Fish Upstream

Myth 10 Fly Fishing Western Wyoming

Fish Upstream

The way to fish is upstream so the fish won’t see you. I fish upstream only about 10% of the time unless I’m fishing a very small stream creek where the fish will see me. If I’m fishing streamers I fish mostly across or a bit down. I can get my fly to sink more that way and I can keep a tight line for better hook sets. The exception is the smaller water where I throw the fly straight up and over a lip then drag it into the pool below under tension. You need to move the stripping hand fast or you will have too much slack. The other time I fish upstream with a streamer is when I am sight fishing to a big fish at the head of a riffle on the Hams Fork. I’ll get to the side of the fish and slightly behind it. Then I’ll throw the fly up 4 or 5 feet in front of the fish and 4 or 5 feet on the far side of the fish. I pull the fly right in front of the fishes mouth like a scared baitfish fleeing the pool above.

When fishing dries in the skinny or slow water I almost always fish down, or down and across, with some type of amend to prevent drag and to present the fly without the fish seeing the leader 1st. The only time I fish a dry fly upstream is when there is a good rifle with fast-moving water, or again a smaller stream.

I especially like fishing downstream when I fish the dry with a dropper. that way the dropper can sink farther because it is not being pulled by the dry. (Remember the water at the surface is faster than the water below) Just make sure you are landing the fly far enough upstream of the fish that the dropper has time to sink all the way. If the fly is still sinking and downstream of the dry it will be hard to detect a strike. I almost always fish a nymph and indicator downstream. I can use considerably less weight because again the current is not causing the indicator to pull the nymphs up in the water column. Again be aware that if the nymphs are supposed to be down 3 or 4 feet you need to throw the rig up far enough above the fishes holding position that it is tight to the indicator when it gets to the fish!

A big reason to fish downstream, especially when you have a fast current between you and the fish is to accomplish a drag free drift with some sort of a mend. The farther upstream you are the easier it is to accomplish this. Those of you who have fished with me know this technique is a common means of presenting our flies. It is especially effective on the Hams Fork when we are sight fishing because we can see the fish take the fly. Also remember that the more shallow the water the closer you can get to the fish, thus making these casts even more effective.

0 replies

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *