PLEASE NOTE: In order to post on the Board you need to have registered. To register please email paul@sexyloops.com including your real name and username. Registration takes less than 24hrs, unless Paul is fishing deep in the jungle!

Buzzers on a Four-weight

Moderator: Paul Arden

John Finn
Posts: 247
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 8:35 pm
Answers: 0

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#11

Post by John Finn »

Yea Paul I think it was, have'nt used it for years. I was thinking more about the new low diameter - high BS materials, they all seem to be shiny. Usually switch back to Maxima Ultragreen in bright sunshine but the BS to diameter isn't as good .Have some Grand Max Soft Plus soaking in warm tea. Wife thinks I'm nuts. :D
Svend
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:06 pm
Answers: 0
Location: Denmark mostly

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#12

Post by Svend »

Paul Arden wrote:look at the fight as simply making them run around - preferably in the direction I want - until they are tired enough to net (or better still, swim into the net - it's amazing how often this happens!).

Ha ha, that's an interesting observation. I don't use a net anymore, dropped that together with the line tray a long time ago. Still i have seatrout running for my legs quite often. They whizz around and then decide that my legs are the best hiding place. I've actually been tied up so that neither i or the fish could move anymore. Also if you create a dust cloud with your feet, seatrout will often hide in there.

What line are you using with the chironomids? Thunderbolt?

Oh, good point with the bite detection. That really can make all the difference with seatrout too. If you're not stripping like the devil that is. I now always use dried out mono shooting line and fluoro tippet. Can't have a rubber band in the system and soaked mono is incredibly nonbitedetecy.
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#13

Post by Paul Arden »

With the four, an old TCR4 line. I like the net so I don't have to handle the fish to release them. The hook usually falls out in the net (about 1/3rd the time) and the fish can be set free with no handling whatsoever :cool:
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Viking Lars
Posts: 700
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:45 am
Answers: 0

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#14

Post by Viking Lars »

An old, but perfectly kept and maintained, TCR-taper. In fact, almomst better than it was new :-)

Lars
Svend
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:06 pm
Answers: 0
Location: Denmark mostly

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#15

Post by Svend »

Will there be #4 Thunderbolts in the future? I'm using a DT with my 4 wt rod and would like to have something more versatile without going down the Expert Distance route.

Incidentally one of my reasons for banning the net to the tackle shed was fish handling. I just grab the fly and slide it out without ever touching the fish. With small flies or deeply swallowed ones i use a plastic hook removal thing from the bait fishing section or the forceps if absolutely necessary. All my hooks are barbless of course, i'd never put a barb in a living animal.


PS.: For me a fish is landed successfully when it was me who unhooked it. I don't take pictures or any measurements.
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#16

Post by Paul Arden »

Yes there will be and is on the list for the next order :)

I do like to get the odd fish photo and I feel the net gives me this option. It's an oversized weigh-net with a soft and exra-large net bag. I can put the handle between my knees, with the net in the water and a fish even of six or seven pounds can sit upright in the water, no problems. They seem pretty calm and recover. This gives me lots of time, I can organise myself, even throw the video camera on the bank, unhook the fish in the water. If I want a shot I can lift the fish out the net - clean wet hands of course - and release him (there's my shot) or I can simply lower the net and off he goes. I *never* lift the net out the water and put the fish on the bank - when I see that done it really freaks me out.

Another reason I really like the net is if I have to use the forceps. The fish is in the water, calm, and I have all the time I need. And if I need to handle the fish at this point, I can do it through the mesh. If the fish goes berserk I can simply release him to swim around the inside of the net until he calms down again. But they usually are very happy to just sit inside the net and it's a rare fish that tries to swim through the mesh!

I can land the fish quicker - for me to get the hook out with the hand the fish has to be tired, but I can often net the fish earlier much than this, especially if I set it up so he runs over the net (many times I can land a fish in literally the first few seconds of the fight, while it's off balance and hasn't realised that I'm a person!).

Bigger fish can sometimes need stabilising before release, this actually happens with the fish in the net for me, i.e. no handling!

Mind you having said all this, my net is pretty specialist. It's a trout weight net handle with a sea-trout size hoop, and the mesh I found in Hungary is made for an even bigger net. The mesh is good too because it opens out and keeps its form in the water. If I didn't have this net I would have to make difficult decisions most of the time. I'll post some shots later - off for a run now!

Cheers, Paul
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Viking Lars
Posts: 700
Joined: Thu Jan 10, 2013 10:45 am
Answers: 0

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#17

Post by Viking Lars »

This gives me lots of time, I can organise myself,
Jesus, does that net simply stop time? Last time I checked, that was the minimum solution for you to get organised and still probably not enough :p

Lars
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#18

Post by Paul Arden »

:p
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Svend
Posts: 146
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:06 pm
Answers: 0
Location: Denmark mostly

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#19

Post by Svend »

Paul Arden wrote:Yes there will be and is on the list for the next order :)
:cool:


Very interesting reasoning Paul, i like that. I wasn't implying that nobody should use a net or take pictures (everybody should go barbless though). In fact for guides it's pretty important and part of their business to take pictures.
At the end of the day good fish handling may not be as much about the use of a net or not as it is about proper technique and last but not least the correct mindset. I do agree that it is much easier to land a fish before it realizes anything if a net is used. There are second and third chances to land it early though and one of them usually allows me to remove the hook. It's a matter of practice. I also agree that it would be hard to take pictures of a good sized fish without a net unless the poor bugger is so worn out that its chances of survival are dwindling with every second. I only stabilize fish if they actually go keel up which is very very rare.

Maybe a FP about fish handling, picture taking or net use is in order?
User avatar
Paul Arden
Site Admin
Posts: 19528
Joined: Thu Jan 03, 2013 11:20 am
Answers: 2
Location: Belum Rainforest
Contact:

Buzzers on a Four-weight

#20

Post by Paul Arden »

I'm pretty sure I wrote one, I think what is needed is a full article (I have one of those too, but I think it can be better). I'll have a dig around. I agree that most people use a net very poorly, and in fact most nets are far too small. I just love the fact that I can land a fish and keep him in the net, where he sits calmly, is upright, holding station and recovering.

I originally started doing this to take shots - like you, Svend, I was without a net, but I had no fish shots at all! But having done this now for many years I am completely convinced that I'm doing a better job of unhooking and releasing the fish. And the mesh I have now is simply the best I've used; it opens into a mini cage in the water. (I think the mesh cost 2 pounds in Hungary! I'll have to ask Erno what brand it is).

I'll have a shower and upload some pics!
It's an exploration; bring a flyrod.

Flycasting Definitions
Post Reply

Return to “Flyfishing”