FlyFishing Colorado
FlyFishing Tips

The light leader tippet myth

The Fly Fishing Myth about leaders and tippets is that you should use a long leader or 6X or 7X tippets in low, clear water conditions.

Normally fall flyfishing in Colorado means low gin clear water.  A long leader with a light tippet can be helpful to catching trout.  A long leader can also be a hindrance unless you are skilled at line and leader control.

Is it essential to use long leaders and light tippets to catch fish?

No! An emphatic No!  It is helpful but not essential.  What is important is the presentation of the fly to the trout.

Friday, 9/29/2006, I saw a great example of presentation importance.  I was on Bear Creek fishing in Evergreen, CO.  Another fly fisherman was teaching a friend to fly fish.  He had set the newbie up with a short heavy leader and an 18 inch piece of 3X Tippet.  The fly used was a beat up elk hair dry fly.

The newbie was slapping his casts onto the water, often over the fish.  But they were hungry and would just move downstream or to the side.  Suddenly, he managed a good drift and had a nice 10 inch rainbow on.

Some dozen casts later, the newbie hooked up with another rainbow.  At this point, his buddy showed him again how to do a side arm cast.  Still some casts puddled up or slapped the water.  Some half dozen casts later, he hooked up with a nice fat 12 inch rainbow.  Again, he got a good drift to present the fly to the trout like a living insect.

The point of the story is that PRESENTATION is the single most important part of fly fishing.  It is not laying out a 60 foot picture perfect cast.  It is not getting a perfect drag free "Dead Drift" even though that helps.  It is getting a reasonably drag free drift that allows the trout to see the insect as food.

When I checked back about an hour and a half later, the newbie had caught two more bows before the fishing died down.  His instructor had been skunked on both dries and nymphs.  Now some would say this was beginner's luck.  Yes, that is true.  But Presentation of the fly was most important part.

I have settled the "Presentation Question" for myself this summer.  When I make a bad cast, I try and make a controlled drift with a good presentation.  Even if I slap a cast on the water, a proper "Dead Drift", "Leisenring Lift" or a "Skittering" presentation will often hook a trout.

Tight Lines and Good FlyFishing Colorado to you,

Marshall, Editor
FlyFishing Colorado