Howdy,
I'm new to fly fishing and am having some trouble. I have a Temple Fork Outfitters signature series(Lefty something can't make out the last name) 7w 9ft 2 piece rod IM6 graphite (if that makes a difference) I'm using Scientific Anglers 7w level floating, the problem with this is it doesn't float. I cleaned it with Loon line speed cleaner, used stream line lube, tried again and it still sinks tip first. Last night I applied S.A. line dressing and haven't had a chance to try it yet. Also, I fish mostly for bass and bluegill. On my first trip out, my leader kept getting so twisted it weakened and had to be replaced after about every two hours. Is this normal? The flies were small poppers with feather tails and rubber legs. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong, I make a few false casts to get the line out to where I want then put it there. Could the fly be spinning when false casting and casting?
Any help is greatly appreciated,
Rick
Oh yeah, I did catch 11 nice pumpkin seeds on my first time out, so it wasn't a disappointment!!!

Hi Rick,
is it a new line? floating lines do degrade and crack up and start sinking a bit when they get old, also water can soak into the front end if its just been cut and not sealed, making the tip sink. Sounds like a problem line anyway, that shouldn't happen, I'd replace it. No need to spend a fortune, just a mid price floater for that sort of fishing as delicate presentation not that critical. That rod is a TFO Lefty Kreh by the way - I have one as well, same model I think, I bought it in the US as it happens, while visiting friends near Boston. I also used it over there for fishing small poppers for bluegill and bass, good fun

You shouldn't need to replace your leader like that either. If you use fairly strong mono just undo any twists every so often if the fly is causing them. You only need to replace it if its getting damaged or knotted. I didn't experience any real line twist when fishing poppers though so not sure why that should be Try a few different patterns and see if that makes a difference? or you could try a tapered leader (thicker butt section).

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Rick, you got it in the first try. Poppers are relatively wind resistant and they are especially prone to twisting both while being cast and also if you fish them in a river, the current tends to spin them as well. You're not doing anything wrong, that's just the way it is.

One solution is to put a small swivel (and by "small", I mean the smallest you can find) somewhere along your leader. About 12 inches from the tip of the fly line is usually about right. The key is you want the swivel up at the heavy end of the tapered leader so the swivel doesn't sink your leader.

The problem with this solution is that if you're fishing in or near weed beds, the swivel can collect weeds. You have to adjust as the conditions dictate.

Regarding your line, it sounds like something's wrong. Either you bought a line that got put in the wrong package, or the line is damaged or cracked.

One thing to look at is to pull the whole line off the spool and first, compare a section of line that's about in the middle with a point about 10 feet from the tip. If it really is a level line, they should be EXACTLY the same diameter. If they are different diameters, then you have somehow got a mislabeled WF (Weight Forward) taper and it's probably a sink tip at that.

If it really is a level line, try reversing it.

If you continue to have problems, you may need a new line. If you need to buy one, first I'd avoid level lines. For bluegill and bass, get a WF (weight forward) taper. A WF, as the name implies, is thicker at the head (the end that attaches to the leader) and is therefore easier to cast to some degree.

Don't go crazy as far as spending big bucks on a line. Cortland, Scientific Anglers, Bass Pro and others all make a special series of lines for new anglers. Their taper makes casting a little easier and the price is modest compared to the premium lines on the market.

Finally, there is nothing at all wrong with fishing bluegill on the fly. You might, in fact, say bluegill saved my flyfishing soul. Trout are, of course, the fish that I desperately wanted to catch when I started fly fishing. After all, that's what everyone in Field & Stream caught with a fly rod!

Well I didn't live within 100 miles of any water that contained trout. So I fished bluegills and smallmouth with my fly rod and for the next 15 years I only dreamed of catching trout.

But there is a lot to be learned from bluegills. Specifically, timing the strike. If you set the hook too quickly with poppers you will almost always pull it from the fish's mouth. You need, as you've probably already discovered, to let the fish take the fly and then turn.

Being patient after the strike is a skill that will serve you well later with trout and the dry fly.

Good luck and keep at it.

Grouse