D*mn Leaves

[MKern]

The last time I was fishing was horrible. I cauht leaves on 90% of cast: I wish it was like that with fish instead of leaves.

Is anyone else having that problem?

I know it happens on windy days because the leaves get blown into the water, but is there any way it reduce the number of hook-ups on leaves?

 

[Padraic]

No not really, unless you want to try some weedless patterns.

The latest Fly Tyer has an article on tying bent back streamers with a ultrawire for weight. They look nice, would be weedless and the trouts will hit streamers around this time of year.

Try white, or mickey finn colors in sizes 12 and 8.

 

[tomgamber]

I love to fish in the fall. One of the things I like is the colors all around you when you fish in this time of year. Now, for me, nothing ever comes without a obstacle. If leafy water is the only bummer of fall fishing, and most times it is, I can live with it. I do find that by fishing pretty normally, that the only time I really catch a lot of leaves is at the end of drifts when picking up my line to cast.

 

[Maurice]

With fall fishing, leaves are the difficulty factor. The fishing can be so good during the Fall, you need some factor to keep your catch rates honest. Right? I've been doing really well this fall on top so I've not encountered many "leafy" situations. Sure there lots on the water when the wind blows but I make it a challenge to cast into "holes" between the leaves ahead of suspected and obvious risers.

Nymphing increases the leaf hook ups usually on the swing as someone said earlier, and streamer fishing can be futile. I know it is hard to "pick your day" in the fall to make the best of a frustrating situation but consider the possibilities of these conditions before throwing in the towl over a windy day in the fall.

Leaves fall on the water during windy days. The leafs on the top are your least worrysome factor. A good time to strip streamers or use drys and nymphs.

These leaves and the ones from earlier in the day get sucked under in faster water once saturated. The more leaves that fall the more will be in the water column. Stick with nymphing and drys (if fish are rising) or strip streamers downstream. You will get less leaf hook ups this way rather than swinging them.


Also consider lots get stacked up like cards in a deck ahead of rocks in slower water. Sometimes you will see literally inches to a foot of stacked leaves during low water periods. while this is usually a good time to fish, add a sudden rise in water from a rainstorm and the leaves become released from the rocks and then you have a mess in the water. Some would say not worth fishing at all. Not so...just use a lot of weight and high stick for your fish. And don't allow your drift to go very far past your posture. Lift it out slowly before chucking back upstream. Use big and/or colorful nymphs with exaggerated rubber legs and maribou to display life to get the fish's attention. It can be like playing where's waldo for a fish to find food on the conveyor belt in a leafy water column.

This is just my approach...your mileage or "leafage" may vary.

Maurice