Adjustments are a necessary part of fly fishing, and making the correct adjustments usually result in catching more fish. With that being said, some of the best anglers are able to make adjustments with the drift or rig to achieve more depth with the same amount of weight. For example, if you need to get the flies just a little bit deeper, there are multiple ways that an angler can do this without actually increasing the amount of split-shot.

There are four major ways to achieve more depth, without actually changing the amount of weight you are fishing on your rig:

1. Cast farther upstream. Casting farther upstream from yourself allows the flies more time to get down by the time they reach the area you are fishing.
2. Adjust tippet. I know it sounds minimal, but you would be amazed how much of a difference there is in the sink rate of tippet between just one size. For example, 5x sinks faster than 4x because of the smaller diameter.
3. Add Length. Increasing the length between the indicator and flies is a quick and easy way to achieve more depth without any more weight.
4. Perform a “tuck cast”. A “tuck cast” is achieved when an angler elevates the rod tip back towards himself after completing the casting stroke, and before allowing the flies to land. This tucks the flies under the leader and rod tip which allows them to hit the water first and lead the line towards the bottom.

Sometimes making these slight adjustments with how you fish the rig is enough to change the results, or in other words, catch another fish. Before I actually change the amount of weight, I usually try one or all of these methods depending on the situation. Give these a try the next time you need a little more depth while fishing a rig, it might catch you an extra fish or two.

The warm weather trend we’ve had this fall has been really great for spending the day outside and on the water. If you need to take advantage of time on the water before winter gets here, give us a call to get a trip on the books!