Fly Fishing Instructional-Clinch River, TN [Sept. 2011]

[MadisonBoats]

I was able to get out on the water for about an hour today. I thought I would take my camera and make a short instructional. I hope this helps give some of you pointers and maybe some different insight on fishing the Clinch. I was fishing a wet fly in the video called "The Brenda Jo"! It is a pattern I created and it is named after my mom. I was fishing caddis flies yesterday evening to a rise and they were working exceptional.

I figured I would try and make this video to help illustrate some of my ideas. I am not trying to say my style is correct or the best. I just wanted to share a moment of my time on the water to help others.

Key Points:
-Keeping the line aligned with your fly to the tip of the rod to your hand (better strike sensitivity and line management).
-Use slow - eradict bumps for the action.
-Vary your retrieve rates.
-Keep your hands close to the core area of your body to limit body movement and maintain optimal control.
-Quick release of fish by letting up on the retrieve and allowing smaller fish to release.
-Focus on keeping the rod 65 degree or more angle when retrieving the fish to utilize it as drag control and to keep larger fish from breaking the line. Allow the fish to flex the tip when he runs and feed him just enough line to maintain the balance of tension.
-If you get hung on bottom structure; pull your line taught and induce a roll in to the line to send out energy through the line and popping the fly loose on the back end. This is similar to the technique of pulling a spinning rod line tight and popping the line at the reel with your free hand.
-I generally like to present this fly at a horizontal angle for best results.
-Spit to your left side and far enough to not get on yourself

Video Link Part-1: [Hooking and Landing a handful of fish in about 5-minutes; some very small-put the principle is there; snapping line/fly on backcast at the end of the video]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J-sTfl8fco

Video Link Part-2: [Changing the angle of approach to a horizontal target; adding variability]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk3YzjVpWWg

Video Link Part-Reference Video (Underwater View of Fly Being Retrieved):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOfh6mB7ejw

Regards,
Shawn
*Sorry for the mumbling...I thought it would come out better...

[kentuckytroutbum]

Shawn-

Thats a totally awesome video, much more interesting than a lot of the videos in fly shops that you pay $40 for. You're getting pretty good at this. Loved your underwater videos that you shot earlier this year. Keep working on it, you're doing great.

Really liked the way you composed the shot so that the viewer could see you off to the side, and the fly line arching over the water, settling on the water, and the fish taking the fly.

You already said you "mumbled". You might be able to edit the video to tone down the gurgling water, and boost the voice. Just a thought.

Thanks

Bill

[CinciVol]

Really cool video Shawn! A well made video such as yours is worth so much more than a book or magazine article to me. I am fascinated at the high retrieve rate that you used occasionally. I have always "swung" wet flies in slower water and used much slower retrieve rates.

Do you think that the trout must be striking out of some predatory reflex as it seems unlikely that an emerging caddis could move so quickly?

Thanks as always, Dave

[duckypaddler]

I am oftem overwhelmed when fishing tailwaters because it is often hard to get within casting range (for me) without spooking the fish. Your downstream approach seem to have opened up more options for me. The only other downstream approach I have been shown involved a streamer which I just can't seem to get used to the feeling of ounces at the end of my line.

Keep them coming
James

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by CinciVol

....
Do you think that the trout must be striking out of some predatory reflex as it seems unlikely that an emerging caddis could move so quickly?.....

There are several factors going on in this type of presentation and working the fly this way maximizes the amount that come in to play. Thus; increasing the strike rate. I will try and elaborate on this when I get more time; maybe this evening.

Originally Posted by duckypaddler

I am oftem overwhelmed when fishing tailwaters because it is often hard to get within casting range (for me) without spooking the fish. Your downstream approach seem to have opened up more options for me. The only other downstream approach I have been shown involved a streamer which I just can't seem to get used to the feeling of ounces at the end of my line.

Keep them coming
James

I have found that the fish on the Clinch do not spook the way most people think. If you get a chance; look at some of my other videos on YouTube. I have about 50 hours of underwater video that I have recorded this year on the river and I put up a few on YouTube. The videos have been very helpful to me in targeting trout.

As you can see; most of my techniques and ideas or non-traditional. If you research some of my posts and topics; you will see that there are many people that are not believers or discredit my ideas. I understand their perspective and I do not mind their input. It helps me to self-critic my ideas so that I am fully aware of what truly is going on.

Maybe if I just post a video of the idea in the future; it should help to support it...

[fearnofishbob]

Great video.......but you'd better watch that mumbling it'll get you in trouble...............just kiddin'

[MadisonBoats]

Originally Posted by fearnofishbob

Great video.......but you'd better watch that mumbling it'll get you in trouble...............just kiddin'

Hey; I speak great mumble. I just do not understand it that well...

[MadisonBoats]

I there are several factors going on in this type of presentation and working the fly this way maximizes the amount that come in to play. Thus; increasing the strike rate. I will try and elaborate on this when I get more time; maybe this evening.

I try to determine my fly patterns based on these factors illustrated in the book by:

Fly Fishing: the Lifetime Sport/David W. and Cheryl Young.
ISBN 0-9776703-0-9

CITE:

• The size means the foodstuff’s measurements in terms of thickness, width, and length. Foods smaller than a half inch are best imitated as to their exact length; on the other hand, foods larger than a half inch are best imitated as to its exact width. Choose your fly selection accordingly.

• The texture is the overall feel as to the food’s softness or rigidity. A fish’s mouth readily detects texture and a too soft or too hard fly will be readily rejected while a good match will be ingested.

• The shape is the food’s silhouette. This outline is an important consideration in matching the fly. Suggestive and impressionistic flies that match the foodstuff’s three dimensional shape are the most successful. Suggestive flies can match a multitude of possible foods while exact imitations sometimes restrict the number of matches.

• The color match is helpful but it is not as important as the other elements of imitation. Natural food’s color and patterns can vary in shades and tones. Select your fly as to the general color pattern of the natural.

• Action is the foodstuff’s natural movement. The presentation and the retrieve mimics this motion. Action depicts a living movement that fish key upon while feeding.

An outline of the foodstuffs will be presented. Volumes of text could be written on the huge variety of foodstuffs eaten by fish. There are thousands of varieties of both land born and stream born insects.

*Try to classify your findings into one of the following general groups. Match the natural food’s size, texture, color, action, and silhouette with one of your flies.