Who invented it?


Just Curious, keep hearing that term


WW

Al Gore?

Superfly invented that technique. He is very good at it too.

That's how it got the name " Fly Doggin' "

I heard he invented alot of other things too.

Chromeo

I saw articles on that in STS 10 years ago. Only they called it Bottom Dragging.

Don't bother, it doesn't work. Just ask Goharley, Parker, or ReiterRat or ...

You mean boondogging with training wheels??
Keith

Superfly didn't invent the technique, but he sure does like to use it. So much so, that I just started calling it "Flydogging". The name just stuck.

It's not really boondogging with a training wheel Keith. It's more like side drifting bait dragging with a training wheel. Boondogging is all about the guy running the sled. Doesn't take any skill to huck out a hunk of UEC eggs and wait for a fish to gulp them down!

Eh, OK, what the float really does is slows down your presentation, keeps the lead upright while dragging (doesn't snag up as much), and allows you to fish a long stretch of water without moving your bait out of the terminal area.

Not something I'd do out of a sled, but out of a drift boat. Keep the floats behind you as you let them drag along.

To rig them, think of a standard drift fishing rig. Just add to that a slip dink float. Use about a 30" leader. and a good chunk of lead (to keep the float upright). Set the depth so your lead is clunking (solidly) along the bottom. Just deep enough so that your lead will slide along the rocks, not getting stuck in them. Fish all the pockets/seams.

Yeah, Bob, training wheels don't work. Speaking of which, can't wait for a good number of Jerry's to show up in the Duc! I live for the moment when you see the Big Silver Mirror of Jerry! Oooo!

So Joe, Popularized it is what you guys are saying?


Do you guys like to use spinning or casting rods for this? with braid or mono?

No. Am just saying that I'd never seen or used that technique until I started fishing with Joe. Never saw anyone else doing it, either.

Seems to be "catching" on more these days. Heh.

I personally like to use a 10'6" baitcaster (1263) with 10 lb mono, but spinning rods would work as well as braided. Not too sure such a long rod is needed out of a drift boat, though.

I was a 'closet bobber dogger' for a long time 'cause a lot of my so-called fishing friends (you know who you are Bill ) would not have fished with me had they known what I was up to. Let's just say that 'bobbers' were not in vogue at the time. But there were some other guys doing it back then in the early 80's too. I picked it up from the guy that owned the store down on the Cow near Blue Cr. Forget his name right now. Somebody will remember. Always wondered if he might have learned it from CFM though.

But since I fished alot with my kids and their little friends in my driftboat, I found it was the most productive and trouble-free way to teach them to cast and fish while I was manning the oars. Basically it kept me from having to unsnag and rig them up all the time, but it also consistently produced fish and allowed me to make some minor adjustments with the boat to maximize their drift. Plus the kids would always get bored if I wasn't moving along, so covering alot of water kept them interested and the bobber doggin' worked out great. The biggest hassles were usually overhanging tree branches, underwater snags and keeping the slack out of the line going to the bobber. Braids sure make it a lot easier to control the line. Our basic set up back then was regular drift gear (usually bait) off a sliding bobber so they could cast more easily and safely. Now it's jigs and worms. Spincasters make it easier to cast but they also make it harder to control the line. Baitcasters are definately preferred. I was always amazed at how effective this method was for steelhead and yet how uncritical the depth or position of the offering had to be at times. We'd catch fish dragging bait down low or floating jigs up high. And with all the refinements in bobber (sorry, I meant, float) tackle, this method continues to be a favored boat technique for us, not just for the passle of kids I still yard out, but also for my neophytes friends who just aren't good casters or just seem to have trouble getting the hang of the 'drift thing'. Bobber doggin' can be a great way to see more river and catch more fish too.

That would be Andy Anderson, he was a nice guy and good fisherman.

Thanks Bob,
How could anyone forget Andy? His wife was a hoot too but darn if I can remember her name either. Man, I'm slipping a knot or two here. They were good folk. Way ahead of the curve on the bobber and jig thing. But then, Blue Cr always was a real well spring and testing ground for "innovative" fishing techniques.

Her name is Agness.
Andy's gone now and not sure if she's still alive or not......both were super people!

Funny you mention the jig thing.

I was down at Blue Creek about 20 years ago, and the guys using jigs at the creek mouth were killing the fish and the drift fishers, well, weren't. I cruised up to Andy's place and asked him if he could set me up with a jig and float. He looked at my rod/reel, and said that I wasn't really geared for jig fishing, but he could set me up to do the best with the gear I had. Got me a styro float, a couple Leo's jigs, and some shrimp oil.

He showed me how to rig it up, and off I went to hang with the jig crowd. I looked like a monkey phucking a football for a while, but got my float out in the sweet water in a short time. Float down, fish on.....first fish spanked. A couple casts later......float down, fish on......second fish spanked.

Then I did a really stupid thing. I stopped fishing jigs up until about 6 years ago. What a dope.

I'm pretty well convinced that if I had listened to Andy about getting a spinning outfit, and fishing jigs all the time, that I could have done waaaay better in certain situations over the years than with the gear I was using. Andy was always a good guy.

Parker - why do you say you wouldn't do it out of a sled? Is it simply because sleds are more maneuverable up and down the current?

I recently learned the technique and haven't had the opportunity to try it for steelies out of my sled, but I'm looking forward to it this summer.

Hey overall it's a great tactic especially in big rocky water or snaggy water...

But it has it's downfalls too, no matter if you're in a sled or driftboat.... Come to think of it worse off in a sled because a lot of times you only get one chance unless you have Godzilla on the oars to get you back up river to do it over and over. The problem you run into is altering your depth, and some holes are tough to guess especailly your first time or two on a river.... Most steelhead riffles (good ones) will change 3-5 feet in depth from top to bottom. You have to be in the water to catch fish, so I'd much rather be on bottom at all times with no bobber (ie training wheels)...

If you stick to lead and stay on bottom and teach yourself the "feeling" of rocks, twigs, grass, rootwads, etc... You'll be far better off in the long run..

On another note it's a great method for guides that have Crackers on board and don't want to be constantly retying or can't watch the rods at all times. You can just watch them Bright orange bobbers!! Just my .02 worth

But if you're jiggin it, then use your bobbers.

Keith

See Stlhdr1's response.