joshgamble
Well-known member
What is the trick to keeping the hook in when fish start jumping? I always lose them when they jump.
Jumping fish
- Thread starter joshgamble
- Start date
kglissmeyer1
Well-known member
A good tactic I learned early in my fly fishing experience is to "give them the rod tip" whenever they jump - just drop the rod tip and stretch your arm towards the fish. This feeds just enough slack into the line that when the fish re-enters the water it's not as big a jolt to leader and tippet. Not sure there is science behind it, but I've gotten in the habit of it and rarely lose fish when they jump.
Kelly.
Kelly.
mcnerney
Administrator
Kelly, good tip, but I'm a slow learner, I'm usually sitting there dumbfounded when the fish comes out of the water and forget to lower the rod tip. I lost three really nice trout last weekend because of that!
Larry
goldentrout
Well-known member
This has been my tactic as well. My thought too, is that when the fish shakes his head, while in the air, trying to lose the hook, the slack in the line prevents him from tearing the hook from his lip. I have seen that the amount of current in the river or tention of the water on the line in a lake acting on the line will create enough tention on the line to pull the hook out of his mouth if he throws his head really hard against it. Even if you give him some slack. A good hook set is important to keep that from happening also.
I feel your pain! What a let down to hook and fight a nice fish and get a good look at him flying through the air, only to see the fly come out of his mouth in mid air and your line go limp. Along with your spirits.
Many Kokanee have broken my heart in such a way in the past, like a treacherous woman.
It's still a thrill to witness and experience! It's just part of the game we play and keeps us coming back for more...........
fredaevans
Well-known member
gt05254
Well-known member
Same idea in atlantic salmon fishing: bow to the king. There's also some neat physics involved. Draw a little picture...rod straight up, line down to the water...the fish can jump up easily. Same picture, rod down, fish doesn't have all that line up in the air, its more like its tethered down. Or at least that's how it seems to me.
Gary
Gary
joshuanoerr
Well-known member
On top of bowing, I have seen guys pull a little line off the reel. I've never tried that, I just drop the tip.
Seems like you would have to have fast hands, and it seems like too much work.
Seems like you would have to have fast hands, and it seems like too much work.
gt05254
Well-known member
getting hands near an active line sounds like disaster waiting to happen!
Gary
Upon further reflection, that REALLY sounds like a dangerous manuever. If you give too much....sudden slack....fish bolts...SNAP! Nope, not this kid.
Gary
Upon further reflection, that REALLY sounds like a dangerous manuever. If you give too much....sudden slack....fish bolts...SNAP! Nope, not this kid.
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fredaevans
Well-known member
Thank Goodness I didn't have a mouth full of Coffee or Tea. You would have "owed me" a new key board.
Too funny by half!:worthy:
gt05254
Well-known member
Whew, close call for my wallet, Fred!
Yeah, that's what I've been taught. When fighting steelhead, you can usually feel a really heavy pull in one direction that feels different than a run, and that's usually when they come cartwheeling out of the water. It just feels like the fish doubled in size for a few seconds. For smaller fish, I usually just bring my rod tip down a couple of feet... but if it's a sizeable fish, I will lay my rod flat. I've only ever caught one steelhead on the fly though, so this is coming from a gear-rod perspective. It's less important when running 8-10lb mono, but with braid you absolutely have to bring the rod tip down (which is probably closer to the less elastic fly line).
I've recently discovered twisted leaders too, and they seem to have a nice shock-absorbency to them (like, a pretty easy 8-12 inches of stretch in the leader). Might be an option.
kglissmeyer1
Well-known member
The leader thought is a great thing to remember. I now use my own twisted mono leaders and they have an inherent stretch to them that absorbs much of the shock from the hook-set to fighting the fish and it seems to provide just enough stretch to minimize those times that may over-strain a regular nylon leader. Something to think about.
Kelly.
Kelly.
joshgamble
Well-known member
Thanks guys. That goes against the logic I used. Clearly my logic was wrong, hence always losing jumping fish. I hope next time I have a little airborne fighter on the line I have the clarity to remember this advice. I have come to realize it feels much better congratulating the fish on a well earned victory when I lose them, than to get frustrated.:thumbsup:
chuck s
Well-known member
Several things come into play once the fish goes aireborne. Head shakes can snap a tippet quickly, soft tissues can tear, and the weight of the fly can cause it to fly free. As has been indicated go from an arm close to your body, higher rod postion for fighting the fish to a good extended reach to the fish for most freshwater fish and on the bigger ones, even bow forward and really reach out as was described. The weight of the line will offer enough resistance to keep the hook in but will allow a bit of give to cushion the effect of head shakes and the fish tumbling in air. A stretch leader can help with this if you are fishing for fish that have a relatively tender mouth but will cause problems with setting the hook with the harder mouthed fish. Tarpon for instance have a mouth often compared to a concrete block!
wjc
Well-known member
I bow to tarpon after the hookset only when they have a lot of line out and engaged in frantic jumping at a distance. Later in the fight, when they are closer to the reel, I like to keep the line tight when they are in the air and no longer bow. By then the hook has often enlarged the hole it's made and makes it easier for them to shake out if given the chance.
I used the same fighting style when catching Atlantic Salmon. It has worked pretty well for me.
Cheers,
Jim
I used the same fighting style when catching Atlantic Salmon. It has worked pretty well for me.
Cheers,
Jim
joshuanoerr
Well-known member
Yeah, I don't like losing flies, I can't imagine what would happen if I lost a finger!
fredaevans
Well-known member
Too funny by half! Couple of years ago (well, make that three now that the Spring King season is just kicking into gear) I did something I haven't done in years ... put on 15# test Maxima main line for 'tippet.'
One of the few times I ever thought I'd get spooled with a 10wt (Scott?) 15' rod. For context, Fishing for these guys (they can easily go over 20#) I do use a full on drag reel (in this case a 12/13 Reddington which is one hell of a big reel) and a full sink line set up.
Hook fish (strongly suspect foul hooked the South end of a North bound train) and 'he' turned and ran, and ran, and ran, and I had zero place to go. Last of the 120' of line went off the reel, then 100 foot of 30# shooting line, then better part of 50-75 yards of 30# backing gone in less than 20 seconds.
OH SHXT!! Rod pointed directly down stream and I stuck my arm between the out going backing and rod; did a quick wrap around as I was being spooled.
The line cut through my coat sleeve like a hot knife through butter.But it was enough; PING! Simply amazing what it takes to bust 15# Maxima 'anything.'
Those are the fish you remember.
fae