tips for effectively fighting and landing fish

8/14/2019 Tips for Effectively Fighting and Landing Fish

1/6

8/31/13 Tips for effectively fighting and landing fish.

www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-articles/tips-for-fighting-and-landing-fish/ 1/6

(231) 883-8156

[email protected]

Book a trip

Subscribe to Newsletter

We all fish for

different

reasons, but one

thing remains

certain for all of

us when we

hook a fish, we

want to land it.

Whether its a

trophy

steelhead

youve been

determined to

catch for years or an 8-inch brook trout, there are c ertain principles to

understand and fundamental skills to use when on the river. Here are some

pointers I have picked up through the years by doing, observing and

teaching which will increase your chances of telling a fish story that

doesnt startwith, You should have seen the one that got away.

We have all heard it keep a tight line on the fish. This holds true for almost

every conceivable fishing situation maintain tension and keep the slack

out. Not doing so inc reases two potential pitfalls: 1. Pressure on the hook

keeps it in the fish hopefully buried into the bend of the hook. With slack

in the line, the hook can literally fall out of the entry point leaving you with

slack line and disgusted look on your face. 2. The longer the fish, the more

distance they can move their head. This back-and-forth action coupled with

lighter line is similar to how y ou break thread or a line in your hand you

Tips for Fighting and Landing Fish

Under Pressure

H O ME G U I D E TR I P S & MO R E F I S H I N G R E PO R T F I S H & S EA SO N S R I V ER S & H A TC H E S F L Y TY I N G

AR TI C LES GAL LE R Y ABO U T
http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-articles/tips-for-fighting-and-landing-fish/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-fly-fishing-report/http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-seasons-for-steelhead-trout-salmon-carp-smallmouth-bass-bluegill-in-northern-michigan-traverse-city-michigan/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-fly-fishing-report/http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-seasons-for-steelhead-trout-salmon-carp-smallmouth-bass-bluegill-in-northern-michigan-traverse-city-michigan/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-fly-fishing-report/mailto:[email protected]://www.current-works.com/http://www.current-works.com/http://www.current-works.com/http://www.current-works.com/http://www.current-works.com/about-your-guide-ted-kraimer/http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-photo-gallery/http://www.current-works.com/articles/http://www.current-works.com/fly-tying-instructions/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-rivers-hatches/http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-seasons-for-steelhead-trout-salmon-carp-smallmouth-bass-bluegill-in-northern-michigan-traverse-city-michigan/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-fly-fishing-report/http://www.current-works.com/northern-michigan-fly-fishing-guide-trips/http://current-works.com/http://www.current-works.com/fly-fishing-articles/tips-for-fighting-and-landing-fish/http://www.current-works.com/newsletter/http://current-works.com/northern-michigan-guide-trips/book-a-trip/mailto:[email protected]://www.current-works.com/


2/6



startwith slack

and then

forcefully jerk it.

Think about it

do you pull

evenly and

smoothly to

intentionally

break a line?Maintain tension

to help prevent

the line from

snapping.

Maintain a tight line by reeling and pulling with the rod, but do it smoothly.

Have you ev er seen a large bull cow with a ring in its nose? Its purpose is to

allow the handler to lead the bull around: smoothly draw it in a direc tion and

it will follow, but if yankedor pulled hard it often v iolently moves in the

opposite direc tion. The same is true with fish. In fact, you c an almost make a

case for Newtons Third Law of Physics: for every action there is an equal

but opposite reaction the harder you pull on a fish in one direc tion, it often

wants to go in the other direc tion that much more. Ree l smoothly and bring

the fish to you or to a place downstream where you intend to land it.

Hooked fish are

often easy to

steer and

control because

you have them

hooked in the

leading part of

its anatomy the

mouth. As long

as you keep that

head moving in

the right

direc tion, you

have a better

chance of

dictating and

controlling the

fight and

keeping

emotions under

control. But, not always. Often the fish tumbles, jumps or quickly changes

direc tions and gets his head going in the opposite direction you want. When

this happens the fish is in control and often heads for cover/structure,

which more often than not here in Michigan means logs.

Being Smooth

Fish Judo


3/6



Rather than pulling straight back with rod in the opposite direc tion the fish

is headed (which, with larger species only infuriates them more remember

Newtons Third Law?) use Fish Judo which, in essence, is using their

ene rgy to your advantage. With a low rod, lead them away from the ominous

structure by pulling the fish to the side, favoring its intended direc tion and

steer it away.

There c an be a fine line betwee n too much pressure and not enough. Often,

it isnt enough. Truly. When anglers hold the rod tip straight up while

fighting the fish, they often do so to keep the slack out, but are putting very

little pressure on the fish. Does it seem like youre apply ing serious

pressure or that the rod is maxed out? You might be surprised as I was when

my ey es were opened during a tarpon fishing trip.

Trythis experiment/exe rcise : Get a friend (better if its a fellow angler) and

pull 25 fee t of line and leader through the rod. Have y our friend pull back on

the rod with the tip up and maintain pressure while you hold the end of the

leader. How much pressure do you feel? If this isnt sc ientific enough for

you then get some type of we ight scale like a boga grip and tie the line to it.

Repeat the experiment and read the scale and read the results. Change

places with your friend and repeat the scale readings will give you a

better idea of how much pressure you are applying. Further, move the rod

tip down closer to horizontal and see how that affec ts the amount of

pressure on the scale. Remember its the snap or jerk of the line that is

more accountable for breaking rather than smooth pressure which is why

equipment too, plays a role in protec ting lines when applying pressure, i.e.,

a smooth drag and a rod tip that flexes and ac ts as a shock absorber.

The time, in my opinion, when a fish is most likely to spit the hook and

send the hook back to you is when its down stream, fac ing you, and

shaking its head v iolently. I hate it. And it happens often. When this occurs,

we as anglers often have the rod tip pointed up and the force of the water

brings the fish to the surface, thrashing. As soon as y ou see this happen or

better y et starting to happen, move y our rod down to a horizontal position

and to the side furthest away from the fish, creating the maximum angle

between y our rod tip and the fish. By doing so you gain additional continual

pressure on the hook through the headshaking as the c urrent assists by

putting a downstream bend in the line. Also, this lowered, sideways

pressure encourages the fish to get its head down in the water column

where you can tire the fish out instead of holding on and hoping.

How Much Is Enough?

The Kiss of Death


4/6



Some days when guiding I seem to say this more than others. When a fish is

making a run and is in c harge, let him go. By holding your ree l handle or

grabbing the line, only bad things happen and its usually a fish lost

bec ause of line breaking or flies pulling out. When a fish runs, trust your

drag setting (you did adjust it at the start of the day didnt you?) and let him

go while inc orporating some of the pointers mentioned above .

If you dont get the opportunity to fish much and are a little slow at ree ling

in practice at home. Put your ree l on the bottom section of your rod and

Let him go, let him go!

Reel Fast


5/6



just practic e air-reeling. Make your reeling faster and smother by keeping

your elbow and forearm at a 90-degree angle to the face of the reel and

using a c ircular wrist motion to wind if not, your ree ling will be jerky and

definitely not as fast.

This often

happens sub-

consciously, but

not always.

While fishing,

you are reading

water to make

the best

presentation of

your ability to

the water most

likely to be

holding fish.

Through this

process take

stock of structure, depth, overhanging trees and water depth. By doing so,

when you hook a fish in that particular location, you know where y ou need

to keep that fish from going and where a good loc ation is to land a fish,

while remaining safe (and dry).

Sometimes a fish

gets the upper

hand on you

that is they are

going to break

you off on some

type of structure

or go around the

rive r bend, etc. ,

and there simply

isnt much you

can do exc ept,

Giv e em the

wood. This last-

ditch e ffort to

get the fish to hand is done by applying the maximum power of the rod

through the butt sec tion and try ing to slow down, turn, or stop the fish

something to disrupt the pending course of ev ents and keep the fish on the

line. By doing this you are taking your equipment to the maximum testing

the strength of rods, tippets and knots but if you dont you will lose the

fish. Think of this as an all or nothing move meaning, the fish is going to

win/get away unless you stop them so, give em the wood.

Water Survey

Giving Them the Wood


6/6



Some like to use

nets, others like

to grab fish with

their hand or

landing glove.Regardless, you

need to get the

fish c lose to you

first and second,

the grab or

sweep of the net

needs to be

done swiftly and

at the right time. When the fish is c lose, have your rod down low and lift its

head up smoothly but stay committed with lifting until the fish is in the net.

If fishing with a friend or guide, this is the time they sweep the net underthe fish head first, with confidence, not hesitation. If using a landing hand

on larger spec ies like steelhead or salmon, exec ute a Heron Grab which is

done by plunging your hand downward onto the fishs wrist (the skinny part

of the tail) and hold on firmly. Be sure to c ommunicate during the process or

the c ommunication after the failed attempt will be colorful and often will test

any friendship. If you are by fishing by yourself, get the fish close and have

your rod on the opposite side of where y ou intend to land it. If fishing for

smaller fish like a trout, gently grab the fish around its middle or slide the net

under it. Never bring a fish up onto the shore or muddy bank as sand, silt

and other debris will get into their gill plates, often killing the fish within a

few days.

Keep in mind we are out fishing for fun, whereas the fish once hooked

are fighting for survival. Even though you might follow all of these

suggestions and tips as well as some of your own, sometimes it isnt enough

and the fish wins. Rather than be pissed-off tip your hat in appreciation of

that fish and get ready for the next chance at landing what could be eve n

bigger and better; use the tips for fighting and landing fish above to help

make that happen.

The Capture

tips for effectively fighting and landing fish

Documents