Lessons of a newbie

Tagged: Playing a fish

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- April 27, 2022 at 4:03 pm #24557
  
  Bob-STL
  Participant
  
  Sitting in the dentist chair today I reflected on yesterday’s graduation trip with Ken Welter. What did I learn while at Montauk? Much more than I expected:
  
  1. When I can’t buy a fish, go small – size 20 hook.
  
  2. Purple midges and House of Payne work great.
  
  3. I thought my midge was deep, enough until someone told me to go to 4-1/2 feet to get to the bottom.
  
  4. Target a fish: I thought if he could see it, you’d get a strike. Not until I matched the flow exactly, put it at the exact depth, and within 2 inches of his mouth did I get a hook-up.
  
  5. If the fish takes the fly and spits it out, am I done for the day, or will he take it again? YES! Four casts later (boy, they are stupid!)
  
  6. The Big Hurt works. Originally, I thought it was some Billy-Bob fly. Scott Payne and Don Varner(previously) showed me that.
  
  7. A fellow fisherman said “Bob, there aren’t really many fish in the Blue Hole.” Scott Payne and I lit up the lower Blue Hole during the last 45 minutes.
  
  8. If a fish is hooked, strip line quickly. (I thought you had to play them to show you were a stud fisherman.)
  
  9. Once a hooked fish has his head out of the water, KEEP HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WATER! KEEP HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WATER! KEEP HIS HEAD OUT OF THE WATER!
  
  10. Bob’s heretical conclusion #1 – Leave barbs on small hooks to avoid loosing fish.
  
  11. Bob’s heretcial conclusion #2 – Pre-rigging rod too any degree really helps. (It forces me to have a plan like a football or baseball game. I can always change the plan)
- April 28, 2022 at 11:02 am #24590
  
  Kenny Klimes
  Keymaster
  
  Great observations!!
- April 28, 2022 at 11:06 am #24591
  
  Sensei
  Participant
  
  Grasshopper,
  
  Read I did your opinions. Insightful you have become. Learning always when one fly fishes and never think the learning has stopped. Tight lines I wish for you!
- May 18, 2022 at 7:13 pm #24693
  
  DanStag
  Participant
  
  No. 1: awesome approach to review the previous day to realize what worked and didn’t. That way a guy can constantly refine his approach and technique.
  Barbless: personally, I can’t ever remember feeling that I’d lost a fish, due to a bent down or barbless hook (but that’s just my opinion).
  Sorry, but I can’t really agree with stripping line to get a fish in as quickly as possible. I’ve fished with 7X and never broken off but developing a feel for the right amount of pressure to keep on a fish.
  For me, I enjoy playing a fish off the drag of my reel (yes, fly reels have a drag). Keeping the rod angle around 45 degrees to the water, and reeling in as the fish comes toward you (or letting the fish run taking drag, thus wearing itself out) will avoid the sudden jolt that can break tippet.
  This last comment is not meant as a criticism, but more as an alternate view of playing a fish.
  Of course, fly fishing, like life, is a personal journey and there are many ways to enjoy the whole experience.
- May 26, 2022 at 10:26 am #24736
  
  Dave Rodecap
  Participant
  
  What is the House of Payne fly?
- May 26, 2022 at 10:42 am #24738
  
  Sensei
  Participant
  
  Oh, the House of Payne you wish to know! Some secrets are better left unsaid. But to know, you seek to ask. To tie this fly exactly will be most difficult but copy you can. It’s only appropriate for the originator to respond than I.
  
  Maybe he will – then maybe he will not!!
- May 31, 2022 at 5:54 pm #24746
  Scott Payne
  Participant
  Dave Rodecap – The House-Of-Payne fly is a holographic midge I came up with that tried to combine a couple of different flies into one. It is to be “floated” along the bottom of a stream under an indicator. I usually fish it as a dropper fly under an egg pattern, or emerger. Usually I add a small split shot, above the fly, to get it to the bottom quickly into the drift. The fly itself is not weighted. The holographic orange color can mimic an egg, a dying scud or sow bug. and even a pre-emerging larva. The fly is sold at the Wooly Bugger Fly Company. It only comes in a size 16, which works well. If Kenny or Jim want me to demo it at a fly tying session next fall, I will do that. More to follow. Just remember-THIS FLY HAS TO BE FISHED ALONG THE BOTTOM. If you are not catching fish, go deeper! Any questions, send me an email at scott.payne62034@yahoo.com
  - This reply was modified 1 year ago by Scott Payne.
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