Garden State Trout

This evening around dusk I wet waded through a little WTS not too far from my house.

Outfitted with a 9 ft 4 piece GLoomis and some dry flies (call me a snob, but until October, I'll only fish dry flies), I picked up about a dozen of these little wild browns--quick, little hits that you really had to watch for, especially in the waning light of dusk.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Nice to finally have some decent weather.

Wet wading is like cheating

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Sun May 03, 2020 10:16 pm

Wet wading is like cheating

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 7:36 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Sun May 03, 2020 10:16 pm

Wet wading is like cheating

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

No bamboo??

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 8:38 am

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 7:36 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Sun May 03, 2020 10:16 pm

Wet wading is like cheating

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

Having fun is cheating. Only true trout anglers suffer and despair the activity.

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:09 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 8:38 am

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 7:36 am

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

Having fun is cheating. Only true trout anglers suffer and despair the activity.

Twism86 wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:04 am

No bamboo??

Ha no, maybe tomorrow.

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 8:38 am

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 7:36 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Sun May 03, 2020 10:16 pm

Wet wading is like cheating

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

I agree about dry-fly takes being easier. In my experience, dry-fly takes are not only easier to discern, but the approach, in general, is more forgiving: a wider margin for casting & mending errors, less drag to worry about, and no weighting/snagging of the fly (unless in a tree branch ).

What I like about dry-fly fishing is the challenge of catching fish in an environment where they do only 10%-20% of their feeding.

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:38 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 8:38 am

coaltrout wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 7:36 am

My dad was wearing neoprenes yesterday, also originally had a sweater on. But took that off soon. Even with leaky boots, he sweat a bunch. Was pretty warm with my breathables too.

When water is chilly but air is hot, i like to wear a sweater so that while i have cold legs, my core doesnt

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

I agree about dry-fly takes being easier. In my experience, dry-fly takes are not only easier to discern, but the approach, in general, is more forgiving: a wider margin for casting & mending errors, less drag to worry about, and no weighting/snagging of the fly (unless in a tree branch ).

What I like about dry-fly fishing is the challenge of catching fish in an environment where they do only 10%-20% of their feeding.

That may be true on a wild trout stream but not technical dry fly water.

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:34 am

Twism86 wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:04 am

No bamboo??

Ha no, maybe tomorrow.

You caught the bamboo bug as well.

joe_panella wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 10:06 am

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:34 am

Twism86 wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:04 am

No bamboo??

Ha no, maybe tomorrow.

You caught the bamboo bug as well.

Not sure if this is for me or Tom, but in my case, I have had the bamboo rod since 2007. It's a little 7 ft 2 piece 4 wt--really nice set up for NJ.

joe_panella wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 10:04 am

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:38 am

garden hackle wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 8:38 am

Ditto

Actually, dry fly fishing is like cheating. Takes are a lot easier to see, etc. I try to cheat every chance I get.

I agree about dry-fly takes being easier. In my experience, dry-fly takes are not only easier to discern, but the approach, in general, is more forgiving: a wider margin for casting & mending errors, less drag to worry about, and no weighting/snagging of the fly (unless in a tree branch ).

What I like about dry-fly fishing is the challenge of catching fish in an environment where they do only 10%-20% of their feeding.

That may be true on a wild trout stream but not technical dry fly water.

I agree 100%, Joe. Was wondering where BT was doing his dry fly fishing and why I didn't know about that place.

There's a reason 99% of all fly anglers either only nymph fish or nymph with occasionally streamer fishing, and it's not because dry flies are too easy to catch trout with.

Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 12:59 pm

joe_panella wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 10:04 am

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 9:38 am

I agree about dry-fly takes being easier. In my experience, dry-fly takes are not only easier to discern, but the approach, in general, is more forgiving: a wider margin for casting & mending errors, less drag to worry about, and no weighting/snagging of the fly (unless in a tree branch ).

What I like about dry-fly fishing is the challenge of catching fish in an environment where they do only 10%-20% of their feeding.

That may be true on a wild trout stream but not technical dry fly water.

I agree 100%, Joe. Was wondering where BT was doing his dry fly fishing and why I didn't know about that place.

There's a reason 99% of all fly anglers either only nymph fish or nymph with occasionally streamer fishing, and it's not because dry flies are too easy to catch trout with.

This has me confused...do trout not take around 80% of their diet below the surface (i.e., not dry flies)? That seems to be the conventional wisdom.

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 1:09 pm

Rusty Spinner wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 12:59 pm

joe_panella wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 10:04 am

That may be true on a wild trout stream but not technical dry fly water.

I agree 100%, Joe. Was wondering where BT was doing his dry fly fishing and why I didn't know about that place.

There's a reason 99% of all fly anglers either only nymph fish or nymph with occasionally streamer fishing, and it's not because dry flies are too easy to catch trout with.

This has me confused...do trout not take around 80% of their diet below the surface (i.e., not dry flies)? That seems to be the conventional wisdom.

That was the only thing I agreed with you on

"I agree about dry-fly takes being easier. In my experience, dry-fly takes are not only easier to discern, but the approach, in general, is more forgiving: a wider margin for casting & mending errors, less drag to worry about, and no weighting/snagging of the fly (unless in a tree branch )."

That is where you completely lost me. I guess by the takes being easier, I can live with that because you see every take and not just some like nymph fishing (but you should see most). But the approach is far more difficult, not easy. And there is zero margin for casting errors when dry fly fishing, not wider than when nymphing where you often have no idea exactly where the fish is unlike a rising trout. Lastly, micro drag is the #1 through # 100 biggest causes of refusals. Getting a perfect drag free drift with a dry fly is very difficult in many conditions, but easy as pie when nymph fishing. Then again, maybe I've just been doing it all wrong the last 48 years.

With all respect, I certainly don't think you have been doing it wrong for the last 48 years. Or right. You've just been fishing--I think that's about all we can say. We've all read articles that say one method is easier than the other. In my own experience & catch counts (which are about half yours —you could practically be my dad for crying out loud ), dry-fly fishing has been easier & more productive than nymphing, owing to simplicity of rig (less potential for problems), visibility, & line control. Perhaps, as Joe has suggested, more technical dry-fly water would change my mind. But for now, on the streams I'm fishing and on which my sons are learning, I'm teaching them to start out with dries and then we'll transition to nymphing. To quote the old Latin saying, there is no point in debating matters of opinion. I can't see any reasonable person saying otherwise.

Each method has their challenges, but nothing beats the pure joy of casting a dry fly - a single fly with no dropper. It’s often not the best way to catch fish, but it will always be the most enjoyable for me. If I’m throwing that fly at wild fish, well, that’s gold.

Dry fly snob here!!! I'll watch the water fer an hour looking fer a target

To dry fly fish or to nymph fish, it does not matter. We all know Tenkara fishing is cheating, dry or wet.

BiggerThomas wrote: ↑

Mon May 04, 2020 1:09 pm

This has me confused...do trout not take around 80% of their diet below the surface (i.e., not dry flies)? That seems to be the conventional wisdom.

The second best advice I received from a guide, shop owner, former member of F&W in his state was, "the majority of what a trout eats is 3/8th of an inch long, brown and fuzzy".

The 80% figure is close to whatever the true number might be and if nothing is hatching or about to hatch or the water is cold, then you better be using a nymph. I believe the order of importance to a trout is 1) safety in its habitat, 2) nutritional needs, 3) conservation of energy, 4) available food source that meets the first three. Just my opinion, yours may vary and that is Ok.