I have been asked a few times what are and how do you fish stalking bugs, it’s a very easy method and can be great fun so check out some of my own tips on how to stalk trout.
The fly itself is a simple fly designed to sink fast there’s a few ways the fly can achieve this, one is by added weight the fly tiers (me lol) will add a bit of lead onto the fly under the materials, two you use a tungsten bead this is a heavy metal and will sink the fly fast, and the last way my personal favourite is use epoxy resin this creates a hard shell on the fly and will make the fly sink at us the right speed for me.
What do I need to fish this method?
Well it could not be easier have a tippet approximately the same as your fly rod this is a personal preference I have and I do fish with a lot shorter leader with great success, use a floating line some perfare a clear intermediate but once more this is down to your own preference, have a good hat with a brim like a baseball cap this is to shield your eyes from the glare of the water and sunlight so you see the fish more easily and last but not least have a set of polarised glasses so you can see the trout even better and protects your eyes from rogue casts lol
How do I fish the stalking method?
Once more this is so easy but can be so effective and great fun as it’s a very close up and personal way of fishing as it’s so visual.
First is to pick a bug now this is trial and error as one day one fly works then the next it won’t do play around try different colours, flies with tails, flies that are just like buzzers in fact I have had good fun stalking using some of the worst looking flies in my box to change until you start getting a reaction from the fish.
Walk along the bank looking for trout that are cruising around the margins these are the trout more likely to take than the trout you see just sitting still.
Keep low so the trout don’t see you and cast in front of the trout or use the catapult method and try and intercept it, the retrieve can be anything from a fast/slow figure of eight to a tweaking retrieve vary it until you see what is getting interest.
How do I Hook the trout?
As this is such a visual method when you do get a take don’t strike hard as you will more likely pull the fly out of the trout mouth or even worse snap your tippet so just tighten into the fish as if you were dry fly fishing.
And most importantly don’t lift too soon as you will get excited and more likely miss the trout so as like dry fly fishing give a a split second before lifting into the fish then hold on as for some reason one you hook them in shallower water they go crazy lol
Here at GCFflies we try our hardest to give you great flies that catch trout not the fishers eye and pocket so come on over and check out our ever increasing range of stalking bugs.
Once more I have tried my best to explain the method but as I have dyslexia I am not great at wright what i want to say so hope it makes sense and it helps your fishing.
Thanks
Davie
GCFflies