On 08/09/2010 07:10 AM, Frank Reid © 2010 wrote:
On Aug 9, 12:29 am, wrote:
Hi All,

I got to spend a whole hour and ten minutes on
the river last Thursday. Had something unusual
happen to me that I would love the groups advice on.

These trout must have been caught several times before.
About every third drift, I would tangle with one. It
seemed like I would play with them for about two feet
and then they got loose. Over and over again too!
I checked my hook points constantly and they were
not broken off and were plenty sharp.

One trout I got so frustrated with, to set the hook,
I dragged him about four feet across the top
of a rapid. And he still got away! I could almost
hear him yelling "Yippee! Again! Again!" (I may be
putting human emotions on him.)

I had the feeling I was playing tug-o-war with them
and had not actually hooked any of them.

They seemed to like all types of flies I tossed at them.
They would get use to one and I would put on a different
type. They were all in the size 12 to 14 range.

What would the group suggest? Smaller flies? Larger
flies? Flies with round hooks? Shake my fish at
them and try not to grin too much?

Many thanks,
-T

p.s. I got to meet one 7" rainbow. He nearly swallowed
my #14 Adams. I think he was native as he was about two
inches smaller than what they plant and he was not so
danged ugly.

Pretty much had the exact same problem last week in Wisconsin (see
Driftless area TR). I went from a 3wt to a 4wt with a lot more
stiffness and solved the problem.
Frank Reid

Some of the other fisherman I have spoken to have told me
they are keeping the planted Rainbow and releasing the
wild Browns.

I am thinking that these fish have been caught so many times
before, some of them by me (I haven't named them yet),
that they have learned to avoid the pointy part of the
free food. Maybe they have learned how to strip bait off
a hook and a fly doesn't strip off the hook so easily,
resulting in a tug-o-war. There are a lot of bait fisherman
on this stream. And these are the same size fish I have
caught in prior weeks.

Thank you for the tip! Made me reread your post. Great
report by the way. The current is not a swift since the water
has gotten low and there is not as much resistance on the
line. Maybe if I tightened up a bit more on the line
control, it would simulate a heavier rod and/or a heavier
current. A lot to ponder. I love this sport!

-T
ponder.