Fly fishing the long line.

Well we’ve heard it before and we’ll hear it again: Trolling isn’t fly fishing.
While it’s not truly in the clinical sense fly fishing, i.e.: casting and retrieving from an anchored boat, it IS an effective way to target trout in a lake. Not only is it a good technique but it at times out produces any other method both in size and in numbers of fish!
Here’s the deal.
How many anglers can cast their entire line?? Not many. Trolling is a way we as anglers can utilize the full potential of the longest cast and retrieve your line will allow. Positioned correctly this way of fishing can and is one of the most deadly of all fly fishing.
What I am talking about is using flies, lines of different weights and fly patterns that simulate a few if not many aquatic foods to catch fish in many if not all bodies of water.

Lines


There are many lines on the market designed to sink at different rates that enable a troller to target fish at different depths in the water column. The ability to get and keep your fly in the fish “zone” is critical when casting and retrieving and when trolling it is no different. Keep in mind the depths listed are based on have ¾ to all the line off the spool.

Floating line

This line is the ticket for anchored fishermen targeting still sitting aquatics that barely/seldom move at all. In my opinion this line is best left out of trolling because of surface disturbance when it is being pulled along. Not that it won’t catch fish, but more that big educated fish are wary of anything that is breaking the surface tension and thus can spook the more schooled guys from your offering. (Read big ones)

Type 1

This is the line a troller should use in lieu of a floater as it fishes the same depth(s) as a floating line without the surface disturbance. These lines are the most productive in the interior when fishing among trophy trout. This line will run in the top of the water column, from 1 to 5’ down.

Type 2

This line is my go-to line in the trolling. With all the line out (70’) your bait is running about 8 to 12‘deep. This is ideal for transition areas at shoals above drop off areas. Most of them are clear (Stillwater, slime line) so they are great for clear water found at these vantage points.

Type 3 through 6

These are for targeting fish in deeper lies, such as the drop off areas and deep water from 14’ down to just about as deep as your line is long, depending upon the speed you are running your craft at. A type 3 line will run from 12 to 14’ deep, a type 4, 14 to 16’ deep, while a type 6 will go down to 20’or more. Again this depends upon the speed you are traveling during your presentation.

Trolling speeds

The biggest problem most fly fishermen have regardless whether they are casting and retrieving or trolling is that they move their offering much faster than the naturals. The best thing an angler can do is SLOW DOWN!!! If you find you are snagging up, instead of increasing your speed, a change of line to something with a slower sink rate is a much better option. The best thing that has come along in a long time for the trolling angler is the float tube because it forces you to go slower. When trolling in a boat, try to match your speed with that of a tube angler. Once you have it down you can maintain it by keeping your eye on the shoreline to gauge your progress and speed of movement. After a time you will be able to almost ignore the shore all together and use the bend in your rod blank to tell just how fast you are moving. This won’t happen right away but as you perfect your technique with practice it will become almost second nature.
When using oars, try to keep away from constantly oaring but rather use short even strokes every few seconds with plenty of glide time in between. It is even beneficial to let the craft come to a standstill before dipping the oars again.
When using an electric motor, rather than using one constant speed, use a bit higher setting and “bump” the boat along with short bursts, again maintaining the approximate speed of a tuber.

Coping with wind

Remember keeping your offering in the proper area is the key to your success. When faced with wind, the best thing is to use your mode of propulsion to hold not only your speed but also to keep you in, on, or around the structure you are trying to cover. You have probably heard the term quartering into the wind, well this is in fact a way to hold your position while the wind is at your back. You propelling measures are then utilized not only to move you along the water but also to hold your position off shore. If the wind is coming from the rear then “back trolling” is in order to maintain your desired position. This can be done with either oars or an electric motor. The electric can be used in reverse or even spun around 180 degrees, and the oars can be used to scull backwards. In the float tube, it becomes a little more difficult because you haven’t a reverse option. Instead try extending your legs out and pointing your flippers down to create as much drag in the water as possible.

Where to fish

The ideal thing to do is to find the transition area where the shoal area drops into deeper water. The fish will cruise in the deeper water and move on to the shoals to feed and you want to intercept them as they make this journey. The way to identify this area is to be able to see bottom on one side of your craft and darker, deeper water on the other. If you feel the fish are deeper then change lines and move off the shallower water a bit and resume your search. This will take a bit of practice to judge just how far one should be for each line used without snagging but once you get the knack of it, the fun really begins. Of course a depth sounder is handy for this but definitely not an essential. Most lakes I fish I know the bottom depths through trial and error so well that I never use one unless I am fishing a new lake.

Flies

It is best to choose patterns that are suggestive of many different trout food sources rather than exact imitations. Animated materials such a mohair, pheasant rump and marabou are great choices for lively patterns and beads and forward weight on flies are great for getting an undulating motion. Don’t forget flash and sparkle. They simulate motion too. Here is a short list of my favorite patterns. There are many more to choose from, but this is just  to give an idea of what to look for.

Leech patterns
Wooly Buggers
Hares ear nymphs
Sparkle shrimp
52 Buick
Carey Specials
Doc Spratley
Georgi Damsel
Tom Thumb (This is the only fly that I recommend trolling on a floating line. It can be and is deadly when the traveling sedges are about!)