What Were You Taught? Head Out Of The Water Before Landing?

[sldrose]

With the push towards better fish handling, the one thing I don't see mentioned or reinforced is the "when" should

a fish be landed

 

25 years ago when I was learning, the collective wisdom was to fight a fish until you can "Get And Keep" its head above the

water.

At that point, either land or net the fish.

 

I realize we all fish differently, but I am curious to know if:

- you were taught the same thing, to get it's head up before landing?

- if you've since changed how you fight fish?

- if you still land fish this way?

- if you fish without a net and why?

 

cheers

[jtaylor]

- Nope, I have always just tried to land the fish as fast as possible, regardless of head up.

- Yes, If I mis-hook a fish and he's sideways I just horse him in and release him or loose them

-N/A

- I have fished without a net on small cutty streams, where I am using barbless hooks and committed to the dry. Reason, less things to carry and I have a horrible fear of bears and have convinced myself that a fishy net might bring unwanted friends ( total BS but when fishing alone my mind sometimes plays tricks on me)

[threepwood]

-I've certainly heard the "head-up" rule of thumb for landing fish, but I just try to land them as quickly as possible now.

-I do fight fish a little differently than I used to, but it's more because of gaining experience in not losing them than any conscious effort to change methods. I use lots more side-pressure than I did as a beginner.

-I do use a net most of the time. I try to stick with the #KeepEmWet handling guidelines, and by using a net I can touch the fish as little as possible and usually I can keep it in the water while getting the hook out with foreceps.

[DonAndersen]

About a minute/pound for most trout.

 

Don

[Crowsnest]

^ the Sage speaks, and he speaks 'wisely'

[sldrose]

So about 5-10 minutes per fish right Don?

haha

 

Certainly, I apply a lot more side pressure and change the fish's direction to get them into the landing net sooner.

 

I'd really like to see some videos of how long it takes fish to recover using both techniques.

 

I see many photos of good fish from evidently skilled anglers that are usually accompanied by others asking

"how did you get the fish to stay so still for the photo"

 

usually followed by "they swam away fine"

 

Just wondering if this isn't something that we can do better as a community by encouraging newbie's to use a net

and asking us oldies to step away from old traditions/habits. (i.e. fighting the fish until its head remains out of the water)

[bcubed]

I think a bigger thing is teaching people how to fight fish so that the fish's head is forced out of water, not there out of exhaustion. a 6 weight rod and 10 lb maxima will put pretty well any Bow river fish on it's back in under 2 minutes, even the current toads we have.

 

Race ya!?

[Dangus]

I think having those fish that aren't gassed but stay still for photos are from calm, gentle Handling. Most fish I revive take less than a minute and I don't let go of the tail until they really buck me off. Nothing worse than seeing a fish swim off and then flip over.

[BowLurker]

I think having those fish that aren't gassed but stay still for photos are from calm, gentle Handling. Most fish I revive take less than a minute and I don't let go of the tail until they really buck me off. Nothing worse than seeing a fish swim off and then flip over.

 

Agreed. Had few bump & jump into the rocks because they were lively, but was I pulling a bit too hard for 'traditional' head-lifts? Attached my net to my pack once the water dropped a couple months ago.

 

-M.

[Swede]

I couldn't agree with bcube more. I land just about every fish I catch in under 2 minutes. I use a 6 weight rod almost exclusively for all my trout fishing.

 

Nothing makes me laugh harder than watching a video of a guy with his drag backed off. yelling its into my backing. Than when he lands it 15 minutes later its a 17 inch trout.

[Dangus]

Ha yeah other than steelhead and salmon there are only a few fish I can think of that I've legit had any decent distance into the backing.

(Which is why I tend to ridicule those who are adamant they need 200 yards of backing or say their trout was making 100 yard runs.)

Funny enough, there was One 17" bow river bow that was super hot. I called "big fish" as it peeled backing...and then ate my words. (At least it Wasn't a tail hook ha)

[Flyfisher]

I think there's a valid argument that as a lot, we fly fishers have been somewhat seduced into an excess of photo ops all too often I think at the expense of fish we catch, largely I think due to the ease that technology provides for taking a photo or video and posting it on the internet for all to see. I see a disturbing number of photo op C&R fish that appear to be gassed. Zombie eyed fish that in my mind clearly should not have been put through the added stress of an out of the water photo op. In my experience a fish that has not been overly played out will have its eyes looking down trying to see what's stuck in it's mouth, and when I see that and the fish is still in the water I think there's someone who has done it right.

[bigalcal]

I try to bring in my fish as fast as I can. I do have a 3wt cutty rod which might make the fight a bit longer than a 5 or 6 wt. I do my best to get them in and out quickly. I have definitely changed my "catch & release" style from my early days....much for the better of course. I admit ..it did take me a few years to figure it out.

 

I don't even bring a camera with me anymore.

[wegotobaemf]

The net makes landing and handling a lot easier for both you and the fish. It makes a quick fight and release even faster.

[Swede]

Ha yeah other than steelhead and salmon there are only a few fish I can think of that I've legit had any decent distance into the backing.

(Which is why I tend to ridicule those who are adamant they need 200 yards of backing or say their trout was making 100 yard runs.)

Funny enough, there was One 17" bow river bow that was super hot. I called "big fish" as it peeled backing...and then ate my words. (At least it Wasn't a tail hook ha)

The reason to fill up your reel with backing is line memory. Without backing you get tight little coils that take some stretching to get out. its not much but it does make a difference.

[Dangus]

Well, while that is true on older style reels, I doubt it's really necessary with large arbors. Nor could you fit that much standard backing on them. I bet I have 30 yards on one of my LA reels while I probably have 75 on my hardys.

I feel that it is more of an old school way of doing things as lines nowadays have little memory relatively.

I remember my old Cortland type 6 full sink used to look like a slinky when I peeled it off the reel in the spring. After that got eaten by my motor, I bought a new rio and it's night and day.

The thing is, The point of their argument is not that they need it for that reason, it's for running fish and will even go as far as using gel spun so they can fit more on.

[Dangus]

Sorry, I use the word "ridicule" as a bit of hyperbole. I should have said "tease" or "roll my eyes at."

[monger]

7wt, 12lb test and very few fish past 2 minute fight (average 1.5min). I try not to give them a chance to get near exhaustion. No net unless tubing and fish over 4 or 5 lb