more line you can mend and the more precise your mends will become. When you get really good, you can throw your mends in the cast, and when you’re really good, you can put the fly down way off to the left or right with out having to mend at all…

If you are battling, I would suggest you visit your loacal FF tackle shop and pay for a lesson. Once you have the basics, you will see the improvement in your fishing imidiatly… or hire a reputable guide for a day… you will learn more from a guide in one day, than you will learn in a year of hard fishing…

[vanderw]

Thanks very much for the info and the offer. I will definitely let you know when I am down there.

I will practise this in the meanwhile.

Thanks again!