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Shooting line while fishing
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- Paul Arden
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Shooting line while fishing
Hi guys,
Something I’ve realised over the last years teaching people while fishing, is that many anglers shoot line by simply letting it go. So this is obviously something that we have not been teaching very well - and I’m guilty of it myself as an instructor I can see now.
If you are taking a shot you can’t just let go of the line you have to feed it through your hands, check turnover and in many cases have your line hand positioned for an immediate strip.
What surprised me however, is that I take some very experienced anglers who have a competent fishing cast fishing, many of whom fish tropical SW and it’s not uncommon for them to not know this. So it’s not something that appears to always come naturally.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t use an thumb/finger O - I use similar but I don’t connect the O and just feed the line from behind the fingers, as I shoot the line I raise the line hand to the rod, and I always check the turnover, not abruptly but by slowing it down - and if it’s not going to turn over I can give it a short check haul. I’m going to be honest - for me this is basic line handing skills.
There is so much to learn it must be completely daunting taking up fly fishing! My favourite drill by the way, is to get people to throw at floating shoes using the Snakehead Shot. It’s quite fascinating.
Cheers, Paul
Something I’ve realised over the last years teaching people while fishing, is that many anglers shoot line by simply letting it go. So this is obviously something that we have not been teaching very well - and I’m guilty of it myself as an instructor I can see now.
If you are taking a shot you can’t just let go of the line you have to feed it through your hands, check turnover and in many cases have your line hand positioned for an immediate strip.
What surprised me however, is that I take some very experienced anglers who have a competent fishing cast fishing, many of whom fish tropical SW and it’s not uncommon for them to not know this. So it’s not something that appears to always come naturally.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t use an thumb/finger O - I use similar but I don’t connect the O and just feed the line from behind the fingers, as I shoot the line I raise the line hand to the rod, and I always check the turnover, not abruptly but by slowing it down - and if it’s not going to turn over I can give it a short check haul. I’m going to be honest - for me this is basic line handing skills.
There is so much to learn it must be completely daunting taking up fly fishing! My favourite drill by the way, is to get people to throw at floating shoes using the Snakehead Shot. It’s quite fascinating.
Cheers, Paul
Re: Shooting line while fishing
Knowing it and doing it are two mutually exclusive events.
(I usually forget, no matter how often I practice.)
(I usually forget, no matter how often I practice.)
FFi CCI
- Paul Arden
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
Do you want me to send you some shoes?
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
I agree on how important it is.
Just try fishing shorelines for snook!
Quite often they hit out of reaction to the fly landing... and if the line is not in your possession you will miss the hook set every time!
I know I was quite surprised when I watched a video of a supposed excellent angler doing a demo of a supposed advanced special cast... and they let loose the line every time!
Just try fishing shorelines for snook!
Quite often they hit out of reaction to the fly landing... and if the line is not in your possession you will miss the hook set every time!
I know I was quite surprised when I watched a video of a supposed excellent angler doing a demo of a supposed advanced special cast... and they let loose the line every time!
With appreciation and apologies to Ray Charles…
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
“If it wasn’t for AI, we wouldn’t have no I at all.”
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
Maybe they have been self taught and that's all they know, as you say, it doesn't come naturally. Most experts on you tube don't actually do it, and i think a lot turn to that platform to learn things.So this is obviously something that we have not been teaching very well
I have found that checking the shoot isn't common knowledge amongst the anglers mate. Almost every angler i have seen on reservoirs/lakes shoots to the reel, but they are usually blind/fan casting, letting it sink and not taking shots at specific fish. I've even seen people trying to push the line up the guides. When i asked them why they did this, their response was "i'm worried that it won't go, so i'm trying to help it". I think it's to do with anglers worrying about absolute maximum possible distance, and feathering through the hand does reduce this.
Absolutely I think it's highly essential when dry fly fishing for trout on lakes (by sight), and i do it all the time.If you are taking a shot you can’t just let go of the line you have to feed it through your hands, check turnover and in many cases have your line hand positioned for an immediate strip.
I think i do similar to you, i don't turn my hand into a tube or the finger 0 method, i shoot through a semi open hand (fingers curled), and when it's time to check the shoot, i just close my hand gradually to slow it down/stop it. Must be a UK think that we both do For me, i'd rather have a cast that doesn't quite turnover but requires a check haul or checking the shoot, rather than having one that whips over too quickly (leader design).I don’t know about you, but I don’t use an thumb/finger O - I use similar but I don’t connect the O and just feed the line from behind the fingers, as I shoot the line I raise the line hand to the rod, and I always check the turnover, not abruptly but by slowing it down - and if it’s not going to turn over I can give it a short check haul. I’m going to be honest - for me this is basic line handing skills.
I haven't used shoes, but the white paint lids on 10 litre emulsion tubs work an absolute treat, about 1' in diameter
All the best
Nick M
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"
- Paul Arden
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
I was never taught to do this Nick; very few people actually start fly fishing with a lesson! It took me 15 years to get round to my first one
No wonder some people have problems with long leaders! Typical leader on reservoirs was 20’ with three flies spaced out. How the hell are you going to turn that over just by letting it go (that’s how I learned it by the way: or it’s just possible that the spectre that I met on the Ardleigh Dam during a thunderstorm, who gave me some magic buzzers and set me up with an impossibly long leader, taught me to check the shoot before disappearing into the mist. I’m not sure. I have to say though whatever apparition it was that came to meet me on that stormy day I’m incredibly grateful for that’s really when I truly started to learn fly fishing properly).
Cheers, Paul
No wonder some people have problems with long leaders! Typical leader on reservoirs was 20’ with three flies spaced out. How the hell are you going to turn that over just by letting it go (that’s how I learned it by the way: or it’s just possible that the spectre that I met on the Ardleigh Dam during a thunderstorm, who gave me some magic buzzers and set me up with an impossibly long leader, taught me to check the shoot before disappearing into the mist. I’m not sure. I have to say though whatever apparition it was that came to meet me on that stormy day I’m incredibly grateful for that’s really when I truly started to learn fly fishing properly).
Cheers, Paul
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
That's very true mate, i know Mel encouraged people to just go out and try it without a guide etc. Just to experience something, what a wonderful philosophy to have.I was never taught to do this Nick; very few people actually start fly fishing with a lesson! It took me 15 years to get round to my first one
Exactly! That is a huge leader, and almost every comp angler I've spoken to/seen uses level line for the whole thing, which i think is weird. It's far superior to have a tapered leader first IMO, and then tie on your team after. I think (especially for boat anglers) that they expect the wind to turn it over for them, which makes sense in a way, but doing that from the bank without the wind behind you is a disaster waiting to happen. As you mention, you can't ensure turnover by just letting it go.
Did you use to use a tapered leader first when fishing teams on reservoirs, or is this just me?
Are you sure the chap that disappeared into the mist isn't akin to my Anubis dream? Or was he real That's really cool, isn't Ardleigh a coarse fishery now?
All the best
Nick M
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"
- Paul Arden
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
Written almost 25 years ago now http://www.sexyloops.com/stillwater/tackleleaders.shtml but yes I always used a Tapered leader for floating line work.
Ardleigh shut as a fly fishery in 1999 I believe. I think something went wrong with the eco system. Certainly all the fly life disappeared, as did the weed and the fish. So that’s not normal
Cheers, Paul
Ardleigh shut as a fly fishery in 1999 I believe. I think something went wrong with the eco system. Certainly all the fly life disappeared, as did the weed and the fish. So that’s not normal
Cheers, Paul
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Re: Shooting line while fishing
Wow, what a great resource you wrote, Paul! That is highly extensive, have you thought about publishing that?!
Haha, quite! That's such a shame mate, theres already a plethora of 'carp' and coarse fisheries around.
All the best
Haha, quite! That's such a shame mate, theres already a plethora of 'carp' and coarse fisheries around.
All the best
Nick M
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"
"Memento Piscantur Saepe"