Trout Bummin NJ
New member
Just in my last week of evening fishing, I've talked with several fly fisherman in passing, who, when asked along the streamside, "How's it going?", would invariably reply (regardless of fishing conditions): "Well, I've hooked X (bows, brookies, browns), landed Y (bows, brookies, browns), ." This actually seemed the average response, as opposed to: "I'm making a killing." or: "It's been a great day."
Yes, we are fishermen, and this is just simple conversation, pleasantries, perhaps exaggerated, but as of late, more often than not, I'll look over at a fly-fisherman with one on, only to watch them lose it just as their catch is coming to the net, and more often than not, within arm's reach. It seems that variable is X is disproportionately larger than varialbe Y, and therein lay the dilemma.
I'm six foot two, and attempting to land a fish with an eight and half foot rod, the reel seat of which is most often poised level with my ear, and mind you, I'm standing in ankle/knee deep water, is an exercise in futility. Yes, we are talking 14 + feet of poor leverage, and yes, it is possible to net a fish at this angle, as I've done many times, but I often find myself praying the current is slow and the fish small, otherwise one exponent will outweigh the other, and the fish will work itself free.
Short of grabbing my rod in the mid-section, how do I keep these fish from rolling off my fly just as they are arms' length away? The fish never seem to swim up or across the stream - always down, and if they get downstream of me and into the troughs and boulders (KLG), forget it. Save swimming (which I've done when I have a REAL nice one), even if I get into the backing, I won' be reeling it back in with a fish on.
This seems to me such a physically vulnerable position to be in, and it has seemed SO much more compromising this year (went from a Superfine to a St. Croix UL), that I feel compelled to ask you, my fellow fisherpeople, "What's up?"
Yes, the water is warming, the trout mouths are softening, but my hooks are sharp and barbed (shouldn't even be necessary) and my line is tight (I have them on the reel, drag is lowest), but I tell you, I'm losing them left and right - and I don't think I'm alone here, given my previous observations. I'm suddenly so aware of the amount of pressure on that single point where the hook is connected to the fish's mouth - it feels like I'm trying to pull it in on a thread of silk and the fish is attached by a wad of chewing gum.
Part of the problem is compounded by the fact that some Eastern streams are so narrow - the fish have no room to tire themselves out. But I fear sometimes that I couldn't even haul a dead 14" Brookie in a swift current without breaking a 5x tippet, especially at the aforementioned angle. And that's even after guiding him towards the shallows.
It's not so funny when I watch spin fishermen with their 4.5 foot rods and 4lb test, HAULING fishing in as fast as the crank will spin. They can rip a fish through the water, I'll watch it spiraling through a pool (okay, treble hooks) - but it illustrates my point that they can tear a fish from a strong current, deter it from swimming downstream into the next pool, and I can't coax a fish gently into my net streamside without him rolling over off the hook or breaking my tippet at arm's length.
And I'm not so certain this is a fishing gear or seasonal debate - perhaps it poses the question, "If you can catch him in this water, where are you going to land him?" Just wondering if anyone has some tips for those in my situation who are having a great time hooking them, but no luck on the follow through.
Thanks,
Owen
Yes, we are fishermen, and this is just simple conversation, pleasantries, perhaps exaggerated, but as of late, more often than not, I'll look over at a fly-fisherman with one on, only to watch them lose it just as their catch is coming to the net, and more often than not, within arm's reach. It seems that variable is X is disproportionately larger than varialbe Y, and therein lay the dilemma.
I'm six foot two, and attempting to land a fish with an eight and half foot rod, the reel seat of which is most often poised level with my ear, and mind you, I'm standing in ankle/knee deep water, is an exercise in futility. Yes, we are talking 14 + feet of poor leverage, and yes, it is possible to net a fish at this angle, as I've done many times, but I often find myself praying the current is slow and the fish small, otherwise one exponent will outweigh the other, and the fish will work itself free.
Short of grabbing my rod in the mid-section, how do I keep these fish from rolling off my fly just as they are arms' length away? The fish never seem to swim up or across the stream - always down, and if they get downstream of me and into the troughs and boulders (KLG), forget it. Save swimming (which I've done when I have a REAL nice one), even if I get into the backing, I won' be reeling it back in with a fish on.
This seems to me such a physically vulnerable position to be in, and it has seemed SO much more compromising this year (went from a Superfine to a St. Croix UL), that I feel compelled to ask you, my fellow fisherpeople, "What's up?"
Yes, the water is warming, the trout mouths are softening, but my hooks are sharp and barbed (shouldn't even be necessary) and my line is tight (I have them on the reel, drag is lowest), but I tell you, I'm losing them left and right - and I don't think I'm alone here, given my previous observations. I'm suddenly so aware of the amount of pressure on that single point where the hook is connected to the fish's mouth - it feels like I'm trying to pull it in on a thread of silk and the fish is attached by a wad of chewing gum.
Part of the problem is compounded by the fact that some Eastern streams are so narrow - the fish have no room to tire themselves out. But I fear sometimes that I couldn't even haul a dead 14" Brookie in a swift current without breaking a 5x tippet, especially at the aforementioned angle. And that's even after guiding him towards the shallows.
It's not so funny when I watch spin fishermen with their 4.5 foot rods and 4lb test, HAULING fishing in as fast as the crank will spin. They can rip a fish through the water, I'll watch it spiraling through a pool (okay, treble hooks) - but it illustrates my point that they can tear a fish from a strong current, deter it from swimming downstream into the next pool, and I can't coax a fish gently into my net streamside without him rolling over off the hook or breaking my tippet at arm's length.
And I'm not so certain this is a fishing gear or seasonal debate - perhaps it poses the question, "If you can catch him in this water, where are you going to land him?" Just wondering if anyone has some tips for those in my situation who are having a great time hooking them, but no luck on the follow through.
Thanks,
Owen