Thursday, May 3, 2012

Painfully Obvious Tip #5

I was given a tour of the Beaverkill River downstream of Roscoe last week. I can't recall how many times my friend said "Oh, and this river has some nice fish". Later I fished. While fishing I rigged up two rods; one for nymphing and one for swinging streamers.

On the streamer rod, I rigged a 7 foot 3x leader. I conehead Black Wooley Bugger completed the ensemble.

As I swung through the middle of a run I got a mighty swipe and surface roll from some sort of fish that snapped me clean off so quick that I think I actually cursed; it's a bit of a blur (that plays in an endless loop in my brain).

Which brings us to Painfully Obvious Tip™ #5:
When swinging streamers in a river where you have been forewarned that there are large fish, try something stouter than 3x.
I cut the leader back to about four feet after that brilliant move.

No further break offs.

Sadly, no further monster fish on the line.

13 comments:

  1. Yup, learned that at Amador last month.

    Mark

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  2. not fun...and don't underestimate the healing powers of a good string of expletives after such loss. I find myself cursing for days.

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    1. I definitely have to curse more on the river. I try not to cause I'm usually alone at that might lead to muttering to myself more often and then I'm muttering in public and then I'm just another crazy guy. But maybe I'm that already.

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  3. Tried to think of something witty and somewhat sarcastic to say ... but then it hit me... you were fishing and I wasn't. You win.

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  4. Ha! Kitfish27 said a mouthful. I love the tips, but not the real life lessons that teach those tips. Keep going Steve, you'll make me good despite me.

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    1. I would prefer painless tips, but then I probably wouldn't learn anything. Glad I can be of service.

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  5. I'm a little bit of PVC away from tying streamers directly to the fly line...

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    1. From now on, two feet of 20# mono.

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    2. But wait: if you do this you'll be able to fish with the same rod, line and tippet for trout, stripers and the steel (EJ's Economical Top Tips). Rosenbauer will never allow it.

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    3. EJ, you are, as always, brilliant and pragmatic. If only we could get rich not selling multiple things to anglers.

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