On the reel

[frogge]

Ok,
Another post to demonstrate my incompetence. I've noticed that the first thing that happens when I get a large fish on(thankfully more common these days than last year), is I get concerned about harming the fish. I know I'm suppose to get the thing unhooked as quickly as possible without getting it totally fatiqued. The next thing is I worry about my tippet, even though it is usually 5x flouro and good for around 4# test. Thankfully my days of knot failure seem to be behind me. Anyway last night I failed to land two huge(Ah since I never landed them I'm allowed to give them any size I want), browns. Both hit at the end of a drift aboout 30ft downstream in the current. I almost always play my fish off the reel, simply stripping the line in and using my finger to set the "drag". The second fish had the intellegence to run right at me and get some slack before he shed the hook. I couldn't keep up with him coming at me. Should I be trying to get the fish "on the reel" and if so how is that best done. Thanks,Frogge.

 

[Corndog]

Alot of stripping.
Alot of reeling.
and...
Alot of luck.

That's how you land a big fish.

We all loose the big ones from time to time (probably more than we would like to admit). Then scratch our heads wondering what we could have done differently.

The advantage you now have is knowing where that fish is.

Would you like to share that with us?

Cdog

 

[Pete]

Each fish is a judgement call, but in general you'd be better off playing larger fish with the reel.

Critical - Just after the strike, attempting to keep some tension on the hook while reeling in any slack. Practice on smaller fish.

Maybe you already do this...
If you hold the rod in your "dominant" hand, learn to reel with the other. Then you won't be trying to switch hands after each strike.

A larger diameter reel will allow you to bring in more line per revolution. Note, the growing popularity of "large arbor" and "mid arbor" reels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~EDIT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have trouble adjusting to reeling with your "other" hand;

Assuming you're right handed.
Set up a reel for left hand wind. Attach it to the handle section of a rod.
Practice while watching TV, (or something). A half hour should be more than sufficient.
If you were ever a spin fisher, it should be easy.... If not, watch more TV & keep practicing.

 

[frogge]

Hey,
Thanks for the help. I don't have any problem reeling( converted from spin fishing two yrs ago). I think I need to try using the reel more frequently. The fish were on the catch and release section of the Battenkill. Unfortunately very difficult to fish since the tube traffic is unbelievable and when that seems to die down the spin fishermen show up with their morters. I'm getting to be a grouchy snob. Saw a lady tubing with a kid who could not have been over 3. No PFD. Indeed none of the tubers carry pfd's. Doesn't seem to be any Police presence on the river and at least one fly fishermen related a tale of Poachers taking a bunch of fish in the catch and release section. I guess I have to take comfort in the fact that a bunch of those fish are probably stockies that are destined for a brief and hopefully exciting life. Maybe the tubers are preserving the resource by limiting the time that anyone can fish. Toodles,Frogge.

 

[Pete]

Slightly OT, but it's your topic, and you brought it up....

How things have changed:
From 1973 to 1983, I made an annual trip to the NY special regulations section of Battenkill (got married in '84)...

• I never saw a tuber.
  I never saw a spinfisher
  There were no stockies
  Nobody ever heard of "Rock Snot"

When did they start stocking?

 

[AKSkim]

Fly Line Recovery Technique

Frogge:

Great question! By asking you are not only thinking more about what your going out there, your are helping yourself become more proficient as an angler, and more importantly helping others who have this question.

When a fish runs at you.. oh boy, that is a real tough one, as StripDog suggested, hand strip real fast, using side pressure to see if you are able to get its head turned. When you get up to you leader... this is where luck comes into play.

Smaller fish you should be able to hold the fly line to fight and control it.

Larger fish, get them on the reel as soon as you can and let it do all the work.

If you have a lot of line out and want to get it back on yor reel quickly, (I hold my rod in my right hand, and use the left one on the reel) I grasp the fly line with the thumb and index fingers holding it with the right hand, and quickly "palm" the bottom of the reel with my left. The palming motion is a downward thrust ( 8 or 9 o'clock to 6 o'clock position) spinning the spool, thus bring in line very quickly, without having to use the handle to reel in the line.

Go out in the yard, pay out a bunch of line and practice. You'll be very surprised to see how much line you are able to bring in onto the spool quickly.

One other thing, till you get use to doing it that way, I suggest you use your pinky finger of your right hand (while holding the line with the thumb and index) to loop the line over and act as a guide leading the fly line onto the reel. After a while you should be able to palm quicky and not have to use the pinky to guide the line.

Like everything else, it all comes in time and practice.

Good luck!

 

[sstasiak]

Re: PETE's OT and feeling safe to join in, unless Petie-Po scrubs both our posts...

I used to have the same problem. When I first hook a fish, I don't even think about putting my hand on the reel until I get a feel of what I'm dealing with. If it's a big fish and has room to run, he'll usually(in my opinion) get rid of your slack line for you, and get on the reel all on his own.

Obviously, if the fish comes straight at you, you've gotta strip as fast as you can. I learned very quickly to never try to hold the fish in place without giving some line while reeling in the slack.

All that said, I still loose fish trying to get them on the reel

 

[Corndog]

Frogge,

A lot of good points here.

I see guys loose big steelhead on the Salmon River all the time because they focus more on their reel and line rather than on what the fish is doing.

When you set the hook and realize you have a big fish, strip in line between your rod handle and you index finger first to keep tension on the line. While keeping that tension, wait a short bit to see what the fish is going to do. Once you're good at it you will be able to start reeling slowly while waiting. If he runs out, then allow the line to slide (keeping tension with your index finger) and see of he takes you to your reel. If he does your problem is solved. If he runs at you, start stripping in line to stay ahead of him and to keep tension on you line. Don't make the all to common mistake of trying to get your line back on your reel to soon. Cause when you start cranking like hell, your focus is not on the fish and what he's doing and you can get a whip effect at the top of your rod that can break him off or you might just be reeling when he decides to run.

Then once you have your line back on your reel, drop your rod tip so it's near parallel to the water and apply side pressure to him. If you allow a big fish to hold in a current seem, you're allowing him to regain his strength. Side pressure will continue to tire him and draw him out of the seam.

Remember, palm the reel when he's running, reel when he's not.

You can practice this on small trout or river smallmouths, just loosen your drag and let him run.

Hope this helps,
Cdog