A Day With My Son

[reevesr1]

My oldest son starts University in a couple of weeks. We decided we needed to do an all day fishing trip before he left. I spent a lot of time figuring out where we should go. We wanted to try some new water to us, to make it a bit of an adventure. After a bit of research, I decided I had the perfect place. It was going to be a long drive south, drive until the road was supposed to end, and mountain bike up to the fishing.

 

Turns out the road was way better than we thought. I was led to believe you needed a good 4wd (and I don't, hence the mountain bike idea). Obviously they do not understand the power of the 2000 Grand Caravan. After a pretty easy creek crossing we drove right to the creek. And in the first pool our dreams seemed like they were answered. Big cutts hanging out, and better yet 3 big bulls. After several different streamer changes we decided the Bulls were not interested. Really, neither were the cutties (it was about 11 am and nothing really seemed interested yet). Ben did get a couple of refusals, made a fly change, then the biggest cutt in the pool comes up from bottom in a leisurely fashion, stops below the fly (a VERY slow pool) then rises the last few inches and sucks the fly in. Ben sets the hook instantly, which results in missed fish. I told him he needed to wait and he said "I know, I couldn't."

 

The rest of the day goes pretty much the same for him. Some really good opportunities and nothing landed. We did find the fish very, very picky. Both of us fished 7X for a bit, and both broke off big fish. I landed a couple of really nice fish, and I will probably post some pics later. But the fishing wasn't as good as I had hoped, though I will absolutely be back at some point. Perfect water and big cutties.

 

But I'll never forget the day. Though my son struggled, he never stopped fishing and was great company all day. I felt really bad that I had not put him on more fish. He said "meh, I've caught 'em before and I'll catch 'em again." We walked about 11 KM (I LOVE my GPS) without a word of complaint from him, but I will say I wore him out. It would be nice to be 17 again and be able to sleep all the way home. But the real take away for me from this day is my son is a great fishing partner. I couldn't ask for more (except maybe for more university scholarships).

[ÜberFly]

Like father, lie son!! LoL! You've taught him well Rick!! (Just kidding )

 

Sounds like a great trip nonetheless in some beautiful country!

 

P

 

Ben sets the hook instantly, which results in missed fish. I told him he needed to wait and he said "I know, I couldn't."

 

[boot]

Ben sets the hook instantly, which results in missed fish. I told him he needed to wait and he said "I know, I couldn't."

 

Rickr, could you explain this to me? What are you waiting for? I always try and set as soon as I see the take, but then that may be my problem (I miss a lot of takes). Any information would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[reevesr1]

Ok, I am almost certainly not the best person to ask this because my sucking at dry fly fishing is well documented. But I am improving, and here is what I think I know:

 

When this fish came up, he didn't come up from behind the fly, he came up from in front. So the fish was facing Ben when he took. He needed to give the fish time to take, go back down and turn so that he was setting the hook against the fish as opposed to fish facing to improve the chance of a hookup. I've heard people say to say "God Save the Queen" before setting. While I agree with this in slow water on the nice slow rises. But when the rise is sudden, or in faster water, I don't give them as much time. I do try to delay a bit, but mostly I use the slow lift of the rod to be the delay, if that makes sense.

 

What I do find is while I still miss fish, I don't miss as many nice fish using these methods. I think it is because I "see" the rise of the nice fish better and am less surprised by them, and can more often give that little pause. I hope that helps. Others are far better at it than I.

[boot]

Ok, that makes sense. I'm going to have to work on that. My natural inclination is to set the hook asap, because I don't want them to spit it... this is going to take some practice!

 

Thanks for your response.

 

[fishfreak]

Those 1-2 seconds seem like an eternity, especially when it's a nice fish slowly taking a dry fly.

[Hawgstoppah]

Sounds like ya had fun Rick. That road was better than normal if you were able to get the minivan up there. I tried earlier this year with my honda and it was like... no way!!!

 

On the hooksets I have great success with watching the riser start heading back down... once his nose is back underwater I set firmly but not too hard. I seem to hook about 80% or more fish that rise to my dry. I do miss little guys this way. Yesterday on a southern stream I was into dry fly bigtime in the rain... fish eating bwo's all over the place... problem was the biggun's and little ones were in the same places... so I set too slow on a lot of little guys and set too fast on the biggest one I saw... doh!! (it was a friggin hawg).

 

which reminds me. I got a couple pics I was gonna post.

[ÜberFly]

And a couple you were going to send (as in to me!!) LoL

 

P

 

which reminds me. I got a couple pics I was gonna post.