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The Leisenring Lift
Nymphing's Deadliest Technique
(from
WWW.COMPLEATANGLER.BIZ)
The Leisenring Lift, the staple of the nymph fisher's
arsenal, is so easy to learn and so effective it seems almost unfair. Using
Leisenring's technique, a neophyte fly fisher can be transformed into a
fish-catching machine in minutes.
But to call the Leisenring Lift a basic nymphing technique
would be to sell its many virtues short. With minor modifications, the
Leisenring Lift can be employed for everything from streamers to dry flies.
It is a technique that no fly fisher should be without
In the years prior to World War II, Jim Leisenring, an
ardent wet fly fisher, developed a technique that dead-drifted a fly into a
prime lie, then just as the fly reached the likely holding position of the
fish, it would suddenly rise away, inciting the fish to strike. His namesake
technique has proven to be absolutely deadly, yet it is disarmingly simple
to execute.
The angler stands at the edge of a current tongue and casts
up and slightly across stream with a short (usually no more than 20 feet),
controlled line. After the fly settles to the water, the rod tip is raised
to keep only enough line on the water to allow the fly to sink. Leaving the
entire length of the cast on the water causes downstream drag to set in,
undermining the effectiveness of the technique.
As the fly moves toward the angler, the rod tip is raised
higher in order to prevent excess slack from forming on the water. Once the
fly passes the angler's position and heads down current, the rod tip is
lowered, keeping pace with current's pull on the line. This raising and
lowering motion will keep the fly right on the bottom and drag-free during
the length of its drift.
Once the rod has been returned to the horizontal position
(or to whatever position is desired for the situation), it is held still,
allowing drag to set in and the currents to swing the line across stream. As
a result, the fly will be swept (lifted) to the surface like an ascending
natural (Figures 1 and 2). This upward sweeping action is the "lift" part of
Leisenring's technique.
Figure 1
Figure 2
It is important that the fly get down on the bottom quickly,
so the angler should either weight the fly internally or add shot or a
similar weight to the leader.
Fish may hit the fly at any point during the drift or the
swing, so the angler should always be ready. The use of a strike indicator
will make detecting any subtle takes much easier and also provides an
additional visual cue if the fly should begin to drag.
To increase the chances of a fish chomping the fly, the
angler may try timing the swing so that it begins in areas where a fish
would naturally be holding, looking for food (a prime lie or a feeding lie).
A real bonus of the Leisenring Lift is the fact that it can
be executed without the angler ever needing to make a cast. All an angler
needs to do is to wade into position and feed line downstream into the
current until the desired length is reached. At that point, the angler
simply flops the line upstream, using the water tension to load the rod.
After the fly has been swung, the line can again be flopped upstream. This
is technically a tension cast, but the rod motion need not be precise-a
simple lift and flopping movement will suffice.
An angler well versed in casting techniques may wish to use
a tuck (vertical curve) cast to deliver the fly, or to combine a tuck with
some other line manipulation technique, like an anchor mend. Such fly
delivery techniques will put the fly and shot on the bottom in an instant.
For those anglers unfamiliar with such casts, simply stopping the rod higher
than normal during the casting stroke will cause the fly and shot to pitch
over and dive into the water, much like a tuck cast.
While the Leisenring Lift works perfectly with a floating
line, there are times when water depth and speed may make getting the fly
down a real problem. A great line to use in deeper water situations is one
of Teeny's MiniTip lines (sink tip) which will knife down through the water
and hold the fly deep. This particular line is much easier to handle than a
full sinking line.
In areas of slow current, especially when using a sinking
line, an angler may want to lift the rod during the swing, rather than
simply hold it still. Lifting the rod will dramatically increase the rate at
which the fly ascends through the water column.
To further enhance the fish-attracting abilities of the
Leisenring Lift, the angler can couple the swing with a jigging and/or
stripping action. Such motion will often entice a reluctant fish to strike.
Once an angler understands the foundations of the Leisenring
Lift, a variety of presentation possibilities arise.
One particularly good version that works wonders with minnow
imitations, diving caddis adults, and any emerging insect, involves multiple
lifts during the drift and the swing. Rather than trying to keep the fly
continuously bouncing the bottom, the angler intermittently raises the rod
high, pulling the imitation up toward the surface. The rod is then lowered
again, allowing the fly to sink. The same actions can also be made during
and after the swing. This variation creates a repeating display of
behavioral patterns very attractive to fish anywhere along the fly's path.
Another interpretation of the Lift is to make it a dry fly
presentation tactic. It is especially useful for representing those caddis
that run on the surface after emergence. The angler fishes the adult pattern
right up on top, drifting it over likely fish-holding areas. When the swing
is initiated, the fly skates across the water's surface, leaving a
"v"-shaped wake, just like a running caddis. If the swing is coordinated to
begin where a fish has been rising, the results can be explosive.
The Leisenring Lift also has uses in lakes, particularly for
fishing imitations of midge pupa or snails. Because there are no serious
currents to contend with, there is no use for the dead-drift portion of the
Lift, so it becomes all swing. Or in this case, all rise and fall.
The angler casts along a weed edge or drop off, and allows
the fly to sink. Once the fly is down, the angler lifts the rod up slowly,
pulling the imitation up to the surface. The rod is then lowered again,
allowing the fly to sink again. A long (15 feet or more) leader with a butt
section greased with fly floatant will not only help the fly get down
quickly, but will also alert the fly fisher to a take.
Learn and use the Leisenring Lift. It is one of those
"must-have" techniques that no fly angler should be without. Try it, modify
it, adapt it, you may be surprised at its versatility and how it can lift
your angling to a new level. |
