This week’s picture is brought to you by Ken from Springfield, Missouri. White Bass fishing is high sport among Ozark fly anglers during the Spring. This was the first of the season…a 3 lb female that was almost as thick as she was long.

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Recently I fished with a friend that missed quite a few good opportunities due to the way his dry fly leader was constructed. He’s too good a fisherman for me to say anything but I wish I could have. Here are a few things to remember about your leader when fishing dries. A dry fly leader should generally be longer and finer than a nymph or streamer leader. I like 9 to 15 feet total, tapering to 4x, 5x, or 6x depending on where and what I’m fishing. The idea in dry fly fishing is to get as dead a drift as possible and the more loose leader you have between your line and your fly the longer you can make your drifts. Not only should your leader be longer but the tippet section of the leader should be longer as well. Tippet is lighter and more supple than the butt and middle of the leader so it takes longer to straighten and to put drag on the fly and doesn’t catch the current that causes drag as easily. Many fine fishermen even use what may be referred to as a collapsible leader. This is a leader that has such a long fine tippet section that it often doesn’t transmit enough energy to turn the fly over entirely on the cast. A collapsed leader, however, provides a benefit on the drift since there is slack between the dragging fly line and the fly giving the fly a longer dead drift. Don’t be lazy and keep tying on to the tapered leader as you work your way up it. A short thick leader will turn the fly over too hard and drown it and won’t allow the presentation nor the drift you need. Simply add tippet to the end to keep your leader long and you’ll be happy at the result it has on your dry fly fishing.

Until a few decades ago relatively little was known about caddis flies and how best to fish them. Luckily over the last several years we’ve been given tons of info on these important items on the trout menu. Here are a few things to try the next time you encounter caddis on your stream.

1. Caddis are extremely active flies so don’t be afraid to use motion. If dead drifts aren’t working try skittering or skating adult patterns like elk hair caddis, krystal flash caddis, stimulators, and X caddis and try lifting or swinging caddis emergers or soft hackle flies.

2. Don’t be afraid to fish well into the night. Many caddis are extremely active at night. Big fish will often move in to the banks and into shallow water to eat caddis just before dark and into the night.

3. During hours when caddis aren’t quite as active but may be close to hatching like mid day concentrate on caddis pupal patterns like the flashback caddis pupa, or the LaFontaine Deep Sparkle caddis pupae. These patterns are best fished deep with weight or as droppers but may also be lifted to entice fish.

Hopefully these few things can help your caddis fishing to be great this season!

Good Luck! Jake Ricks
Fly Fishing Professional, Guide, and Author

This week’s picture is brought to you by Curtis. Another over weight rainbow! This Rainbow Trout was caught and released by Curtis on a 7wt in South West Virginia. This giant Rainbow weighed in at over 10 pounds.

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Although it’s always fun to chase the big boys in the big water there is something soul soothing about a little time by yourself on a small mountain stream. Last week I was lucky enough to get out for a few hours on just such water and although most of the fish I landed were well under a foot I had a blast. Here are few simple things I like to do to help enjoy fishing small water:

1. Use appropriate gear. A 2, 3, or 4 weight, dry flies, and light tippet help even small fish turn into trophies.

2. Fish all of the water. Especially where there are browns, be sure to check all spots in the stream not just the most likely ones. I’ve been surprised by several relatively big trout in skinny water.

3. Remember to turn your stealth up. Small fish are preyed on more than large fish so they are often pretty skittish. Stay low and use shadows to mask your shape wherever possible. Think feline (catlike), not ursine (bearlike).

4. Continually monitor your casting lanes by watching not just in front but behind you. If you look first you’ll at least know how to squeeze your back cast through a gap even if the execution isn’t always perfect. And don’t fret over caught branches, it happens.

Hopefully these few simple tips help when you get the chance to hit some special small water this summer.

Good Luck! Jake Ricks
Fly Fishing Professional, Guide, and Author

This week’s picture is brought to you by Paul. Who’s the best looking in this pic? We voted for that gorgeous brown!

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This week’s picture is brought to you by Jeff. At 19.5 pounds Jeff has his hands full there. That had to be a fight!

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Summer’s here and with us spending so much time on the water the issue of water glare becomes a real challenge. The first recommendation is a good quality pair of polarized sun glasses. Polarized glasses aid the fisherman in a number of ways; first and foremost by cutting glare and enabling you to see into the water seeing not only the fish but discerning underwater structure, lies and edges. A good pair of glasses also protects your eyes from those harmful UV rays, provides eye protection against errant false casts, and helps you see into the water much better allowing you to wade more safely. Do not go the cheap route on this aspect of your gear. Buy quality polarized glasses, take good care of them and they will give you years of glare free fishing enjoyment. Case in point, I passed along my first pair of Action Optics purchased in 1985 to my oldest son, and he’s fishing with them to this very day. One note to consider, polarized glasses in the lighter hues, brown and even amber would be probably the better choice as they provide good vision even on those low light cloudy days, or those early morning or late evening outings. Polarized glasses will reduce the glare; though in many cases not wipe it away completely. If you’re observant, you’ll find as your fishing a particular portion of a run or pool, even with your polarized glasses you still get some glare trouble. Simply shift your position. As you shift position, moving side to side you’ll notice the glare will shift as well, and many times water that still maintained some glare to it will suddenly clear up enabling you to see into the water, seeing your fly, and moreover seeing the fish. Don’t step into the water without the ability to see well.