By Kirk Deeter

Because so many people have aced my last couple Fly Talk quiz questions, I thought I should reach deep into my bag of tricks and try to stump you. Well, I did. That's not to say that some of your answers weren't perfectly reasonable strategies that probably would have worked. But nobody got exactly what I was thinking.

So let's quickly review www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/fishing/2010/02/pop-quiz-how-catch- spooky-sipper)" target="_blank">the "Spooky Sipper" challenge. You're fishing clear, slow water.  You have three target fish in a line, spaced apart. You see them. They aren't  sucking down dries, they're sipping emergers. This isn't a mayfly hatch. You punt the first fish because you spook it with an indicator splashing.  You punt the second fish, because you threw a Chernobyl Ant in March, and even a trout's brain is large enough to comprehend that there are no grasshoppers in March.

To catch the third fish, you should do this...

... "gink and sink" a midge emerger.  I'd go with a Black Beauty (maybe a Zebra Midge).  

You use that dry fly floatant from your vest (or chest pack) to grease your tippet (so it floats) to about 12 inches above your fly.  On that last 12 inches of tippet, you coat the tippet with sinking goo to drag the fly down.  The transition point where the gink meets 
the sink will cause a pronounced dimple where your tippet bends  through the water surface.  You watch that dimple.  (That's now your indicator.)  When the dimple breaks form, you set the hook, because you got bit.

John Flick of Duranglers (www.duranglers.com) showed me this many years ago, not far from the Texas Hole on the San Juan River in New Mexico.  It's a technique some call "smutting" and its origin dates back to the chalk streams of England.  Do it right, and your angle of approach doesn't have to change (you still fish downstream-up, at the 
fish), nor does your leader length matter (you still want about the standard 9 feet).

Tippet size should be 5X or smaller, but that's not the make-or-break factor either.  It's all about the drift, and making a little emerger fly ride through the strike zone, just below 
the surface... alone and natural.

Because I am now feeling smug for having stumped you... and because I  have a big heart... I will award not one, but three copies of the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing (in about two months, when it's out) to the following commenters: 

Outsider, because I am from Pennsylvania, and I miss my Yuengling (I'm a Black & Tan man)... 

fflutterfly, because you said "love ya" despite seeing through my shameless self-promotion efforts...

and sduprey, because you didn't 
criticize my casting, got the midge hint, landed on the "smaller is better" strategy, and you shunned the indicator.

Hit me at editor@anglingtrade.com with your respective addresses, and I will get you each a copy of the book as soon as I can.  If you want it signed (devalued), let me know.

Deeter

Comments (5)

from WVOtter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

I second awarding Outsider...the yeungling made the difference. Now had you suggested Straub...I'd have given 20 stars!

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from Outsider wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Well ain't that something! Thanks for choosing me...Black and Tans are to die for!!! Happy fishing fellers.

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from buckhunter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Congrats guys.

I hope this doesn't sound like sour grapes but just for the record I didn't mention the gink trick because I do not like using it on the slow clear waters. Ginking your line results is your fly floating down a chum line of gink film. You are only gonna get a couple few cast at each fish so going natural is best or just blow and throw. JMHO.

The real issue here is that there is no Yeungling in Ohio. It's like living in a 3rd world country.

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from kirkdeeter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Well... now... you opened your own can of worms on that one, buckhunter. As if you think I'm going to counter the notion that living in Ohio is like being in a third-world country...

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from MLH wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Silly me ... missed the obvious March reference. Darn reading glasses. Pretty much midges that would be emerging in March. Congrats to the guys that got on Kirk's generous side. I laughed at the Yuengling reference.

I have used Gink on a leader and tippet but never considered both Gink and Xink. Built in indicator - great tip. Will try it soon.

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from kirkdeeter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Well... now... you opened your own can of worms on that one, buckhunter. As if you think I'm going to counter the notion that living in Ohio is like being in a third-world country...

+4 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from WVOtter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

I second awarding Outsider...the yeungling made the difference. Now had you suggested Straub...I'd have given 20 stars!

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Outsider wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Well ain't that something! Thanks for choosing me...Black and Tans are to die for!!! Happy fishing fellers.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from buckhunter wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Congrats guys.

I hope this doesn't sound like sour grapes but just for the record I didn't mention the gink trick because I do not like using it on the slow clear waters. Ginking your line results is your fly floating down a chum line of gink film. You are only gonna get a couple few cast at each fish so going natural is best or just blow and throw. JMHO.

The real issue here is that there is no Yeungling in Ohio. It's like living in a 3rd world country.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from MLH wrote 2 years 12 weeks ago

Silly me ... missed the obvious March reference. Darn reading glasses. Pretty much midges that would be emerging in March. Congrats to the guys that got on Kirk's generous side. I laughed at the Yuengling reference.

I have used Gink on a leader and tippet but never considered both Gink and Xink. Built in indicator - great tip. Will try it soon.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

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All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.