921 | Airflo's Gareth Jones on Competition Fly Fishing and Stillwater Systems

Airflow’s Evolution and the Science of Line Consistency

Gareth traces Airflow’s 2019 acquisition by Mayfly (owners of Ross, Abel, Dynaking) and the massive investment in engineering and plant. He explains how competition fishing drove innovation—standardizing sink rates so a Type 4 sinks at exactly 4 inches per second, regardless of line size. This uniformity allows teams to repeat setups and maximize efficiency.

The Depth Game: How to Find and Hold the Fish Zone

Jones breaks down the core principle: 90% of stillwater success comes from achieving the correct depth. He explains how fish move through temperature layers, especially in early season (deep feeding on Daphnia) and high summer (thermocline stacking). He uses countdowns, retrieve speed, and angle changes to hold flies at the fish’s level.

The Drogue, the Boat, and the Art of Drift Control

In the UK, boats are provided by fisheries, ensuring fairness. Jones explains how a drogue (wind anchor) with four lines controls drift direction and eliminates side-to-side yaw. He emphasizes that even slight boat movement creates drag, which slows sink rate and ruins presentation—especially critical for nymphs like chronomids.

The Attractor vs. Imitative Strategy: When to Use Each

Jones reveals the two-phase approach: start with attractors (like the 'blob' or Esther’s eggs) to locate fish, then switch to imitative patterns (chronomids, peacock quill) once depth is found. He details how the 'washing line' technique uses booby eyes or foam to hold multiple flies at the same depth.