Dead drift for stillwaters

[saflyfish]

Im looking to try the dead drift technique on my next stillwater outing.
Can someone outline the basics ie fly choice,leader length,indicator type etc

[PieterS]

Personally I keep it fairly simple, 2x 9ft leader, then add 3x tippet, place the first dropper 50cm away from the leader, second dropper another 50cm away and the another 50cm section for the end fly. Flies I use Blobs, size 10 GRHE's, Buzzers and bloodworms. I normally place the blob on the top dropper followed by a buzzer and bloodworm/GRHE/Buzzer. In some cases I will place the blob on the second dropper. If I want to keep the flies high in the water column, I replace the top dropper with a large hopper pattern. I don't use any indicators, strikes are detected by keeping an eye on the fly line

[FlyCraft]

Apart from imitating slow moving/drifting insects it is also very effective on waters where the fish sees a lot of moving/stripped flies. We have a customer who fishes at Eikendal, he fishes buzzers and bloodworms on a 15ft leader and for most part out-fishes everyone else on a specific day.

Just a few thoughts from my side.

• Space the flies further apart on heavily fished water or where the water is very clear, up to 6 feet apart.
• Tie the flies on a dropper, not inline.
• When fishing nymphs, you can fish a level leader. Diameter determined by the water you fish.
• The fly line itself can be your indicator, or use egg yarn, buoyant dry fly.
• Turning over a long leader, the point fly needs momentum/weight or stop the cast abruptly with the line hand on the final presentation cast to turn over the leader.

[A River Runs Through It]

An excellent article in The Complete Fly Fisherman October/November 2017 by Fred Steynberg...Stillwater fundamentals- Dead -Drift Techniques Part ll...couldn't get better advice from this master class fly fisherman.

I suggest for those interested to get a copy...often if have not got one...usually the bigger libraries usually keep this magazine.