Did you know you can fish with flies using your usual spinning rod? Fly fishing using a spinning rod is practical and effective; however, you need to understand how it works. The good thing is that this does not need a lot of investment; therefore, it is economical.
Basically, fly fishing requires you to present a fly to fish. It is simple, but you want to make sure the fly appears as natural as possible to the fish you intend to catch. You can do this with a spinning rod together with a few essential pieces of tackle.
Below, you will learn more about fly fishing with a spinning rod. You will find different methods you can apply in different situations depending on the needs at hand.
Key Takeaways
- Fly fishing is simple, only requiring you to present a fly to fish in as natural a movement as possible.
- You can use a spinning rod by casting a fly, dead drifting, and rigging.
- Fly fishing with a spinning rod is applicable in both moving and still water bodies.
Casting A Fly Using A Spinning Rod
Usually, fishing flies require a fly rod and a fly line. Since small flies are used, they can be very light; therefore, casting them alone would be impossible. Fly line carries the weight, and using a fly rod; it brings the small fly along to catch.
This same concept can be achieved using a spinning rod. But with a bit of alteration. So how do you achieve this? The idea is to add some weight to the line instead of using a fly line. That weight can be a float or a sinker depending on the setup and presentation you have.
Using a spinning rod to cast shouldn’t be much of a challenge if you can figure out how to cast a light lure.
For example, if you use a maggot on a small hook, the weight may not help much. But, with a spinning rod and a heavier sinker or floater, you can cast the same line.
However, not all rods work with this concept. Some rods ate better than others as far as fly fishing goes. For example, light and long rods matched with a light line under 6 pounds are easier to cast flies. They are equally easier to manage once they hit the water.
But this does not mean you cannot use alternative rods. As long as you figure out how to match the rigging to the rod, you will be good to go.
Dead Drifting Using A Spinning Rod
Dead drift is an essential concept of fly fishing. When fishing in moving water, you want the fly to drift as naturally as possible to look like a dead fly in the water. If your fly moves too fast or drifts across the water current, then it looks unnatural and may not be fruitful.
Fish can tell the difference in how the flies drift; therefore, if the movement is not natural, they will ignore them. Sometimes, drift can be too unnatural, putting the fish off eating, which is not what you want.
To use a spinning rod for fly fishing using this method, you ought to master the art of dead drifting. The good thing is that it is pretty easy with a spinning rod.
Fly line has weight to drive flies through a cast. And because of this, the fly line is much bulkier than the line used for spin fishing. That means that once the fly line is in water, it can drag a lot, especially when you don’t adjust your casts [1].
With a spinning rod, you cut on the drag and still manage it through seamlessly. But, this needs specific casting techniques and tackle to ensure effectiveness. For example, a long rod can help you keep more line off the surface eliminating drag while managing your drift.
Same way, casting from a point where you stay in contact with your hook without pulling against the current helps with a dead drift.
The only thing you need to do is watch your line to ensure it travels at the same speed as the water. If it is too slow or too fast, you will need to make adjustments for a seamless flow.
Rigging For Fly Fishing Using a Spinning Rod
The best way to fish a fly near the bottom is by adding enough weight to your line. You can utilize a split shot or twist on lead by attaching enough weight to get the fly where you want it. But, be careful with the weight you choose, as too much will cause snagging at the bottom.
Using a float allows you to watch the drift closely and monitor the movement. That helps to adjust the depth of the fly between casts with minor adjustments of the float. With this, you can detect bites with a float too.
This kind of rigging is simple: you fix the float where you want it to be, attaching some weight on the line and tying on the fly.
Since dry flies float effortlessly on the water surface, fishing them with a spinning rod is easy, thanks to their lightweight nature. All you need to do is attach a casting bubble to the line above the fly. The bubble offers the weight for casting while floating along with the fly [2].
Spinning Fishing Flies in Still Water
The above methods work well if you are fishing in motion. What about fishing in still water? You can still use the concepts, but you have to ensure you cast your flies to rich and likely spots.
But, you may have to use an active retrieve to catch fish, especially if you are using a steamer or nymph in a pond or lake. Casting bubbles seem to work well for retrieving flies with the right weight.
The idea is to give it more weight by letting in a bit of water. That way, it will still float while bringing in your fly deep in the water column. If you choose a heavy casting bubble, you may need to get a heavier line, for example, a braided line [3].
The Bottom Line
From the descriptions above, it is possible to fish flies using a spinning rod. With the correct tackle, you can implement these concepts in a wide range of situations. And following the methods, you can successfully fish flies without the need for a fly tackle.
