Fish The ENTIRE Water Column
By Bill Byrd (RIP)
Reproduced and edited with permission of the author

Learning to fish the entire available water column has changed my whole outlook on fly fishing. I hope you will use the following information to improve your fly fishing skills and pleasure!

--------------------~~<>~~--------------------

I have fly fished since 1968, but beginning in the late 1980's, I became acutely aware that many, if not most fly fishers are focused on surface fly fishing - PERIOD!

On the face of it, there is NOTHING wrong with top water fly fishing. Like MOST fly fishers, I love to catch fish on top!
But, CONDITIONS should dictate when to fish either surface or sub-surface water.
Here's what I mean.
It is estimated that only 10% of fish actually feed near or on the surface at any given time.
Even when we say "surface," we actually mean, "from beneath the surface."
Think about that.
It is exceedingly rare to find fish actually loafing about in the surface film waiting on food to come along, isn't it? Rather, they are somewhere below – but willing to feed UPWARD.

An example of this is when a true "feeding frenzy" of some sort starts, like a mass insect hatch. Then almost any fish in the area will activate and feed up towards the surface - that is where the forage is. 
That's a condition of the environment that makes them feed at the surface

For the other 90%, they are feeding somewhere below the surface.

An example of THAT, is when I encounter water surface temperatures below 56°F. Under those conditions, I invariably spend most of my time fishing subsurface... the conditions dictate that.

Full summer will also find the motherlode of fish feeding subsurface, except at a few specific times of day. Again, conditions determine this.

I have also found that prioritizing and probing subsurface ANY TIME usually yields the most rewarding fly fishing activity! This concept applies all year long, too, and leads to the best fish in many varying circumstances. Using the subsurface system I describe in this article, you can do this, too.

The Choice

If conditions dictate WHERE you should fish at any given time, then you are faced with a fundamental choice:

Do you want to catch fish, or just catch fish on the surface?

The top bite is fun and thrilling, admittedly. And it is always worth pursuing, WHEN IT IS AVAILABLE. 

But when the best fish are holding below the surface - and that is most of the time – you need a different plan!

If the decision is for subsurface, then this article will define a workable plan to help you catch the fish holding there.

Who Needs A Plan Anyway?
When I originally wrote this article, I had just returned from fly fishing a southeastern river. Based on the adverse conditions I found there, I probably wouldn't have caught anything had I fished only the surface. 

But being flexible, I probed sub-surface fish holding spots and found the most productive presentation to be a black, size-10 streamer bounced across the bottom. 

Fishing in really contrary conditions, I caught over 40 fish from 5 different species. Because I had a subsurface plan, I fully enjoyed the trip.

Now, me being me, when I approach a river, I PRIMARILY probe subsurface. Okay, if I see top water action, I'll jump on it. Im only human! But my experience suggests that a subsurface presentation will be the most productive in a river system.

The Records I Keep 

Some people collect stamps in a book. I maintain a good fishing logbook.
I have tracked my catch-and-release numbers since the late 1980s.
Beginning in the early 1990's, when I began focusing mainly on SUBSURFACE, my totals better than doubled the preceding two years. 

From 1996 forward my catch and release totals have stayed consistent or even increased. By now you've guessed why: I fish the ENTIRE WATER COLUMN! It makes a huge difference.

By 2001, I was catching and releasing 10 TIMES the number of fish as 1993, the first year of the record comparison.
The better I become at fishing subsurface, the more fish I catch. The numbers don't lie.

Whether you fish a 4-weight for mountain trout, a six-weight for largemouth bass, or a 12-weight for False Albacore, this system will work for you, every day, in any season, because you'll have a plan to FISH THE ENTIRE WATER COLUMN.

So what is this "system?" 

1. The right tackle, 

2. The right leader/tippet, 

3. The right flies, 

4. The right presentation for a particular fly fishing situation.

WATER ACCESS

Naturally you can't catch anything if you don't first get on the water... gain access, in other words. 

How you do that is up to you, and there are always trade-offs. 

But your method will probably vary based mostly on availability. 

Of the many access choices out there, I really prefer just three:

1. Wading
2. Float tube
3. Boat
4. Honorable mention - inflatable pontoon

Sometimes, I quietly use my shallow draft boat. There is less disturbance of the water itself, and less siltation, with a boat. It lets me bring a friend, and has the greatest mobility, allowing me to fish more locations. It suffers from a high profile.

Wading is THE MOST intimate access, but it has limited mobility and can really spook fish from an area. Wading offers a low profile, but think ahead and employ every measure of stealth possible!

For most near shore situations, I find the float tube to be the best of both worlds. It is stealthy, and lets me slip around quietly. It offers more mobility within an area than wading, and offers the lowest profile. It cannot cover much distance.

The BEST Access?

Fishing platforms, like anything, evolve over time. The latest generations of rocker hull, inflatable pontoon boats are examples of this, and have become another stable way to access more fish in calmer, more remote areas. 

My inflatable pontoon boats have replaced my beloved float tube in all but the most inaccessible areas.

In fact the latest, high-tech inflatable pontoons allow me to carry full fly gear, food, camping gear, foul weather gear, and more tackle and camera gear than I need. I can't do that with a float tube. They still suffer from reduced mobility over boats, and wind is their nemesis.
But the best ones allow good river floats and larger area coverage, in addition to quiet access for out of the way places.

There are pros and cons for all of these methods for accessing the water. However, you can fish the entire water column with any of these access choices and that's what matters.

GEAR

For local waters and normally accessible species, begin with a light weight, to medium action, two- to four-weight rod, eight to nine feet long, and a properly matched WF2F to WF4F line.

(Here I differ and opt for a 5-weight. My personal choice ~ David)

These fly lines will be heavy enough to help you build skill casting heavier sub-surface flies, and you can better feel what is going on with your fly.

Most any reel will do, but I like one with a silky smooth, readily adjustable drag.

For large fish like stripers, big largemouth bass, rowdy trout, or medium to heavy salt species, 6-, 8- to 10-weight outfits and flies tied on salt hooks are needed. 

Floating, intermediate sink, and integrated head sink lines are needed to match most conditions when fishing the water column deep.

LEADERS/TIPPETS

Leader length/diameter and tippet strength/diameter are very important in this system. 

If you choose a thick diameter tippet material, it will actually impede your fly's ability to sink. In fact, that is one way to adjust sink rate. 

That is why I recommend carrying a selection of 7, 9, and 12 foot tapered leaders suited for your line weight, plus a selection of high quality tippet material from 6 down to 2 pound rating to lengthen your leader/tippet to as long as 14 feet and help your fly sink and stay at depth. 

If you HAVE to use stronger than 6 pound tippet, use as fine a diameter as possible.

You should step down at least .002 to .003 inches in diameter from your leader to the tippet. 

I normally fish a 9 foot, hand-tied, tapered leader that ends with a 6 pound, .010 inch diameter. 

Then I lengthen the total leader/tippet by adding 24" to 48" of 4 pound .008 inch diameter tippet. This addition of fine 4 pound tippet helps to sink my fly, and it turns over as well as it can while casting.

Another important point is that I use monofilament leaders/tippet material. 

I have used braided and furled leaders, and just don't care for them. 

I'm trying to eliminate ALL the buoyancy I possibly can. Mono is easy to find in about any strength, abrasion resistance, and diameter you would desire.

For shallow subsurface: surface - 4 feet.

Try a 7 foot leader ending in .010 inch diameter with 24 inches of .008 inch diameter 4 pound tippet.

For mid subsurface: 4 - 7 feet.

Tie on a 9 foot leader ending in .010 inch diameter, and tie on a 24" to 36" 4 to 5 pound .008 inch diameter four pound tippet. 

For deep subsurface: 7 - 12 feet.

Use a 12 foot leader ending with .010 inch diameter and tie on 30" to 40" of four pound .008 diameter tippet. You'll get a 15 or 15½ foot leader that will really get down.

Set your leaders/tippets up using these guidelines. Fish small, heavily weighted streamers and you'll find getting a fly down to fish isn't so difficult after all.

FLIES

While I consider the LINE AND LEADER element most important, most folks usually want to know about flies. It's just how they think.

My normal response is to tell them to add small, heavily weighted streamers to their usual selection of streamers, wet flies, and nymphs with floating line to catch deep, feeding fish.

These colors are all I recommend:

1. Black 

2. Chartreuse

3. Crayfish

4. Olive

5. (other fish forage colors)

Then I gently remind them AGAIN about the leader/tippet suggestions already given – several more times.

Surface First

Remember we don't dislike surface fly fishing - we use it when conditions dictate.
So, we start with that as our reference.

For the sunfishes including bass, plus trout, probe the surface with:

- size 10 to 14 poppers,

- size 12 to 14 sponge spiders,

- Your favorite small, dry flies.

Mid Depth
For shallow subsurface, down to 4 feet, have a selection of size 12 to 14 leggy nymphs, size 10 to 12 Clouser minnows, and other slowly sinking, wet flies as you like.

Deeper, Deeper

For deep water presentations, complete your selection with streamers, nymphs, and a selection of deep, size 8 to 10 heavy streamer patterns.

That's all you need to start. You can fish most waters with these basic fly styles for just about every fish you'll encounter.
This includes big bluegills, giant trout, large- and smallmouth bass, spotted seatrout, even juvenile Tarpon!
For larger stripers, hybrids, large bass, and the salt water species that forage on large prey, larger flies tied on strong hooks are needed, but the principles of fishing the water column will remain the same.

TRUE STORIES

1. While fly fishing St. Simons Island, in GA, we fished 3- and 4-weights for spotted seatrout with long leaders, used the countdown method, and had gray/white Clouser minnows tied on.
We caught trout in tidal creek mouths in 7 feet of water. The trout hit just two feet off bottom.

2. I have also caught lesser Amberjack and Bonita off the coast of Alabama in over 80 feet of water. I fished a 4 piece, 10-weight with 300 grain line, big Lefty's Deceivers, and sunk the fly down 25 feet to schools of fish suspended over wrecks.
Then, fast strips received hard strikes from extremely strong fish!

You can catch stripers and hybrids the same way.

Heavy fly tackle, sinking lines, and the countdown method to sink flies. This takes some patience, but IT PAYS OFF!

YOUR APPROACH TO THE WATER

Alright, you've got some gear, some flies, and some way to access the water.
So, how do you approach a body of water?

First, BELIEVE that fish are feeding at some depth - BECAUSE THEY ARE!

Next, upon arrival, slow down and observe everything.

• Look for feeding birds, and fish.
• Look for insect hatches and subtle rises to those insects.
• Look for the wind, and sun, and how theire effects are felt on the water.
• Look for obvious features like points, shelves, flats with brush overgrowing the water, woody cover, creek inlets, oyster beds, and sandbars.
• Look for rip rap, creek inlets, creek channels... anything that will normally hold fish.
• Look closely for signs of surface activity.

But, if none is noted, be prepared to probe the water column and determine at what depth the fish are feeding. Then fish patiently, and the fish will confirm your pattern!

THE COUNTDOWN METHOD

This is simply a method of sinking your fly into the strike zone for targeted fish.

By knowing the sink rate of your fly you can estimate how long it will take to get to depth.

Then you cast, count while your fly sinks down in the water column, then impart the appropriate presentation as you strip it back.

The graphic (above) illustrates the countdown.

At a foot per second sink rate, it will take about 7 seconds for your heavily weighted streamer to be down to 5 to 7 feet. Yes, this is a simple concept, but it takes thought, patience and skill. 

Why?

The variety of fly tackle, lines, leaders/tippets, and flies is endless. Current, leader/tippet diameters and sink rate, wind, all influence this process.

What you use in a fly fishing situation depends on knowledge that builds over time. 

Once mastered, the applications and impact on your fly fishing will be amazing!

You will catch more fish than you ever expected.

THE WATER COLUMN

This is where the rubber meets the road, as it were. We've been hinting at it all along; now we'll examine the living quarters of the fish we're after.

SURFACE

Even if you don't see surface action, explore fish holding cover with your favorite surface fly. 

Remember, the fish are down there – and they may be willing to feed UP to the surface.

Find out, as the first step.

Experiment to discover an effective triggering action and fish it. Use poppers, small floating spiders, or dry flies to probe cover that should hold bluegills, bass, trout, or whatever species you seek.
If you get strikes, keep at it.
If the action is very slow or you don't get strikes after ten or so casts, continue to watch for activity, but prepare to start probing shallow subsurface.

SHALLOW SUB-SURFACE: 0 – 4 feet

Re-fish the same areas you just probed with top water flies, but this time probe from just below the surface to 4 feet.

Tie on a light, slow sinking wet fly, or a nymph. Then, drop the fly in the water in front of you, and count the seconds for it to drop a foot.

Now, cast and count the fly down to desired depth, and probe shallow fish-holding cover varying your presentation until you get a strike.

Emulate the minute actions of small insects as if there were a fish watching -- becasue there probably is! 

Try slow retrieves, then faster retrieves, but keep the strips to no more than 2 inches. Why? 

Everything needs to be to scale, and little critters don't move too far at one time.

If you catch fish, note the countdown time, repeat it, and work the pattern.

If there are no strikes in 10 solid casts, go to the next step.

MID SUB-SURFACE: 4 - 7 feet

To probe deeper water, re-tie a longer tippet to extend your leader/tippet length to ten feet.

Try a black 1/50th ounce size 10 or 12 weighted streamer.

Before you probe the 4 to 7 foot water with this fly, drop it in the water and note its sink rate.

(Here is where I would start adding tungsten putty to the leader, instead of heavily weighted flies~ David)

Now cast to drop offs along shoreline cover and count it down four to six seconds.

If you drag along the bottom, shorten your count, but retrieve in 2 inch strips all the way back.

Bump the bottom or keep the fly just above the bottom as you strip retrieve. If you still aren't locating fish, proceed to the next step.

DEEP SUB-SURFACE: 7 - 12 feet

Re-tie your tippet to extend your leader/tippet length to twelve feet. The finer the tippet, the better the fly will sink and stay at depth. With floating fly line, you'll need the thinnest, heaviest, deep sinking streamer available, so tie on a black size 8 to 10 1/36th ounce streamer.

Verify your fly's sink rate as before.

Then probe the next level of deepest available water in suspected fish holding areas. Cast the fly and give it a seven to fifteen count. Watch for strikes on the drop! Retrieve in slow 2 inch strips and pause between them 2 or 3 seconds to help the streamer stay at depth.

You should contact fish in this deeper water holding on, or suspended above, structure. Once you make contact with fish, continue to fish the active pattern and enjoy! 

Watch for strikes when you pick the fly up, too.

See this article here, "Fish Sinking Lines Better," for more details on the countdown method and a chart on relative sink times for sinking lines.

THIS SYSTEM WORKS!

It's not rocket science and it makes sense if you think about it.
This system works whether you are fishing for bonita on the Gulf coast of Alabama with Clouser Minnows on a 10-weight and 300 grain sinking line, or probing for trout in a deep pool on a north Georgia trout stream with weighted streamer, long leader, and fine tippet.

Each fishing day, one of my greatest challenges is to ensure that my guest fly fishers and I catch fish EVERY trip. 

I use this system more than 110 days annually, and catch thousands of fish each year. My guests consistently catch surprising numbers of quality fish, too.

The more skill and confidence you build with this system, the better you'll become with it.
If you adopt this fly fishing system, and build skill using it -- you're going to catch many more fish. So, PLEASE, be a good steward of the resource and carefully release most fish. 

--------------------~~<>~~--------------------

Post note: Bill Byrd passed away in 2021.
His webpage, www.byrdultrafly.com, a favorite for so long, is no longer available.
The web archive DOES exist, however, and I highly recommend it. See the link at the end.

Over the course of several seasons, Bill and I corresponded and he gave me his permission to post and edit his writing, with credit being given to him.
With that in mind, I will pay homage to the man and periodically present his works here in edited format.

Tribute article to Bill Byrd: Bill Bird Tribute
Bill Byrd web archive: Bill Byrd Archive

------------------------------~~<>~~----------------------------

Tight Lines, 

David Hutton
Palmetto Fly N Fish. 2023

---