Twitching flies off snags in samll creek fishing

I had a little J shaped blade which
had a string attached. You put the bottom in your tip top,
extended it to the offending branch and hooked the blade over the
branch, removed your rod and pulled the string. They used to
have neat little gadgets which you can't find any more.
Ernie

E. Hille, aka Anglers Supply House, in Williamsport PA, has those
things. $5.95, if I recall correctly. They also had a ten buck
version at the PA Sports show recently.

http://www.anglersupplyhouse.com/

vince

I recall seeing a lot of pulling and tugging to remove flies from snags in
the "Rod Length" thread. I don't recall anyone pointing out that a fly is
quite easily removed from many snags by simply running the rod tip up the
line and gently pushing the fly off the snag. Yes you have to be able to
get within a rod length of the fly but in tight surrounds that is rarely a
problem. Of course multiple wraps of tippett around a snag are not so
easily managed.


BJ Conner mentioned using a strike indicator to prevent the leader slipping
back through the rod tip ... I've whipped a loop leader material onto the
line just behind the needle knot, used a loop in the fly line and
left a tag end on the needle knot. Any other ideas on this out there?


Steve

"Stephen Welsh" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
. 1.4...

I recall seeing a lot of pulling and tugging to remove flies from snags in
the "Rod Length" thread. I don't recall anyone pointing out that a fly is
quite easily removed from many snags by simply running the rod tip up the
line and gently pushing the fly off the snag. Yes you have to be able to
get within a rod length of the fly but in tight surrounds that is rarely a
problem. Of course multiple wraps of tippett around a snag are not so
easily managed.


Usually, if your fly has just landed in a tree, a gentle draw on the line
will get it off with no problems. Twitching or jerking, will only result in
you setting the hook, and if you continue to heave and jerk after that you
can easily break a rod. For quite a while I carried a "fly retrieval
device", but I wont go into that here. What is often a great deal of help,
is a length of stout cord, with a large blunt hook on the end. One can pull
many branches and the like within reach using this.


BJ Conner mentioned using a strike indicator to prevent the leader
slipping
back through the rod tip ... I've whipped a loop leader material onto the
line just behind the needle knot, used a loop in the fly line and
left a tag end on the needle knot. Any other ideas on this out there?


Steve

Interesting that nobody else mentioned that, it can indeed be a major
nuisance. Only real answer I ever found was to keep hold of my fly as much
as possible. Not a very good solution I agree.

TL
MC

"Mike Connor" wrote in
:

Usually, if your fly has just landed in a tree, a gentle draw on the
line will get it off with no problems. Twitching or jerking, will only
result in you setting the hook,

Very true ...

Steve

"Ernie" wrote in news:bDv_b.16472
:

That's the way I do it too. If it is wrapped you can jiggle the
rod and this may free it. I had a little J shaped blade which
had a string attached. You put the bottom in your tip top,
extended it to the offending branch and hooked the blade over the
branch, removed your rod and pulled the string. They used to
have neat little gadgets which you can't find any more.


Is your J shaped blade used for cutting anything?

A wire coat-hanger cut and bent to shape will do as a twig grabber.

Steve (who's likely to end up with _two_ things snagged ;-)

On Mon, 23 Feb 2004 21:46:32 +0100, "Mike Connor"
wrote:


"Stephen Welsh" schrieb im Newsbeitrag
.1.4...

I recall seeing a lot of pulling and tugging to remove flies from snags in
the "Rod Length" thread. I don't recall anyone pointing out that a fly is
quite easily removed from many snags by simply running the rod tip up the
line and gently pushing the fly off the snag. Yes you have to be able to
get within a rod length of the fly but in tight surrounds that is rarely a
problem. Of course multiple wraps of tippett around a snag are not so
easily managed.


Usually, if your fly has just landed in a tree, a gentle draw on the line
will get it off with no problems. Twitching or jerking, will only result in
you setting the hook, and if you continue to heave and jerk after that you
can easily break a rod. For quite a while I carried a "fly retrieval
device", but I wont go into that here. What is often a great deal of help,
is a length of stout cord, with a large blunt hook on the end. One can pull
many branches and the like within reach using this.

I cannot count the number of times I wished I had such a device - and then
improvised by inverting the rod, holding it as close to the tip as courage (or
folly) would allow and grappling the offending branch with the reel foot, down
to where I could reach out and unloop my fly...

/daytripper (It's risky, it's exciting, and it's often effective ;-)

daytripper wrote in
:

I cannot count the number of times I wished I had such a device - and
then improvised by inverting the rod, holding it as close to the tip
as courage (or folly) would allow and grappling the offending branch
with the reel foot, down to where I could reach out and unloop my
fly...

/daytripper (It's risky, it's exciting, and it's often effective ;-)


(((shudder)))

....Handling the rod above the ferrules ... its just unnatural!!

;-)

Steve

"Stephen Welsh" wrote in message
.4...
Is your J shaped blade used for cutting anything?

Stephen,
Yes, it cuts the branch above the fly, which then falls at
your feet so you can get the fly. I once used it to cut a branch
across a narrow, deep, fast flowing stream, but I also cut my
leader. My son was fishing the on the other side so I asked him
to see if he could retrieve the branch which was rapidly going
down stream. He started running, stepped on an unstable rock,
twisted his ankle and did a perfect dive into the stream with his
rod in his hand. He managed to keep his rod and retrieve the
branch.
I never let him live it down.
Ernie

vincent p. norris wrote in
:

E. Hille, aka Anglers Supply House, in Williamsport PA, has those
things. $5.95, if I recall correctly.

http://www.anglersupplyhouse.com/



good recall Vince,

In the pdf catalogue page 31 bottom centre fly retriever.


Steve

"Ernie" wrote in news:wlz_b.16534
:

Yes, it cuts the branch above the fly, which then falls at
your feet so you can get the fly.
I once used it to cut a branch
across a narrow, deep, fast flowing stream, but I also cut my
leader. My son was fishing the on the other side so I asked him
to see if he could retrieve the branch which was rapidly going
down stream. He started running, stepped on an unstable rock,
twisted his ankle and did a perfect dive into the stream with his
rod in his hand. He managed to keep his rod and retrieve the
branch.
I never let him live it down.


And nor should you!

;-)

Steve