duaneredford.com   "Fear No Water"

Hidy Ho good neighbors,

Interesting how some folks think alike. Recently, I read a blog post by fellow guide Bob Streb (bobbertalk.blogpost.com). He talked about the law of averages in fly fishing, and how a “300 hitter” is still fairly acceptable. The real point was that its fly fishing, and a bunch of factors can influence the balance of the day. I’ve been mulling this over for some time, maybe because it’s late August and has been a long season.

Great stuff as usual from Bob, and I want to go a few steps further with his premise. After years of watching an indicator float by, and all of the stuff going on sub-surface around it, I’ve come to the unscientific conclusion that the indicator may register a fish actually eating your flies at a rate of about 60%. That means at least 40% of the time we don’t even realize a fish just ate and spit our bugs.

Earlier this summer, I was hunkered down behind a rock overlooking the river as my client was situated downstream of me. I was looking into a deeper side pool that was covered by a fast riffle. It’s one of those places that you can see under the riffle into very clear water. The water was about 4 feet deep. I could see about a dozen nice fish under the riffle, so I instructed my client to lay the bugs fairly high in the riffle in hopes that we could get them into the fish naturally.

On about the 4^th cast, the bugs plunged perfectly into the pool. I was really enjoying watching the action of the soft-hackled pheasant tail as it undulated sub-surface. Here comes a nice rainbow into the feeding lane. I watched, dumfounded, as the fish moved to the fly, sucked it in, and spit it out. The indicator never flinched. More unbelievably, after spitting out the soft-hackle, the fish turned on it and ate it again! At this point I said, “Lift it!” Hook up secured, but the fish was gone at the first jump. Kinda’ validates my points.

Of the 60% of the eats we do see, we probably hook up at a rate of 60%. That’s 60% if you’re the normal fly fisher, more if you’re very advanced, less if you’re a beginner. Of that 60% you may land fish at a rate of 60%, again rates vary according to skill level. Think about it, that’s leaving a lot of fish on the table.

Clients ask me all the time about how the river is fishing. I always have to temper the answer realizing that skill levels come into play. For advanced guys and gals that can present, drift, set, and land fish, the river may be on fire. For intermediates, well they may have a fair amount of hook-ups, but the river is simply fishing well. For beginners, it may prove to be a slow day. Just being honest.

My job is to try to get new anglers dialed in as quickly as possible. I strive to have skill levels and prime fish eating times collide. As the angler gets more proficient, to the point where they can recognize “an eat” and set on it, I need to have them with the proper bugs at the proper depths and speeds, AND situated perfectly.   When the river goes off, they need to have the skill to match it. It’s that simple, and that complicated.

It’s a beautiful thing really. Get ‘em good, get ‘em over fish, get’em in the bag. I may have 2 clients rigged exactly the same, but have to make personalized adjustments to each rig according to the little things that influence drifts. One person may need more weight because the mend is a struggle, one person may need less rigging distance because of slower reaction times. It’s ok, that’s why I’m there. I have been with some clients that may have never hooked fish unless I stand at their side and say “hit that!” That’s ok too, but I’m not always there.

The point I’m trying to make is that it’s fishing. There’s very little luck to it, and there’s a lot of moving parts. That’s why I enjoy what I do, scraping a few fish out of the beat with folks that deserve it because they have worked so hard. They are trying to fool Mother Nature, and hopefully, having a good time while doing it. It’s just that Mama nature always has the final word. Batter up!

Fear No Water!

Duane

Talk about moving parts….

7’2″ beginner. Big guy that picked up the game quickly.

Advanced angler, Greg, with a nice lower Eagle brown.