leisenring lift

[Jerry G]

Whom ever, thanks for the reply. I was in hopes this conversation would continue. It was before this web site came into existence that there was a thread regarding JL describing the fly as I recall ticking the bottom. Those replying were trying to figure out if he supposedly didn't weight his flies how he got them deep enough to tick the bottom. Perhaps someone's tick in reference was the same as the quote Hank shared with us as a bumpety bump over the gravel and stones. The point though was that I think there were questions as to how JL achieved some of what he tried to describe. My initial comment came from the brief excerpt Hank shared regarding the cast directly upstream. My thought was that if the "L lift" were employed with such a cast one would nearly have to have the fish at ones feet or one heck of a long rod and a fairly short line so as to get the fly to lift. Whatever the case this was an enjoyable thread complete with juicy garden hackle.

Regards, Jerry

[fflutterffly]

The way I've employed the LL is by casting a longer leader with a 10' rod. My leader is usually 12' with a 3' tippet= 15'. I do this simply to avoid lining the fish ahead of my cast. I utilize a parachute cast with an unweighted fly made with a wool thorax and partridge hackle. I make sure the fly, tied on a heavy hook, has been well drowned before casting and that the wool has been equally matted between my fingers to help get the bubbles out to aid in sinking.I've been know to rub a little silt into the body ala Joe Humphreys. I begin by casting directly ahead of me. My stream is filled with small and large boulders, pocket water, not one inch of smooth length, all rocky bottom in most areas. As the fly moves down river, watching the leader move, I begin to lift my rod tip (at times extending my arm vertically if need be, adding height to my lift) I allow the fish to set the hook. If no fish are hooks I work my fly left or right of my beginning line. I can transition from the 'straight ahead to 45˚ cast with a swing at the end. This allows me a very large area to work before I move on in addition to adding other methods off of the LL. I have found this to be very useful in most easy waters where I can wade to the middle after fishing the edges.

As for the Leisenring Lift. Who can describe it correctly. I was hoping Lance might have some personal insight.

[tie2fish]

I seem to remember the term "deadly curve" being attributed to JL in the literature, and I've always wondered how that might be achieved during an upstream cast.

[Roadkill]

Bill

I believe that "deadly curve" refers to the curve in the line during the lift when downstream in front of the fish.

[hankaye]

Jerry G, et All, Howdy;

Here is some more that might help to put some puzzle pieces into place.
Same book, pg 121 & 122;

" Now, if I want to catch a trout, first I must know where there are some
to catch, or neither you nor myself can catch any. If I want to catch a big
trout I must first locate a big one or be content with smaller ones. It is no
easy matter to locate big fish in these days of overfished waters. Sometimes
you meet an angler who is just boiling with truth, and he may honestly put
you wise to a big one. But this does not happen often. However, assuming
that I have found my big trout, the next consideration is a fly properly tied
and suitable for his kind of water, as explained in the chapter on Hackle. "

I get the impression that when JL used the Lift method he was employing
it directly to a 'Sighted' fish so he would have a decent idea of when to
employ the Lift. He also goes on to emphasize that we should take our time
as it is our enemy and the trout's friend.

At the bottom of pg. 122 and continuing to the top of pg. 123 it is mentioned as;

" I always fish my fly so that it becomes deadly at the point where the
trout is most likely to take his food, which is usually at or close to his position in
the stream. I have always contended in my mind that there is a point in fishing a
fly where its appeal-efficiency is low and a point where its appeal-efficiency is high.
Since my flies are tied to act lifelike and look lifelike, I fish them so that the efficiency
of these is at its highest when it nears and arrives before the trout for his inspection.
This is accomplished by allowing a gradual increase of tension caused by the water
flowing against the leader, causing the fly to lift from the bottom and rise with the
hackles or legs quivering after the manner of the hatching natural fly. "

What follows is what I quoted earlier in this conversation. So, I again feel that he is
fishing to sighted or highly suspect places that would hold trout. As he (JL), fished
a lot on some streams he was able to zero in on some locations and experiment so
that he could refine his theories and then carry those theories to other waters to
see if they did in fact hold water. The theories must have because we are still using
them all these years later. Like all true fishermen, he didn't give the whole process
(hot spotting), but enough for us to have conversations such as this and have a friendly
debate from time to time about the process of "The Lift".

Pete Hidy wrote about it without mentioning the adopted name for it in the Sports
Illustrated book "Fly Fishing" my copy is the revised edition from 1972. On pg.49,
Pete wrote;
" The Leisenring Lift, used wherever the speed of the current is not excessive, imitates
the behavior of a hatching flymph. To execute the lift, cast upstream and allow the fly
to sink. Then, as the fly nears the position of the trout, raise arm and rod gradually to
cause the fly to lift naturally through the currants. The trout may take it at once or he
may hesitate and inspect the fly as he follows it downstream momentarily, making his
decisive move just before the fly escapes at the surface. Stream strategy, finesse and a
delicate control of the fly are decisive factors in the Leisenring Lift. "

Again, in the third sentence above, it is mentioned "as the fly nears the position of the trout"
so ... a known (sighted), trout or a place where the probability is high that there may be
one present seem, to me, to be factors that would influence the when and where to use it.
Solely my thoughts yours may vary, and I'd like to read them...

hank

[William Anderson]

This makes me want to get a go pro camera amd wear it for an outing, probably on mute to limit all the profanity. It's a possibility. Like any fishing show, it could be shot over 8 hours and edited to about ten minutes where the presentation and the hook up look all to easy. All the other footage...junk it.

[fflutterffly]

I'll send you my go pro if you'll film it. Let me know.

[Mataura mayfly]

William, I don't think you would even need the fish to make it worth watching. Video of the cast, method & technique as we the fisher sees it above water would be a great learning tool.
If I did it I too would have to use the mute feature, there are times I could shock a Navy Vet.....

I for one would be interested in seeing your interpretation- if only to compare to my own feeble efforts and perhaps therefore correct a few faults.

[letumgo]

Sounds like a good video project for the future. Let's go fishing!!!

[hankaye]

If I did it I too would have to use the mute feature, there are times I could shock a Navy Vet.....

Strongly doubt that ... ,

hank