Technique For Not Losing Jumping Fish?

[LynnF]

Just finished watching Fly Nation on WFN. I noticed that the guys fishing did something whenever a fish jumped out of the water and was wondering if it was a technique they used to avoid losing an acrobatic fish. Thinking it might be useful for me on the Bow with all the rainbows that have spit the hook mid air at me. When the fish was about to hit the water on the way back down, the angler turned the rod so that the rod tip was pointing directly at the fish's mouth...it was a deliberate movement - for instance if the rod was at his right shoulder he moved it in an arc to his left shoulder to change positions. Anyone ever do that or something like it?

 

And I just added Patagonia Argentina to my bucket list.

[ÜberFly]

Haven't watch th episode yet (PVR'd it). The only specific technique I know of Lynn is "bowing to the fish" - pointing your tip towards the water...

 

P

 

*Edit*

 

Sorry I can't past the specific info...

 

Here's what Lefty has to say (on a google search):

 

http://books.google.ca/books?id=naXkqG4wq-...ish&f=false

[ironfly]

That's always seemed contradictory to me. What happens to your rod when a fish jumps? Boing, it snaps back, because there's now almost no tension, just the opposite of what you'd expect from Lefty's logic that things weigh more in the air. It seems like a lot of people want it both ways. They say they lose more fish with barbless hooks, because the slightest amount of slack allows the fish enough play to throw the hook, unless the fish jumps, in which case slack is the only way to not lose the fish. Am I the only one this makes no sense to?

 

Obviously enough people have unwaivering faith in bowing to the fish, or tipping the rod, that there must be something to it. From what I've seen, 9 times out of 10, by the time the angler reacts, the fish is already landing back in the water, so maybe the introduction of slack prevents the sudden increase in tension as the fish re-enters the water, and that's actually what makes the difference.

 

All I know for sure is that over the course of a few years I got pretty good at bowing to fish, but found it made no difference in how many fish get the long-distance release. I no longer bother bowing or tipping, but have gotten a little more serious about setting the hook, and have found that's made a big difference.

[TerryH]

I think the first part of Lefty's argument is irrelevant -- i.e. the part about the fish "weighing" more out of the water. Actually it weighs the same, it's just that there's no bouyancy force pushing upward while the gravitational force pulls down. When Lefty gets further into the discussion he doesn't really use the weight issue, it's the fact that the fish is freer to twist and turn in the air than it is in the water(that's a viscosity thing, not a weight issue), and hence can exert more force on the line. That's always been my reason for bowing to the fish as junior puts it, and like him, I still get my fair share of LLR's. Terry

[SanJuanWorm]

I don't lose fish EVER. I'm not divulging my secrets either.

[Austin]

I don't lose fish EVER. I'm not divulging my secrets either.

 

I love WFN but unfortunetly i don't have it anymore. And yes i have lost fish before jumping out of the air. Good technique

[Brunsie]

I don't lose fish EVER. I'm not divulging my secrets either.

 

Can't lose what you can't catch

[Weedy1]

I find a 9mm slug right through the middle of their head is usually the best technique for not losing jumping fish.

[Dxh]

Usually when i have a 18"+ bow on the end of my line, and he/she decides to make an awesome acrobatic display, I'm far too much in a state of awe to really do anything. I have found though (in my short fly fishing career of 3 years) that doing nothing seems to work better than trying to keep the tension tight. I try to keep my tip high, and tighten up as soon as the fish hits the water again. Seems hit and miss. Maybe im doing it all wrong.

[scorpiondeathlock]

 

[SanJuanWorm]

Using barbed hooks really works well too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DISCLAIMER:

 

(Barbed hooks are illegal)

[Hawgstoppah]

I keep them locked up nice and tight all the way through the fight jump or no jump, keep hard tension on them, as much as possible without breaking the line. You'll get to know your limits and your gear's limits but when you're right up against those limits you will only lose 10-20% of your fish and the other 80% are in your net.

[bhurt]

I don't lose fish EVER. I'm not divulging my secrets either.

The reason you are not losing any fish is cause your either

 

a) Not Fishing

 

or

 

Not catching anything

[bitemyfly]

I was told to point the rod tip at the fish, so that when the fish hits the water, He/she doesn't break your tippet or yank the fly out. I only find this necessary on small flys and tippets.