One of my favorite parts of fly fishing is........

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

.......fly casting.


I like to go to special places, at certain times of the year, at select times of day, so I can catch fish on top.

That way I don't need to cast heavy sinking lines and/or weighted flies.


Actually I was heading that way myself but a really top veteran fly fisher, Chuck Campana, set me on this path to really classy fly fishing.

Chuck Campana is a superb fly fisher and fly caster of the greatest Generation, who has fished all over the world for well over a half century.

Some years back he told me about his evolution to fishing only floating lines, on single hand and two handed fly rods.

He uses a long, light monofilament nylon tapered leader, some hand tied and some factory knotless ones.

Chuck uses mostly unweighted flies, some dry, some wet.


So with this idea you need to pick your battles well......early and late in the day with low light is a first.


For trout in streams and lakes you need to have a period of time when there are more insect hatches.

For bass and pan fish it is in the spring when they come into the shallows to spawn. Early and late is best for top water.

For Steelhead it is the fall when water temps are perfect. Early and late in the day with low light levels is best.

For Stripers it is in the spring, summer and fall when the water is not too cold. KD like smooth water conditions, low light and a little shallower water.

For Tarpon it is best in the spring, summer and fall when the water is warm enough. Low wind and low light is best for top water action.

For Dorado it would be at Loreto, Baja in July, dark of the moon with smooth water around Sargasso weed paddies.

For Rooster fish it would be at the East Cape of Baja, in late May / early June, with smoother water.


**When you have a nice tapered floating line, long tapered leader and fly that weighs almost nothing, fly casting is so smooth.


So, I am not telling everyone to fish this way all the time, I am just trying to move some to trying it a little.



.

[NVTrout]

Stalking big cruising/rising trout
Stalking big tailing carp

Sight fishing is super addictive. And when you slow down and observe, you see so much more.....also you will catch bigger fish instead of gettin busted by em!

[MG Mason]

Is there an effective way to shad fish like in the American with a floating line? I too find fishing floating lines more pleasurable but have never done well using floating line for shad.

[Jeff C.]

The only time you can effectively catch shad using a floating line is during the last 20 minutes of light when they are rising for caddis. I have swung a size 10 or 12 Prince nymph on a floating line late and did well but that was when we had big runs and they were rising all over the place. During the day you can indo nymph for them but that's not the same as swinging. Jeff Putnam told me he can get down deep where they are holding using a 15 ft. leader and a tungsten beadhead fly.