SWFF question

Outside the back of my house, there is a large narrow bay, about 3
miles long from headwater to mouth. Its tidal, and at low tide a long
gravel spit is exposed that runs diagonally out towards the center of
the channel. It is above waterline, or submerged shallow enough to
allow me to walk out to the far end and have 270degrees of casting for
several hours at slack low tide.

In fact, you can clearly see the spit and the barrier reef on
Google.earth!! Put the pointer on these coordinates:
22deg 14' 25.57" E
114deg 13' 28.70E

The deepest part of the bay is on the far side of the bay from the
spit, and I see local fisherman casting nets there regularly. I also
see fairly good sized fish (20-30 inches) leaping clear of the water,
obviously attacking baitballs of some small feeder fish that also leap
clear in schools. I can't come even close to casting over where those
fish rise, but there is another channel closer to the spit, right off
the tip of it. Unfortunately, the structure of the floor of the bay
makes for a unique challenge.

There is a fairly deep water off the point of the spit, sort of a
'moat', and it fishable water, but only for 10-15 feet, and then theres
a shallow barrier ridge right in the way of casting towards the deeper,
fishy water. The water over this barrier ridge is only a few feet deep,
but the moat prevents me from wading out to cast from it.

I can cast to the deep water, over the ridge, but I have to let my fly
sink to properly fish the deep water. But on the retrieve, I keep
snagging the ridge and losing my fly and tippet. I've tried letting it
sink, then doing a fast retrieve to get it over the ridge, then letting
it sink again in the closer channel, but every 10th cast or so, I
misjudge and it snags again.

I'm using a medium rate sink-tip, but have considered changing to a
floating line with a sinking leader, or even a floating line with a
weighted fly. But I remember not having any luck with that setup at the
Baltic clave, as the fly doesn't really get below the surface enough.

Any suggestions on how to fish over this barrier ridge?

--riverman

"riverman" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
oups.com...
SNIP
Any suggestions on how to fish over this barrier ridge?

--riverman


Try a floating fly, like a booby, gurgler, muddler, etc, on a sinking line,
and a short tippet. Make sure your flyline/leader joints are smooth.

For more distance, a sbirulino would be ideal here.

TL
MC

Oops, typo. The coordinates should read:
22deg 14' 25.57" NORTH
114deg 13' 28.70" East

"riverman" wrote:
... snip ...
Any suggestions on how to fish over this barrier ridge?

--riverman


I think presuming the floating line and lightly weighted or even floating fly
won't work is a bad plan. Try it, try a Miyawaki Beach Popper
home.att.net/~ieffc/FlyLeaf04Oct.pdf
has a drawing and tying instructions. It's a great pattern, the main problem
is that fish hit at it, so you have to not set the hook, but wait until you
feel them pulling before you set the hook. I had a silver in Alaska rub his
cheek on the fly, back off a bit, then come up and inhale it. Maddening to
wait, but so much better than no strikes.

Chas
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