The Fly and Bubble, A Hot Combination
by Don Allphin
A reader asks: “What should I use when fishing small, shallow, mountain lakes? I can see fish jump, but I don’t know what flies to use, and lures just get hung up in the moss.”
In the evenings or early mornings the surface of most high mountain lakes explodes with surfacing trout, eager to take a fly. Yet, some lakes are so shallow that casting lures or even using a fly rod is a frustrating experience – too much moss for the depth of the lake.
For most situations, the solution to this dilemma is the fly and bubble rig. The bubble adds weight to the line and allows an angler to cast beyond the moss line into deeper water, and a well-chosen fly will attract and entice the trout to bite. Here are a few tips on rigging and using the fly and bubble rig.
First, use a spinning rod and reel spooled with six-pound-test line. Then use four-pound-test leader material. The smaller leader material will be tougher for the fish to see, and if snagged, would most likely break before the main line, thus minimizing the damage to the loss of a fly and some leader.
Next, use a clear bubble. These come in several sizes and all will work but medium is always a good choice. Slide the bubble on the line and tie a brass swivel on the line below the bubble. This stops the bubble from sliding down to the fly. Fill the bubble with water leaving only a thumb-sized air pocket in the top.
Next, prepare a leader. The standard rule for the length of leaders is, as long as you and comfortably cast. I like a seven-foot leader because I want my fly as far away from the bubble as possible, but any length between five and seven should do the trick.
Tie on a double renegade (size is usually not important), an elk hair Caddis, or a black, brown, or red, wooly bugger and you’re set. There are literally hundreds of fly options to try; I only mention a few here because they are well-recognized fish getters all over the West.
Cast the fly and bubble rig to the rising fish. Then, reel in as slowly as possible; try to keep the bubble wake less if possible. The fish should respond in short order. In near-dark conditions use a dark-colored fly. Trout see black better than most other colors in low light.
The fly and bubble is a great summer rig for most small, shallow, high mountain lakes.
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