Fly fishing: rain and floods

Rain and floods put a damper on fly fishing

"While some people think that high water is only good for bait or lure fishermen, nothing could be farther than the truth, although the skill of being a good bait or lure fisherman apply to fly fishing those tough, high water periods."

"Knowledge of what trout, salmon, or other game fish do when a river's currents and levels rise are of utmost importance. First of all, it's important to know that primarily the fish's instincts are to find shelter and comfort, and in high water, that almost always means near the shore and banks or behind some kind of natural barrier such as root balls or boulders. Another place that you'll find fish in high water is the current seams or shears, where two currents will join. There's apt to be still water in places in those seams. The back eddy caused by the current running by a point or other object will also hold fish."

"Because these fish are thinking survival first, they are not apt to zip out into the main current to feed. But, if you put a fly down at their level and it has a natural drift rate, you're probably going to get the thrill of a good take by that fish."

"Rigging for the high water fishing is important. Unless you're fishing a very small stream, chuck-and-duck type of casting will be the order. This means that you'll be casting weighted flies on short lines and working them through short drifts, prospecting for fish in those sheltered areas. A good combination for this is to use either a large, weighted fly with a smaller dropper or just a weighted fly. The Clouser bucktail or streamer is a very effective fly for this kind of fishing, as are large weighted stonefly nymphs or wooly bugger- type flies. When using a pair of flies, try two distinctly different colors—one bright and one drab or dark to try to figure out the preferred color of the day."

"Some of the best high water fly fishermen don't even cast their flies. They work with very short lines and just swing their flies out into the areas that should hold fish and let them work the six or eight feet of likely water. A few drifts through each nook and cranny as you move up or downstream is all it takes. When you catch a fish, don't just move on. Where there is one, there is apt to be several. In high water, patience and persistence pays,"

Source: Chris Henson