Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to approach a pod of feeding fish.

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“How do I get my fly to those picky trout without spooking them?!”

If you have fished a mayfly or caddis hatch before you have no doubt been in the situation where you are seeing feeding fish but are having a horrible time getting your fly to free drift in their lane to get an eat. Our tip of the week gives you 3 options to do this to success. Each situation might call for a different option.

Tip of the Week: 3 Ways to approach a pod of feeding fish.

First, you will need to position yourself upstream of the pod of feeders. Next you should watch the water and get a line on the trout you want to target. Below are 3 options you have to approach that fish.

Option 1: Cast your fly upriver and further than the line of the fish. Once the cast is complete, mend your line upriver, pulling your fly into the feeding lane. Note that this approach will not work on trout feeding tight to the bank.

Option 2: Reach cast. Here you will make a reach cast with an aerial mend leaving slack in line upriver with the cast and free drift the fly to the feeder.

Option 3: Cast your fly directly in line with the feeder and once cast is complete, instantly mend downstream and feed line quickly as to not drag fly. I call this mend a “Jedi Mend” because it creates a dog-leg down stream of your fly with your line. When you set the hook upstream, it will actually pull the fly downstream to ensure the best hook-set on an upriver strike. 😉

Summary:  We have to get our fly drifting at the feeding trout in a natural way.  Try one of these three options above to make that happen. 

UPCOMING COURSES TO HIGHLIGHT 

You can learn a ton more about this fly fishing thing at our Red's Rendezvous XII, Saturday, May 18th. 

ENTIRE COURSE CALENDAR HERE 

The fish have moved off the spawn and are starting to devour nymphs and dries.  Spring, with the whole season ahead of us, is the BEST time to sign-up for one of our tuition programs and truly learn how to be a self-guided angler.  Our University of Fly Fishing is the most unique, comprehensive fly fishing education available.    

Spring is a great time to learn a new technique.  Euro nymphing Fishalongs will remain on fire and the best way to target fish before the sun goes beyond the ridge in the late afternoon.  Our Intro and Fishalongs will get you dialed in! With current flows, now is a perfect time to float the Yakima in a personal watercraft!  You can learn how to best use a PWC in one of our PWC Fishalongs!  They are one of my favorite classes to teach!  

• MAY 8TH             Trout Spey Fishalong
• MAY 10TH           Yakima River Fishalong
• MAY 12TH           Fly Fishing 301
• MAY 14TH           Trout Spey Intro and Fishalong
• MAY 15TH           Euronymphing Fishalong
• MAY 17TH.          Fly Fishing 301