Jun 12 2007
When fishing is slow?
I have found over the many years of fly fishing that the fishing can be slow from time to time, no matter how good you are as a fly fisher.
I have on many occasions, found that certain times of the month can be slow. One time in particular is the changing of the barometer , This is when the pressure changes in the atmosphere. These changes happen when the weather changes. I have found that the fishing has a tendency to drop off when the weather pattern is unstable. If the weather has been the same for a few days the fishing can be good, but I have found that if there has been a high pressure system over the area you are fishing for some time, and the weather changes to a low pressure system, that the fishing can drop off sharply.
These are the times that the fly fisher needs to us all the knowledge that he/she has gained to be able to catch fish. There are times that the fish won’t bite at what you think they are feeding on simply because they are not feeding with any kind of intensity. These are the times that I go back to my roots as a fly fisher and try some of the basics. If the fish are feeding slowly and not being aggressive in their feeding habits, then you will need to get them to become aggressive.
I have found that if they are not feeding hard, I tend to try to cast out something that has more flash in it, this will get the fish to strike. If they don’t strike for the food aspect, they may for the annoyance of this flashy fly that is in their face. Sometimes we as fly fishers need to think more like the fish. These are predators and we MUST remember this when we are on the water. Sometimes when the feeding of the fish is “off ” we need to try to get the fish to strike as a predator and a protector of the area they are in, and sometimes this is done by casting out a larger shinier attractor style pattern that may intice this behavior.
Good luck, and remember to try to think outside the box when fishing is slow….
