Can't See My Fly

[HFT]

Went to Black canyon this weekend, I'm in my 40's now and I could not see the fly 1 in 6 casts. Help?
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[d-mack]

This might sound hokey but I'd set up a tandem rig with a large pattern in front of the tiny stuff. That way if you see a rise near your big fly it's a good bet it was on the one you couldn't see. Set the hook!

Who knows, you might even get whacked on the attractor sometimes.
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[DKSRenegade]

I hope that it isn't hokey. I have had to do this for several years. It started when I would fish the Green and change from a nymph to a dry fly. I would leave the indicator on so that I could go back to nymphing when I was ready. The fish would hit my indicator every once in a while. If the fish will hit an indicator, it will look at or hit a larger fly that could be used for the indicator. That way I could locate my size 22 gnat or at least see the larger fly go under the water.
This is the only way that I can use a small dry fly these days. James, I'm even older then you!!!
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[HFT]

It was so frustrating! I need a micro beecon I can install in my fly. I guess I resort to big fly and dropper!
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[UtahDaveII]

HFT...

This is going to sound like a smart ass, but I'm really being serious here.

Don't put so much effort into seeing your fly. Learn to "sense" raises and strikes. While seeing your fly is an advantage it is not necessary to catching fish. As LS can attest I catch most of my fish long after people who are trying to see their fly have headed home. The key is to learn to anticipate where your fly is and you'll find that you start picking up fish when you least expect it from small subtle changes changes that you pick up on the water. At times you may find yourself simply setting the hoomk on an unatrual sound.
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[HFT]

I am really going to have to work on my ObiWonKanobee sense. These fish were not breaking the surface,simply sucking it through the film. Maybe I will have trade my 5 wt. for a long white rod with a red end.
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[UtahDave]

For emergers in the film. I go with a Parachute adams (I use a chartruese post made with a synthetic poly yarn for better visibility) and an emerger about 12 inches behind.
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[HFT]

I just had a friend tell me: all black. black post,hackle. Bummer thing is I had a few with me and I didn't think to try them. I am tying some in chartreuse,fl. orange and fl. red.
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[UtahDaveII]

Black is really good in low light. There is a fly called Mr. T that is tied by Blue ribbon that is used in low light. The problem I have with black is that it is almost impossible to see if the light changes to good light. That poly yarn that is a whitish chartrues is almost as good in low light and still very good in good light. Plus I don't think it is close enough to white that it does not scare fish away like the bright colors do.

Just my opnion though.
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[campfire]

One thing that I have done is to use the end of the fly line for a strike indicator. You can use it in just the same way. When your fly is picked up by a fish whether you can see the strike or not the fly and leader stops while the rest of the line continues to float in the current. This gives the appearence of the end of the fly line shooting back upstream like a little snake. Set the hook. I find this method works best if yoiu fish upstream to the fish.
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[katghoti]

Another option is to use the parasol flies. I tied up some really small zebra midges for the surface and used the parasol as a strike indicator. These work great.

Katghoti
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[cat_man]

Hey James, the real solution if you can't see your fly is to lose a little weight. That way, that beer belly won't be in the way anymore and you'll be able to see your fly. [cool][shocked][crazy][angelic][]
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[HFT]

LOL! [] dickydo!
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