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Test on the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing

As I have noted in my introduction to Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing, I am not an expert or authority on stillwater fishing. In my five decades of fly fishing and my years of guiding, I concentrated mostly on moving waters, with the exception of high-elevation lakes. At age 62 I do not have the luxury of slowly acquiring stillwater skills over a period of years. Now that I live across the street from Klamath Lake, which harbors huge trout, I am hell-bent to learn the secrets of stillwater fly fishing quickly. Over the past few years I have hooked and landed a number of trout in the four to seven pound range, but I also grudgingly admit that I have been skunked more times than I care to address. The glossary and test, dear reader, are for me. As a retired teacher, I know the value of reading, outlining information and then writing a test in order to really learn the material. The ultimate and final test is on the water.

I hope you too find some value in taking the test first, and then reading my article. The test will prep you for the article. If you are already an experienced stillwater fly fishing angler, the test may be too elemental, as it truly targets the beginning angler who wants to “master the basics.” As always, I would enjoy receiving any feedback or suggestions for improvement. (The answers to the test are at the very bottom.)

Dave Archer

1. Why do the experts recommend slow action rods for stillwater fishing?
2. What is the preference for rods in terms of length and line weight?
3. What is the most commonly recommended leader?
4. A Chironomid fly most closely resembles what other insect?
A. Caddis B. Grasshopper C. Mosquito D. Mayfly

5. With a few exceptions, the experts were fairly consistent in their targeted “Go-To” patterns when searching for trout in a new lake. In order of importance, which order most closely reflects the choice of the experts?
A: Leech, Dragonfly/Damsel, Minnow, Chironomid, Scud, Terrestrial
B: Scud, Minnow, Dragonfly/Damsel, Terrestrial, Chironomid
C: Minnow, Scud, Chironomid, Dragonfly/Damsel, Terrestrial
D: Chironomid, Scud, Leech, Dragonfly/Damsel, Terrestrial

6. What is the most versatile fly line?
7. Another name for “midge” is ___________

8. A “scud” is ________
A. A lonely, small cloud drifting by itself
B. a clump of trico mayflies
C. a small crustacean resembling a shrimp
D. A & C

9. The experts agree that trout prey most actively on leeches in the following range: A. 1-2 inches B. 2-3 inches C. 4-5 inches D. 6-8 inches

10. One advantage of fishing a dark Woolly Bugger is that it imitates two sources of trout food which are ___________ and __________

11. T/F Unlike bass, trout will only feed on a crawdad when it is young and molting.
12. Use a mouse pattern after…

13. Generally, unless you have cabin fever, avoid these conditions:
A. A rapidly falling barometer
B. Wind
C. a period of a full moon
D. flat, calm conditions
E. water with an algae bloom present
F. C & E
G. A & C

14. In deciding on the distance and speed of retrieval, the experts are in total agreement that the most important aspect of the retrieve is the …
15. An approaching storm often (decreases the bite) (increases the bite).
16. T/F: Strike indicators are out of the realm of fly fishing and indicative of an inexperienced fly fisher.

17. When fishing with a San Juan Worm, an angler is imitating what larva?
A. Mayfly
B. Chironomid
C. Caddis
D. Leech

18. T/F: The Caddis is not as important to the stillwater angler as it is to the stream angler.

19. A Callibaetis insect is what “class” of insects?
A. Mayfly B. Caddis C. Chironomid D. Water Boatman

Match Retrieves with Patterns:

Note: The choices of retrieves are not precise. Select a retrieve that is most appropriate. I found the experts have a wide range of opinion on the matter of retrieve. Keep a record of what works for you, but don’t be cavalier as this is the most critical aspect of stillwater fly fishing. Bring along a cheat sheet and practice each retrieve when you venture out on the water. Take notes!

A: One hand twist every five to ten seconds followed by a quick jerk and a pause
B: One inch slow and steady pulls followed by a pause
C: Three to six inch slow pulls followed by a pause
D: Two feet pulls speeding up with a flick of the wrist at the end w/ occasional pauses
E: Rapid short retrieves: Strip-strip-strip-pause
F: Long, fast pulls punctuated with an occasional pause and jerk
No retrieve

Which of the above retrieves would you use for the following patterns?

20. Leech on bottom
21. Leech swimming
22. Chironomid larva
23. Chironomid pupae
24. Dragonfly nymph
25. Damselfly nymph
26. Minnow
27. Scud
28. Terrestrial
29. Emergers or nymph on the surface
30. Cripple or dun on the surface

Matching Insects with Fly Patterns
A. Chironomid
B. Callibaetis Mayfly Dun
C. Callibaetis Mayfly Nymph
D. Caddis
E. Damselfly
F. Dragonfly
G. Leech
H. Scud
I. Terrestrial
J. Minnow
K. Crawdad

Match the following patterns with the insects above.

31. Bronzie, Chromie
32. Zonker
33. Adams, Midges, Black Gnat, Mosquito, Compara Dun
34. Pheasant Tail Nymph, Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear
35. Sedge pattern (Hint: England and Canada)
36. Woolly Bugger, Carey Special, Beadhead Woolly
37. Sparkle Shrimp, Zug Bug
38. Seal Bugger
39. Ants, beetles and grasshoppers
40. Woolhead Sculpin, Red Sided Shiner
41. Hare’s Ear Wet
42. Carey Special (another use different than 36.
43. Reddish brown Woolly Bugger fished on the bottom
44. Denny’s All Purpose Emerger
45. Bloodworm

46. T/F: Callibaetis nymphs are active swimmers
47. T/F: Callibaetis duns and Hexagenia duns provide the best opportunity for dry fly fishing on lakes.
48. Why are Chironomid nymphs and Callibaetis nymphs bright during their ascent to the surface?
49. What is a major disadvantage of fishing stillwater with a floating line?
50. What one piece of equipment should you always have when wading or fishing a boat?

Answers:

1. The slower action rods absorb the shock of a large fish on the take. Light tippets do not hold up on a stiffer rod when a large trout fights in underwater vegetation.
2. Many of the experts, both guides and authors that I have met, use 5 wt rods from 8.5 to 9.5 in length. As always, it is personal preference. Certainly 5 – 8 weight rods will all do fine.
3. 4x-5x, 9 to 15 feet in length
4. C
5. D
6. Floating
7. Chironomid
8. D
9. A
10. Minnow or forage fish and a leech
11. False
12. dark
13. A & C Denny Rickards and other experts note that trout like the cover of an algae bloom until the oxygen is depleted and the temperature of the water nears 70 degrees.
14. Pause
15. Increases the bite
16. Bull shit!
17. Chironomid blood worm
18. T The caddis larva moves slowly across the lake bottom not attracting much attention. Its descent in the pupa stage to the surface is slow, and it too often goes unnoticed. Once in the surface film, the emerger stage is over quickly.
19. Mayfly

20. A or B
21. C or D
22. A or B
23. A or B
24. C or D
25. B or C
26. E or F
27. A or B
28. No retrieve, slight twitch
29. B or C
30. No retrieve

31. Chironomid nymph
32. Streamer
33. Chironomid emerger / dun
34. Callibaetis nymph or Chironomid nymph
35. Caddis
36. Leech
37. Scud
38. Leech or Dragonfly nymph
39. Terrestrial
40. Minnow
41. Chironomid nymph
42. Dragonfly nymph
43. Crawdad
44. Chironomid emerger
45. Chironomid larva
46. True
47. True
48. They use trapped air and gas to help them rise to the surface, which gives a shinny reflection to their bodies.
49. Wind drift moves the line which in turn moves your fly.
50. Inflatable chest suspenders or a Coast Guard approved floatation devise.

If you got an “A”, skip my article, although you may want to read one or more of the recommended books, especially Fly Patterns for Stillwater. If you did poorly, read the accompanying article, and be sure to buy one or more of the books that I recommend. If you are young and just beginning to fly fish, I recommend Croft’s book, The Fish Bum’s Guide to Catching Larger Trout, an illustrated manual on stillwater tactics for the intermediate fly angler. Although I valued and enjoyed reading a number of books listed in my bibliography, my favorite remains Denny Rickards, Fly-Fishing Stillwaters for Trophy Trout.

Mastering the Basics of Stillwater Fly Fishing
Glossary

A
Alderflies: These insects are similar to Caddisflies, but they are black.

Anchored Position: Unless you are drifting with the wind or trolling, an anchored stationary position provides the greatest opportunity for precise casting and controlled retrieves. Cabala’s offers a number of small anchors for belly boats and Kickboats. In a larger boat, especially with two anglers, two anchors keep the boat stationary in the wind so that the boat doesn’t swing back and forth. In this manner both anglers may cast parallel and both casters have a stationary zone to target.

B
Barometer: Fair and Stable means fair or stable fishing; Low or falling means “The Pits.”

Bloodworm: Many species of Chironomids live deep in the lake. To survive in this oxygen depleted zone, they need hemoglobin, which gives the larva body a bright red color.
(Photograph)

Boil: A boil is a bulge of water on the surface indicating a fish is feeding just under the surface on emerging insects. This is contrasted to sippers who lazily sip insects in the surface film during low light. This is contrasted by a splashy spay of water indicating a charging trout eager to catch a surface resting insect prior to its maiden flight.

C
Callibaetis Mayfly: Although abundant in streams, mayflies do not typically inhabit stillwaters. One of the exceptions, however, is the Callibaetis, the speckled-wing mayfly. Preferring clear water, lakes with Callibaetis mayflies are an important food source of trout as nymphs, duns and spinners. Typically, two or three hatching periods occur throughout the season with each successive hatch smaller in size from the last. The hatch during spring comes off mid-morning, but as the season progresses hatches occur in the early morning and low light of evening. Mottled in browns and tans with speckled, translucent wings, the Callibaetis mayfly can be found across the country, including famous trout rivers offering slower water.
(Photograph)

Chemocline: This is the bottom of the lake, the profundal zone, which holds little oxygen. Unless there is seepage springs offering oxygenated water in the Chemocline, trout will not be found in this zone.

Chironomids – Midges: The most prolific insect in lakes around the world, the chiromomidae are classified as “true” flies, with two sets of wings and resembling their cousin the mosquito, but they do not bite. Phillip Rowly in his book, Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, notes that there are over 2500 species of Chironomids in North America, and they make up approximately 40% of a trout’s diet almost year around. This is a bug worth getting to know! (Refer to the article on Stillwater fishing for more details and strategies.)
(photograph)

Cover: Read any good bass fishing book and you will learn everything there is to know about stillwater fishing for trout. Keep in mind the obvious. Trout need cover to protect themselves from overhead predators. They need overhead obstructions or camouflaging to break up their outline. They need cooler waters that provide sufficient oxygen, and they need to be close to good sources of food. So in alphabetical order, here are some “fishy” spots to target: algae blooms, bays, branches, channels, cliffs, downed trees, drop-offs, feeder streams, inlets and outlets, points, rocks, river channels, shoals (submerged island), springs, vegetation.

(Art illustration)

Counting Down: The dilemma of a stillwater fly angler in deeper water is not knowing how far down the fly line and fly have settled. Keep in mind that bass and trout do not look down. If they have acclimated to a particular depth, which is comfortable, they are unlikely to dive down to a food source. To search out these suspended fish which are typically near the bottom, an angler must time his sinking cast prior to retrieving it through a particular zone or depth. Once feeding trout have moved out of the shallows for safety and sanctuary, they station themselves at a suspended depth. Progressively allow each cast to sink deeper by counting seconds prior to retrieval. Keep in mind that the longer cast that you make will keep the fly in a particular depth or zone before the retrieval gradually lifts the fly to the surface. The countdown method is also beneficial when you are pulling your fly just above underwater plants and vegetation. The countdown method is most useful when fishing sinking lines, which have a particular sink rate. (See fly line sink rates.)

Cripple: When a hatch occurs, quite a few pupa struggle and get tied up in their nymphal shucks. These cripples make easy pickings for trout, as Chironomid upon reaching the surface film often escape as duns into the air in a matter of seconds.

D
Damselflies: Delicate, slender and long bodied, the Damselfly is easily recognized in “Smurff” blue. Fly anglers, however, are more interested in the Damselfly when it is a nymph slowly swimming around and feasting on other insects. Living in fairly shallow water, their migration to stalks or pilings for their metamorphic escape into maturity provides great opportunity for trout and angler alike.
(Photograph)

Dragonflies: Are you too young to have seen the movie Predator? If you missed it, see it as soon as possible, and you will understand the nature of a Dragonfly, the predator of the underwater, insect world. They make their way into the stomachs of trout and bass only in the nymph stage. One advantage for the angler is that the nymph stage often spans two or three years, hence size does NOT matter in this circumstance, as size is relative to age. Dragonfly nymphs are “Go-To” patterns, and the most common imitation is the Woolly Bugger.
(Photograph)

Drainage Lake: This is a natural lake characterized by an inlet and an outlet.

Dropper Fly: Using a second or third fly is referred to as a dropper. Quiet often a smaller dropper nymph is tied directly to the hook bend of the point fly. Some anglers reverse the size order and place a larger fly as the dropper so that it looks like it is pursuing a smaller fly just ahead of it.
(illustration)

Dun: From larva to pupae to the dun stages, the dun is ready to mate and perpetuate the cycle of life.
(Photograph)

F
Fly Line Sink Rates:

Fly Patterns:
Searching Patterns: In the absence of rising fish, or fish located cruising though the area, a searching pattern is the “Go-To” choice. Determine the most prolific food sources for a particular body of water. Of these, which food sources are most abundant throughout the season? The experts recommend beginning with the ubiquitous Chironomid midge, followed by scuds and dragonfly nymphs and damsel nymphs. Finally, a leech pattern is a good “Go-To” searching pattern anytime of the year. Be sure to cast in all directions around your anchored boat.
(Photograph)

G
Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear: This is a must have nymph pattern for high and low elevation lakes. For high elevation lakes this patter and a Zug Bug are sometimes all that you need.

H
Hatch: Being in the hatch on the hatch or near the hatch is like being in the front row of an opera or behind home plate. It is close to the action when large numbers of insects emerge and trout begin gorging themselves. When the hatch dies, look for the same hatch at another location of the lake, such as an area enveloped in mountain shade. These areas are more gradual to warm during cool spring mornings. Morris and Chan remind us that “good” hatches are not always so noticeable and can be missed. Watch for surface feeding and birds darting around catching their meal.

Heavy Water: When water reaches 39 degrees it becomes heavy and settles towards the bottom whereas the surface water hovers at 32 degrees to form ice. Trout seek out these warmer water conditions during the winter.

Hexagenia Mayfly: The Godzilla of mayflies, these giants of stillwater are revered and prayed upon by trout and anglers in the know. Short hatching periods near dark, keep initiated anglers chuckling to themselves or making packs with their partners on vows of secrecy. Recognized by brilliant yellow coloration, Hex duns are imitated on hooks in size 8 to 4 on long shank hooks!

Hinge Effect: On fast sinking lines and sink tips, the uneven decent of the line creates a hinge effect which adversely effects line control. The uniform sinking intermediate lines do not have this problem.

I
Ice-Out: Trout are hungry after ice-out, although due to the cold water temperatures they are sluggish. Target inlets where trout will stage for their spring spawning runs.

Interception: If a trout is feeding on the surface, make an effort to anticipate the movement of the trout and place a dropped fly in its path.

K
Kickboat: Replacing the dangerous Belly Boats of yesteryear, kickboats utilize two pontoons with a rowing frame. They are safe, easy to transport and still keep the angler low on the water. With swim fins and oars, kickboats can cover a large area.

L
Life Vest: I distained wearing a life vest all my life until at age 60 I got myself in trouble in a near drowning incident of my own stupidity. I now wear a suspenders type inflatable, and I forget I have it on it is so unobtrusive.

Larva: This is the worm stage of an underwater insect as it grows and matures. Many larva construct tubes or shells made of fiber or mud. They feed on vegetation and keep a low profile. Dragging themselves across the bottom their movements are slow and usually undetected. During lake turnover (see turnover) or during windy periods where the waves pull and fold water at the surface, shallow living larva are dislodged from the bottom and make an easy meal for hungry trout. Chironomid larva often live in deeper water. During spring they migrate towards the shore, and trout and trout anglers are on the look out.

Leeches: I am not swayed by the fact that the great majority of leeches are not of the blood-sucking variety. I remember as a young man frantically flicking and swiping them off my muddy pants in sheer panic. And yes, I recently watched the movie African Queen and I will be no less panicked the next time they cling to my body, covered or not. And yet I fondly recall catching a huge brown in the Hog Pond near Anaconda, Montana in the early 80’s on a big, brown leech imitation. Leech patterns are “Go-To” patterns in summer when hatches are on the wane. Good imitations are Woolly Buggers, Beadhead Woolly, and the Marabou Leech. Leech patterns are more ammunition for “Go-To” search patterns, but keep your retrieve agonizingly slow!

Line Control: Always keep slack out of your finished cast and point the rod tip down to the water. A straight line communicates a bite whereas loose coils floating on the surface do not register a subtle take. A lowered rod tip removes slack or sagging line. The same principle is true with leaders. Use a piece of rubber or leather to stretch the coils out of a leader prior to attaching a fly.

Littoral Zone: Shoreline

M
Match-the-Hatch: Observe and match the color of the abdomen.

N
Nymph: From egg to larva, the next stage is the nymph stage. (See Pupae.)

P
Pelagial Zone: Open water out in the middle of a lake
Profundal Zone: Down on the bottom of the Profundal Zone, beyond light penetration, little or no oxygen is present to sustain fish.
Pupae: After the larva, or worm stage, the pupae mature in one or two years. Sporting gills and slender bodies, they linger in this stage long enough to become vulnerable to feeding trout. Bobbing and dipping on the bottom, they gather trapped air and gas, which is their ticket out of Mudville. Slowly they ascend to the surface where they shuck their husks, dry their newly emerged wings and fly off to seek a mate and once again insure the survival of their species. Some linger on the surface too long and are leisurely sipped by cruising trout.

R
Retries:
Pauses: “All creatures great and small” eventually poop out and pause to catch their breath. Trout know this and dart in on the pauses of rising insects. More trout are taken on the pause than the retrieve say the experts so keep pausing in anticipation!

Hand-Twist Retrieve: The Hand-Twist retrieve is a forced slow retrieve, a reminder that many of the patterns that imitate forage creep along the bottom at a snail’s pace. Assuming that the angler is right handed and controlling the line above the reel with the line pinched at the top, the angler pinches the line between his thumb and forefinger on his left hand a few inches below the right hand. Now, simply roll the left hand across the line and cup the line in the palm of your hand. Pinch the line above and keep rolling the line up in your palm. Add frequent pauses in your retrieve.

Short Strip Retrieve: The next short retrieve simply strips in line four to six inches at a time punctuated by frequent pauses. A good ratio is strip-strip-strip-pause in a fairly rapid manner.

Fast, Streamer Retrieve: Pulling line downwards and behind you in two foot increments is best suited for streamer fishing. Croft recommends tucking the rod under your armpit and stripping in line with two hands like salt-water fly anglers.

No Retrieve: Gary LaFontaine, in his book, Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes, states that “a slow retrieve outfished a quick retrieve 4 to 1 and no retrieve outfished a slow retrieve four to one….I’m a specialist at not moving a fly—nymph, dry, wet, or streamer—on lakes.” (p.15)

S
Scuds: Frequently referred to as freshwater shrimp, scuds are crustaceans and an important food source for stillwater trout. Ranging in colors from tan to green and from a quarter of an inch to almost an inch, these creatures crawl or erratically swim in woody or weeded areas year-around, particularly in more alkaline spring waters.

Seepage Lake: One defining aspect of a seepage lake is that it does not have tributaries, feeder creeks or an outlet. Springs and seepage from mountainsides or ground water maintain fertile waters conducive to fish growth. Thermal heating with no escape to cooler waters will periodically kill trout in a seepage lake.

Sight Fishing: Spotting a cruising fish and making a perfect cast is the ultimate challenge of stillwater fly fishing. It is made somewhat easier with polarized sun glasses and a low profile, which is why Belly Boats and Kickboats are popular.

Silence and Stealth: What is true for the bass fisherman is true for the stillwater fisherman. The rattling thrust and churning of props, along with dropping objects onto the bottom of the boat, send shock waves of sound far beyond a caster’s range. Voices, however, do not penetrate the deep and are carried by the wind across the water unbeknownst to the trout below. Once fish are alarmed and take fright, you are wasting your time fishing in a vacated, dead zone. Move into a targeted zone in silence and stealth. Tidy up your boat so that Thermos bottles and coffee cups don’t jolt trout with shocking reverberations like an annoying alarm clock

Spinner: From larva to pupae to the dun stages, the dun is ready to mate and perpetuate the cycle. After mating the insects are spent and fall to the water dying as spinners. Some species fly to cover, however, and do not provide a “spinner fall” feast for hungry trout.

Strike Indicator: Similar to a bobber, the strike indicator is usually placed so that the fly is suspended a foot or more from the bottom. So many strike indicators line the shelves in fly shops that I can’t keep track of them all. I have tried most. The Corkies work great, but I am always short of tooth picks. The fold-over foam pads really gum up a leader when you remove them. Remember, an unweighted fly takes for ever to get to the bottom so add a tiny piece of weight. (See Weighted Flies.) Fishing with strike indicators is a waiting game, so be patient as this is a very effective method of fishing. Multiple flies help determine what the fish are keying into.

Stripping Basket (Aprons): Casting 50 to 80 feet of line can be challenging enough, but when you go to shot the line at the end of a double-haul and it snags on your feet or on a boat cleat, it becomes frustrating. Stripping baskets and aprons contain the line both on the retrieve and the cast.

T
Thermocline: The thermocline is a narrow zone of water lower in oxygen than the surface. It tends to hover just above the Chemocline as the surface waters heat up during the summer months. Trout will often seek refuge near the thermocline.

Trolling: Nothing new here! Fly anglers were trolling with flies long before outboard motors. Armed with a streamer pattern or wet fly, trolling is still an effective technique to reconnoiter unfamiliar waters. Use full-sinking lines, and use oar power to allow the line to sink to the bottom in ten to twenty feet of water. One difficulty, however, is placing your rod in easy reach. Missed opportunities are common. Row into the wind to slow the trolling speed down.

Turn-over: During the spring and again in the fall, the water at the bottom of the lake moves upwards, which is caused from the wind’s waves folding water over and over. This in turn tends to generate a current which draws water from the bottom towards the surface. This mixing of waters is beneficial in that it folds in oxygen and it pulls sediment from the bottom up to the surface which aids insects. The Thermocline, the division of surface water and warmer, heavier water on the bottom, blends. Fish move to shallower water. During the fall the turn-over reverses itself.

W
Water Boatman (Corixia): Although not highly recommended by the experts as a “Go-To” pattern, Water Boatmen are actually flying beetles that spend time in and out of the water. They are easily observed in shallow water under the surface. During pauses it drifts upwards to the surface a bit before it continues swimming.

Wind: Yes, the wind is the nemesis of the fly angler, but it also provides rippled water cover for trout to slide into the shallows and feed on drowned insects. If you can manage your boat in a strong wind, the waves against the shoreline stir up mud and creatures for trout to feed upon. Be careful what you pray for because CALM waters can really slow the fishing down.

Wind Slicks: These isolated islands of mirror like water in rippled waters, make for good feeding windows for trout hiding along the rippled edges waiting for a visible morsel.

Weighted Flies: A weighted fly is wrapped with lead wire or a metal bead or even a heavy, stout hook. Unweighted flies can be settled to the bottom with a small split-shot, lead wire or a pinch of lead putty on one of the blood knots on the leader.

Wind Drifting: I agree with Denny Rickards’ position that Wind Drifting is ineffective and a waste of time.

Bibliography

Most of the material in this article is from the following books. I have placed them not in alphabetical order, but in my personal order of preference. I have looked for consensus and shared common information. Whenever I use information specific to one author, I have cited the author’s name rather than using end notes.

1. Fly-Fishing Stillwaters for Trophy Trout by Denny Rickards (ISBN: 0-9656458-0-0) A Stillwater Productions Publication, PO Box 470, Fort Klamath, OR 97626
Rickards’ book is 181 glossy pages of beautiful photographs and illustrations and a clear treatise on stillwater fly fishing for trophy trout. He is both methodical and thorough. Sharing years of original research, Rickards holds nothing back. He wants every reader who applies his principles to achieve success. It is a beautiful and absorbing book.

2. The Fish Bum’s Guide to Catching Larger Trout, an illustrated manual on stillwater tactics for the intermediate fly angler, written and illustrated by Mike Croft
(ISBN: 1-57188-142-5) Frank Amato Publications. In the spirit and tradition of The Curtis Creek Fly Fishing Manifesto, I couldn’t resist buying this book. After reading a half dozen books on stillwater fly fishing, I knew I had to place this book as my second choice. It is packed with information and quite possibly just as comprehensive as the rest. For a young angler new to stillwater fly fishing, I would recommend this book as a primer. It is excellent to review and peruse because it is illustrated, and the verbiage has been whittled down.

3. Fly Patterns for Stillwaters, a Study of Trout, Entomology and Tying, by Phillip Rowley (ISBN: 1-57188-195-6) Frank Amato Publications. Rowley is an expert in the field of fly fishing, and he has written many books and feature articles. I bought this book for the tying directions, but what I found was that the book covers almost all the important aspects of stillwater fly fishing from presentation and retrieves to seasons, and the interesting life cycle of all the insects he imitates.

4. Morris & Chan on Fly Fishing Trout Lakes, by Skip Morris and Brian Chan
(ISBN: 1-57188-181-6) Frank Amato Publications. Morris and Chan have produced an exceptionally written, photographed and illustrated book for the beginning or intermediate stillwater fly angler. It is certainly a tie for my second choice. It ended up in the number four spot only because I felt I had to place Rowley’s fly pattern book up close to the top.

5. Strategies for Stillwater, by Dave Hughes (0-8117-1916-2) Stackpole Books. I read every word in Hughes’ book and can recommend it as a definitive book on stillwater fly fishing. I do not enjoy reading instructional books on any subject when they are bereft of bold headings, boxed information, lots of photographs and illustrations and a format that aids in reviewing the information. Nonetheless, Strategies for Stillwater is as comprehensive as Denny Rickards’ book, and I learned a great deal from reading it.

6. ‘The Gilly’ A flyfisher’s Guide by Contributors (ISBN:0-88925-638-1) Published by Alf Davy. An excellent resource, especially for those anglers heading to British Columbia, it too is organized and presented as mostly text.

7. Fly Fishing the Mountain Lakes by Gary LaFontaine (ISBN: 0-9626663-7-8)
Greycliff Publishing Company. This book is a great read both for information on fishing high elevation lakes as well as a chronicle of LaFontaine’s fishing adventures. I loved it, but I also became somewhat depressed with how much equipment the experts rely on in fishing as an expert!

For updates on fishing tips, visit Dave's companion site, Fishing Tips 101.

Fly Patterns and Presentation

I always drop by a fly shop if I am away from my home waters. The price of bugs is generally the same, but the information is invaluable. Shop owners frequently buy regional and specialty flies from their guides.

Keep in mind that each day shop outfitters send out their guides with the simple goal of getting their clients into fish, and everyday information is traded back and forth on what works, where it works and when it works. Shop owners and clerks readily pass on this information to first-time customers for half a dozen flies or less! Naturally, every shop has their killer flies that they use to expand the sale, but I don't believe that I have ever been duped. Fly shops have short seasons. In order to survive, they depend on customer loyalty, which in turn depends on their credibility. Regarding published hatch charts, take them with a grain of salt. Although I personally admire the dedication and perseverance that it takes to compile a hatch chart, the vagaries of Mother Nature generally render them in the category of "You should have been here last week." The best source of information will be from the local fly shops. Regardless of where you buy your flies, stay out of the bargain basement. Not all flies are tied equally.

For years I would shake my head in puzzlement when a client would open up his fly box and pull out a cheap and poorly tied fly. Rather than upset a client's out-of-state purchasing acumen for Montana trout flies, I would just resort to some swaps if I knew I was dealing with a tightfisted bargain hunter. Look for stiff neck hackles that will keep the fly high and dry. The next simple test is to look at the body to see if it is slender and proportionate. Finally, a good dry fly should have a three-point landing. When the fly is resting in the palm of your hand, the hackle and the tail should be aligned so that the bottom of the hook is barely resting on your palm. If the tail is too short, the fly will not land as well, nor will it offer the same profile to trout.

It is the fly that triggers the strike. The one topic guaranteed to generate instant conversation among fly anglers is the mention of fly patterns. No other facet of fly fishing evokes so much enthusiasm and reverence. Through the years many surveys have asked prominent fly fishers to share their favorite fly patterns. Lefty Kreh, in an article in Field and Stream, published February 1972, polled 12 expert fly fishers. The following list of dry flies, nymph flies and streamer flies represents a composite of the most frequently used flies for each category among these 12 experts.

* Dry Flies: Light Cahill, Adams, Royal Wulff, Irresistible, Quill Gordon, Humpy
* Nymphs: Trueblood Otter Shrimp, Quill Gordon, Ed Burk, Yellow Stone Fly, Muskrat, Woolly Worm
* Streamers: Black Nose Dace, Spruce Fly, Muddler Minnow, Gray Ghost, Black Marabou, White Marabou

Dan Abrams, in a similar type survey published in Sports Afield, October 1975, polled 30 notable fly fishers regarding their top four fly patterns. Seven of the 30 were prominent Rocky Mountain fly fishers. A generalized list of the most popular patterns produced the following: Adams, Royal Wulff, Humpy, Muddler Minnow and Gold-ribbed Hare's Ear Nymph. Add the Woolly Bugger and a Light Cahill in varying sizes and I would be content for quite some time. Well, of course, I would need to add a hopper pattern and a PMD and maybe a....

One of the great joys of fly fishing is sharing what works. If you are a beginner and meet a friendly fly fisher, pull out your fly box and ask, "Which one should I use?" I fondly recall many occasions when someone took me under their guidance and shared their secret fly for the day. Through the years my own collection of fly patterns grew in direct proportion to my fly fishing budget. Like most of the fly fishers I know, I can never have enough patterns. I have a number of match-the-hatch patterns for those special days, and I have my reliable stand-by attractor patterns and generic patterns that I started out with 40 years ago.

I have prioritized the following recommendations for the young beginner who has an empty fly box and a thin wallet. If you would like to begin tying your own flies, I highly recommend Jack Dennis's manual, Western Trout Fly Tying Manual. For a more in-depth approach to matching hatches, I recommend The Complete Book of Western Hatches by Rick Hafele and Dave Hughs.

For those of you who are new to the sport of fly fishing and have never fished in Montana, I offer 20 patterns that will cover about 90% of the fishing from Glacier to Yellowstone. Be observant of what the trout are feeding on and use a small aquarium net to scoop up the bugs and look at them closely. Purchase a fly box with a foam backing and sort your dry mayfly patterns by color and size. For example, I start out with light, cream-colored Cahills and pro-gressively move across in increasingly darker shades to pale yellow, bright yellow, yellow-green, green, olive green and into the green-browns and finally mahogany and rust colors. I set up a separate row of gray and tan mayfly patterns. Personally, I am less concerned with Latin identification as I am with finding the right sized imitation in as close to the natural color as possible. Organizing my fly box in this manner helps me to locate a pattern quickly. It also reminds me what colors I am missing or what sizes I am missing. The following 20 patterns are the ones that "I never leave home without."
Dry Fly Patterns

Royal Wulff: Sizes 10-16

The Royal Wulff is the definitive attractor pattern. Created by the famed Lee Wulff, it imitates nothing, and yet it of-fers to the trout an equivalent of an exquisite Julia Child masterpiece. Derisively called the "Dude Fly" because of its white calf-tail wing, this extravaganza brings the fish up! Best of all, it is a fly the caster never fails to see. To digress for the beginner, keep in mind that you have to set the hook, as the trout will spit the fly out on its dive back into the water. Most beginners miss the take because by the time they react, the fish is safely on its way. Wear Polaroid sunglasses so that you can begin to train your eyes for underwater movement. Early detection allows you to react more quickly.
Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Humpy (Goofus Bug): Sizes 10-16

The Humpy's origin, according to Jack Dennis, is shrouded in controversy. Whether the fly originated in Jackson, Wyoming, or elsewhere is really unimportant. What is important to the beginner is that this fly works, and it is an indispensable pattern to have in your fly box. Although it is an attractor pattern, it may imitate a large caddis or stonefly in larger sizes. The fly is ideal for fast-flowing waters because of its inherent buoyancy. The Royal Humpy is especially easy to track in fast water. When sparsely tied, the Humpy works amazingly well on slow waters and can be used to imitate a Little Yellow Stonefly. The great advantage of this fly for the beginner is that it is almost unsinkable, and it offers great visibility in fast water for both the fisherman and the trout. It is, however, a most challenging pattern to tie. The best directions for tying this pattern may be found in The Second Fly-Tyers Almanac by Robert H. Boyle and Dave Whitlock.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift. However, since this pattern closely resembles a caddis fly and floats so well, try drifting the fly downstream under willows or overhanging branches. As the fly drifts to the targeted area, lift the rod tip up to create an erratic skipping motion on top of the water, and then lower the rod tip quickly to allow the fly to drift once again on top of the water. Await the strike!

Renegade

It would appear that the Renegade attractor pattern has faded in popularity over the last 20 years, but it is a great fly for late evening fishing, as the white hackle in the front helps to see the fly on darkened waters. The second advantage is that the dual hackle design keeps the fly afloat when it is difficult to see after sundown. If you are new to the sport of fly fishing, be sure you have a good supply and a range of sizes for the Royal Wulff, the Humpy, the Renegade, the Adams and the Elk Hair Caddis.

Adams/Parachute Adams: Sizes 12-22

The ubiquitous Adams is probably the most widely used dry fly pattern on the North American continent. It imitates any number of gray mayflies. I highly recommend acquiring as many Adams in various sizes as possible. Because of the difficult visibility with this pattern, I have switched over exclusively to Parachute Adams for sizes 16-22. Although this is a generic type pattern, a size 20 Parachute Adams performs quite well during a Trico or Baetis hatch on slow moving water with a nine-foot leader and 6X tippet.

Trico

Blue-Wing Olive (Baetis)

The Trico spinner imitation has a small black body with divided white poly wings in the spinner position. During the heat of summer, get out on a Rocky Mountain river between 7 and 9 am (varies) for the Tricorithodes or Trico hatch followed by the spinner fall.
Although one of the smallest of mayfly species, nonetheless, this is a staple for feeding trout primarily because of the preponderant numbers during the spinner fall. Generally found in slower waters, the trout settle into a sipping, rhythmic rise form. Do not be deceived by the small rings and the dark noses - big fish! Fish in the morning during those dog days of August. I'm sure you will be delighted with the experience regardless of how many fish break off and get away. Because I have trouble seeing a small Trico, I often add on a small Trico as a trailer behind a small Parachute Adams.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift.

Gray Drakes (Heptagenia and Siphlonurus) typically hatch throughout the summer starting in early June. Sizes 10-18.

Tricorythodes typically hatch late in the summer, usu-ally at the beginning of August. Sizes 20-26.

Light Cahill or PMD: Sizes 12-18

Cahill

Pale-Morning Dun

A light cream color Heptagenia mayfly imitation is another must have pattern. The Light Cahill pattern may also be used on slower waters and lakes to imitate Callibaetis. The Callibaetis dun body is olive-brown, however, so you may want to darken a few of your Light Cahills with a magic marker.

The Light Cahill can be used to imitate Ephemerella or Heptagenia mayflies, but be sure to closely inspect the size and color of the insect, and then match it with your color coded fly selection.

PMD - Pale Morning Dun

Pale Morning Duns are probably the most prolific and reliable hatch from Glacier to Yellowstone. These Ephemerella drake patterns should be part of your must-have patterns in sizes 16-22. PMDs hatch from June through October. Lighter in color from their cousins the Green Drakes, their bodies range from olive green to pale yellow and tan. The wings are generally slate gray to yellow. PMD cripples should be part of your collection.

Zug Bug

Gold-Ribbed Hare's Ear

Nymph patterns such as the Zug Bug, Gray Nymph and the Hare's Ear generally work well. The darker green patterns will work well during a Baetis hatch as well.

The famous Green Drake hatches (Ephemerella grandis) are typically from mid-June through mid-July. If you are in an area with a Green Drake hatch, be sure to stock up on a number of these drake patterns at the nearest fly shop. The hatch is generally not heavy, but if they are out, the trout are looking for them. Reports from guides returning to the shop will determine if you should buy traditional drake patterns or Compara Duns or Green Para-drakes. All of the above patterns range in color from pale yellow to green to olive brown. Stock up.

Elk Hair Caddis: Sizes 10-18

Unlike the graceful rise and gliding fall of the mayfly, a cad-dis hatch looks like a burst of kindergartners swarming over a playground. An accompanying soundtrack for a mayfly would be a Viennese waltz. Conversely, the caddis dance would be a rap soundtrack by Snoop Dogg. Generally, the caddis will hatch in the evening. The most popular body colors are brown, olive, green, gray and tan.

Caddis flies are not easily missed, and in the pupa and winged stages they are an important part of the trout's diet. Look for them in the quiet pocket water under willow branches or overhangs, especially in the evening. You may also want to select a few patterns for the emergent phase such as a sparkle pupa. For larger caddis imitations use a Humpy or an X-Caddis. Use a Goddard Caddis for fast, heavy water.

One of the guides I worked with collected the caddis cases and tied them on a Mustad hook with a peacock thorax. He fished them on a dead drift, and I was impressed! Beginning with the Grannom Caddis hatch in May, caddis emerge throughout the summer and fall. The most consistently popular pattern is the Elk Hair Caddis.

Presentation: Classic, upstream dead drift or erratic ac-tion produced by rod tip action.

Blue-Wing Olive: Sizes 16-22

The Baetis (Blue-Wing Olive) is an important pattern in Montana, as Baetis hatch from May through October. They are generally smaller than a PMD. The body color for a Baetis pattern is olive brown with gray wings and light gray hackle. It is not uncommon for trout to be sipping the smaller Baetis during a hatch of PMDs.

Salmon Fly / Stimulator

Montana's favorite hatch calls for big bugs that hold up under heavy water conditions. They need to stay high and dry. The Salmon Fly pattern is constantly being reinvented and im-proved. During a Salmon Fly hatch, local shops have these flies displayed in tubs and buckets. The Salmon Fly hatch generally emerges late May and is essentially over by mid July. Water temperatures need to be in the low 50s.

Stimulator

The Stimulator represents a pattern for stone-flies in orange and yellow. When the trout quit hitting the big Salmon Fly patterns, they tend to strike at smaller stimulators long after the Salmon Fly hatch is over. The Stimulator is best used during a Golden Stonefly hatch.

Streamers and Wet Flies

Muddler Minnow: Sizes 4-8

Popularized by Dan Bailey of Livingston, Montana, the Muddler Minnow should always be in your fly box. I have met fly fishers who fish al-most exclusively with Muddler Minnow patterns. Along with its offshoot, the Marabou Muddler, this pattern has probably taken more large fish than any other fly. The Muddler may also be greased up and used as an effective hopper pattern, and I have used it both dry and wet on the same cast with interesting results.

Presentation: Fish the Muddler slightly upstream or down-stream in a quartering action. Retrieve the Muddler by simultaneously pumping the rod tip and stripping in the line in quick, little jerks which imitates the darting action of a sculpin minnow. Allow for pauses, and add weight if necessary.

Woolly Bugger: Sizes 4-8

This pattern is a must for late spring and early summer when the water is high and off-color and the hatches are sporadic. If you are fishing from shore, make short casts around all the rocks and boulders. Be sure the fly is actually sinking to the bottom. Add lead to your leader if necessary. Use a short 2X or 3X leader. Make short casts and keep the rod tip high so that you keep the Bugger bouncing along the bottom. Lift the rod tip when you feel a bump. Do not assume it is just a rock. If it is, lower the rod tip and let the bugger sink again.

Yuk Bug and Girdle Bug: Sizes 6-12

I love this bug! I have caught so many beautiful fish during early summer when the water is still high but clear. I float along until I find a logjam or flooded backwater eddy. I usually select a size 10 Yuk Bug. The Yuk Bug has a dark body wrapped with grizzly hackle. Protruding from the body are white rubber legs. I find I generally have to cut back on the length of the rubber legs. I want them to pulse, and I want them to flare at the sides rather than collapsing backwards. I do not use weight. I fish it like a dry fly, allowing it to gradually sink. Most important, I cast from a kneeling position. I am always amazed at how adept large trout are at hiding. As the Yuk Bug sinks into quiet water, the trout will slowly emerge from its hiding spot. I have had large trout appear from under a small tree trunk in shallow water. They never rush to the Yuk. They take their time. It also works well in creeks and small streams. I love this bug!

Nymphs: Hare's Ear Nymph: Sizes 12-16

In my opinion, this is the best of the small nymph patterns for spring creeks, beaver ponds and slow, flat stretches of river. When I fish high-elevation lakes, I always bring along the Hare's Ear Nymph and a Zug Bug in smaller sizes. They work wonders. If you have someone along who is not an accomplished fly caster, use a plastic water-filled bubble with as long of a leader as possible. Attach a Hare's Ear or Zug Bug and cast out as far as possible and retrieve with a spinning reel. If the fish are rising to the surface, be sure to cast way over them, as the splashdown from the water-filled bubble will spook the fish in the near vicinity.

Bead-head Prince Nymph

This is perhaps the most popular nymph in the region! If you don't have any, head to the nearest fly shop. They work great as a dropper off a hopper pattern during the heat of August.

Pheasant Tail

The Pheasant Tail Nymph is an excellent soft hackle nymph for slow water. The key to this fly is a slender silhouette and a sparely-tied hackle.

Terrestrials
Hopper (Joe's, Dave's, Jay's, Dan's): Sizes 6-12

As you can see from the partial list of Hopper contributors, grasshopper imitations are recorded in the "Who's Who of Terrestrials". Rarely, however, will you find such citations on the bins in a fly shop. For beginners I recommend a clipped deer-hair collar. This feature adds stability and superior floatation. Although the grasshopper is meant to have a low silhouette, without the deer hair the buoyancy is drastically reduced and the caster generally struggles with a sinking pattern.

Presentation: The best source of information on hoppers can be found in the September 1985 issue of Fly Fisherman. In this issue Dave Whitlock, in his article "Hoppertunity", discusses hopper behavior, pattern characteristics and Hoppertunity Techniques. Here are a few of his suggestions: Being a terrestrial insect, the grasshopper is on unfamiliar "ground" when he gets blown on the water. No gentle landings here. Make a splash with your hopper. Strip the hopper in with intermittent twitches from rod-tip action. Use a heavy tippet, and use a twist piece of lead to sink the hopper in those promising pools. Cast close to undercut banks and overhangs where trout hide during low water periods. Fish during the heat of the day. Carefully pick your targeted area. Although a smashing hopper on top of the water will trigger a strike, it also quite often spooks fish in the outlying area. Keep moving and practice stealth.

Beetle Patterns

The deer hair patterns dyed black work wonders. Rick Hafele and Dave Hughes in their outstanding book, The Complete Book of Western Hatches, point out that the Woolly Worm is also a good pattern to imitate a water beetle in still or slow moving water.

Ant

Although ant patterns are difficult to see in small sizes, ants are a staple diet for trout during the summer.

Bead-Head San Juan Worm

I have always had a certain amount of disdain for the San Juan Worm, but I have a growing appreciation for this pattern during the spring and again late in the fall. I favor the bead-head version with the bead in the center.

Well, there you have it - the 20 patterns that I would never leave home without!

For more fishing tips, visit Dave's companion site, Fishing Tips 101.

Leaders and Necessary Knots

Brown Trout

This instructional guide is not meant to be the definitive guide to fly fishing. Many different knots exist for specific applications. I have covered only necessary knots to prepare the beginner for his or her first trek. However, it is also true that the knots covered below will suffice for the majority of your fly fishing needs. L.L Bean's Ultimate Book of Fly Fishing provides an excellent resource to knots, as do many other fine primers. If you bought a double tapered fly line, I would suggest tying on a leader butt at both ends. Having done this, you may now easily tie the braided backing directly to the perfection loop. When it comes time to reverse the line due to wear, a reversal of the line may be done in a matter of minutes.

Leaders

Leaders are made of semi-transparent monofilament nylon, and they are tapered from the butt section all the way down to the tippet, which attaches to the fly. The importance of the leader is twofold; it serves to cast the fly in a tight loop because of the tapered design, and it keeps the fly away from the fly line, which under most circumstances will spook a fish. The tapered diameter also makes it easy to thread the tippet through the eye of the fly.

Leaders are hand tied into graduated sections, or they are manufactured knotless. If you buy a knotless leader, always give an experimental tug on the tippet. The tapered design is basically achieved through an acid process, and many times the entire tippet will break off with the slightest pull. Better to repair the leader on the spot than loose a good fish because of a weak spot in the leader. It wasn't many years ago that the cost of a tapered, knotless leader was so economical that the time spent building one seemed hardly worthwhile. However, with increased prices, tying your own leaders is both economical and advantageous. You have the opportunity to tie a variety of leader formulas for all occasions rather than butchering up a nine foot 4X leader for a heavy Woolly Bugger.

Generally speaking, a 4X (.007) tippet will serve you well under most trout fishing situations. For larger hopper patterns or salmon flies, you will need a larger diameter such as 2X or 3X. The primary reason for this is that a lighter tippet will not turn the fly over properly, and if the tippet is too small in diameter, the fly will jerk around which will cause abrasive weakening in the knot. The diameter is important as it will determine the measure of visibility and breaking strength. Regarding the length of the leader, I would recommend the following. Use a 4X, 7.5' leader on creeks and streams. When I am working with a child on a small creek, I sometimes cut the leader down to five feet. Use a 4X, 9' leader on moderately flowing streams. Use a 5X or 6X leader, 9'-12' on spring creeks or slow, flat stretches of water where trout can lazily rise to inspect your offering.

3X tippet, size 6-10 fly approximately 5 lb. test

4X tippet size 12-18 fly approximately 4lb. test

6X tippet size 20-22 fly approximately 2 lb. test

Making Your Own Leaders: Use a four foot pine board. Write down the leader formula of your choice on the board. Use two finish nails to hold each spool. Start with the butt section and work down to the tippet. A basic formula is 40% butt section, 40% midsection and 20% tippet. Be sure to cut off an additional two inches at each end of the individual piece in order to tie the blood knot. The distance below represents the distance from knot to knot.
Inches: 3x 4x 5x
25 .022 .022 .022
18 .020 .020 .020
11 .017 .017 .017
11 .013 .013 .013
11 .012 .010 .010
11 .010 .008 .009
(10 inch piece)
18 .008 .007 .007
(10 inch piece)
.005
(18 inch piece)

Important Knots / Set Up My illustrations are good enough to provide the basic concepts and steps. However, better steps and illustrations can be found on the web. One that I thought was very impressive is Killroys.

Knot 1: Duncan Loop Knot: Tying Backing to the Reel

Steps:
1. Wrap the backing around the reel spool spindle twice. Provide at least 7 to 10 inches of line past the reel for wrapping.

2. Lay a large loop across and over the two lines exiting the reel. This loop will now be wrapped. Hold and pinch the lines. Simply wrap the tag end over the two top lines threading it through the loop up and across the two lines again. Wrap four to five wraps as depicted in the photograph above.

3. This wrapped loop now needs to be pulled tight and secured against the spindle in the reel. Pull the taq end of the line to cinch. Once the knot is secure, trim any excess trailer. Alternate pulling each line until the line is cinched tightly against the reel spool spindle.

Knot 2: Tying Backing to a Fly Line

Steps:
1. This is the same Duncan Loop Knot. Form a two-inch loop by pulling the backing parallel to the line and then forming a 4 to 6-inch loop by crossing the line over itself and the fly line. This tag line will now be used to wrap the sagging loop beneath the fly line five or six times.

2. Make five or six wraps over the fly line and through the sagging line. Cross over the fly line for additional wraps.

3. Keep the wraps from overlapping each other. Carefully pull the wrapping end of the backing to snug up the wraps against the fly line. You may have to use a fingernail to keep the wraps snug against each other without overlapping.

4. Once the wraps are in place, pull both lines until the knot is firm and snug against the fly line. Trim the excess fly line and back, and add a drop of a flexible bonding cement. Your reel now has backing and an attached fly line. Now it is time to add a leader butt to the delivery end of your fly line.
.
The Leader Butt

The leader butt should be from twelve to sixteen inches and made from 25-35 pound monofilament. The knot which attaches the leader butt to the fly line is called a nail knot or a tube knot, as the nail or small plastic tube is essential in making this knot. Some of the commercial leader manufacturers provide the small tube for tying a leader directly to the line. You may do this for your first leader. After it is worn out, cut off everything but sixteen inches. Add the perfection loop on the end and you now have a leader butt for your next leader add on. The general rule of thumb is that the monofilament should be two-thirds the diameter of the fly line. If you are working with a youngster, skip this knot and go directly to the Perfection Loop Knot. The leader butt is a one time addition for a new line.

Nail Knot

The nail knot is used to attach a leader butt to the fly line. After the knot is tied, coat the knot with a rubber based glue such as Pliobond which will give the knot a smooth surface. The smoothness allows it to glide through the guides on the rod. If you use a thin nail, cut the monofilament at an angle as a sharp point will thread its way under the wraps a whole lot easier than a blunt tip. Be sure to give yourself plenty of monofilament to work with as the final step in this knot is maddening if you come up short.

Perfection Loop Knot

It was not too long ago that leader manufacturers included a perfection loop on their leaders. All you had to do was thread the leader loop through the leader butt loop. The two loops should slide back and forth after you pull the tippet through. The advantage of changing leaders quickly more than makes up for an occasional tipped over fly. A more popular method is to tie the leader to the leader butt with a blood knot.

Blood Knot

A Blood Knot is used for joining leader material or adding a new section of tippet to the leader. The trick in successfully tying a blood knot is to be sure that after wrapping line A, you lay it in the V wedge you created and hold it firmly with your thumb and forefinger while you wrap line B. (Wrap line A and B five or six times.)

When you have finished wrapping line B around line A, you need to run the tag end of line B through the center hole you created, which is kept open with line A. Be sure to come through the hole from the opposite direction of line A, as when you pull the two lines in opposite directions, the left over pieces should be opposite each other. The easiest way I have found to pull this knot together is to hold the two short pieces between your teeth, wet the wraps with your tongue and pull evenly in opposite directions. The next knot you will need to learn is the improved clinch knot which attaches the fly to the leader tippet.

Improved Clinch Knot (See illustration above.)

This is a simple knot to tie your fly to the tippet. Do not work with so much tippet that you end up cutting off excessive tippet. If you do this too often, you will be tying another tippet section to your leader. Quite often I watch as beginning fly fishers laboriously wrap thinly tapered tippet one wrap at a time. You will find it much easier to thread the tippet through the eye of the hook, allow a couple of inches to lie up alongside of the leader and spin the fly to achieve five or six wraps. Now, run the short end piece through the large loop or opening you just created. Place the small left over piece between your teeth and cinch the wraps snug up against the eye of the hook. Dress your fly with floatant and cast over next to that log for that big brown!

Droppers and Trailers

How-to-books on fly fishing go back to the 1400's. Fishing with multiple fly offerings is nothing new. John Merwin in his book Fly Fishing notes that 150 years ago droppers were in favor in Walton's first American edition. Quiet often on those slow days of summer, you will be torn between fishing a nymph or continuing to fish with a dry fly. Some days you will want to do both. The simplest technique is to tie another short tippet right on the bend of the hook with an improved clinch knot. I recommend that you add on 12 to 16 inches of tippet of a smaller diameter if you plan on fishing a smaller dry fly behind a larger dry fly. If you tie on a nymph, stay with the same diameter tippet. This system works very well with large Stimulators and hoppers.

During a baetis or trico hatch, when the light is poor or I have to make a long cast, I tie on a #18 Parachute Adams trailed by a #22 trico spinner. If I see a sipping fish within a foot of the upright parachute, I set the hook. Most of the guides I worked with use a Hare's Ear Nymph, a bead-eye Prince or some other nymph as a trailer right off the bend of the larger dry fly, which is referred to as an in-line dropper. A couple of seasons ago I learned of one guide who had a successful spring day fishing Woolly Buggers with a light weight nymph tied out from the Woolly. A traditional set up fishing two or three wet flies utilized a hand tied leader. Instead of snipping off the excess tip on the blood knot, extra leader was tied into the blood knot so that one piece would stick out 6-8 inches which you would attach a smaller fly. At the tippet end, you would tie on the heaviest fly. Regardless of where you add the dropper, be mindful of the depth that you think fish are feeding in below. Probably the most popular dropper is the Hopper Dropper for late summer.

Go to Step 4: Casting

Terminal Equipment and Paraphernalia

Cutthroat Trout

Leader Butt and Leader

The leader butt attaches to the fly line at the tapered end. The leader butt ends with a perfection loop knot or a blood knot. Attached to this knot is the tapered leader. The leader butt is approximately twelve to sixteen inches long. The traditional choice, a perfection loop knot, affords quick and easy leader changes. Many fly fishers will assert that the use of a perfection loop knot can cause the fly to land askew. I ask you, do you think it is really the knot? I rarely have a poor turn over, and when I do, I don't blame the knot. I find also that beginners tend to waste a lot of line when they tie knots, and before long they have lost the twelve inches of leader butt length and have to go through the time consuming process of creating a new one. Go with a perfection loop initially. Echoes of Thoreau, "Simplify, Simplify, Simplify!"

Tippet Material

After changing a number of flies or snagging your line on a branch, your once tapered leader has lost its original diameter and needs to be replaced. I generally recommend a 4X diameter leader tippet (.007 inch rated at approximately 4 pounds test breakage) for most of the early season. During the dog days or August, when the water becomes very shallow and slow, I drop down to 5X or 6X, which is a challenge. What you gain in invisibility and threading ease for small flies you lose to breakage. The larger the fly, the larger diameter tippet you will need. For repairs keep a spool of 2X through 5X tippet material in your vest.

Fly Dressing and Line Dressing

Fly dressing comes in many forms and substances from silicone sprays to dry crystals. The more common form, a silicone semi-fluid wax, is probably the most popular. Lightly applied to the fly, water is repelled from the fly materials enabling the fly to float high and dry. Eventually, the fly will soak up too much water which causes the fly to sink. For tiny dry flies, silicone liquid and drying crystals work most efficiently.

Finger nail clippers are used to cut off the extra piece of tippet which usually is present after you have tied your fly to the tippet. Be forewarned that many people have chipped their teeth attempting to bite off the little left-over piece!

The following list may be used as an inventory for items which I believe are essential:
_____ fly box
_____ Vest
_____ Forceps for extracting flies
_____ Net
_____ Hook sharpener
_____ pinch on floats for strike indicators and twist lead
_____ polarized sun glasses (a must!)
_____ Waders with felt soles or boots with felt
_____ Hat
_____ Insect repellent / head net

Go to Step 3: Basic Knots and Leaders

For a review of bass fishing basics, see Dave's companion site, Bass and Trout Fishing Digest.

Identification and Function of Equipment

Rainbow Trout

Selecting a Rod for a Beginner

Fly fishing rods start with the reel seat where the reel is attached, usually by a threaded ring. The next section is the handle which is traditionally made of cork. If you are looking at a fiberglass fly rod with a foam handle in a discount store, please don't purchase it as you are, more than likely, purchasing a bargain of troubles. They are extremely difficult to cast even for experienced casters. After the handle the base section of the rod will include the manufacturer's recommendation for the proper line weight as well as noting the length of the rod. You should also find a ring keeper to attach your fly while you are walking.

The best fly rod for a young beginner would be a graphite rod purchased in a fly shop for under $200. I recommend Lefty Kreh’s Temple Fork Outfitters fly rods. (http://templeforkflyrods.com/index.html.) The most commonly recommended fly rod would be an eight foot rod for a number five or six weighted line; however, I started my sons out on an 8' rod for a 4 weight line. It is lighter and will not wear out a young boy or girl. One disadvantage of a light weight rod is that it is difficult to cast in the wind. Avoid purchasing a combination spin and fly rod as they merely compromise the best qualities of each design. Fly shops encourage customers to cast a number of different rods, as some rods have a faster tip action. It is strictly a matter of preference.

Selecting a Reel

A single action reel will serve you best. This reel will have a detachable spool and a drag adjustment. The drag adjustment is used once you have caught a fish and all of your loose line has been reeled up on the spool. If the fish is an especially strong or large fish, he will want to run. When he does this, he will pull line off of the spool. If your drag is set too light, the fish will run too far and you may over play the fish. Although the newer reels have some sophisticated drag systems, the tried and true design is the common click-pawl system, which uses a triangular piece of metal (pawl) that clicks on the rotating teeth of a gear.

Do not over play a fish that you wish to release, as long after you have congratulated yourself on releasing the fish, the stress may later lead to death. If the drag adjustment is set too tight, the pulling fish may break the tippet leaving you with "the one that got away story."

Selecting a Fly Line

The weight of each fly line is based on the weight, measured in grams, of the first thirty feet of line. Somewhere at the base of every fly rod will be a recommendation for an AFTMA fly line (American Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association). All fly lines are rated for taper, weight and function. Keep in mind that, in most cases, a rod may use a fly line one number heavier than recommended, although rarely can you use one line under that which the manufacturer recommends and still cast with ease.

Weights range from 1 to 12 with 5 and 6 being the most popular. Line numbers 1-4 are extremely limited in that they are designed for relatively short casting on calm, flat water with no real wind, and they are accompanied by long leaders and tiny flies for delicate casting. Line numbers 5-7 are the most versatile as they may be cast in moderate wind, and yet they still maintain delicate landings for small flies. The advantage of these weights is that they are also designed, in conjunction with the rod, to handle heavier fish in fast water. Practically speaking, there are no disadvantages for these weighted lines for the majority of fishing conditions with the exception of salt water fishing. If you are going to be limited to one rod, purchase a 6 weight.

Line numbers 8-9 are heavy lines for big water and forceful wind conditions. The advantage of these lines is that you may fish deep with large, weighted flies and make long casts. Line numbers 10 - 12 are designed for salt water conditions.

The next designation on the fly line package is an abbreviation for FUNCTION. You have a choice of floating, sinking and floating with a sink tip. The floating line is by far the most versatile. If you need to sink a fly, put on a piece of lead. How much should you spend for a line? If you want to save money, buy a cheap reel. If you want to limit your casting distance and watch your fly sink when it obviously should not, buy a cheap line. Stay with Cortland, Scientific Angler and Rio, and you won't go wrong. Fly lines deteriorate when they become dirty. They wear out from unnecessary abrasion. Periodically, clean your fly line in mild detergent, dry it off, and then take it out in the sun and gently stretch the coils out of the line. Warning: sun screen may block out the harmful rays of the sun, but it also melts fly lines!

Regarding color, Cortland Line Company in their publication, Fly Rod Fishing Made Easy, recommends a highly visible line for the fisher as it, naturally, is easier to locate your fly and control your line. Fluorescent lines do not spook fish -- poor casting does that! Cortland reasons that, "Looking upward, fish see objects against the light sky -- and it seems to us that a light colored line would actually be less visible than a darker one."

I highly recommend felt sole wading boots. Waders are a necessity unless you have a tolerance for cold water. I do not recommend cleats as they create underwater noise that spooks fish.

Go to Step 2: Terminal Equipment and Paraphernalia

For a complete on-line guide to Montana fishing and camping, go to Dave's companion site, Glacier to Yellowstone.