658 | Jay Fair Trolling Flies with Denis Peirce – Trout, California, Stillwater

Wet Fly Swing Fly Fishing Podcast

Dave Stewart

Leisure, Wilderness, Sports, Hobbies

4.7 • 530 Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2024

⏱️ 69 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/658

Presented By: Togiak River Lodge, FishHound Expeditions, Skwala, Yellowstone Teton Territory

Denis Peirce, radio show host and trolling flies guru, is here to take us into the history of the great Jay Fair, how all this came to be, and his connection to Jay.

Today, you'll learn how to troll flies with your current gear, the secret to manipulating your fly, and even hear the story behind the wiggle fin that started with a WD-40 can!

Grab your favorite drink and get ready for a laid-back way to catch some big fish!

Show Notes with Denis Peirce on Trolling Flies.

03:50 - Denis grew up fishing in Southern California with his grandfather. Over the years, he built a successful business selling flies to resorts and fly shops. He focused on places where people actually fished, like the Sierras and up the West Coast.

06:31 - Denis talks about Jay Fair's unique trolling system. Jay used a sink tip line to keep his fly just below the surface, trolling near shallow areas where trout would feed.

07:46 - Denis started working with Jay Fair in the late '90s. Jay met Denis at the International Sportsman's Expo and asked him to produce the flies on a larger scale. Jay provided the kits with all the materials, and Denis handled the production and shipping.

Getting Started with Trolling Flies

12:58 - Denis talks about how to start trolling with flies, even if you're new to it. He says your current rods, reels, and lines will do. If you have a spool of 2X tippet, you can make a longer leader, and you're set. A sinking or sink tip line works better, but even a standard floater can work.

14:49 - We discuss why trolling flies might get negative reactions and why it's a great technique. He says trolling is great because it's less physically demanding than casting all day. Plus, trolling helps cover a lot of water, which is key when fish are scattered.

Check out our Episode with Denny Rickards.

Best Conditions for Trolling Flies

17:50 - Early mornings and low light are prime trolling times because fish are likelier to be in shallow areas. Fish will drop deeper as the sun rises and the water gets clearer.

Denis stresses that fishing is like solving a puzzle; you must adjust your technique based on daily conditions.

20:55 - Denis recommends letting your boat glide to a stop to let your gear sink, then speeding up again to move the gear through different depths. Changing direction also helps provoke strikes, as fish react to movement.

22:17 - Trolling flies are designed to attract trout, which are visual feeders. They feature long tails and wings to create movement in the water. The action disc can make the fly swim even more attractively.

25:59 - The WiggleFin Action Disc is a small plastic disc that adds movement to your fly and makes it more attractive to fish. Dean Teegarden was inspired by a creative fisherman using sequins and a leech pattern. Dean took that idea and made the disc using a contact lens holder and a tube from a WD-40 can.

29:06 - Jay Fair used a floating fly line and manipulated it by adding a mend—basically flicking the rod to make the fly pulse and change speed. This technique makes the fly move more naturally.

Fishing Show with Dennis Peirce

33:13 - Denis shares about his weekly radio show that's been on air since the early '90s. It runs every Friday night from 6 to 7 PM. The radio show started as a way for Denis to connect with his fly fishing customers and learn more about their local fishing spots.

40:42 - When trolling, any streamer fly will work, but deceivers are especially cool if you let them soak for 10 minutes. You can use tube flies and stack them to make long flies.

47:53 - Denis says to focus on structure in the water to find big fish. Finding structure is key, so invest in a basic fish finder to locate it.

For trolling, you can use lead core lines or modern shooting heads with sinking rates. Thin braid backing helps you go deeper, and you can add a flasher to your setup for better attraction.

Show Notes: https://wetflyswing.com/658

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	When I first got going in Stillwater, it was all about the float tube and trolling flies around the lake.
0:07.1	A woolly bug running a sinking line produced some of the biggest fish that I've ever caught.
0:10.9	But it's a style that I haven't done much of in recent years, and today that may all change.
0:15.6	That's because we have an expert on trolling flies and the crossover between conventional fishing.
0:21.3	Today you will discover an easy method that will allow you to catch big fish while sitting
0:27.3	back and drinking your favorite beverage on the boat.
0:30.6	This is the wet fly swing podcast where I show the best places to travel to for fly fishing,
0:34.5	how to find the best resources and tools to prepare for that big trip and what you can do to give back to the fish species we all love. Hey, how's it going? I'm
0:41.8	Dave, host the wet fly swing podcast. I've been fly fishing since I was a little kid. I grew up
0:46.0	around a fly shop and have created one of the largest fly fishing podcasts in this country.
0:50.3	I've also interviewed more of the greatest fly anglers and stillwater anglers than anyone out there.
0:56.3	Dennis Pierce, radio show host and trolling flies guru, is here to take us into the history of the great J-Fair and how this all came to be in his connection to J-Fair.
1:05.8	We're going to find out how you can get started today.
1:07.9	Even with your current gear, you can get going.
1:10.2	You're going to find out what the number one biggest tip is to manipulate your fly in this J-Fair style.
1:15.9	You're going to know which leaders and how long to troll it behind the boat.
1:20.2	And you're going to find out about the Wiggle Fend.
1:22.1	The Wiggle Fend, how it all started with a WD-40 can.
1:26.1	And we're going to get into that today.
1:28.0	All right, we're taking it to the dark side today.
1:30.0	Jay Fairstile, let's jump into it with Dennis Pierce from trollingflies.com.
1:37.0	How you doing, Dennis?
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Dave Stewart, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Dave Stewart and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.