Had a day yesterday at my usual fishery which has quality fish in a lake full of food (damsels/shrimp/etc). The fish can be notoriously difficult to catch and become preoccupied with whatever is hatching/available at the time. Yesterday was flat calm so I decided a long leader was the best approach (a long leader is 20 feet for me). The fish were feeding in the top foot or so. I usually fish using fluorocarbon but found that to fish slow enough the buzzer (skinny size 14) wasn't in the taking zone. A change to copolymer didn't improve interest. I tried an indicator but the fish seemed wary of it. Greasing all but the last three feet of leader also didn't work (as I suspected it might not, as they are suspicious of any line sitting on the surface). Only one fly is allowed in the rules so using another fly as an indicator or fishing New Zealand style is out of the question. Any ideas of how to fish long leaders, slowly, just under the surface (top 6inches) without spooking these wary fish? Any advice/ideas for methods appreciated.

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Location - Ospreylia

WO,

What about a long tapered leader, right down to silly diameters? Something along the lines of 0.12, 0.10 for the last 8ft or so?

Or even a lightweight setup, #4 or #5, this would help the 'cushioning' effect on the soft tippet so to speak. Also allowing you to go down to as light as 3lb along with some Powergum on your fly line to absorb the harder lunges and snatch takes by the fish.

Not my idea I must add, but something I have learned over the last season. And had great success with it on spooky fish



Keep A'Howld
GC

Thanks GeordieCarl, My set up was a middle to tip 9'#6 rod. The leader was made up of a 9' mono tapered leader down to 6lb. I then attached approx 11 foot of 6lb flouro. I understand what your saying and could try my 8'8" #4/5 rod and maybe step down to 4lb. Always wary however of going below 6lb BS in a fishery known for the fighting quality of it's fish and some big specimens in there (once got broke by a big fish after stepping down to 4lb and having seen it jump with the fly in it's mouth it was probably well over a dozen pounds). I also was fishing C&R so like to have a rod capable of beating any fish early rather than being towed round the lake.

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Location - Ospreylia

What about something like a suspender buzzer or a cdc shuttlecock. Will fish in, or just under, the surface. If the fish are that high in the water, and it is that critical not to get below them, surely such a pattern must be in their field of view and within their feeding range.

See, now theres an oppotunity to get a new rod.... you can blame me when the wife goes mad.....

I use a Streamflex 10' #5, and have used it on Rutland, Grafham and Stocks all known for hard fighters.

Even on Stocks, on dries, we go all the way down to 3.8lb leaders, and land fish upto 6lb on the setup. All with the help of Powergum and some input from my teammates, who taught me the technique further. (Cheers Haribo £ Nick H)

I can understand your 'erring on the side of caution' and wanting to play the fish as safely and as quickly as possible.

I would go for your usual rod, attatch around 12" of Powergum to the line, and step back a notch on your leaders, tapered going down to 4lb, and go from there.


GC

I started off with a shuttlecock from Morayflyfisher and did rise a fish but didn't connect at all with it. Not sure if I just struck too quickly and pulled it out of it's mouth. Later on I had a rise to a foam daddy but again struck and felt nothing. Could they have been trying to drown it and would have then come back for the take?

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Location - Ospreylia

Thanks again, Sounds like a good plan. Think I'll maybe give it a go next time. Does powergum come in different breaking strains or is it just one size? I presume it's fitted between the line braided loop and the leader. How is it attached?

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Location - Ospreylia