I was reading where somebody asked about flyfishing dogs, I really only flyfish them on the north fork of the stilly, but I do pretty good there. I use a nine foot nine weight for dogs, either with a floating line or a ten foot sink tip. Whatever you use the key is to get the fly down, a floating line is a little easier to cast. I like pink marabou or chartreuse cactus chenille with a little marabou on it, I always weight the flys. went up saturday for a couple of hours the biggest one went around fifteen, lots of fun. No I didn't keep them up there. anyway have fun.

That might have been me. Forgive the ignorance of these questions, but I've been flying fishing for dogs for about all of 2 hours in my life, I could use some help.

I'm using an 8 weight rod with floating line that has approx 10' of the weight-forward sinking line.

How long of a tippet/leader do I need to run?

Can I just use a solid piece of mono instead of a real tippet?

The flies I am tossing out are huge and heavy. Getting to the bottom is not a problem as I seem to hang up on every cast.

Should I be quarter casting and mending?Should I be casting and fast retrieving? Should I be doing a combo of both?

At best, I've pulled out a few nice dollies and managed to only snag some dogs in the back or tail. Would really like to hook a dog in the mouth with fly.

Parker

Parker,

Sounds like your set up is right on. I use an 8wt with SA line, the WF-8-F/S, 13 foot head. The one I use for dogs is a pretty fast rate (v) just cuz I'm to lazy to switch, and it works.

I had the opportunity to be on a bank, elevated about 6 feet over a nice gin clear hole that was loaded with dogs. I tossed out my line with a fairly good sized purple egg-sucking leech and did a slow strip with a twitch retrieve. I had the pleasure of watching a dog come from about 8 feet away and agressively hammer my fly. From then on, I typically have stayed with a moving retrieve. I never dead drift and do minimal mending, depending on the water.

Seems like they like action and enjoy coming after your offering. I to have stuck a few in other orifices, kinda sucks on a fly rod. Don't get nearly as many snags though as drifting for them.

As far as leader, I normally use 12-15lb mono. No need for real tippet material unless you seek that purist experience. I like about 5 feet worth.

Hope this helps ya,

Steve

Parker,

I, in no way consider myself an expert at hooking chums on the bug rod, but I have managed to entice a few of them to take the fly. I also use an 8wt. rod with a 13ft. type 4 or 6 sink tip, depending on water conditions. I use a foot long piece of 30lb. mono with a loop tied in one end, and an albright knot attaching it to my sink tip.

From there, I use about a 3 ft. section of 15lb. mono for tippet. 15 probably sounds a little heavy, but the extra abraision resistance saves on flies. I generally use either a rabbit hair, or marabou fly, usually tied with some cerise, purple, or chartreuse.

I typically cast either perpendicular to the current, or slightly downstream. I hold the rod very high at first to prevent the surface current from creating a belly in the floating section of flyline. Once the line is at a 45 degree angle downstream, I lower my rod tip to the surface of the water and point the tip directly at the line following it downstream.

As you feel the current pull start to ease, slowly pull your rod tip upstream, creating an arc in the flyline. This is what they call swinging the fly. It is very effective for steelhead, and chum as well. My flies are not weighted, the weight of the sinktip, and the short leader usually will get the fly down to where the fish are.

Once the fly has swung directly downstream of you, wait a few seconds, and then give it a couple of small strips. Also, after you cast, while your getting the line 45 degrees downstream, is the time to take a step or two downstream. This also helps the fly to sink into the strike zone.

Chum that are stacked up are inevitably going to be foul-hooked. Even with the best intentions, when you see your flyline tighten up, it's hard to resist the temptation to set the hook. I believe it's what you do with the fish once it is landed, that sets good fishermen apart from the snaggers.

Parker, I hope this helps a little bit, and good luck catching those dogs.

Mark

Parker sounds like a few guys out there have found out how much fun a dog on a fly can be. If your snagging your flys on the bottom then try putting the smallest corky you can find on to try and help float your fly a little. If your tying your own flies then just use less weight or go down a size in the hook. I don't use very big flies for chum, size 4 or 6. I use a four foot to six foot tippet, 8 to 10 pound. I've caught fish both on the retrive and on a steelhead swing, mostly it depends on the type of water your fishing, personally I like to swing the fly wait at the bottom of the swing for a few seconds then do a few short slow strips. Mend the line when you need, the more water you cover. Anyway hopeall thos info helps you, I spent a few years finding this stuff out myself, I wish that I could have asked somebody questions. Good luck Fiveweight.

Howdy,
I love to catch Chum on the N.F. also, just remember that targeting them is technically illegal there. When fishing "Fly Fishing Only" water 12lb. test is as heavy a leader tippet that may be used. That being said, I fish for Steelhead and incidentally hook a lot of Chums using a heavy purple fly on a 4-5ft. 12lb. leader with a strike indicator on the fly-line. This set-up dead-drifted will result in far fewer foul-hooked fish. One more thought, when a fish is foul-hooked just grab the line and break it off in order to prevent a long no-win struggle. Without the ability to turn a Chum its stupid to try to get them in without over-tiring the fish.