Fishing Drake Spinners

[MrMustard]

I fished Penns for the drakes for the first time last year. As I switched over to a large spinner at dusk, I left the 5X tippet on my leader that I had been using most of the day. Within 15 minutes of casting, my leader had twisted up into a 15 inch knot, leaving me frantically trying to pull a leader change in the dark while the water was boiling around me.

I now realize that 5X was likely too light of a tippet for the large coffin fly I was tossing. I am wondering how low you guys go to cast drake spinner patterns at night? I am thinking this year I will switch to a shorter 3x tapered leader with 3X tippet, or a furled leader with 3X, when I switch to the spinner. Is this overkill? My biggest concern is the larger diameter affecting my drift.

Also, any other tips for casting large dries without twisting the leader? I will definitely be minimizing any false casting this year.

 

[pcray1231]

Shorten and thicken the leader to avoid the twisties. They are a sure sign that your tippet is too light and/or long. You should not have to change the whole leader, just snip back a good ways, untwist, and add new tippet.

With larger flies, it takes more force to cause drag, hence larger diameters do just fine.

Fly size divided by four, plus one is my rule of thumb. So a size 16 fly gets 16/4 + 1 = 5X. By that, you get:

Size 4 - 2X
Size 8 - 3X
Size 12 - 4X
Size 16 - 5x
Size 20 - 6x
Size 24 - 7X

And tweeners are, well, tweeners. You can go either direction depending on conditions. Clear, slow water, I usually round up (err, umm, to the smaller diameter). Faster water, or cloudy, I round down.

 

[pcray1231]

As a side note, twisties can also occur due to a mis-shapen fly. I've had bad ties where one wing is longer than the other, and this is what it does. I've also had a few cases where due to fish damage, a wing falls off or folds up against the body while the other is still outright.

Yes, these problems will inevitably arise just after it's too dark to tie knots quickly, i.e. right as the fish switch into top gear. Oh, there's still plenty of light to fish, if you just had a working set up.

 

[FarmerDave]

Pat, why not just divide by three and then round like everyone else. It works out pretty much same or do you have trouble with odd numbers.;-)

I personally rarely use 6X and never anything lighter.

Spent wing flies will often twist so you may have to go a little heavier.

 

[JeffK]

I recommend cutting back to 3X because it is simpler to do. Tying tippet on well is better; tying tippet on half *** is worse and that is all too common in the dark, when you are tired, and there are hogs slurping all over. Turns larger flies over and you never know what will come up for a coffin fly. One time I didn't cut back and lost a monster. Lesson learned; never did that again.

I have two small comments on coffin fly patterns. I like the wings canted slightly upward (not flat) so they show better in the dark. Also like to keep the tails short since a trout's nose can bump up against and prevent a good hook up. Not make or break comments, but these have made my life easier.

 

[MrMustard]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I'll be camping at Poe Paddy from Thursday-Sunday next week with a couple other guys. If anyone else is braving the circus and wants to stop by our campsite for a beer and some BS'ing, shoot me a PM.

 

[pcray1231]

Pat, why not just divide by three and then round like everyone else.

Works fine for sizes 10-18 or so, which are the most used sizes. Gets funky for very large or small sizes, IMO. And I don't find the mental math all that difficult.

 

[afishinado]

FarmerDave wrote:

Pat, why not just divide by three and then round like everyone else.

Works fine for sizes 10-18 or so, which are the most used sizes. Gets funky for very large or small sizes, IMO. And I don't find the mental math all that difficult.

I think Dave still uses a slide rule and it's too big to fit in his pocket. He keeps his abacus in the truck...too far of a walk.

 

[troutbert]

4x should work.

 

[Maurice]

MrMustard wrote:
Thanks for the comments guys.

I'll be camping at Poe Paddy from Thursday-Sunday next week with a couple other guys. If anyone else is braving the circus and wants to stop by our campsite for a beer and some BS'ing, shoot me a PM.

Mr Mustard hit the jackpot! In the Poe Valley with a long rod.

 

[Chaz]

Just came back from a trip to Pine where the Drakes were thick as was the coffin fly drop. I was using # 8 patterns and using 5X and 6X tippet and have no twisting trouble which leads me to believe it's more in the proper tying of the fly then the tippet diameter or length. I use a minimum of 3' of tippet and long leaders.