Egg patterns and dry flies

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    Posted: 07 Jun 2021 at 9:21am
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Hi all, 

I have a couple of fly fishing related questions I am hoping someone can help me with. 

1) I typically fish a dry dropper (e.g. a Royal Wulff with a Hare and Copper or Pheasant Tail dropper etc.) on local small Waikato streams. One thing I notice is that in fast turbulent runs my dry fly tends to sink just below the surface, like and emerger I suppose. when this happens it makes it hard to use as an indicator. I use floatant (e.g. Loon) and this works for a short time, but the fly will eventually start to dip below the surface. I think this is mostly due to the turbulence of the water and perhaps the tight water I fish making it hard to "dry" the fly with false casts. But I was wondering what do other people do in these situations?... I have been reading a little about CDC flies - better buoyancy I think, is this what people use? or perhaps dry flies with foam?    

2) Our local season here goes to the 30th of June, which means I can fish into the start of winter. The last couple of trips I have noticed that my success is dropping away (not that I am that good in the first place :)). However, I have seen YouTube videos and read about using egg patterns at this time of year. I assume people use egg patterns in the Waikato, are these just the orange fluffy flies used else where? Do people use other variations?   

Thanks for any suggestions you might have. 

Cheers!  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Legacy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 Jun 2021 at 9:48am
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My favourite egg patterns are the otters egg type .
Maybe use a larger more buoyant dry or switch to some form of indicator .
I’d use an indicator and a twin nymph rig with a heavier nymph on the point and an egg or smaller nymph on a dropper.
The trout start to look down rather than up in winter (I believe).
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2021 at 7:23am
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I fish similarly to SpringyC and have had some of my biggest rainbows on the submerged dry in turbulent water. Just watch the line as you would when nymphing.
Egg roe patterns work well late on in the season. I had a friend who was an excellent fisherman and he wanted me to film him playing/landing some fish. He'd tried to a bunch of brown trout with 'summer'flies to no avail and moved on. I tied a globug on and hooked one first cast. Also caught a big jack, brown trout on a globug 3 times in 30 minutes as he guarded his harem!
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fraser Hocks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2021 at 10:21am
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1) a couple of things you can do.  Firstly ensure that you coat your dry fly with a gel type floatant before fishing it.   A lot of people will fish the fly then add floatant afterwards, which simply wont work.  Secondly, try using a desiccant to dry the fly once its started to submerge. 

IF your fishing really rough water, which will often drag a dry fly under, maybe go to buoyant foam flies as the others have suggested.  

2)  I'm down in Queentown, so cant really speak with much authority for your area, but down here at this time of year I dump all my boxes with drys and typical nymphs in and swap to one that has a few very large heavy bomb nymphs and an array of eggs.  Need a range of sizes as well as a verity of weights, from unweighted to some with a bit to get them down.  I typically fish these with very large indicators as the fish aren't looking up at this time of year, so aren't easily spooked.    I typically use the loon foam toppers or thingamabobers as both float high and never need drying out to work.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SpringCreeky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2021 at 9:02pm
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Hi All, 

Thanks for the replies, really helpful. 

I have added some egg patterns to my fly box, and also some orange tungsten bead nymphs. I will give them a crack and see how they go.

Next time I am on the water I will probably also try a range of the suggestions above regarding my dry fly/indicator to see how they go. I also have an adjustable indicator that I use sometimes rather than the dry fly, its orange and white yarn with a small bit of tube holding it in place - its great. I have not used dry fly desiccant before so will check that out next time I visit my local shop.

Thanks again :). 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Legacy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jun 2021 at 9:07pm
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I use those yarn indicators with the tubing - i usually rub a bit of loon floatant through the yarn 👍🏻
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fraser Hocks Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2021 at 10:50am
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Yea sounds like you have the NZ indicator tool.  A great bit of kit that I use throughout summer, however at this time of year, fishing bigger tackle with heaver fly's, I swap over to bigger more buoyant indicators. 

Pays to have a bit of Loon softweight as well when fishing eggs SC.  you can fine tune how they sink, to get them to the right depth.  Splitshot works, but is fiddly and its hard to find micro small splitshot etc...

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote BigEarn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2021 at 3:01pm
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I'm still using the Indicator tool with heavier nymphs in Winter, but instead of the wool/yarn that it comes with, I use a strand or two of McFly foam that I previously drenched in Selley's Aquaseal and then left to dry. A little ziplock bag of pieces in different colors lasted me 5 or more seasons now. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Jofly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 Jun 2021 at 7:37pm
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I can second what Fraser says about gel based floatant before you fish the fly, makes a big difference and don't over apply it. I use the same floatant with yarn indicators.  Eventually though you need to change out your fly if it becomes soaked and swap it out for a new one while that one dries.  The other thing is to match your dry with a suitable nymph. A size 14 Royal Wulff will never float a 3mm tungsten bead.  Don't be shy to go big either. I had some good fish last month take my size 8 RW on a small Waikato stream.

Small size 10 or 12 foam cicada patterns can work really well on the Waikato streams in summer as well and are nice and buoyant.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SpringCreeky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Jun 2021 at 9:34am
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Hello, 

I snuck out for a fish yesterday afternoon.... before the wet weather this weekend. It will be interesting to see how much we get in the Waikato this weekend and whether it might mean the last two weeks of the local season are a wash out.

Anyway, time was short between finishing my jobs, getting to the river and it getting dark.... but I did manage a fish on a egg pattern, below a big fluffy (floating!) indicator... so thanks for the advice :). 

 
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