Counting Down in Stillwaters
Brown
Trout caught on a green Crystal Chenille Bugger using the Countdown technique.
There’s a simple yet very effective technique that can be used and learned by any fly angler who spends time floating stillwaters in a personal watercraft. The Countdown technique is easy and requires no special skills or years of experience to employ. Though there are several different types of techniques and presentations one can use to fish trout lakes, the Countdown method is one of the most important and easiest to use.
I have
caught trout in AZ’s high country lakes from my float tube using just about
every method I have ever heard or read about.
Some techniques work better than others, some depend on a considerable
number of uncontrollable factors, and then other methods I have discovered by
accident. Since the fact that 90%
of all trout feeding activity occurs below the surface has been drilled into my
fishing knowledge, I concentrate on fishing sub-surface for the best
cast-to-catch ratio. Although this
isn’t my favorite method of catching fish, this is definitely my most
successful.
I
don’t know of a single fly fisherman that wouldn’t prefer catching 18”
trout with a dry fly on a glassy lake during dawn and dusk.
Unfortunately, dawn and dusk do not last forever and we must be flexible
and knowledgeable enough to change our tactics to continue catching these fish.
When the trout go below the surface, we must follow them. However, just going below the surface usually isn’t always
enough to put a bend in the rod. Chances
are, you’ll catch the occasional few here and there, but unless you key in on
what depth of the water they’re holding in, the catch won’t be consistent
and you’ll go home with just a mediocre day on the water.
I can
vividly recall one cold and windy day at Big Lake when I
witnessed surrounding float tubers catching fish one after another while
I struggled to get a tap every now and then.
When this happened, I sat quietly, eavesdropping on their conversations
and started paying close attention to what they were doing.
I observed the color of the line to see if I could identify it as a
floating or sinking, I looked at their method of retrieving the fly, and most
importantly, I payed very close attention to how long they waited before they
started stripping in their fly. My
observations paid off and I immediately started catching trout as frequently as
they were. I remember being unsure
as to which fly to use, so I tied on a tandem rig to help me figure out their
menu. On this particular day, it
didn’t seem to matter which fly I offered the trout, but rather what depth I
let my fly sink to. The other
anglers were letting their line sink for periods of up to 2 minutes without ever
touching their line with their hand. After
their countdown time was up, they started stripping, and then catching fish.
It took me a few minutes to figure out how long I should let my
intermediate line sink before starting the retrieve, but I was able to figure
out that all the fish were congregating in 15’ – 20’ of water and were not
willing to move up to take anything. After
figuring this out in a short period of time, I ended up with a great day of
catching.
These
anglers were using the Countdown technique.
Simply put, this technique only requires the use of an intermediate or
full-sinking line and a little extra patience before you start stripping line
in. Cast an intermediate or
full-sinking line and start counting as soon as your fly lands in the water.
How fast you count and your method of counting isn’t really the
important issue here, but rather the consistency in which you count is the
ticket. Make sure that each time
you start counting, it takes up the same amount of time.
Since I am easily distracted and don’t take much interest in counting
out loud, I use the second hand on my watch instead to get a good consistent
count that is the same every time. Start
off with a count of 5, then start stripping.
Do this in a fan-cast pattern or cast to any fishy looking spot to make
sure you’re covering a good amount of water.
Next, try a count of 10, then 15, then 20, and so on.
Be sure to remember your count when you get a strike or a fish.
Repeat your count on the next cast to see if there’s any consistency to
the fish biting at that depth. Many
times when the fish are stratifying at a certain depth, I’ve found that they
will not move far to strike anything, therefore you must present the fly to them
instead of making them come to the fly.
Marc Alexander, owner of MTS Rods, patiently waiting for his fly to sink before retrieving his line.
To
keep a fly at a depth, a sinking line and a short leader (4’ – 7’) is a
good combination to try. If
you’re stuck fishing with only a floating line, then a long leader (12’ –
15’+) combination is ideal for allowing a weighted fly to get down quickly.
The long leader also allows for better motion of midge pupa and for other
flies that rely on a jigging motions. Keep
in mind that your fly will change inclination as your depth increases. To help this situation, always keep your rod tip low or in
the water as you retrieve your fly. The
higher your rod tip, the higher your fly will climb towards the surface.
On
some occasions, the fish will strike your fly on the dead sink as you count
down. Be ready to play a fish as
soon as you start your retrieve. I remember a day this summer on Reservation Lake when I lost
several black Hare’s Ears on 4x tippet when trout would hit the fly violently
as the fly was sinking. I think
part of the reason that I lost these fish was because I wasn’t ready and got
overly excited….a bad combination of factors that will usually result in lost
fish.
Although
the Countdown technique is most commonly used from a float tube, I’ve had
successful days using it while wading the shorelines of the same lakes.
If you’ve never experienced a great day of fishing from your personal
watercraft, give this technique an honest effort the next time you launch your
tube. It may be the difference
between an average day and the best day of your life.
Terry
Chia
AZOD
Fly Fishing Editor