Landing One's Catch At Arm's Length - My Dilemma...

[Trout Bummin NJ]

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

 

[willowhead]

evolution

TBNJ, LMAO. Everyone's been there. Course it doesn't help when your as tall as you. Two things come quickly to mind. First, there is nothing wrong with "grabbing my rod in mid section." You do whatever you have to do. Second, you might also try getting yourself a long handled net. They even make the collaspsable kind. I guess you know by now, not to let your leader inside your tiptop when trying to land a fish. Keep a few inches of line outside the tiptop at least. And finally, i have no problem with having a fish come off, for whatever reason if he has given me good sport. He's tired, he needs to recouporate. Long as i got to see him up close, live and in person......everything's cool. You'll get past the i have to take a pic stage too. Hopefully you've already graduated past the lots of fish stage, and are at least to the big fish stage, if not the difficult fish stage. I have no idea of your age, nor does it interest me, but the fly fishing learning curve is one that needs to be assended as quickly as possible imho. When i say learning i mean evolving to the next level. The sooner you can be happy just knowing the fish are there. The better off you'll be. Trust me, this is the voice of experience. I didn't angle with fly tackle until i was 39 yrs. old. Although i have fished all my life. I had to "get it" QUICK! Try this........next time you go to the water, and every time after that............STOP! And take a half hour before you do anything and just "Listen" to the water. That time spent listening, will become the most important part of your experience. The most valued part, the most revered part...... the most sacrid part. mark..............

 

[Trout Bummin NJ]

Mark, AMEN, and thanks again for the wise words...especially the being "cognisant" part. I believe awareness to be the most important part of any pasttime, fishing or no. And I appreciate your tips about landing fish, and your Buddhistic stance on "catch and release". Undoubtably, there is suffering caused by one's own desire to land fish...however, that is not a very American reply to my desire to NET as many fish as humanly possible, thereby proving how much of a man I am. ;^)

I've been a die hard fisherman since I could stand, a fly-fisherman since I could cast a rod, and I'm 27 now. I'm almost completely self taught - I have no friends who've shared my enthusiasm in the fly fishing dept., and I've learned my lessons hard and in solitude, and most of what I learned is that a lot of what is considered "high art" or "science" in regard to fishing can't make up for a bit of intuition and willingness to get wet (though I have more of the latter than the former). But I do consider myself an intent fisherman, and a knowledgeable one, and I've caught my fair share. What's cool to me about fishing is it is a continual process of learning.

In practical terms - I'm not sure how I would handle a long handled net, that is, I already have my hands full with what I've got! Unfolding a net, or collapsing one sounds hard - and it would have to be long and be easy to store (I'm big, but I'm not a MacKenzie). And in clear water, that 9ft. leader gets taken up to the tip (good point though).

And my predicament seems new to me - I've never had this netting problem before, perhaps there is no real solution - as you said, I need to get past "I haven't caught him 'til he's in my paw."

In the Pequest a while ago, I literally was juking a huge bow from swimming down stream of me, cutting him off with my body in the narrow channel. I got him to the net, tail first(!) but as soon as he got past me (through my legs!), I kicked around and he rolled over once and goodbye.

Yes, a longer handled net, and a bigger one is in short order. But I don't want to kill this thread - some guys operate without a net at all, and some with what I have and with great results.

Thanks,
Owen

 

[BEAMOC]

Owen,

Funny you should start this thread. I was fishing yesterday and one of the things I am always thinking about is proper body mechanics while fishing. Sometimes I think about wading, or posture, or casting, but yesterday I was thinking about setting the hook, playing, and landing a fish. The typical style, like you said with your reel next to your ear, is no good, your working way too hard and could be setting yourself for possible injury. THe first thing I do when I hook a fish is look around for a good spot land them and then try to position myself downstream from that. If I have to walk 50 ft. or more,that's fine. Once I am comfortable I begin to really work the fish, with me arm at my side. Holding your arm out or up like that puts a tremendous strain on your rotator cuff, an injury you want to avoid at all cost, just ask my patients. Next, get down on one knee to land the fish, htis will allow you to use that long rod more to your advantage. Think about it this was. If you have a 9' rod and a 9' leader. It takes some getting used to, getting away from that "magazine shot" style of playing and landing a fish, but your body will love you for it. If the fish are breaking you off as yo try to land them, keep them in the water. They weigh a lot less and are less likely to thrash, which will protect the light tippet. I hope this helps. And for all that Mark said, right on. It's not all about the fish, they're only part of it. Once you can get past that and enjoy the whole environment the exeperience is much more rewarding. Hell, there's got to be a reason for going fishing in January when you almost expect to not catch fish.

Keith

 

[Fly Ty R]

I have yet to lose a fish this way, but I wouldn't recommend anyone copying it...

I just guide the fish in by the leader to my side when it gets close enough, then cradle it in my hand(s). I rarely ever use a net, except on large trout (over 20" or so) or in fast water. First rule, never try to haul the fish out of the water. Let the neutral buoyancy of the fish help you. Second rule, guide the line in lightly with only your fingertips, nothing else. If the fish wants to bolt, let it go and play it some more on the rod. You'll get another shot when it comes around again. Third rule, refer back to rule #1 . I have never broken a tippet or lost a fish by doing this, even on 7X tippets. Granted, I know just how much pressure to put on the line before it breaks, so I wouldn't recommend this "wrong way to land a fish" to anyone. But it works for me.

 

[willowhead]

Owen, Keith, and Fly Ty R, you guys are a very refreshing bunch. Seems you all have a "friendly" attitude about the whole thing. I try to not use my net as much as possible also. Very often i forget to even put it on. When i do remember, i keep it on a real heavey duty zinger, so it's real easy to crab when i've got a fish on. But whenever i fish some place where i don't really expect to catch any large fish, "forget the net." I just try to run my hand down the leader to the fly, and pull it out by hand. If i can never touch the fish, all the better for the fish. Just remember that when your going thru brush and stuff, that "real heavy zinger" can snap back and bust you in your back with the net, if you've gotten your net snagged and don't realize it til it's to late. So be "cognisant" of course, lol. Keith, that get down on one knee thing also works for sure. I very often use a leader much longer than 9 ft., especially when fishing tiny flies on very fine tippets. But i've never had a problem with grabing my rod half way up in order to land a fish. mark.......

 

[Trout Bummin NJ]

Awesome, thanks for the help guys. Since I've acquired all these new tools, I've almost forgotten how I operated without them for so long. It's good to hear that there is no "right" way to land a fish, that the principle is to get him in, regardless. I'll have to try some of these tips, as I've been trying to do it the way I thought it should be done. I still think the laws of physics are working so hard against a fisherman trying to land a fish in shallow water with a high rod and a small net. No, it is never like in the magazines. One has little control over the fish in that situation (the rod tip just starts wobbling all over). Problem solved for me, thanks again.