Introduction to Lake Fly Fishing
Techniques
By
Dale East
Often lake fish will gather in schools
and cruise around looking for food, but often it is the
small fish that rise to take surface insects
while the bigger ones feed in deeper water.
Where The Fish Are
Fish in lakes aren't much different than
fish in rivers. Their concerns are still protection from
predators and finding food. Lake fly fishing techniques
involved finding the areas where both these concerns are
met.
Remember that lake water is generally
deeper than rivers water, so bottom structures may not be
visible. Try fishing where a stream enters the lake.
Insects are often carried into the lake here and the fish
will be waiting for them.
Structure in lakes includes piers and boat
ramps, weeded areas and deadfalls. Fish are likely to be
hanging around man-made structures that have been sunken
into the waters. Lake fish like to hang around drop off
areas. Here they can munch on food that has fallen into
the water and dart back into the depths when spooked.
Warm water fish gather around natural springs and weeds
also.
Dry Flies and Lake Fishing
Lake fly fishing techniques usually
involved fishing deep. It takes energy for a fish to take
insects from the surface and there has to be a darned
good reason for a bigger fish to do so. A big hatch might
entice a large fish from the depths to feed, but you are
more likely to catch smaller fish when using dry flies on
lakes.
Wet Flies and Lake Fishing
If a fish expends more energy than he
receives in searching for food, he will not survive long.
Lake fishing techniques include knowing how an
aggressively feeding fish will behave. He will check out
the feeding zones, feed, then return to safe water to
rest until it is feeding time again. If you are looking
for large lake fish, you need to get your hook down where
they are holding.
The larger the fish, the more energy it
takes for him to feed, therefore the offering needs to be
worthwhile. A big juicy-looking streamer hanging right in
front of his nose will often tempt a fish.
The advantage of fishing wets over dries in
lakes is that you can vary the depth and the retrieve
until you find the combination that the fish cannot
resist. Keep a close eye on your line because often the
take is subtle. Using a strike indicator is helpful
here.
Often a sinking line or sink tip can give
you a big advantage when fly fishing a lake. You have a
much greater chance for success if you can get your fly
to the fish.
About the Author: Dale East is a long time
outdoorsman and fly fisher and publisher of
Fly Fishing Wyoming
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