Fighting a large fish with fly rod

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wayneb

Fighting a large fish with fly rod

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Posts: 47

09/04/07 07:32:37

Registered Member

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Hi All;
How do you manage line control when fighting a large bass? I caught a big one yesterday evening(6-7lbs) with a pile of line in my lap and had to fight with stripping hand. I ended up with some friction burns but did land the fish. Is there a better way??

Thanks in advance;

Wayneb

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spinzo

#1

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Posts: 1067

09/04/07 11:01:33

Master Guide

First, it's a great problem to have!

It depends on the situation. If I don't have a lot of line off the reel, I'll pay line out, keeping a taut line, and play the bass on the reel. If I've got a lot of line off the reel, the decision is based a lot on the conditions and how the fish responds. If it's weedy, I'll try to play the fish off the reel, using my index finger as drag while also playing through my strip hand. If the fish proves to be determined, I'll try to clamp down on the line with the index finger of my rod hand while frantically reeling in through my pinkie, letting some line slip out if need be, but doing my best to keep the fish on top rather than getting mucked down in the goo. If the water's fairly open, I'll more lightly play the line, reeling while letting the fish run a bit until I'm on the reel.

When in doubt I find it's better to get a fish on the reel, though, and figuring out the best way to accomplish that can be a trick.

Mike

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bill0215

#2

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Posts: 405

09/04/07 11:26:12

Master Guide

If you can get one, i'd recommend a semi automatic fly reel. with a reel like the franco vivarelli; a squeeze on the retrieve handle and line is put back on the spool. the semi automatics do not pull all the line in at one time like the old automatic reels with the spring. If you need more info let me know.

Bill

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paveglass

#3

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Posts: 10

09/08/07 06:33:28

Registered Member

Bill,

If the fish takes a lot of line, they will be winding the spring tighter and tighter...how do you keep them from hitting the max-wind limit and breaking you off?

Donny

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bill0215

#4

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Posts: 405

09/08/07 09:01:27

Master Guide

I recommend "SEMI" automatic fly reels, Not automatic fly reels. There is no spring on semi automatic reels.

Bill

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bluegillbob

#5

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Posts: 523

09/08/07 09:25:58

Master Guide

Hi Wayne,

If I am fighting a large fish on a flyrod, the first thing I do is lower the rod. If you lower the rod, you have a lesser chance of the bass jumping, maybe throwing the hook.

Here's an old trick : If you have a fish on the line, and you give the fish slack line, the fish will usually calmly swim away...fish fight out of resistence. The next time you hook a fish, try it. This may buy you some time to crank the loose flyline and fight the fish off the reel. This can buy you some time and maybe keep a nice bass from running for cover, should you hook one in open water.

You can turn a bass by lowering the rod, and moving the tip sideways...not up and down. Think of a dog with a leash...which is easier...turning the dog's head by pulling the leash beside the neck, or pulling from the top. I've turned plenty of bass by moving the rod sideways, not vertical.

If you hook a bass in deep in the weeds, lower the rod, aim the tip at the fish, and pull straight back with the line. If you raise your rod, you might break your rod. I've had to wade in the weeds to retrieve my bass on occasion...feeling for the bass while sliding my hand down the line.

I use these same tactics for fighting bass on my 4wts. Hope these tricks help you!

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bulldog1935

#6

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Posts: 268

09/10/07 09:29:22

Guide

get him on the reel - the rod down also lets you lift the rod to take up the slack if you need to before you get the fish on the reel.

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pearow

#7

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Posts: 418

09/11/07 14:52:10

Master Guide

I scream loudly; yelling HELP!!!! as i retreat from the water, dragging the shocked fish to the gravel bar where i was standing......Not Really...but thats what my wife does

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gillbuster

#8

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Posts: 831

09/11/07 15:29:29

Outfitter

Don't laugh, If I hooked into a 8-9 lbs bass.... I'd probable do the same thing...Even after 30 years of fishing, I still get like a little kid and become excited about catching a big fish...Thats what so great about this sport, it keeps you feeling young
John

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wayneb

#9

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Posts: 47

09/13/07 03:42:50

Registered Member

Hi Guys;
Thanks for all the suggestions! This Bass definetly caught me off guard and I feel lucky to have landed it! The pond I was fishing is loaded with stumps which conjured up images of a broken line in my mind until I had the fish's jaw in hand. Another exciting aspect of battle was that the fish swam towards boat at times causing me to wonder if the leader was about to get wrapped on a stump. This was my first bass over 2lbs on fly rod which is encouraging but at the same time made me realize I've never really been challenged at landing a fish with a fly rod like this before and need to improve my technique for future encounters.

Bluegill Bob, I'll have to experiment with giving fish slack, it goes against my instincts but should be fun to try!

Wayneb

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Wee Hooker

#10

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Posts: 352

09/18/07 15:02:26

Guide

Getting her on the reel is the only solution to big fish. It's importance increases as the fish size increases. Of course there are those first few moments where the fish wants to dive and take line. This is where an educated "feel" comes in. Hold that line too tight and you could pop her off. Too loose and she'll wrap you in the thick stuff. Having a multiplying reel or one with a large diamiter ( not necessarily "Large Arbor") and a palming rim helps allot here. Get the line on the reel as fast as you can . FWIW, I've learned to slap the reel rim to spin it faster than I can reel it.

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bulldog1935

#11

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Posts: 268

09/18/07 18:14:31

Guide

this was interesting, fighting this bass in moving water on a 5-wt. trout rod and simple caliper-check reel (this past weekend).
I used my index finger inside the spool against the line for the brakes.

got into one much larger on a nearby creek but eventually broke him off, pulling him twice out of the rocks and trying to stop his third charge into the rocks.

Last Edited By: bulldog1935 09/18/07 18:16:50. Edited 1 time.

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wayneb

#12

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Posts: 47

09/19/07 03:27:31

Registered Member

Hi Bulldog1935;
Interesting thing I've noticed about the Bass you display on site. They are much longer/leaner than what I'm used to catching in my neck of the woods. Is that a "Texan" trend in bass in your area? Largemouth bass in southern MD are typically short and fat.

I must admit they have a classier look about them.

Wayneb

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bulldog1935

#13

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Posts: 268

09/19/07 11:14:08

Guide

they are all (at least hybridized with) endemic Guadalupe Spotted Bass - Texas brook trout. These fish live in bare-bottomed limestone runs that are ankle deep - and they get big in the plunge pools. They live in skinny, fast water, plunge pools and deep chutes,. Kinda by definition, there are no pelagic fish to feed on here - like schools of shad - they and mostly eat tiny minnows, crayfish, tiny frogs, damselfly nymphs and sometimes tricos and BWOs. Perfect flyrod quarry.
here's where they live

nothing like having the right tools for the job

and no wonder we were in a hurry

we fished down a couple of miles - to a fence across the creek
there were creeks adding in about every quarter-mile

and springs about every 50 yards

we saw the most amazing geology: there were blue vents into an underground creek at the next layer of dolomite. I've always wondered how several creeks from this area run 50 to 100 cfs near their headwaters but disappear 20 miles south. I always thought it was irrigation - but they go underground.

the only sunfish in this creek were long-ears and who knows how many we caught. wish I had photographed a bigger one, but the big ones had head humps and would flare their gills at us when hooked up

a good bass

Last Edited By: bulldog1935 09/19/07 11:47:06. Edited 4 times.

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keebranch

#14

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Posts: 8

09/19/07 13:28:27

Ron,
I knew that the Guads hybridized with smallmouths, but I wasn't aware of a largemouth/Guad hybrid. I caught a large 4 1/2 pound river bass in the headwaters of the Nueces a few years back and it too was long 21" and skinny.
I'll try and get some pics of it.
Les

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bulldog1935

#15

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Posts: 268

09/19/07 13:37:39

Guide

I've shown it before, but look at this bruiser

no question a Guadalupe/largemouth hybrid

there were actually no native bass west of the Llano.
The state has been stocking Guadalupes in those rivers to try to save the strain, and then many private stock tanks have been stocked with largemouths that get washed into the gene pool.

here is as pretty a wild fish as I've seen, but it's probably a smallie hybrid.....

as good as this Pedernales fish looks, I've caught big smallies right next to it (maybe a stocked fish?)

here is a known A-strain endemic Guadalupe spotted bass - of course, it's wearing its woodsy colors under a complete cypress canopy

there are only two A-strains of these fish remaining - Johnson Creek and Cibolo Creek. And as I mentioned, the state is trying to stock them like crazy. Saving the state fish seems like a good idea.

here's a hope of the species - look for the iridescent blue sheen that gives them away

Last Edited By: bulldog1935 09/19/07 14:07:44. Edited 7 times.

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gillbuster

#16

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Posts: 831

09/19/07 15:19:58

Outfitter

Bulldog,
Beautiful pictures of Texas and all its glory, sure do miss the Guadalupe River and all that Hill country tributaries. Do you have problems fishing close to private ranches along the rivers? Kepp the pictures coming
John

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bulldog1935

#17

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Posts: 268

09/19/07 19:01:13

Guide

if it's not fenced, I get in and even bust the bank sometimes, when it's necessary to get on down the river.
I always have my litter bag, usually with garbage I've picked up.
The few times I've been confronted by a landowner, I show them the litter. Only once was I asked to leave. The other times I was told to come back at my discretion.
The hat helps - I'm From Here.

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keebranch

#18

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Posts: 8

09/19/07 19:22:12

Here ya go Ron. A picture from camp eagle near Rocksprings Headwaters of the Nueces. 21" river bass.

Last Edited By: keebranch 09/19/07 19:28:49. Edited 1 time.

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bulldog1935

#19

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Posts: 268

09/19/07 19:28:14

Guide

the solid lateral line sure looks like a largemouth to me - great fish. The Nueces is tough to fish because of the deep clear water and steeply cut banks.

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keebranch

#20

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Posts: 8

09/19/07 19:37:18

This stretch is LOADED with bass this sized as well as large sunfish and some RioGrande Cichlids.

This day in March I was attended a men's retreat and there was a fishing tournament of sorts.The conventional tackle guys caught, kept, and fried up some bass up to and over 2 pounds. I would not kill any of my catch - this was in keeping with the camps normal catch and release poilcy. This year at the same conference a few of the camp counselors who had seen this picture remarked that this fish could've won "our little tournament".
I guess it should've, but I just won't kill these fish.
Les

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Fighting a large fish with fly rod

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