Micro Fishing for darters

by Alton F

Last year, I was having troubled seeing my tanago hook in the riffles or moving water in general. I tried bright pieces of artificial lures which were okay at best, but weren't anywhere as effective as a piece of red worm. I started tying a piece of the Keiryu marker just above the hook and below the sinker and the results were outstanding.

I just cut a small piece of the yarn marker and attach it to the line with two overhand knots. The yarn serves two purposes it allows me to see where my hook is at all times and also attracts the fish with its bright color, which allows the red wiggler to serve its purpose of getting the fish to take the hook.

The yarn easily adjusts up or down the line. But I find it most effective just above the hook, which allows me to track the hook as it moves along the bottom of the stream, or when catching darters, I know exactly where to place the hook in relation to the darters location which can be the difference of catching them or not.

I hope this helps someone enjoy micro fishing more. Floats are great but in swift water are impractical. I know many micros are caught sight fishing and this little aid will definitely help in that regard. If you are thinking it might scare the fish, it hasn't for me, and I have caught skittish minnows and aggressive sculpins with it.

Good luck and enjoy!

“The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” - Benjamin Franklin

"Be sure in casting, that your fly fall first into the water, for if the line fall first, it scares or frightens the fish..." -
Col. Robert Venables 1662

As age slows my pace, I will become more like the heron.

We've all had situations where seriously chewed up flies kept catching fish after fish after fish. It is no sin to tie flies that come off the vise looking seriously chewed up.