Float Fishing with Flies

 

Using a float when fishing with flies can be vital to presenting your bait at the right depth. When  using dry flies with a spinning rod a bobber is essential to get the casting distance. These techniques can be used for conventional fly fishing rods or spinning rods.

Rod Selection

For conventional fly fishing rod length and weight rating will be dependent on the Fly patterns you were using. Some of the larger streamer patterns can be quite heavy select a medium action rod. For casting extremely small dry flies you all want to lean more towards an ultra-light rod. When using flies on a spinning rod you need to put a bit more thought into selecting your rod and reel combination.

 

 A lighter action rod that is longer (7 foot plus) is better due to the light weight off flies. A lighter action Rod will be more responsive when trying to cast flies some distance. For most uses you will get the best results using an ultra light rod. Of course this will limit the size of bobber or float you can use.

  

 Similarly a lighter test line is preferable probably in the 4 to 6 pound test range. The type of fishing line you choose has considerations also. Monofilament is heavier and will have more wind drag. Fluorocarbon is probably ideal due to having a smaller diameter so less drag. If you are a newer angler you may want to check out my article trout fishing gear .

 

Using Dry Flies with a Spinning Rod 

 

When you are using dry flies on a spinning rod you will want several feet of fine pound test leader. Then add a swivel between mainline and the leader. This will help with line twist.

Your choice of float size and type here can vary . I first witnessed this technique on a lake with a guy using a pretty bulky foam bobber for casting weight. Many people opt for a clear water float that is partially filled with water to add weight for very good casting distance. A really good advantage of using the water floats as you can adjust the amount of water inside the float. This means that you can fine-tune the exact weight of your float for optimal casting distance.

How to Rig a Dry Fly With a Float

When rigging a dry fly the pattern is often fished below the float. You can also tie your dry fly on the leader then add several feet of line tied to the fly and finally your float. There are two advantages to this. One your float and fly will be less likely to get tangled in casting. Secondly when you do get a bite the hook is a bit more responsive as you arn’t pulling the float first then the fly.

 

Using a Float when Nymphing 

 

Nymphs are used to imitate the larval stages of aquatic insects. They are usually fished in tandem, so two or even three flies on the same rig. The advantage to using multiple  nymphs as you can imitate two or more different species of insect. Such as a stonefly pattern with a pheasant tail nymph below it. So if you’re not sure exactly what forage the fish are feeding on this increases your chances of catching something.

 

 These nymphs can be tied in series along your tippet or leader. Some people also tie the first fly to the end of their tippet and then add a short length of leader tied onto the first fly. Secondary Nymphs are normally tied 12 to 16 inches below the lead nymph. Above all of this split shot is placed to help bring the nymphs down to the right depth quickly and then above attach your bobber / float AKA strike indicator.

 

A great local spot I like to go to try out these fly/float techniques is the bow river .

Using Streamers on a Spinning Rod 

 

Streamer fly fishing on a regular fly fishing rod does not require  the use of a float. For a regular spin casting pole a bubble is a requirement. Attaching a float several feet above the fly gives you the added casting weight. How far your  bobber is from your fly will depend on a number of factors. Such as water speed, current and depth you are trying to fish at.

 

In a lot of cases you will want more line between your fly and bubble than you can comfortably cast in this case I would suggest a slip bobber. With a slip bobber you can set the bobber stop to whatever depth you need and still be able to reel in your rig to a manageable length to cast. 

 

Selecting the Right Float for the Conditions

Slip floats or bobbers are manufactured from several different materials including plastic, foam and balsa wood. They come in a multitude of sizes and colours also. I like to have a couple of different colours around depending on the conditions. Whether it is overcast or a bright sunny day different colours are easier to see under different light conditions.