Matt,

Well, no water to fish doesn't mean you can't practice! Tie a couple of flies on a leader - a beadhead as the dropper and one light nymph as the point fly. Cut off the hook points and go practice on the snow! The white cover will make it easy to see if the flies land properly! Practicing on a lawn can be a great way of getting in shape before the ice breaks and the streams clear up.

Be prepared and beat the *beep* out of your fishing buddies when the spring comes... ;-)

Martin

Matt,

The answer is both yes and no. The weighted fly will get down, which is the primary reason to fish with a split shot on your leader. But the problem is that the heavy fly will behave different compared to an unweighted one, which moves more freely.

Fishing with split shot or several flies can be a curse, and even the seasoned fly angler will tangle occasionally. The remedy is to learn to cast properly, and a slow and open casting stroke will generally make it easier to control the flies. And don't be too ambitious regarding distance! Long casts will most likely make it worse. You can also take this to its extreme, and opt for a "European" fishing style, high sticking or a similar technique, which does not require casting as such. And don't be fooled by this, because these methods can be very productive.

Martin