Low Water Techniques

With any luck you won't see these condts in Oct--for now I just haven't been fishing---I'm 16mi away and can wait

ORIGINAL: waDerboy

Stand back and throw long loops so as not to spook them. Even under low flow they are moody and the size can vary from min to min and fish to fish but usually 4-10 is a good bet. I don't like the wau weighted flys fish (look dead in the water to me) so I rely on flys tied on standard heavy wire hooks but tied low water style. That is to say tying a size 6 fly on a size 4 hook.

Great advice!

Thank You Guys for the advice......I appreciate your help. 
Tight Lines always.......  Paul

"Stand back and throw long loops so as not to spook them."
 
Yup, you don't want to spook the fish that the guys across from you are chunking 2 ounces of lead at. Don't forget to SET THE HOOK they hit on every drift, you just don't feel it cause it's so light.

Sorry waDer,
 
HAD to make a smart arsed comment after what I witnessed sunday, and monday. We actually did do some walking, but only found a few unmolestered, and unwilling fish in one location. It was not shoulder to shoulder, but it only takes a couple of chunk & rippers to make actually fishing for them next to impossible. As for the water levels, we would LOVE to have that water here in Penna. A stronger flow would have actually made ripping, and lining easier for those who might be inclined to do so.
 
It was kinda funny hearing someone who hooked every fish in the flesh, tell others what they are "hitting" on. Then there was the, "the DCR is'nt allowed to F with us this year" guy. And the "they were eating for real yesterday" guy. It was entertaining, if nothing else.

Spoon for me it seems like this is the way it goes. Ya got your lifters-liners at every hole big enough to have a name. They are shoulder to shoulder and the fish are either hunkerd down trying to be invisable or (in the larger holes like the Black ) circling counterclockwise and refusing all offerings.
Next ya got your your pukes lining both sides of the shallows where the fish blow through. They most often stand there waiting with 2-3 feet of line hanging from the rod tip and a couple 2/o shot on the line for low water prestation. Every fish that screams by with its back out of the water is like watching a crowd do the wave at a football game or one of those old overhead shots of the June Taylor dancers of the Jackie Gleason show. As the fish rips through one after another trys to rope it with that 3 feet of line then goes back to his waiting stance looking for the next target.
Then there's the real show. The bozos that literally chase them up the riffle slipping and falling and ripping at them the whole way. Sometimes when the planets are lined up just right you get them out thee with no rods (they haven't got the ability to even snag them and they know it) with nets or just trying to herd them onto the rocks.
Haven't been up this year but does my picture bring back the image of what you saw?
The key is to find a place where it is deep enough for them to disappear but small enough not to hold more than a couple fish at any time. The hole lifters like to know they have lots of fish in front of them and the riffle idiots aren't smart enough to find them when they can't see them. New fish moving through keep pushing the first fish out so they are always being territorial and threfore aggressive. When you find a spot like this make sure to not call attention to it . Hook up and lightly play your fish away from it then start to fight it for real.

the guy that told us "the DEC isn't allowed to F with us this year, there shutting this town down"  was in the process of fighting a rear end hooked King when he made that comment.  He proceeded to tell spoonie to be careful with that plug he was casting you're not allowed.  I told him that his flatfish with single hook was perfectly legal.  He went on to drag the fish up, boot it on the bank and throw it on a rope.  
 
Nothing like being warned by a snagger, "hey dude, watch out, the DEC might fine you for fishing legally!!"
 
That place is so full of stupid people it makes me feel like a rocket scientist.

Spent the weekend up on the river doing some Seminars at the hatchery for National Hunting and fishing days. Fished Friday and Sunday...DSR...down low...actually found some quiet water...swung streamers on a floating line....with a shooting head (also floating...covered a lot of water...hooked some nice fish in the two days ...hit the cycle....Kings, Coho's a steelhead, and a a brown trout.
 
Lighly dressed flies...fish took some bright colors...but my best fly was a light tan, lightly dressed maribu spey in a size 4. No weight other then the weight of the hook. Lots of fish moving Friday.....not many moving yesterday...but where i found them resting I usually found a player or two.