Dry Fly Fishing 101 – Perfect Your Presentation

Anglers tend to put a lot of stock in selecting the right dry fly to match a hatch. But, the truth is, the perfect fly won’t do you a whole lot of good if you don’t know how to present it. When it comes to fly fishing for trout, presentation is everything. Here are a few tips to help you make your flies appear as natural as possible.

Drag-Free Drift

From the moment your fly hits the water, the goal is to make it appear as much like a real insect as possible. If you were to drop an insect into a stream, it would float downstream along with the current, picking up speed and stalling at different points as flows change. That’s the type of drift you’re going for.

Pick Your Spots

It’s tempting to always try to get the longest drift possible – after all, more time on the water should equal more fish caught. But, long drifts aren’t always necessary. If you see a trout rising in a small space, cast to that small space – as long as you lead the fish by a few feet, you should get a drift that appears to be natural. An accurate, short drift minimizes the chance for drag that’s introduced on longer drifts.

Move Your Feet

You’re casting to a trout – or a spot where you think there should be a trout – and you can’t seem to get the drift right. Nine times out of ten, you can solve this problem by repositioning yourself. Some drifts lend themselves to an upstream cast, some to a downstream cast, and sometimes it’s best to be even with the fish when you cast. Trout face upstream in the current, so your best bet is often to cast from downstream of the fish – but don’t be afraid to switch it up.

Mend Your Line, but Don’t Go Crazy

Mending is all about positioning your line on the water to achieve a natural drift. You can mend during your cast or after the fly has hit the water, gently moving the line with your rod tip to allow the fly to float freely. Many anglers think that they have to mend several times to get the right drift – but if your fly is floating naturally, don’t mess with it.

High-Stick if You Can

High-sticking is an extremely effective method when you’re working in close quarters – think small stream fishing. Make a short cast and leave your rod tip high in the air, keeping it even with your fly as it floats downstream. This keeps your fly line and leader off of the water, removing the tension that causes a fly to drag.

Don’t Forget Floatant

To get the drift you want, it’s essential to keep your fly dry. Whether you choose to use dry-shake or a gel floatant, having one of them in your pack is a must. If you see your fly starting to sink, take it out of the water, blow on it to get the excess water off, and apply the floatant. It makes a world of difference.

Keep at It

Getting the right dry fly presentation doesn’t happen overnight. See what works and what doesn’t, and adjust from there. It takes work, but dry fly eats are worth any amount of time and effort expended.