Gearing Up For Dry Fly Fishing

Spring is finally here. The weather is definitely warmer and the spring hatches have finally begun. Lori and I have already had some spectacular days fishing hatches with dry flies. In order to take advantage of my favorite time of year you need to get your gear ready. This is particularly important if you didn't fish all winter.

Dust off your dry fly rod. I prefer a nine foot four weight with a sensitive tip. I use a four weight because I will be casting small flies. I like to use a nine-foot rod because the length allows me to easily mend the line, which is critical for me to achieve a perfect drag free drift. The soft tip helps protect the lighter tippets I favor when fishing dries. I have a friend that insists on fishing dry flies with a stiff rod. He cannot understand why he is continually losing flies. Lubricate your reel. Here again you need to consider lighter tippets. While you're at it adjust your drag. I prefer to set mine very light so that I don't break off trout.

Clean your fly line. I fish a floating line and I have found that it floats much better if it is clean. This also makes it much easier to cast and mend. To clean the line I put it in a sink of water with a mild soap and gently agitate it. I then rinse the line and dry it with a soft cloth. Finally I apply a line dressing approved by the manufacturer.

Change your leader and tippet. These items deteriorate over time. As a result manufacturers mark them with a use by date. Discard any leaders or tippets that have expired. I prefer a nine foot four X leader with a five foot six X tippet. If you haven't fished lately and don't know when a given tippet will break try this. Rig up your rod with a leader and tippet. Tie the tippet to a fixed object. Set the hook as you would when you are fishing or gently increase pressure until the tippet breaks. This will give you a feeling for how to set the hook. Don't forget that on stream with fish rising your adrenaline will definitely kick in.

Check your fly box and make sure that you have the flies you will need for the season. For this area you need to stock certain patterns. The one I use the most is the elk hair caddis in size 14, 16,and 18. Next I use sulphur duns in size 14 and 16. I carry adams in a variety of sizes from twelve to twenty. I carry royal wulffs in the same sizes. For later in the season I carry a selection or terrestrials that includes ants and grasshoppers. These flies should cover most of the dry fly situations you will encounter.

Make sure that you have fly floatant so that you can waterproof the flies before you fish them. In addition I carry dry fly crystals to dry the flies after hooked fish have submerged them. It is important to use both of these items so that the flies float high and look natural.

If you follow these suggestions you will be ready to fish the coming hatches. Good luck!