***THESE SLIDES ARE FROM MY “STILLWATER” KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS THAT I DO AT FLY FISHING CLUBS PRESENTATIONS, FLY FISHING SHOWS AND STILLWATER CLINICS. THEY ARE FOR YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ENJOYMENT BUT NOT TO BE USED IN ANY OTHER FLY FISHING PRESENTATIONS WITHOUT MY CONSENT!

HELLO ANGLERS,

ITS ALMOST CROWLEY TIME SO I THOUGHT SINCE WE WILL BE FISHING AT THE OPENER IN 20+ FEET OF WATER, I WOULD SHARE WITH YOU MY DEEP WATER INDICATOR SETUP!

WE HAVE MANY DIFFERENT INDICATORS TO CHOOSE FROM THESE DAYS. CHOOSING THE CORRECT ONE FOR DEEP WATER INDICATING WILL MAKE IT MUCH EASIER FOR YOU TO CATCH FISH AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, RELEASE YOUR FISH THE CORRECT WAY FOR OTHERS TO ENJOY IN THE FUTURE.

THIS IS MY DEEP WATER SETUP FOR CHIRONOMID FISHING.   YOU MUST HAVE A SLIDING INDICATOR TO SHORTEN YOUR LEADER AND MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO GET TO YOUR FISH AND RELEASE THEM.

THE ILLUSTRATION ABOVE SHOWS THE LEADER IN YELLOW AND THE ARROWS SHOWING YOU HOW TO MOVE YOUR INDICATOR UP AND DOWN SO YOU CAN SHORTEN TO RELEASE FISH, THEN LENGTHEN YOUR INDICATOR BACK UP SO YOU CAN RECAST AND BE AT THE PROPER DEPTH AGAIN WITH YOUR CHIRONOMID.

THE KEY TO USING MY SYSTEM IS YOU HAVE TO USE THE SAME DIAMETER LEADER MATERIAL FOR THIS TO PROPERLY WORK, TIME AFTER TIME.

THERE IS A HOLE IN MY INDICATOR SO I CAN PUT ANY DIAMETER LEADER MATERIAL I WANT, AS LONG AS THE LEADER STAYS THE SAME DIAMETER UP AND DOWN THE LEADER SYSTEM.

THE SCREW IS TIGHTENED JUST ENOUGH SO THAT THE LEADER WILL HAVE TENSION, SO YOU CAN CAST YOUR LEADER AND NOT HAVE THE INDICATOR MOVE.

WHEN YOU HOOK A FISH, YOU REEL THE INDICATOR ALL THE WAY TO THE TIP OF THE ROD.

THEN GENTLY REEL OR USE YOUR HANDS TO STRIP THE LINE THRU THE HOLE AND SHORTEN YOUR LEADER. ONCE YOU RELEASE THE FISH MOVE THE INDICATOR BACK TO WHERE YOU HAD IT BEFORE AND RECAST. ONCE YOU ARE FISHING A CERTAIN DEPTH, YOU CAN CUT OFF THE EXCESS LEADER AND JUST LEAVE ABOUT A FOOT OF LEADER BETWEEN WHERE THE FLY LINE ATTACHES TO THE LEADER. THIS WAY YOU CAN EASLY MOVE THE INDICATOR BACK TO THE CORRECT DEPTH EVERY TIME.

WITH DEEP WATER I LIKE TO USE HEAVY LEADER, AT LEAST 2X TO 1X LEADER TO THE TOP FLY AND THEN 3X TO THE BOTTOM FLY.

THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO SET UP THE UPPER FLY. YOU CAN USE THE EYE TO EYE METHOD AS SHOWN ABOVE.

THE BEND OF THE HOOK METHOD AS ABOVE

OR A TAG VERSION AS ABOVE. REMEMBER THE TAG VERSION IS THE WEAKEST LINK SO I DONT LIKE TO USE THE TAG WITH SMALLER DIAMETER LEADER MATERIAL BUT TO EACH ANGLER, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

THIS IS HOW I SET UP MY LEADER SYSTEMS FOR CROWLEY AND HOW I WILL BE FISHING THE FIRST MONTH OR SO IN DEEP WATER AT CROWLEY. THIS IS PRETTY MUCH GIVING AWAY THE FARM BUT IF YOU WANT FURTHER AND MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS, PLEASE BOOK A TRIP WITH ME AND I CAN SHOW YOU MANY MORE WAYS TO SKIN THE CAT!

GOOD LUCK ANGLERS AND STAY SAFE OUT ON THE WATER! HOPE TO SEE EVERYONE AT CROWLEY FOR THE OPENER!

I do love me some “Stillwater” fly fishing……Ernie