what is a riffle hitch and how do you tie it ? any web site devoted to fishing knots ? ----- Original Message ----- From: "jack cook" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 8:17 PM Subject: RE: Keeping the skating flies on the surface
I confess I am a recovering(or not) dry fly addict where Steelhead are concerned. I am a big fan of the riffle hitch. Whether I am using a big Pinky or Geek or a slim and buggy Lemire's or McMillan's all of them get a double hitch. I put the hitch so it comes off the bottom of the fly so there is not left or right side to worry about. I re tie it after every fish. I put it behind the head on Muddlers or Caddis bugs and behind the ring on Wakers and Bombers. The farther back you put it the more turbulence you create. If you go tooooo far the thing fails miserably. The Riffle Hitch has worked very well for me over the years. If you use an intermediate tip and a hitched fly you will get even more commotion as the fly is pulled down a bit against the hitch, too much sink and it will go down. I use a sink tip in saltwater when I use a popper for that very reason but in the salt the pauses allow the pooper to come back to the surface. With a waking fly there should be little opportunity for slack in the swing. My 10 cents and exactly what I tell my students and clients. Have fun with it! -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of T. Lang Sent: Friday, September 26, 2003 8:00 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Keeping the skating flies on the surface What's the trick? I had on a big steelhead muddler (well, not too big), lubed it up, floating line, but there was enough drag on my leader to pull the fly under. Granted, it wasn't very far under, but it wasn't leaving a wake. Am I missing something in my mending efforts? And incidentally, the time before when I used that fly I had on an intermediate tip and every fourth cast or so the fly would skate nicely. Not so with the floating line. So: Grease the leader? Shorten the leader? (I was using about 12' or so, flouro tippet) Or (aha!) learn to tie a riffle-hitch? I appeal to the Experince and Wisdom of the Board. Thanks, Tom _________________________________________________________________ High-speed Internet access as low as $29.95/month (depending on the local service providers in your area). Click here. https://broadband.msn.com
