The second article released in my series for TenkaraUSA, I covered some surface presentations that work well when the fishing with dry flies is hot!
"A gentle cast to avoid spooking fish, followed by a short drift in a seam or foam line may be just enough to get a bite."
With this blog post, I wanted to briefly touch on some of the ways to entice a strike. Starting with a dead drift is often the best way to go, but dead drifting your fly just below the surface can bring a bit more success than if you were to drift it on the surface.
"If this is the case, tapping the rod is the next trick I go to. The tapping will put a little wriggle in the line, translating to a fly that vibrates on the surface. I like to do three or four taps, with a brief pause, and then repeat in consistent intervals."
Spicing up your dead drift with some Pon Pon is another way to entice a strike. The vibration on the surface can be irresistible to trout holding in the currents.
"As the days get hotter and the season moves closer to summer, the fish may be starting to hold lower in the pools, you might need a little extra oomph in your presentation."
Lastly, Sutebari can be effective when the trout need a bit more action from the fly to grab their attention. This is one I like to use when they may be holding deeper in a pool.
As we move into the heart of springtime, these presentations will become commonplace in my own practice, and I encourage anyone reading to try them out as well!
The full article of Dry Fly Fishing Season is available on the TenkaraUSA website.