Having contact with the fly and feeling the TUG

Steve:

First off it was great getting to know you on the Spring River trip. I look forward to many more!

I read your post and it reminded me of an observation. I go long stretches (sometimes 6 months) between fly fishing and I noticed the first day back is usually slow but picks up by the end of the trip. One thing that helped me expedite this progression is being trigger happy on setting the hook, especially the first day. I’ll set the hook on any bump, pause or perceived snag. I know its most likely not a fish but it heightens my senses and hones my reflexes to the point I don’t even think about setting the hook. It just happens. I got this from an old Lefty Kreh book on casting. Two of his many points were to maximize your fly’s time in/on the water i.e. let a bad cast drift as opposed to recasting, and set your hook on anything even though you know it’s not a fish, as it will heighten your senses on hook setting.

As far as “feeling the fly”, strikes come in a variety of ways besides the tug. The tug is great but not always the most prevalent. Strikes can vary by water, weather and season, and can range from nothing to having the rod yanked out of your hand.

My suggestion is to expand your idea of what indicates you have a fish on the line. One exercise I highly recommend is to get to a spot where your standing above clear water (essentially looking down into a barrel of fish), have polarized sunglasses and a lure you can pick out in the water. Watch how the fish react to it. You may find that you are getting bites without your indicator budging. That taught me that I generally underset the hook. It will also teach you about the importance of depth. I found this exercise to be an excellent learning experience, although some consider this type of fishing as “dirty pool.”

Setting the hook is just one of many reasons why you might not be successful, but ‘takes’ come in all shapes and sizes and heightening your setting senses to the point of being a reflex can only help. I truly believe the number one cause of not catching fish is reluctance to set a hook – but that’s one man’s opinion.

When you have it “all figured out yet” please contact me because its’s been 30 years and I haven’t been able to!

Best regards,

Joe Staggenborg

Steve,

Joe has some good recommendations and Lefty Kreh knew what he was taking about.  If you are wanting to “feel” the fly then you will NOT catch as many fish as the guy next to you.  Especially when nymph fishing if you wait to “feel” the take the trout has already spit out the fly. As Joe says practice by setting the hook more when you see your indicator do ANYTHING other than it’s normal float with the current, i.e. if the indicator slows down, stops for a second, “jiggles” or ANYTHING other than the normal float downstream – set the hook!!

So, dry flies – fast take – set the hook.  Slow sipping take then say “God bless America” and set the hook

Soft hackles – I point the rod at the fly with fly rod low, I watch my fly line and 9-10 feet past the tip of my fly line, and I have my fly line just laying across my pointy finger of my hand holding the rod. If I see a rise at the 9-10 foot point (where my fly should be in the surface film) I “lift” my rod slowly.  If I see my fly line being “pulled” forward (fish strike) then I slowly lift my rod.  If I feel the line being pulled through my pointing finger I trap the line against my rod handle and lift the rod slowly. Each time – fish on!.  If it’s a hard hit then I let go of my line allow the trout to take the fly and then trap the fly line against the handle of the rod and lift slowly. With soft hackles if a guy sets hard he will usually pull the fly out of the fishes mouth.

Nymphs – with indicator.  Mend, watch your indicator if it does ANYTHING other than the normal flow in the current – set the hook.  I have seen many guys that miss fish after fish, never knowing they had a fish that took their fly, because they don’t set the hook on anything other than….. Practice setting the hook on the anything other than …… (indicator slows, twitches, stops, etc…) and you WILL catch more fish than the guy next to you.  Also, when nymph fishing you must set the hook quickly. I teach guys to not allow your eyes to see the indicator movement, then tell your brain what it saw, then your brain tells your arm to raise up, then you raise your arm – TOO SLOW. Train your body to set the hook without thinking about it – see it BAM set it!!

Again, if you are waiting for the indicator to go under or “feel a tug” you are missing fish.