The Great Stream: Great Horizons

Fly fishing in large stream has its own particular charms. In the water up to your waist on the big smooth stream of the Dordogne, the Allier or the Ain (France), in the evening light when a few discreet gobbles signal the beginning of the evening, you are far from the world... The big stream, it is the reign of the shades of back season, which one takes far on tiny dries. But the water which extends far also conceals sometimes monsters which one pursues in drowning, of large fish of which one hopes the brutal touch which pulls us the silk between the fingers. In the middle of the water, the fisherman sometimes gets lost in a dream...

However, fishing large streams with a fly faces the fisherman with specific difficulties, the most important of which are the need to fish relatively far away, to use very long leaders, and to reposition the line (mends) at a distance. Another parameter to be taken into account is the frequent need to move far into the stream, and therefore to fish with water up to the stomach.

 

La pêche de la truite à la mouche, en grande rivière

Managing the distance

To meet all the requirements of the big stream, several strategies are possible from a rod point of view. First of all, we can favour the familiarity that most fishermen have with 9' rods, and this is in fact what the majority of fishermen use. But often we will go for longer blanks that offer some technical advantages in line control that some consider decisive. We have selected three blanks that cover the main strategic choices.

  1. NFC FAF905-4 : At 2m75, a 9' is a rod that is both easy to handle and facilitates accurate fly tying. And it is clearly the most familiar size for most of us. The NFC FAF series represents a feat in building high performance blanks on a tight budget. The result is a very light blank with a considerable power reserve, which makes the rod extremely easy to control. A perfect blank to send a dry fly far away, with a fast whip and a lot of punch, but which will not be less at ease if you need to land a midge at 6m.
  2. NFC FAF 1005 : 10' blanks are the standard solution for big stream fishing, and for many reasons. The first one is that the length makes it easier to cast far away. It's also an advantage when you've gone far out and are whipping with water up to your belly: the length makes it easier to hold the line in the air. It is obviously preferable to have a long rod to reposition the line during the drift (mending). And the long lever arm is finally an advantage when you have to strike from a distance. While the advantages of a 10-foot rod are often offset by a lot of inertia that makes it difficult to control the rod, this is not the case with the NFC FAF series. Lightweight and very powerful, the 1005 has the finely tuned directionality and authority that are characteristic of FAFs. A reference for all subtle fishing at a distance.
  3. Rodbuilder's Republic FP1006: Incorporating all the advantages of the 10' blanks mentioned about the FAF 1005, the Fly Patrol 1006 represents a more powerful approach to big stream fishing. Capable of finesse and lightness when needed, with a floating wf6 and a long leader for example, this blank will allow you to attack grayling at a distance, with excellent drift control. It will also allow you to easily move up a number of lines, whether it is to pass in the wind, or to place a streamer in a more distant current vein while keeping a certain ease in the gesture, guaranteeing efficiency and precision. With a moderate tip action and a pleasant roundness that transitions to a powerful heel, this blank gives a very nice feeling when you extend the line.

LMXFAF905-4 Blank

9'   4 pcs    soie #5

Vivacity
Handyable
Mending
Casting distance
Réserve de puissance
165,00 € Including taxes
LMX FAF1005-4 Blank

10'   4 pcs    soie #5

Vivacity
Handyable
Mending
Casting distance
Réserve de puissance
145,20 € Including taxes
FP1006-4 Blank

10' 4pc  Line #6

Vivacity
Handyable
Mending
Casting distance
Réserve de puissance
118,15 € Including taxes