977 | The Small-Fly Playbook: 14 Tips from Ed Engle

Show Notes: http://wetflyswing.com/977

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In this episode, we’re digging back into a conversation with Ed Engle, one of the longtime voices in fishing and tying small flies.

Ed has spent decades fishing technical trout water, and his approach is less about making things complicated and more about getting the fundamentals right.

We’re pulling out 14 of Ed’s best tips for fishing small flies, including why size comes before color, how close you should get to feeding trout, and why a longer leader isn’t always the answer.

You’ll also hear how Ed reads a trout’s position in the water before making a cast, why he wants an unweighted nymph somewhere in his rig, and how he uses movement when fishing small BWO nymphs.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why you shouldn’t fish a smaller fly than the trout require
• Why simple patterns can be so effective in tiny sizes
• Why Ed often sticks with a 9- to 10-foot leader instead of going extra long
• How to adjust your hook set when presenting a dry fly downstream
• How Ed swings small wet flies to rising trout
• Why BWO nymphs don’t always need to be dead-drifted
• How a weighted fly can help an unweighted nymph move naturally
• What a trout’s vertical position tells you about whether it’s actively feeding
• Why actually seeing your tiny dry fly matters
• How to make your fly the first thing a trout sees
• Why slack-line casts become so important on technical water
• How the way a trout rises to your fly can tell you whether your presentation is right
• Why Ed wants to get as close to a trout as possible without changing its behavior
• Why matching the size of the natural is Ed’s #1 priority

Ed’s approach comes back to simplicity. When you find the natural insect, start by figuring out its size. Get that right first. If your fly also comes close in color and silhouette, even better but size is where Ed starts.

We’ll also hear why Ed believes small-fly fishing is ultimately about having as little as possible between you and the fish.

If you fish midges, BWOs, tricos, technical tailwaters, or selective rising trout, this episode gives you 14 ideas you can take straight to the water.