Fly Fishing During the Dog-Days of Summer: A Gentle Approach

This is the time of year when the fishing is tough on the South Platte. The fish have seen a lot of flies and anglers. Flows are dropping. A gentle, patient approach is needed.

A common mistake I see among beginners is making weeping over powered hook sets and trying to force the fish in. We need to tone it down and use a gentler approach. We need to make the most of the few opportunities we might be given.

Sometimes we need some common sense. The fish are in the river, in their home feeding on tiny midges and  mayflies. Remind yourself how small the flies are, so you do not use too much force. Why do we think we can yank the fish in, out of their world with 3 pound test tippet and a size 24 hook? The last thing a wild fish wants to do is come out of the river and visit with us so we can take its picture.

Therefore, we use a gentler approach. We are patient. Use gentle parachute casts that land the fly gently on the water. Or if we are using nymphing rigs we use smaller striker indicators and we try not to slap our casts. We keep our casts short and try to keep most of the thick fly line off of the water.

When fighting a fish,  we learn to go easy, go with the flow, and try to move with the fish and pick cross current angles. Too many folks dig their heals in and try to pull a fish up river,  against the currents and are then surprised when the fish breaks off. We can try to respect the fishes instinct to remain in its watery world.

We might as well make the best of each opportunity that comes our way.  If we are gentle and patient we might then be granted a brief  visit with a wild fish as its leaves its bubbly, flowing world and enters our world.

But quickly and gently revive the fish. Place it back in its world so it might not remember the visit to our overly nervous and controlling  world.