Strike and Release

or however that dang word is written! : ) Use this forum to discuss those things that are related to, directly, or indirectly, fly fishing, i.e., tackle, catalogs, single malt scotch, cigar preferences, pipes, camera gear, etc. This is sort of an off topic area but one related to bamboo and fly fishing.

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Barney
Sport
Posts: 72
Joined: 07/25/18 13:53

Strike and Release

#1

Post by Barney »

Due to a motorcycle accident, I had given up fishing. I couldn't hike, wade, or spend too much time on my feet. The bug finally got
the best of me. I found a spot that was a short walk from where I could park. I got out the first bambbo fly rod I ever bought: an ancient
nine foot Meadowbrook. I lined it up with an old silk line on an old skeleton reel. I selected some flies, cut the hooks at the bend, so
just the body was left.
I now get great satisfaction with a fish taking the fly, tug at it a bit, then spit it out. No harm to the fish or me. I guess you could call it Srike
and Release.

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reidrods
Guide
Posts: 281
Joined: 04/29/11 18:00

Re: Strike and Release

#2

Post by reidrods »

Barney,

You're doing it! You're fishing! Well done..

Willis

ted patlen
Master Guide
Posts: 408
Joined: 01/25/11 19:00

Re: Strike and Release

#3

Post by ted patlen »

I now get great satisfaction with a fish taking the fly, tug at it a bit, then spit it out. No harm to the fish or me.

That's all I need...they slim up my cigars anyway.

Livingstone
Master Guide
Posts: 517
Joined: 08/26/12 07:54
Location: Canada

Re: Strike and Release

#4

Post by Livingstone »

They say"The tug is the drug!" It may well be! Livingstone.

Arctic-Grayling
Guide
Posts: 156
Joined: 07/17/07 18:00

Re: Strike and Release

#5

Post by Arctic-Grayling »

I do the same with my local Arctic grayling, when they are having a feeding frenzy feeding. Rather than spend my time releasing fish, I let them release themselves. Many will quickly turn to re-attack a few more times. My old back, knees and my local grayling population both benefit from this type of fly fishing.

bassman
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 5532
Joined: 03/23/12 23:20
Location: Cheyenne OK

Re: Strike and Release

#6

Post by bassman »

Lifelong motorcyclist so share your pain though I was one of those few who never went down (except dirt bike racing). Other factors have put me out of the walking, wading game but I still love to do guided drift boats trips and though I don't cut my hooks down I use all barbless and lose more than I catch anyway. This sometimes bothers guides but doesn't bother me. I did have a guide once that I told don't worry about it, losing fish before we have to touch them (unless it's ones for a meal) is fine with me. He told he guided a woman every year who did what you do. Cut most of the hook bend off and just played the fish long enough for the feel and then they're gone. Congrats on your getting back to the water.

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flyslinger
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1026
Joined: 05/30/07 18:00
Location: Beautiful downtown Glenn Springs, Tx.

Re: Strike and Release

#7

Post by flyslinger »

Glad you are back out on the water. It's great therapy, as everyone here knows. I still use the whole hook, but have fished barbless since my son was little and I was teaching kids to fly fish. I definitely don't miss the barbs in the least.
"Always drink upstream from the herd."

PT48
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1195
Joined: 02/19/13 22:26

Re: Strike and Release

#8

Post by PT48 »

I fish barbless but still encounter the odd difficult release. A hook designed to get the fish within a couple of rod lengths before it frees itself would be a most welcome development.

5Stringtrout
Sport
Posts: 30
Joined: 05/03/20 17:19
Location: Elkton, VA

Re: Strike and Release

#9

Post by 5Stringtrout »

I was fishing the Rapidan yesterday when the water was 68 degrees. Having a couple of takes and long line releases was enough for me. I could see being like one of our members who has been known to fish with the hook broken off.

L Kenney
Sport
Posts: 42
Joined: 01/29/07 19:00

Re: Strike and Release

#10

Post by L Kenney »

I'm reminded of John Betts' Touch and Go flies tied on hooks that had an eye instead of a point on the business end. Enough to feel the strike and the weight of the fish but noting that would penetratel

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henkverhaar
Bamboo Fanatic
Posts: 1251
Joined: 07/02/16 15:37
Location: Near the Geul...

Re: Strike and Release

#11

Post by henkverhaar »

L Kenney wrote:
07/29/22 17:30
I'm reminded of John Betts' Touch and Go flies tied on hooks that had an eye instead of a point on the business end. Enough to feel the strike and the weight of the fish but noting that would penetratel
+1

The first article I read on this (1990s?) read like an aprils fools piece but it was dead serious. Partridge (Alan Bramley always in for something out of the ordinary) made a range of TAG hooks for him to tie on.

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