Mar 26 2008
Spot Fishing: ‘Quarter-turn Sweeps’
Spot fishing is a good technique when you find yourself in a situation where there are a number of visible fish rising. The basic idea is to always be ready for a repositioning of the fly to the place of the most current activity, whether that is along the shore, or toward the mid current of the stream. This method requires that you rise above the mentality of having to catch one specific fish, and enables one to enjoy the art of casting, and catching fish that are diverse in size and sometimes even in type. The purpose of ‘spot fishing’ is to keep the fly away from the fish until the moment when they are already feeding. This keeps the fish from becoming familiar with the fly, and realizing it for an imitation. When spot fishing, presentation is everything; you need to be able to introduce the fly to the fish so fast, with such precision, that the fish, still in frenzy from its rise, immediately strikes your imitation without taking a second thought.
When presenting a fly using the spot fishing method, it is best to present your fly immediately above the focal point of the rings (the circular ripples left after a rise). Many people make the common mistake of aiming to land their fly exactly in the center of the rings. This is great for target practice, but our goal is to catch fish. The reason why you should land the fly upstream from where you see the rings form is due to the fact that the current shifts all things downstream, including the rings. When fish rise to a fly, they tend to make a very direct accent and descent, therefore, by the time it takes for you to respond to the rise, the fish is back where it started, but the rings have drifted downstream just slightly, leaving the fish on the upstream side of the rings.
The ‘quarter turn sweep’ is only possible in moving water, and is the most commonly used method of fly fishing. This technique involves very little work on the behalf of the fisherman, yet is very effective. You, as the fisherman, stand off toward one side of the stream or river, facing the opposite bank. Now, picturing yourself at the center of a clock, (12 o’clock being directly in front of you) you should present your fly just to the upstream side of 12 o’clock. Allow the fly to float at a float about 40-45 degrees. At this time, the fly should be almost directly downstream from you. If the fly has not sunk on its own, then force it to sink by sharply pulling your line. After the fly has become submerged, fish it as a wet fly by stripping in your line in short direct jerks until the fly is within casting distance again. Fish will most often hit as the fly makes its final turn and sinks, that is why it is so important that one does not immediately recast their fly when it sinks, but continues to fish it wet. When it comes time to recast the fly, it is best to, if possible, use a back cast. This will quickly dry the fly, allowing it to float easily when it lands again.
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