by L. Woodrow Ross

Created on: May 29, 2010   Last Updated: May 30, 2010

Dry flies are exciting to use because they provide a visual type of fishing. The explosive strike of a trout on a floating dry fly is an unmatched thrill for the fly fisherman. Using dry flies on small mountain streams requires some adjustment in fishing and casting methods, but can be very successful.

The tight confines of a small mountain stream with overhanging limbs, vines and streams-side vegetation can seem like trying to cast in a tunnel. There are some tricks to fishing dry flies in such tight quarters that will improve your chances.

One school of thought is to use a long rod to allow you to keep more line off the water, which is usually rapidly moving current.  

This has some merit if the stream is only moderately confining. If the stream is extremely small or densely vegetated, a short, light-weight rod might be more adaptable.

The long rod is very useful for a technique called “dapping”. This involves extending a short section of leader and line not exceeding the length of the rod.

The arm is extended and the fly is jigged up and down on a likely spot. As it alternately touches the surface of the water and is lifted away, it simulates an aquatic insect ovipositing eggs into the water. This can result in exciting, smashing strikes by aggressive trout. It requires stealth and works well in “pocket water”.

Casting in close quarters can be a problem, but there are solutions. One is to use a sidearm casting technique and make your cast parallel to the flow of the streams so that the line does not tangle in overhanging limbs. This is where the shorter rod, such as a 7-foot lightweight rod will excel.

Another solution for a short cast is to use the bow and arrow cast. Extend line and leader to only a couple of feet more than the rod length. Grip the dry fly by the bend of the hook.

Pull back on the line, loading the rod (similar to drawing a bow), aim the rod tip toward the target area and release. The energy stored in the rod will propel the fly to the target.

A third technique involves the use of the roll cast. A double tapered fly line will work best for this application, but it can be performed with a weight forward line if necessary. Extend a short section of line and flip it onto the surface of the stream.

Lift the rod tip smoothly to the 1:00 o’clock position and as the line is still moving, start an aggressive forward cast. If performed properly, the line will roll and lift the fly from the surface and deposit it in the direction of the rod movement.

Casting dry flies in small, fast water requires the fly fisherman to be able to use curve casts and mends to reduce drag of the fly on the water. Drag is the fly fisherman’s enemy and will spook wary fish.

Both of these techniques involve inducing upstream slack in the fly line to provide longer “dead drifts” of the dry fly that will simulate an aquatic insect drifting lazily on the surface of the water.

These are only a few of the techniques in the arsenal of a good dry fly fisherman to use on small mountain streams when fishing with dry flies.

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