Dry Dropper Challenge - Summer Fly Fishing

It's been a little while since I did any fly fishing on the Central West NSW streams, but the last couple of wet seasons have been fantastic for the region and the trout have come back in a big way, particularly the rainbows. My mate Jared invited me to come out and fish a river I had not visited in a very long time, and we tried our best to find a good entry point to get away from the crowds. The water was not exactly what we expected, but it turned into a fun day of dry dropper fishing.....
#flyfishing
#troutfishing
#dryflyfishing

[@chrishall2054]

Epic Steve, one of your best!

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks Chris! Hope to catch up with you at Dormie house next month.. :)

[@camstarx]

Awesome Video Steve ! Such a great spot . Hopefully a bit more rain over the next month !

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks Cam, yeah I hope so. If they get some rain then it might fire up again later in the season... :)

[@jeroenschoondergang5923]

cool stuff again mate. Good to see the subscriber numbers are going up!

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks Jeroen! I've been trying to post more consistently and improve my video craft, seems to be having some effect! :)

[@Troutmajor]

Another great vid. Thanks

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks mate! :)

[@jaredklein3930]

Great video mate!

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Cheers bud, was a fun day! Thanks for taking me out and all your help with the vid. :)

[@jlush444]

Sure is dry out here steve. Great vid mate.

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks Jonny! We’re getting a bit of rain just now, hope some of it makes it over th mountains to you guys…

[@BillSaltbush]

Nice piece Steve. I'm thinking that for that kind of (small) water and to provide a little flexibility, a 9', 2wt would be ideal. One could alternate within a range of style options with something like that. Over-lined (for dry/dropper) or Euro style with light tippets - each would be effective. I've been looking and it confounds me that there a so few options available with such a specification. I'll bite the bullet soon and purchase one of the few available. The formula for the right amount of rods one should own still holds true . . . 'n' + 1. 'n' representing the number of fly rods one already owns.

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Haha so true mate! Yes I was fishing with a 9’6” #3 Hanak, generally it’s a good rod for that crossover style when you want to nymph sometimes or dry fly other times. I was just struggling a bit this day because I stupidly packed the wrong spool so I only had a #2 line on it, which wasn’t enough to turn over a dry dropper on a 17’ leader very well…..a #3 or a #4 line would’ve been much better… ;)

[@geoffmcc5351]

I notice sometimes you use the reel to bring in a fish, rather than stripping line by hand. Can you take me through when and why please? Love your work.

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks Geoff! Sometimes I like to put a fish on the reel, particularly if it's a bigger fish or if I am fishing quite light tippet. The main reason being, the reel drag (if it's properly set) does a better job of preventing a break-off if the fish takes off, particularly when you get it close to the net. :)

[@Yipmanhands]

Top video guys and some nice fish too ! Those waders Steve, do they have snake gaiters built in ?

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Thanks mate! Jared was wearing waders but I was wet wading, just light columbia pants with neoprene socks and wading boots, but I wear gaiters over the top of the pants for a bit of protection from snakes and blackberries....

[@Yipmanhands]

@@PeachyFlyFishing Thanks for that Steve.

[@geoffmcc5351]

Does “Central West” mean Oberon district, or up towards Orange/Mudgee etc?

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

G'day Geoff, this was near Capertee. :)

[@Troutmajor]

What weight rod were you using

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

I was on a 9’6” 3 wt with a 2 wt line…😩 Seriously not the right rig for dry dropper fishing but I guess I wasn’t planning on fishing that way. 4wt line on the same rod would’ve been much better. Jared was on a 9’ #5wt, better suited for casting dry dropper rig, but less tippet protection…

[@gregwilson6636]

Great video Steve! Beautiful country with challenging water and fish. Loved the vegetation. No blackberries!

[@PeachyFlyFishing]

Ta Greg! Yes the lack of blackberries was really nice..:)