How Do You React When You Lose A Fish?

[SteveM]

Personally, I NEVER get upset at losing a fish that I've hooked up, however brief that hookup may have been. I have been known

to give myself a good talking to when I miss a hookset due to inattention; yes, sometimes my mind wanders and I'm a tad slow

on the draw. Shite happens, right? Usually checking out the scenery, picking out the spot for my next cast before the drift is

complete,or(and I HATE when this happens) thinking of something other than fishing, when fishing's slow. Inexcusable,that last one!!

 

Once I've actually gotten my fly into a fish, it's like 'A River Runs Through It" meets "The Matrix". So much happens so fast, yet it

feels like time stands still from the time of the rise (or twitch of the strike indicator) to the eventual conclusion. With the right attitude,

you can enjoy the experience,whatever the outcome may be.

 

So many different scenarios to consider:

If I'm nymphing, get a hit, but it quickly comes "unbuttoned", I can be confident that I'm using the right fly and getting into the right

zone. Plus, I just got to experience that magic moment where I lift the rod to feel that living creature at the other end of my line-

not just another rock, stick, or piece of vegetation. To me, that split-second is sublime.

The same scenario while drifting a dry is that much better; all of the above, plus the visual aspect of a rise to a dry- priceless!

 

If that fish stays attached a little longer, so much the better. Now comes the question,"Wee'un or big'un?" What a rush when that

initial hit becomes a "HOLY CRAP!" moment; that's when you feel the headshakes of a PO'd hawg, see your fly line peeling off your

reel, or see that 20"+ Bow River bullet come flying out of the water, desperately trying to shake your hook from the corner of it's

kyped jaw! Man, that's better than sex! Well, better than run-of-the-mill sex; not better than really good sex- let's not get carried

away here! Anyhoo, back to our topic: if I lose this fish at this point, I'm still feeling pretty dang stoked about what just transpired.

I got to enjoy the hookset & the fight of a hawgdaddy fish, why not just soak in the moment? Sometimes you can do everything

right and still not land the fish; remember, you're a long ways from your fly and the trout was trying to eat that tiny fly in moving

water-there's a very good chance that little hook didn't get into a good solid spot in the mouth. It's not always your fault.

 

That being said, sometimes it IS my fault when I fail to land a fish. One of the first big fish I connected with on the Bow was a big,

thick 2ft broonie that slammed my nymph practically at my feet, then immediately erupted out of the water to my eye-level three

times in rapid succession. So enthralled was I with the air show, I briefly became a spectator more than a fisherman; that brown

didn't get that big by being dumb- he was gone before I got my head back in the game. Probably gave him a little slack while I was

hootin' & hollerin' with that big shite-eating grin on my face- but that grin was still there long after that trout spit my nymph- and

it still comes back when I think about that day. Those few seconds are stored in my memory; the outcome is secondary to

the sheer enjoyment of that moment.

 

To sum up, I guess my point is this: If I should ever get to the point where I always do everything right when I hook a fish, then

maybe it's time to quit fishing; because I'd prefer to (every now & then) get so excited that I screw something up and let the trout

win once in a while. And when that happens, I'll just tip my hat to that fish, save it in my memory banks,and tell ya'll about the

big one that got away. And I'll be smilin' as I'm telling that fish story!

 

 

That's how Bob Loblaw sees it.

 

What do YOU think?

 

 

-Bob Loblaw-

[chidders]

Bob IMO that is a great view to look at fishing.

 

For me I get almost as equally excited when my fishing buddy hooks into one. It is pure adrenaline all over when there is a "fish on".

[dryfly]

Good thoughts Bob Loblaw. Thanks.

 

I love to catch fish. We all do. And we'd quit if we never touched a fish. But the reality actually landing a lot of fish or a specific fish is not a big deal, eh? Chidders raises a great point too. Man it is so cool to just stand next to a buddy who is trying a fussy fish and just watch. I need to catch fish, but the total numbers don't have to be high. I've had lots of 2 and 3-hour outings on th Crow and landed two or three fish and been delighted.

 

Numbers just no longer seem to be a large deal. Oh I get a little down if I've landed three fish and buddy has landed ten fish. But provided I am being entertained and provided I am fishing well and catching a few fish I am totally happy.

 

I am not sure what the actual maximum number I can count to, but it is around seven fish. I can keep count till about seven and if it is a "hot" day after that it all becomes a blur and counting becomes pointless and it seems I can't count higher than seven anyway. "How many did you get today?" I am asked. And if it's been a real banner day. I think , "Okay I know I caught seven fish as I remember counting that high. And then a couple around the corner. And two or three on the West bank..and one at the log jamb. And some more here..." And somewhere along the way you decide you had an outstanding day (you already knew that anyway ... without doing the "gozintas") and maybe landed between 15 and 18 fish. Who knows? Who cares? (I don't catch that many fish more than a few days per year. No need to anyway.)

 

Hell I've had days where I've been gunning for one fish in particular and been damn happy just to get a hit from the fussy bastard. And if I land it two days later--well I am in heaven. Two weeks ago I raised a fish in a specific spot on the Crow. (EVERYONE walks right by the fish. It won't be there as soon as the water drops 10 cm more. It or another will be there next year.) The next day a friend also raised it when I told him where it was. Last week another friend tried it and we'd could not see it. That day, I left and three hours later he spooked it out of th spot. Well the next day (last Friday) it was there again and it rolled on a salmonfly but not spooked. It just moved into another pocket 5 m upstream. He he he. I tied on a green drake and watched it roll on the fly from about 20 feet away. I landed it. A sweet 17/18-inch rainbow. That could not have been any better had it been 22 inches. It was sweet. Lucky me. That bugger took (what??) five attempts over two weeks.

 

As for messing up. Ask TerryH. I was nymphing the other day and had landed four rockies in a row. (Rocky IV.) Then a medium rainbow simply nails the BAW and takes off sideways at light speed ... there was line everywhere and it jerked the rod from my hand and I grabbed it midair with my other hand. An incredible gong show that should be on YouTube.

 

Thanks again for the musings Bob Loblaw.

 

Happy Canada day to everyone.

 

We are blessed to live here. Makes me misty.

[SanJuanWorm]

I have words. Many bad words.

[hydropsyche]

I have bad words too. But its the only time I have bad words with a cheek to cheek smile on my face.

[Brownstone]

Great thread Bob..I'f I'm alone, i simply mudder a "he's gone"..If fishing with friends somtimes I'll give a classic Charlie Brown .. AHHHGGG! It's all part of the game, I grew up fishing Atlantics and learned at a very young age that hooking the fish is the challenge landing him is just a bonus...Ive never regret anything when fishing, except maybe not going...

[SteveM]

I've had fishing buddies who get super pissed when they lose a fish; they're usually the same guys who are always trying to

stay ahead of you on the creek so they can hit the best spots first. Those guys also get upset when you catch bigger fish than

they do, because you slow down and fish the little pockets- spots that they pass up on their way to the next corner pool.

Life's too short to dance with ugly women, or fish with guys like that. Am I right, people? That's why I prefer to fish with guys

like my brother; if one of us is having a better day than the other, we'll start leaving the best spots for the other guy. Like

Chidders said, watching your pal catch a big'un is a blast.

Thanks for your thoughts on this topic, guys. Dryfly, you hit the nail on the head in regards to keeping count. I fish one creek

in particular where 100-200 trout is not uncommon. I've tried to keep count, lose track very quickly(Was that #11 or #12? Better

say 11 so I don't overcount.). Soon give up & just enjoy each fish; much better!

[Hawgstoppah]

I honestly think it would be NO fun to fish, if you never lost fish. If every time I hooked "ironlips" I landed it... I wouldn't be so intrigued by this one fish. (Been chasing for 4yrs now, yet to have landed it, matter of fact, I've yet to keep it on the line more than 5 seconds)...

 

Great, great thread.........

 

Oh and in response to the initial question, I'm not gonna say I don't cuss a bit when I lose a particular fish I have been targeting, but it's not a pissed off type cuss, it's just a "Oh you biyotch!!! I will be back! Next time... ahahahaha" kinda like the bad guys in every movie that u know is gonna have a sequal.. lol

[EvilWeevil]

great thread !!

 

on sunday this happened to me twice my first day fishing for bulls ever! first cast into this little pool hook a 1 pound bull cool! 2nd cast into the next pool I come to, another little bull sweet! I get to the main river (the highwood) walk my way down find some nice runs and pools I spot two nice bulls a few casts later I add 2 nice 4-5 pounders to my tally after some backtracking I cross the river and get back to the same pool cept on the other side ,standing on on outcropping i cast into the current watch the streamer sweep around move into the calmer water nothing ,but I see some movement down there . Next cast same thing strip it back in watch it clear the ledge in the water about 10 ft infront of me the current sweeps the streamer to the top of the water and WHAM!!!!! from behind the ledge a monster bull!! around 10 lbs oh man I am hooting and hollering trying to scramble of the ledge keeping the fish on well i played him for about 10 min then he got the best of me and I horsed him to much and snapped off ....................I was swearing a bit but smiling all the while I just had to grin to myself and remind me that at least I will have a good "the one that got away story" anyway losing fish like that is what makes fishing fishing I think if you always knew you were gonna land a fish it would be pretty boring after awhile I think

 

oh yeah also it teaches you a lesson to for me it was bring the 8 wht heavier test line and more bunny strips cuase he took the one that was working lol

[SilverDoctor]

I never get upset over such a small thing. Life is to short to use up with such trivial things. I usually thank my stars I was able to enjoy the fish even for a short time.

[admin]

A lost fish is just half as good as a landed fish. Of course there are different degrees of lost fish.

 

1. The taste and spit. I think a lot of these hits are on the fly, just not connecting to the hook. I know of people who cut off the bend and are purely satified with just fooling the fish to strike.

 

2. The take and throw. It's a solid hook up and the fish is lucky enought to lose the hook. It happens.

 

3. The take and snag. These ones hurt me. Esspecially weeds. These are the ones I hate to break off and avoid at all costs. Underwater branches, weeds and other FOD.

 

4. The take and just about land. These hurt a bit too. You have already invested a good amount of time getting to know the fish and hang out when *bang* he's gone just before you had him to hand.

 

The good thing though in these is that you don't need to handle the fish at all. Losing a fish just makes me more exited and interested. Hawgstoppah is right. If you caught them all it wouldn't be fun. It's called fishing not catching....

[bhurt]

Like most people, when I lose a fish you hear a argh afterwards, but that is about it, lately I have been losing a ton of fish with learning how to side pressure, either trying to swing the trout in or tring to aviod any obsticals that might get in the way. All in all its nice to have a fish on espically if it is a hawg that is boiling like a mad man or jumping out of the river like a dolphin.

[SteveM]

Then,once in a while, there's sweet revenge. One day, while fishing the Oldman, my brother got overexuberant on a

hookset & left his hopper in a trout. Two hours later, he fished the same run on the way back downriver; he hooked

up again, and brought to hand a beautiful rainbow- wouldn't ya know it,there in the corner of that 'bow's yap was my

bro's hopper. I'll bet that trout told that story for years!

[armchairlonghair]

some days it's a quick 4 letter release. most days I am happy just to watch a mink catch his breakfast while I get nothing. its the total experiance realy. it is not all in the river!

[grannyknot]

If a trout slips off the hook, I'm just glad I had a chance at least. Like Rob said, you know you're doing something right if you're getting hook-ups. I hardly ever get upset about a lost fish, unless I was in a hurry to hit the water and tied a sloppy knot, then I might mutter a curse or two. You don't want to see my reaction when I forget my fly box though.

[reevesr1]

Right now, I'm still pretty new at this and have not landed that many big fish, none over 22", and have never landed one that made it more than 30' or so into the river. So when I loose a big one, I feel it very deep inside. I think I put up a post last week that told of the absolute horror I felt when a big brown was rocketing out into the river and I see my fly line wrapping around the back of the reel. Horror describes the feeling quite accurately. That being said, in line with Hawgstoppah, that's exactly why I do this. If there was not the exhiliration, excitement, and sometimes utter disappointment what would be the point? When you do land one, it is just a fantastic feeling. The dissapointment of loosing the big one in no way outweighs the exhiliration of fighting him.

 

This thread, to me, highlights the biggest difference between the saltwater/rod and reel fishing I did and this. In saltwater, I mostly blind casted and because of that did not have any emotional (that is not exactly the right word, but bear with me) investment in any particular cast. In fishing the river, many of your casts you just know are right in the slot. When a fish hits, you get the satisfaction of the strike, just like Bob was talking about. I take it as a win. Many things went right: I hit what I was casting at, was totally prepared for the strike, used the right presentation and was rewarded with a hook up, however short. Fighting him is great and catching him tops it off, but neither is a requirement. I do like it when I get a really good look at him and to see what exactly he took if I am nymphng. Whatever the case, I know what I am doing is correct and will continue to do so. In saltwater, I think I get more frustrated when I miss a fish or when I loose him during the fight because I did not get the satisfaction of hitting the spot. Missing one in saltwater is a loss. Hope that made sense.

 

Great thread!

[SteveM]

"...did not get the satisfaction of hitting the spot."

We've all been there, Rick. Don't let it get you down, bro'! Now,enough dirty talk, back to fishing.HAW-HAW-HAW!!!

Seriously, Rick, great post. Thanks for your unique saltwater fishin', Southern US of A slant on this topic.

Let's hear more from y'all out there.

 

-Bob Loblaw-

[bigalcal]

I've had fishing buddies who get super pissed when they lose a fish; they're usually the same guys who are always trying to

stay ahead of you on the creek so they can hit the best spots first. Those guys also get upset when you catch bigger fish than

they do, because you slow down and fish the little pockets- spots that they pass up on their way to the next corner pool.

Life's to short to dance with ugly women, or fish with guys like that. Am I right, people?

 

I try to fish with these people only once

[Guest bigbadbrent]

I get pissed when i lose a fish i shouldn't lose, or a 'career' fish...can't stand that, lost many a 24-30" bully last year, man those sucked

[reevesr1]

"...did not get the satisfaction of hitting the spot."

We've all been there, Rick. Don't let it get you down, bro'! Now,enough dirty talk, back to fishing.HAW-HAW-HAW!!

Hey there now Bob. I may not be much of a fisherman, but I am an expert spot hitter!

 

Also, after reading my post again, I don't want it to sound like I am disrespecting fishing salt with rod and reel, or rod and reel fishing in general. I still absolutely love it as well as I like to catch fish, whatever the method. Fly fishing is really new and shiny to me and has my complete attention for now, and probably for a LONG time to come...

[birchy]

Like pretty much everything in life.. I grumble to myself a bit, and then chalk it up as a "lesson learned".

 

I'm new to this game as well, and have the reputation of being a "sponge" when it comes to learning. Every time out I learn something new, whether I'm catching fish or not. I've lost a few bigguns' this year so far, but each time I learn something.. I should have kept the rod tip higher, or I should have booked it down the shore to keep the fish from getting below me, or i should've re-tied that stupid knot!

 

Those few times where you manage to put all that together and land that hawg.. wow, what an experience!!

 

I've been at this since April, but man.. I'm 100% addicted! I love this game.

[flyflinger]

this weekend I lost one on elk creek that looked to be about 16 inches, all this after fishing for hours with out anything. All i could mutter was "dar she goes bi, dar she goes".

[SanJuanWorm]

I never lose a fish.............thank god. Oh and they're all over 24" too.

[SteveM]

I never lose a fish.............thank god. Oh and they're all over 24" too.

Man, we really need that "B.S. CHECK" feature on this forum! Dave's outta control!!!!!

[SteveM]

"they're all over 24" too"

Sure they are, Dave.... if you measure up one side, then down the other!