Tis the season to reflect on plunking. I have 40 hours in so far this season. Some thoughts.
I am a fly-fisherman by nature. But, I decided to take up something a bit more challenging - plunking. (By plunking I mean from the bank. If it is not from the bank, its anchor fishing).
Let's compare the two. Fly-fishing is pretty simple. You wave your fishing pole around and fling something that looks like fish food (what is affectionately called the fly) to fish (i.e., trout) that are feeding. With plunking, you cast a fishing rod with something that looks nothing like fish food to fish that are NOT feeding. Even the bait is dyed so it won't look like fish food.
With fly-fishing, your line is your weight. With plunking, your life savings is your weight.
With fly-fishing, you match the hatch. This is pretty straight forward. Stop by a fly shop. Ask what you should use. $30 bucks later, you have matched the hatch. With plunking, you match "the weight". This can be difficult. One approach is to cast a six ounce weight, as far as you can, either straight out or slightly downstream. Then, once you have inspected everyone's weight below you, you match the "weight". This is like seining nymphs, but in this case, you need to be pretty big to get away with it. While some fly-fisherman actually pump a trout's stomach so they can match the hatch - that is nothing compared to getting your stomach pumped when you seine to "match the weight".
With fly-fishing, you usually see (i.e., dry fly) or feel the fish bite. No brainer. Set the hook. (Though, we never seem to want to do this). With plunking, you never know you have a fish on, period. Usually, someone else yells "fish on" for you (usually when you are going to the bathroom - especially #2) and you run and grab your rod. Then, you must do the 50 yard dash straight up the bank with you rod up in the air. You have 5 seconds to do the 50 - otherwised you get heckled the rest of the day. Once you have done that, you reel until you feel. Feel what? Dunno. But, man, reel until you feel. Then, for some reason, you must do that weight seining technique all over again. While you are in polite conversation with your neighbors below you (something about not walking your fish - like it were your mother's *@#%$! dog) - someone comes up with your fish in a net (or tells you it was a native
). The whole time, you never felt or saw the fish.
With fly-fishing, you wear a baseball or cowboy hat for protection from hooking yourself in the head. With plunking, you wear a hardhat.
In fly-fishing, you simply watch and wait while another angler finishes a drift and then politely ask if you can proceed. With plunking, you hand out beers, spreaders, weights, your spouse - whatever it takes to be invited to join the group so you can begin fishing.
With fly-fishing. You always know when you are not fishing (i.e., hook a tree, rock, yourself, ...). With plunking, all you know is that you have your line in the water (after some experience). You never know if you are fishing.
Anyway. I have been truly humbled by the art of plunking. To all you successful plunkers out there, my hardhat is off to you. You are an elite group. And for those of your struggling at plunking like me - take up fly-fishing. It is a heck of a lot easier.
Lastly, with fly-fishing, we sign off by saying tight lines. With plunking, its -
Hung weights everyone.
[ 05-06-2002, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: Navigator ]
Navigator
On Further Thought - Plunking
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