When I keep it in mind that the action is different all goes well. Hook set is making me a little crazy. Im using a Highland Mills 4 wt 7.5' and its very
soft. Im sure with more and more time in the water I'll get the timing a little better. My first impulse is get the graphite back out but haven't. When
I lift the rod it just makes me more conscience of maybe too much slack in my line. Should I make a more "forcefull" hookset than I might with
graphite?
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New to Bamboo..Slowing it down
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 TnTom |
New to Bamboo..Slowing it down |
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Posts: 26 03/19/2009 13:11 |
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BobS |
#1 | |||
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Posts: 1047 03/19/2009 14:21 |
Resist that impulse.
Almost all the bamboo rods I fish have soft tips, and most of my fishing is nymphing with midges #18 - 28. I hardly "strike" at all. I just move my wrist. Slack or not, even that slight movement seems to get to the fly and to result in plenty of hookups. Also possible that the fish is hooking himself on the take, and the slight movement I make has nothing to do with it. |
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TnTom |
#2 | |||
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Posts: 27 03/19/2009 14:42 |
I don't really think about setting the hook so much with the graphite rod. It just seems I'm loosing more fish with the new rod. I'll make it a
point to resist "hooking them". Never gave it much thought before.Just pretty much let the fish take care of it?
Last Edited By: TnTom 03/19/2009 14:57.
Edited 1 time.
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BobS |
#3 | |||
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Posts: 1048 03/19/2009 15:02 |
Well, I know that the fish takes care of it, at least some of the time. My reflexes seem normal enough to me, but I may not be fast enough to hook
many fish by "striking" at the time the fish takes the fly. I often have the impression that, by the time I see the take (if I see it) and
send the necessary impulse to the hand, which then moves the rod, etc., it's pretty much all over in terms of the hookup. It happened or it didn't.
It may be possible to improve the purchase of the hook by tightening a little once the fish is on. I tend to do this, but am not convinced it helps a lot. Please bear in mind that I'm talking about small-stream trout fishing, with small flies. I'm sure different approaches are necessary on bigger fish with hard mouths. |
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TnTom |
#4 | |||
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Posts: 28 03/19/2009 15:28 |
I'm in agreement that when the take has occurred the better part of it is done. When I think about it I'm probably losing them when I try to get on the
reel when there isn't a need to. I probably thinking I didn't get the hook set when in actuality I let the line get slack momentarily and that's
when I lose them. The feel of the fish on is quite a bit different with bamboo I notice.
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BobS |
#5 | |||
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Posts: 1049 03/19/2009 16:25 |
Another thing to keep in mind is that some will simply get off -- not break the tippet -- no matter what you do, just because the hookup is so thin.
There must be other points of view on the striking/hook-set matter. Hope others will respond. |
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Slate Drake 9 |
My 2 cents | #6 | ||
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Posts: 77 03/19/2009 18:19 |
I believe that hooking a trout is much more about timing than it is about force. I have what I would call a very gentle hook set, basically smoothly lifting
the rod to take the slack out of the line and then keeping the proper pressure/angle of the line on the fish and let them do all of the work. The key is to
remove the slack AFTER the fish makes it's turn with the fly in it's mouth. It really takes little to no force to get good penetration with the
average fly hook.
If you really want to hone this skill of a gentle and smooth hook set and proper timing, spend a lot of time fishing a fast/stiff rod while using 8x tippet and flies in the 20-28 range. If you can learn to set the hook without breaking them off most of the time, you'll do great with a medium or slow rod and a heavier tippet and bigger flies.
Fishing with bait is like swearing in church.
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Marty |
#7 | |||
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Posts: 68 03/19/2009 21:26 |
For me it is just a lift and just a bit sharper for bass. I agree though that it is more timing than force. I'd recommend you fish A LOT till it feels
right then fish some more |
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TnTom |
#8 | |||
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Posts: 29 03/20/2009 00:48 |
I appreciate the comments. What is meant by a thin hook set? I'll get into a stiffer faster rod and the smaller flies with the 8x as suggested. I was
thinking just the opposite. Yes and plenty of time on the water.
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BobS |
#9 | |||
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Posts: 1050 03/20/2009 05:27 |
By "thin" hook set, I mean that the hook point has engaged only the slightest bit of tissue.
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pafisherman1 |
#10 | |||
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Posts: 82 03/20/2009 07:30 |
TN, I think in reading your messages the problem may be coming in trying to get the fish "on the reel" and getting slack in the line. That may be
were you are losing your fish. With most of the trout I catch getting them on the reel is not an issue. I play the fish with the rod and strip most fish in.
The killer is slack especially with small hooks and lite tippet. A bit of slack and they can quickly throw the hook. Large fish are a different story. Bill
A
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mmorris236 |
#11 | |||
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Posts: 281 03/20/2009 08:49 |
TnTom, I went through a very frustrating period about a year ago where I was missing almost every fish that took. I could not fihure out what was wrong. One
day I missed 16 takes in a row on an elk haor caddis, I was rready to break the damn stick in several pieces and go searching for dynamite. Few things will
sour a mans mood faster than missing an entire dya of phenomenal dry fly action because the hook seems to be pointing the wrong way.
I finished the season with a guided float on the Upper Delaware. First rise I got, usual missed fish. Guide yelled at me "SLOW DOWN" I had pulled the fly right out of the Trouts mouth. Next take I did not even strike, just waited what seemed like 14 minutes and raised the rod tip. Fish on. Moral of story, I had started trying harder and harder to "Hook" the fish, striking faster and harder until I had become my own worst enemy. After that I thought back on all the accidental fish I have caught, the ones that take the fly at the end of a float while you are watching a buzzard circle over head, or lighting a cigar, or scratching what itches, or batting gnats, you start to pick up the line and there is the fish, having taken the fly and just held onto it, explains a lot. |
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Chartist1 |
#12 | |||
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Posts: 275 03/20/2009 08:53 |
I made the transition from graphite to bamboo even a little more difficult by buying a parabolic bamboo rod......My toughest situation with a parabolic is when
I just missed a fish and try to hurry a cast back at him.....I have to fight that urge and remind myself to just let the rod do th work.
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New D28 |
#13 | |||
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Posts: 39 03/20/2009 09:08 |
I'm with everyone else! I almost broke my bamboo rod the first season that I had it. It was most frustrating while trying to nymph with it. I have
resigned myself to the fact that I am old and slow and that "ripping" the rod up just wont cut it. I now TRY to let the rod and the fish do the work
and those that I miss, I write off to being a rock or something not fish like because it certainly wasnt my fault that I missed the hook set!
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kwhauck |
fish getting off | #14 | ||
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Posts: 20 03/20/2009 09:24 |
I was hooking up about the same when I switched to bamboo last year but fish kept getting off. I discovered I needed to change angles with a slower action.
On a fast action (aka graphite) rod, I just raise the tip and I have all the time in the world to get the line on the reel and bring in the fish. Looks just like the old Orvis logo. On a slow action (aka bamboo) rod, I need to keep changing the angles. I raise the tip the same as on a fast action to hook the fish. The rod and line are perpendicular to the surface of the water at this point. Immediately, I swing the rod to one side so the rod and line are parallel to the surface of the water. A second or two later, I swing the rod to the opposite side. I keep switching sides while getting on the reel and bringing in the fish. Looks like the pictures you see of tarpon fishing. Fish stay on and play out faster.
Yr. obt. svt.
Kurt |
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TnTom |
#15 | |||
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Posts: 31 03/20/2009 21:42 |
Reading all the comments I think they cover about everything I've been doing wrong. Regardless it sure is fun. I'm still trying to imagine 16 takes in
a day! Sounds like letting nature take its course and helping just a little with emphasis on just a little is the key to huge rewards.
Last Edited By: TnTom 03/20/2009 21:55.
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tedgolden |
#16 | |||
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Posts: 2777 03/20/2009 22:13 Moderator |
Loosing fish on the hook set is kind of like premature ejaculation. Slow down, let nature take it's course. Like PE, one can be happy with either result,
but one is better. I can remember being told to say "God save the queen" before committing but got some discouraging anti royalist comments from my
partner.
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aquabonito |
#17 | |||
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Posts: 1004 03/22/2009 14:47 Angry Andy |
A good argumentative subject. There are circumstances when immediate action is necessary to set the hook, let the fish hook himself, or a slowing down of the
setting action. I won't attempt to identify all of the circumstances.
I especially like Ted's simile.
"You can't make new old friends"
 Andy
Last Edited By: aquabonito 03/23/2009 09:40.
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Canewrap |
Re: Slowing it down | #18 | ||
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Posts: 90 03/23/2009 11:01 |
This may be a bit of silly question, but are you doing a two handed strike? You know, strip with the left at the same time you're lifting the rod with your
right hand? Reverse of course, if you're left handed. This will take the slack out in a hurry.
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TnTom |
#19 | |||
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Posts: 38 03/23/2009 20:14 |
I went to the creek. I had 5 takes and landed each doing no more than stripping and moving the rod tip slightly to the one side or the other then getting the
tip up a little after I felt him on. Didn't bother with the reel at all.
All 5 fish happened in about 45 minutes. That was so much fun. "God save the Queen" BIG HELP 
There is no doubt in my mind that Bamboo can grow on a person very fast. |
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swalker9513.ultralightflyfi... |
#20 | |||
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Posts: 5 03/25/2009 16:19 |
I just got a bamboo stick on Monday. I've had it out to my local pond for bream a couple of times. I can't hook a fish. What I've noticed is that
everything feels "harder". But when i set hook, nothing. How I think I set hook is a little strip with my left hand, and just gently lift up on the
rod.
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Yep only way to get past this is to spend a lot of time on the water!!!
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