I do use split shot and usually look at the water and see where the depth of
the water is. Then I choose to put the weight so that it will put the fly
about 1-2 inches off the bottom of the river (realizing, that in furious
fast water, it will take more weight to do this).
As to weighting flies..except for Czech nymphs, most of my flies are not
weighted..the reason being, and this is my own idea, I think that the heavy
weight makes the fly behave in a manner that is not typical of flies..dulls
the action so to speak. However, when tying weighted flies demanded by
others, I do the bathtub test.. Generally speaking, I use dental lead for
all my weighting and wrap on in a smooth pattern all over the fly and mush
it together with the side of my tying scissors to make it smooth before
dubbing the body over it. If the fly is to have a jig action, then the lead
will be at the front behind the eye or just before the hook bend (either
makes an erratic pattern). If you want the fly to lean to the side, you can
put the weight on only one side of the fly.
Finally, if you want a wiggle action, you can take a piece of plain old
IV tubing and shove it over the fly behind the eye and cut it so it makes
rather a lip, like the bait fish lures, and trim it so that it scoops water
and wiggles. This works with woolly buggers, streamers and even the
occasional hare's ears flies. I'm sure those with much more experience
than mine will have more to say to help. I know that in one of the books I
have, which are many, there is a good deal of information about weighting
flies..also I believe I read a lot on the web, about weighting flies. Joyce
