hitching flies?

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Andre</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/15/2000 4:58 PM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV>As I understand the original intention of riffle hitching was because the questionable integrity of gut loops. The benefit that hitching provided is the "action" imparted to the fly on the surface, which some believe increases its effectiveness. I've had good luck in the summer hitching. Has anyone experimented by hitching a subsurface fly fished on a sink tip? I'm curious if this will swim, or if the leader would twist.</DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Sinktip</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/15/2000 5:02 PM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV>Interesting</DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Sinktip</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/15/2000 5:19 PM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV>Oops, not sure how it did that.

Interesting question Andre. I have also heard the story of the history of the riffle hitch and I am a big fan of this method for summer fish.

I am not sure though that it would work well for winter fish using sinktips for subsurface presentations. On the plus side, it undoubtedly would still impart action to the fly and this could be desireable. The negative would be that the "riffling action" only happens when the fly is under tension. In winter fishing, it seems to me that the goal is to minimize tension on the fly. Not eliminate it as in a dead drift but to minimize it so as to keep the fly down deep. As tension increases, the fly starts to swim to the surface.

The more I think about it though, I think it might work well for pocket water and springtime fish. You would be able to keep the fly low and riffling through a short drift and the warmer temps would make the fish more likely to rise in the column to hit that wiggling intruder.

Let us know if you experiment with it.</DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Brian</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/15/2000 6:00 PM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV><P>I like it!!&nbsp; I''m wondering already what subsurface flies this would work well with.&nbsp; I'm thinking maribou spiders a big No, but a stiffer bodied fly (like a GP) might really benefit from a little "action".</P><P>Will definitely experiment with this one and get back to y'all.</P><P>Brian </P></DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: kush</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/17/2000 12:10 AM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV>A couple of things re tension and action on subsurface presentations. Though I can see the possible need for a dead drift presentation in the cold of winter, for my sunk fly presentation I work hard to KEEP my fly under tension. I do not feel that my fly is "working" unless there is some slight tension to set all the marabou and such to wiggling. Trey Coombs in his book Steelhead Flyfishing does a great job explaining the concept - I re-read it often.

So obviously having said that I do think that increasing the action of my winter flies is a good idea. I have been experimenting not with riffle hitched flies but flies similar in construction to the various waking type surface flies (but with the angle down to keep the fly from planing). The early experiments look very promising - especially when coupled with long marabou and rabbit strips - with a horny looking wiggle indeed! As of yet I haven't had a steelhead give it a vote of confidence but I am hoping to find that this spring on the Skagit, Sauk or Sky. Tight lines (both before and after the strike) - tyler</DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Sinktip</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/17/2000 12:39 AM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV>I agree on the need to keep the fly under some tension. The trick is finding the right combination so that the tension is great enough to get the fly to work but not force it to the surface. I ran over to the Sky this morning for a hour or so before work and fooled around with Andre's idea. I want to play around with it some more but in the softer water (the Sky is pretty low now) it looks promising. I was fishing a 1/0 GP with a 4' leader and could distinctly feel the fly working. Heading back out this weekend so I hope to experiment a bit more.

Tyler, I like the idea of the subsurface waker. Seems if you could get the winging right, this type would dive when brought under pressure. Very interesting indeed.

Sinktip</DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>

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<TABLE border=1 cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=100%><TR><TD nowrap width=100% valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Originator: Dave Johnson</FONT></TD><TD nowrap valign=top><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=1>Date: 2/20/2000 2:20 AM</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE><TABLE border=0 cellpadding=10 cellspacing=0 width=100% bgcolor=#FFFFFF><TR><TD><FONT face=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica size=2><DIV><P>Some years ago I was impressed with how a skated dry fly could bring steelhead to the surface.&nbsp; I also wondered if you could design a wet fly that would have increased action when fished under tension.&nbsp; I tried using spun deer hair shaped to flare downward and then epoxied to maintain shape. I designed the fly to be an articulated fly with a long tail.&nbsp; The short of it was that it didn't work. It tended to twist the line and was an abominition to cast. A fly that might have resistence in the water also has it in the air. It's interesting to read about similar attempts.&nbsp; Perhaps you'll have some success.&nbsp; On the other hand, I could have chosen to fish a hot shot, but I'd rather fish the fly.</P><P>Dave Johnson</P></DIV></FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>