I've done quite a bit of Fly Rodding for smallies in the Dupage, Fox, and Kankakee rivers. Working a med. to large "Streamer" down-stream, against the current, is probably the most productive and consistent method in these sometimes heavily stained waters were the main forage are bait fish. I've stumbled across a deadly little tactic this past summer on the Fox. I use a 7wt. rod with a floating line if the water isn't too high or fast ,(and a sink-tip line If it is), tied to an eight foot Flourocarbin leader (2x), with a medium to large sized Lefty's Deciever* tied to that, I prefer a kelley-green and white.
The technique is simple. Cast down-stream atleast 40 feet or more, over the tail-end of a riffle-pool, at the deepest spot just before the water begins the next shallow riffle, and simply hold the fly steady, sitting still in the current, and impart short, snappy liitle twitches of line from 3 to 6 inches but "always" ending up back in the same spot, the original spot, try to keep it in the same spot the best you can, atleast within a foot or so. The stikes will be easily detectible and will hook automatically from your strip-still retrieve. Basically you keep short jerk working, holding it in the same spot until you feel the heaviness of the fish.
Hope your able to follow, send me a note if you can't.
Josh Konkloly
