Tip of the Week // Skating Dries

It’s skating season here on the Yakima, and few things get trout fired up like a dry fly in motion. When October Caddis are fluttering, stoneflies are skating, or fish are simply looking for something that moves, this is your ticket to some of the most exciting topwater eats of the year.

The Cast

To set up your skate, cast slightly downstream at a 30–45° angle. This position keeps tension between you and your fly, letting you bring it to life instead of just drifting. As the fly lands, slowly lift your rod tip to 12 o’clock and give your wrist a gentle shake. You’ll see that bug dance, skip, and ripple across the surface — that’s exactly what a natural insect looks like trying to take flight.

The Drop

Once you’ve skated your fly a foot or two, drop your rod tip and let it dead drift naturally down the seam. That sudden pause after the commotion often triggers a reaction strike from any fish that followed the chase. Timing that switch from motion to drift is the juice that the fish need to pounce on your fly. 

Rod Position

Your rod angle matters.
Casting left? Bring your rod tip up over your left shoulder to maintain a clean line and keep the fly skating properly up river.
Casting right? Bring it high over your right shoulder and control the slack with your line hand to keep the fly tight to the surface.

Small adjustments in rod angle can mean the difference between a lazy drift and a full-on skate.

Why It Works

Trout aren’t always looking for perfection — sometimes they’re looking for movement. Caddis, stoneflies, and terrestrials all create disturbance as they move across the surface. A well-timed skate mimics that struggle, triggers instinct, and gets even the smartest trout to commit.

So next time you’re out, find a soft seam, a tailout, or a slower-moving edge and put a little motion in your presentation. That’s how you turn a drift into a chase.

Bonus Tip:  If you are fishing an emerger or nymph with CDC or hackle as a dropper to your dry, when you skate your dry, the nymph rises like an emerger and can get smashed.

Stay tuned for more fly fishing insights, and get ready for some exciting fall dry-fly fishing days ahead!

We teach these techniques and more through our various courses in our University of Fly Fishing.

UPCOMING COURSES TO HIGHLIGHT 

Our classes are moving and shaking and folks... it's getting good!  We have many offerings and you can access the course calendar anytime to find a class that works for you.  Women's Intro Course this Saturday, May 3rd at 12pm. Get after it Ladies!

• Wednesday, October 8th, Trout Spey Fishalong, 9am 
• Thursday, October 9th, Trout Taxi, 9am (Canyon)
• Friday, October 10th, Yakima River Fishalong, 10am
• Friday, October 10th, Tributary Fishalong, 11am
• Saturday, October 11th, Fly Fishing 101, 9am
• Sunday, October 12th, Fly Fishing 201, 12pm
• Monday, October 13th, Boat Rowing Course, 10am

ENTIRE COURSE CALENDAR HERE 

Our University of Fly Fishing is the most unique, comprehensive fly fishing education available.