tjm 0 Report post Posted April 28, 2019 Traditional lines were all semi floating or slowly sinking stuff. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted April 29, 2019 Thank you all for the replies. Our local trout streams run about knee deep in most places but every now and again you get to a hole in the 6' range. In my state were allowed no more than 2 flies. My typical set up is to tie the first fly on with a non slip loop leaving a long tag to blood knot 18" of tippet for the point fly. With wind and cold fingers it can be time consuming. So when fishing a pair of soft hackles adding weight seemed like a good option for the deeper holes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DrLogik 0 Report post Posted May 1, 2019 +1 for never adding weight to soft hackles. They are a sub-surface emerger in my eyes. If I need to go deep I tie on a weighted nymph. I don't like to add weight unless I have to. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishnPhil 0 Report post Posted May 3, 2019 1st, I just want to put it out there that soft hackles DO NOT catch fish, therefore no one should use them, they are for artistic purposes only. 2nd, have you tried using sink juice? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flyty1 0 Report post Posted May 5, 2019 Hey FishnPhil - are you out of your mind? Soft hackle flies most certaintly do catch fish...if you don't believe so, I have a bridge for sale you might be interested in! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DarrellP 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2019 Why not use split shot if you want to imitate a diving Caddis or drowned bug? Try it and prove them wrong. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FishnPhil 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2019 Why not use split shot if you want to imitate a diving Caddis or drowned bug? Try it and prove them wrong. I thought soft hackles were for emerging/hatching bugs. No? Suppose they could represent a cripple or failed emerger...hmmmm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2019 I have not tried sink juice and it may be the answer I'm looking for. The issue in shallow water is that after a few false cast the soft hackles dry and float rather than sink just below the surface- 1st, I just want to put it out there that soft hackles DO NOT catch fish, therefore no one should use them, they are for artistic purposes only. 2nd, have you tried using sink juice? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
xvigauge 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2019 Why not use split shot if you want to imitate a diving Caddis or drowned bug? Try it and prove them wrong. I use split shot all the time when fishing the GSMNP streams. You's got to get the fly down deep. How you do that is your choice. I know a guy who uses sinking lines in the Park streams. Many say that is wrong, but you can't argue with his success. BTW, soft hackles can also mimic nymphs, as well as many other things. Joe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjm 0 Report post Posted May 6, 2019 Xink works to some extent, but in current that turns a 1/16 oz jig into a surface lure, Xink won't be enough. As to drying out the fly, eliminate the back cast, or only allow yourself one back cast. I roll cast most of the time and only use a back cast when trying to dry a fly. False cast I use mostly to put the fish down. I thought soft hackles were for emerging/hatching bugs. No? Suppose they could represent a cripple or failed emerger...hmmmm They can represent any thing you and the fish decide they should. But- all emergers start out on the bottom. All. Other things I tell the fish to think soft hackles might be are diving caddis, swimming nymphs, small leeches, baby fish, gilled nymphs, grubs and tad poles. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j8000 0 Report post Posted May 7, 2019 One of the best flies last season was a soft hackle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Philly 0 Report post Posted May 7, 2019 I like soft hackles. Most of mine tend to be hard body. I coat the body with UV resin before adding the thorax and the hackle. If I add any additional weight it's usually a black bead in place of the peacock thorax. I use them a lot for pan fish in larger sizes. They work well either drifted or stripped for them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fishinguy 0 Report post Posted May 9, 2019 I have not tried sink juice and it may be the answer I'm looking for. The issue in shallow water is that after a few false cast the soft hackles dry and float rather than sink just below the surface- duct_images/623070011/Variations/500-0.jpg[/img] try tying them on a 2x or 3x heavy wire hook. Or fewer turns of hackle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted May 10, 2019 Here's a quick report from the stream. I fished a waist deep area of fairly slow moving water yesterday with a two fly set up. A black spider on the tip and a partridge and quill unweighted with Xink on the flies and the tippet, both size 14. I fished them upstream, dead drift and caught 5 fish. 3 on the Black Spider and 2 on the other. The interesting part to me anyway is all 5 of the takes occurred as soon as the fly submerged. Even with the Xink the flies float for a few seconds before slowly going under. I had no takes when the spider's eventually sunk to deeper water or while they briefly floated. Your results may vary- Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
