Not catching fish **DO THIS** before changing flies - I'll walk you thru this run!

[@g.w.moorman3887]

Very good points. Your analyses of fishing conditions and adjusting for them sets your videos far above others.

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely appreciate hearing that!

[@scottkaczinski2168]

This was a great help… I just started fly fishing this summer and after a few times I was close to giving up…I stuck with it and finally caught some trout..no going back now.. I’m “hooked.” This was good info for me on ways to change the fly depth Thanks

[@CM-sr4rk]

I’m a newbie, so I really appreciate the walkthrough.

[@dxradioman6351]

Excellent. Many get lazy and do not want to change length of tippet or even add shot or tie another knot to get to the depth they need. Good job to explaining some techical aspects to nymph fishing.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you! A little work up front can often have lasting results!

[@jcwilliams01]

Drew, thanks for breaking down this video. This kind of helps me think like a trout, not to mention the tech tips about the egg weights. Sure appreciate it!

[@kennydean4083]

Thank you for the great videos, can not wait until this coming summer to Wyoming and Montana. Always enjoy your videos.

[@LooknFishy]

Me either!

[@jaredi6221]

fantastic comments, Drew you spent so much energy and time with this, go for !

[@allendks45]

Excellent video and explanation. Early in the video we call that area the foam line and target it exclusively at first. Really good how you broke that stretch down. Most videos don't show how fishing the upper stretch from the lower requires so many changes but you captured it very well.

[@LooknFishy]

They say foam is home for good reason!

[@larrysizzle4512]

Drew man I’ve recently found your channel and have absolutely loved your content. You’re a super positive channel with absolutely awesome and peaceful fly fishing content. As a park ranger who spent his whole summer fly fishing in Rocky Mountain National Park, watching your western videos pits me right back out there. You just being completely quiet almost let’s the viewer be right in your shoes, and I can sit every morning and drink coffee and feel like I’m back in the mountains. I do have a question if you could do it: Any advice for fly fishing on a budget? As a ranger, in the “off-season” I live incredibly cheaply, and as someone who broke my fly rod recently it’s been tough wanting to drop tons of $ on new gear. Your video on how you’ve had to budget and live smartly to get outdoors more made me think you might have some good advice how to get decent gear cheaply/maybe some recommendations on more budget focused brands. Any advice is welcome!

[@johnfahey7215]

Those downed trees remind me of a hole I fished on the Willowemoc, (Catskills, NY) after flooding, about the same, mostly small browns, some little brookies, couple good sized, nothin special, but was there 4 hours, felt like 30 minutes! Good stuff, Thanks

[@LooknFishy]

crazy how that can happen...good times fly by!

[@kcflyfishing902]

Thanks Drew can you shoot a couple of videos with you talking about what’s going on with your fishing techniques for each run. And maybe get some feed back on how we like it. I love your style

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u! I've done a couple other vids where I talk about the rig, dry/dropper technique and which flies I use. I didn't go into those this video but I believe they pop up in the vid and also linked in the description. Is that what u mean?

[@uni_shadow164]

Great video on leader length v.s. adding shot! Beautiful River too! Well done!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you much!

[@billschlafer]

Great breakdown Drew. I appreciate your approach and techniques.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u, definitely trying to add more of how I do it!

[@niceguyschool]

I appreciate the advice and teaching you are doing in this video. Watching you catch fish is great fun, but I really appreciate the lessons from your experience.

[@BBZ0925cz]

As always, thanks for sharing your info! Your videos have helped me catch so many more fish in the last 6 months!

[@LooknFishy]

That's awesome. Glad they are helpful!

[@billtaylor7233]

Really good info Drew. Just got back from first hike in fishing trip of the year. Beautiful canyon, water was low but had some deep pools. I got skunked, but my buddies caught some large rainbows in the big pools off the bottom. Live and learn, still a great day on the water.

[@LooknFishy]

I get as much fun out of watching my buddies catch fish as I do catching them myself...especially if I'm directly involved with their success!

[@alcoholfree6381]

Wade the brown and fish the green water; a principle I was taught in BC when they still had steelhead. Unfortunately the steelhead fishing has been destroyed by viral infection from Atlantic Salmon farms! The love of money can destroy anything. Nice video. Thanks!

[@diverm2371]

Love what you do. Don't change anything. Do you realize you can take stress from 10 to 2... Just Amazing channel, thanks

[@bmceowen2]

great breakdown Drew, thank you! Not sure which vid it was in, but adding that second improved clinch between the dropper knot and hook end was a great idea. Lost a few droppers in Oregon last fall and want to minimize this next time!

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u. It was it's own vid but can't remember myself lol!

[@mitchengelking]

Awesome breakdown of technique and thought process

[@chrishuff3159]

Excellent video, Drew. Lots of great tips and info. Thanks for posting.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you, happy to share how I do it!

[@jmfjmf2542]

Extremely instructive video, thanks for sharing and keep them coming!!!

[@LooknFishy]

Much appreciated!

[@showmemotion]

i've finally started using split shots and trying wet flies...usually a dry fly fisherman.....thanks for this video. I'm going to keep this info in mind. I never use indicators...hate spending any more money on fishing haha

[@LooknFishy]

I hear ya...adds up quick!

[@djuth]

Awesome video. Thanks for sharing those tips 👍

[@LooknFishy]

Much appreciated!

[@dougbrown3498]

Excellent explanation. Thank you

[@LooknFishy]

Happy to share what works for me

[@jimpyle560]

Lots of good stuff in that breakdown. Thanks.

[@LooknFishy]

Glad you liked it!

[@everettstevenson6110]

This one of my favorite videos of yours. This is awesome.

[@Pwrcritter]

Nice, i like how u break it down without using a euro nymphing outfit. Which many of us don't have.

[@LooknFishy]

Definitely feel like the dry/dropper or indi rig covers me for most of the water I fish!

[@larryhudgins6988]

I love these walk through videos, really appreciate you taking the time to make them. Could we talk you into making a double foam Top Shelf Hopper tying video by chance?

[@LooknFishy]

Got it on my list of vids to do...just have tied any those season lol!

[@prestongizzi2210]

Great vid! Did you ever do a video about your mending? I know you were high sticking in this vid. But your mending is so on point. I think it would be helpful to do a run through video on it. If I missed the video my apologies.

[@LooknFishy]

You haven't missed it. Still haven't decided if I want to pull clips and talk over or do a walk thru while actually fishing. But I still have it on my list of vids to create!

[@1Lukemusic]

Yes . This would be good . My mending is terrible 😢

[@robertmajor4904]

You’re a great teacher!

[@LooknFishy]

I appreciate that!

[@caseycravens7062]

Another good video, Drew. And your advice is helpful and succinct for beginners.

[@LooknFishy]

Thank u, glad they are helpful!

[@heppisaxm8316]

Splendid fishing may friend!

[@LooknFishy]

Thx dude!

[@scottcollette2755]

I would have quit at the spider! Good video.

[@LooknFishy]

Haha...dude looked for serious!

[@13jonnyray]

Great video and info! Thanks for doing this!

[@LooknFishy]

Happy to share!

[@chrisfushimi8724]

I love this video Drew!! Thank you for the instruction! Keep it up man!

[@5thman677]

Great educational video......where do you place the shot? Thanks.

[@FlyFishDan]

Good tips Drew on what to look for when fly fishing these smaller creeks. Crazy good day too! When is the next month's long adventure on it's way?

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you man! Very soon...but honestly, scared to say b/c last time I did...I had a couple noise my nissan was making checked out and got 5k in estimated repairs needed to not die in it lol. Short story, I ordered a new leer for my new truck and it arrived last week!

[@Jay-cv1ih]

Hey drew loving your videos. I have a question as myself a youngster I am just wondering what you do for a living? Thanks

[@LooknFishy]

Got a video on here talking about it...something about...I resigned from the FBI. It goes into the decisions my family made in 2007 that let me do what I do!

[@jimgollach6202]

Well said drew about how to work a run by length and location of the run. You mentioned at times using shot, I don't like using shot but I do at times. I get hung up a good bit. Do you run across the same problem when you add shot? Enjoyed the video. 👍

[@LooknFishy]

Thank you! I do snag some but not much...definitely not enough to not use it.

[@andrewdg90]

Great video! How do you usually decide whether your going to pick apart a run vs skimming the cream and covering more water? Also, it's worth it to get the cheap polarized slip on lens for the gopro. I usually have one on the one that's on my head and reserve a second gopro without one the under water shots.

[@gregoryhaberland7295]

Just wondering watch a lot of your videos. Was inquiring what your top fly is when you fish a dry fly with a dropper under it. Know you use a lot of perdignon as your dropper. Appreciate the info.

[@LooknFishy]

My Top Shelf hopper, talk about it in the video, The only flies you need on a summer road trip out west...linked in the description or on my channel!

[@gregoryhaberland7295]

@@LooknFishy thanks for info. Watch your videos while on my treadmill. Getting ready for fishing season here in Pa. take the yearly aug-sept trip to Montana hope the water level up a little more this year. Renting a car in Montana for Aug in 2022 was crazy they wanted $2400 for a suv. Decided to go in Sept was $500. Getting expensive when your car cost more than your cabin. Keep up the good work . Really enjoy the videos keep them coming. Where to this year.

[@justindyer8654]

I always go through the process of elimination when fishing a run that I know holds fish. I think a lot of fly fishing is trial and error until you start catching. Same applies for even stocked rivers.

[@g.w.moorman3887]

If you are tying your own flies, you might consider tying the same pattern, same hook size but use 3 different bead sizes... small, medium, and large. That way you have 3 different weights without needing shot on the line. Just have to set up your fly box to keep things organized.

[@LooknFishy]

I do keep several different bead sizes and use different colors (gold 7/64, copper 3/8, etc) but honestly for me, shot is quicker and easier b/c I don't need to tie on a new fly as the situation changes. Typically I pull a few removable Dinsmore or other lead free weights and keep them in my mouth...adding and subtracting all day w/o ever changing flies. Also, having one size fly to retie on trips makes carrying less materials, beads and hooks way simpler! Really at this point, most of my fly boxes are the open 6 compartment, magnetic type and my flies are all just piled in lol!

[@mattanacker]

Tungsten bodies

[@danm66]

Once you adjust and start catching fish, do you think there's any value in going deeper? I'm just thinking that the bigger fish might be in the lower spots. Assuming that you're not snagging, of course.

[@LooknFishy]

I definitely do...when a spot looks like it should hold good fish...I will add on until I'm at the point I can't fish my dry dropper effectively. There becomes a point a dry just won't hold the weight. Usually on first visits to a stream I fish quickly so I can see as much of the stream as possible. Then on return trips I come knowing where to spend my time and fish more thoroughly with a nymph rig so I can constantly adjust depth and work every possible hold! Dry/dropper rig for me is a shoot and move technique. Nymphing is the opposite.

[@nihat_fishing]

Good luck! Random!!

[@christopherbrooks8561]

Great tips!

[@erniewhite9595]

Do you have a preferred color of strike indicator? Just curious?

[@rigginuts]

Ok, I'm new to all this stream fishing and I still can not tell where you put your shot. Is it between the hopper and dropper or below the dropper on a separate piece of line ? Thanks for all great tips.

[@LooknFishy]

I place it above the tippet knot, so about 8 inches above the first fly or the same above my dropper on a hopper dropper rig.

[@rigginuts]

@@LooknFishy thanks

[@EcouragingGodStories]

Very informative. Thanks!

[@briljantje9583]

Drew, I would have done exactly the same. Immediately. #gettingdeeper.

[@LooknFishy]

Always get deeper!

[@marksilverman3693]

If not catching fish how do you know its not the fly that isn’t working? When do you change flies? If adding weight, will your dry sink more quickly. How often must you dry it with desiccant?

[@LooknFishy]

Got 2 other vids covering that and a sight fishing trophy trout all in my tips playlist.

[@StrateOutdoors]

Good stuff!

[@nialllittle3820]

Drew, is there a point when you shouldn’t add any more length of line between hopper & dropper ? I guess is it bad to add too much line and if so what’s too much line ? I’m restively new so looking for best practices. Thanks kindly

[@LooknFishy]

Great question. I actually talked about that near the 7 min mark in this video 2 summers back...kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2HYiWx6rrCShZI...Yes, there definitely is a limit to how deep I'll add on to my dropper. After 5ft, I start to question if nymphing with an indicator would be a better technique...b/c if a fish won't come up to take a nymph at 5ft, it's probably not likely to come to the surface either...not to mention the amount of weight needed and the constant changing of dropper length at every hole. So for me, there's a point I'd rather have an adjustable indicator and have the ability to change depth and fish 2 nymphs anywhere in the water column and be more effective spending less time adding or subtracting dropper length.

[@nialllittle3820]

Thank you, good insight. I watch all your videos religiously when you head out to WY & MT. As a side note I would for a beer and bourbon company. I’d like to send you some lunchtime beers if that’s ok ?

[@LooknFishy]

So you want to send me lunch beers...how do we make that happen. What's the company?

[@carlbrown8830]

Forgive me if I missed it on your earlier videos, but are you using dt or wf line? I normally use dt in small streams because i'm cheap and I can reverse it when it gets worn.

[@LooknFishy]

I use a wf. I might be wrong, but I like textured lines and not sure of any dt that are also textured.

[@carlbrown8830]

@@LooknFishy Thanks, I might have to try one!

[@russellogden8071]

What are your favorite "go too" flys too fish

[@LooknFishy]

Got a video linked in the description, the only flies you need out west...those are my absolute favorites and responsible for 90% of what I put on video this summer!

[@russellogden8071]

@@LooknFishy tied some up last nite,sure they'll work as well back here on the east coast

[@jimkelehan1366]

Should you use weight in faster waters?

[@LooknFishy]

I do for sure. Generally speaking, the faster the flow...the deeper I get and add weight to get my flies down.

[@jimkelehan1366]

@@LooknFishy thank you.

[@stevengrant6466]

My hero

[@russellogden8071]

What is your limit in feet you'll go below your dropper ?

[@LooknFishy]

5ft ish...I answered in more detail in another comment below If you have time.

[@hgflies]

What if you find yourself in a situation where you are fishing a fast run that goes from 2 inches deep to sloping drop off that goes to 30+ ft? I don’t have enough time to let the fly get down because if I place it higher in the run it gets snagged almost every time. It’s almost impossible to fish without shot tho because of the severe drop. Any tips on how to fish this spot more effectively? I can find a fish or 2 but nothing consistent in this spot

[@danm66]

I think the only way to get that deep, that fast is to use a different type of rig. I was fishing a class 3 rapids area last fall and was able to pull a couple out by using a euro setup with a really heavy anchor fly. Water was too fast to fish in the current, so I had to concentrate on eddys. Some people were using spin rigs with success, but my friend with an indicator rig got skunked. You could try a really long dropper in an eddy, but you'll need to make sure that you can highstick to keep the current from pulling you out. Just cast your flies straight down into the middle of the eddy and let it churn in the swirl.

[@LooknFishy]

Super hard to nymph that effectively...might pull a few but in pools that deep...I go to a streamer. One of the reasons I use the streamer tip I shared a few vids back.

[@hgflies]

@@LooknFishy thanks drew!

[@hgflies]

@@danm66 I’ll give that a try, I am also bringing my sinking line next time!

[@bobdonaldson445]

Fish in a barrel. Key point made is depth. As you note, that doesn’t always mean shot. Shot is when you need depth FAST

[@safoxmulder]

Arrows helped

[@broste2121]

Ive thought from your very first video that the only improvement these videos could use would be showing your less than experienced members what your fly set up looks like. You'd be surprised how many newbies are watching you.

[@clivemassey3600]

never cast with your index finger on top of your cork. The correct way to hold your rod is the same grip you would use when using a hammer , Thumb on top!! Always!! you will find you will have signifgantly more control over your cast.. just try ing to help

[@3runjosh]

50 fish in 70 minutes haha. I am on 4 fish in 1 year (about 10 fishing trips in a row with nothing at the moment). I wish I lived in an area where the fish were not trained only to take bait

[@sungcha3563]

Excellent tips. Thank you.