The first real "tug", on floating line no less.

Oregonism · 05-25-2010, 09:49 AM

I was out the other evening on the clack fishing some MOALs that I tied up and I got my first official pull/tug.

It was pouring rain and my wife decided she wanted to fish, so she was fishing a bobber and a jig and actually managed to hook two decent summers. She doesn't really know what she's doing, so the first time she let too much slack build in the line and lost the fish. The second, the line got caught up in the reel because she leaned the rod straight back when she set the hook, and the fish spit the hook 10 seconds later, leaving me untangling line from a reel for 20 minutes.

I was having major issues casting sink tips with my 1 hander, so I was fishing my heaviest moals about a foot or foot and a half deep on floating line with about 6 feet of leader, just fishing the swing. On one of my last casts, a steelhead hit it damn hard, was hooked for about five seconds and spit it. I didn't have a loop in my hand, so I may have pulled it out of the fishes mouth, but I'm not sure. It was one of those "yep, that's definitely a big fish" moments... oh well. Next time I might keep the fish on.

I caught one fish earlier in the season on my fly rod on the swing (actually my first steelhead on the fly), but it was a total fluke and the fish had basically hooked himself before I even knew what had happened during the first 4 seconds of the swing. Total luck. This time, on the other hand, felt like I earned it and I'm now gaining a little more confidence in the swing. The MOAL was hot-pink with black bars tied with dumbell eyes and a cerise dubbing head.

chromeseeker · 05-25-2010, 10:23 AM

Once the water temps get into the mid to high 40's, I typically put my sinking lines away for the season and I pull out my floaters. One, I'm just tired of casting tips and two, these early fish will grab just fine on floating lines and non-weighted flies. It just takes a leap of faith to make the transition in lines but you will be rewarded if you do. Plus, after a long season of casting tips, dry lines are a most welcome break!

CS

Grantspastor · 05-25-2010, 10:48 AM

After 40 years of fly fishing for Steelhead...and countless hookups...I can tell you that adrenaline rush when a big fish hits is just as much fun today as it has ever been

C-lice · 05-26-2010, 05:56 AM

It happens. I stuck a summer on a swung leech and floating line when the water was 46 degrees and change last October.

Floating line really isn't much of a disadvantage if one adjusts his tactics a bit and is judicious with his mends.

Oregonism · 05-26-2010, 07:51 AM

I haven't been watching the temps very much, but it was still strange. I got that hit in about four to five feet of water, so that means the fish likely moved pretty far to grab it. It was also dumping rain and the water was pretty clouded, so the fish were probably high in the water column as well.

It mainly just makes me that much more inclined to have confidence fishing my fly rod and slowly move away from the gear rod.

hooksetter1 · 05-26-2010, 03:23 PM

Nice work! A player is a player no matter what the conditions, that's what we're looking for when swinging flies. That fish with your name on it...

Zugbug66 · 05-26-2010, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oregonism

I was out the other evening on the clack fishing some MOALs that I tied up and I got my first official pull/tug.

It was pouring rain and my wife decided she wanted to fish, so she was fishing a bobber and a jig and actually managed to hook two decent summers. She doesn't really know what she's doing, so the first time she let too much slack build in the line and lost the fish. The second, the line got caught up in the reel because she leaned the rod straight back when she set the hook, and the fish spit the hook 10 seconds later, leaving me untangling line from a reel for 20 minutes.

I was having major issues casting sink tips with my 1 hander, so I was fishing my heaviest moals about a foot or foot and a half deep on floating line with about 6 feet of leader, just fishing the swing. On one of my last casts, a steelhead hit it damn hard, was hooked for about five seconds and spit it. I didn't have a loop in my hand, so I may have pulled it out of the fishes mouth, but I'm not sure. It was one of those "yep, that's definitely a big fish" moments... oh well. Next time I might keep the fish on.

I caught one fish earlier in the season on my fly rod on the swing (actually my first steelhead on the fly), but it was a total fluke and the fish had basically hooked himself before I even knew what had happened during the first 4 seconds of the swing. Total luck. This time, on the other hand, felt like I earned it and I'm now gaining a little more confidence in the swing. The MOAL was hot-pink with black bars tied with dumbell eyes and a cerise dubbing head.

Congrats, but don't dicount your first fish. I've had them take at 85, 70, 45, 30 and straight downstream. it's never a fluke, because it's not an exact science.

Nuchal Rouge · 05-26-2010, 08:38 PM

Nice job. You won't land them all. If you get grabbed regularly then you are doing it right. I find it hard to hook them on the hang down even with a loop but others may have better advice. The water temp today was 47 degrees on the Clack so thats warm enough for them to move along way as you found out. Keep at it.

Oregonism · 05-27-2010, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuchal Rouge

Nice job. You won't land them all. If you get grabbed regularly then you are doing it right. I find it hard to hook them on the hang down even with a loop but others may have better advice. The water temp today was 47 degrees on the Clack so thats warm enough for them to move along way as you found out. Keep at it.

Yeah, I know that you can pull the fly out of the fish's mouth if you set too early. But, the grab felt like he was hooked for a short time, headshakes and all. I don't have enough experience to know how long they usually just "hold" it while they are turning around but this seemed a little too long. I was using a Gamakatsu octopus hook as the trailer, so it was plenty sharp and likely stung him pretty good.

Oh well. The warming water temps are just giving me more reason to stick with my fly rod and leave the gear rod at home. Fishing for winters in 41 degree water with my one hander was not confidence inspiring to say the least. I feel like I'll have much better chances as water temps rise.