Jump to content

What can go wrong - the most common errors of inshore fly fishing

Rate this topic


JohnP

Recommended Posts

28 mins ago, Capt.Castafly said:

My two biggest problems (while biting my tongue)

 

(1) Knots, line wrapped around feet,  rod and reel handles, rod tips, body, parts of boat, other casters.

It seems 15% of the fishing time is spent on solving technical problems.  

 

(2) Simply just not ready to fish.

Most often when action happens, they have no clue to have the line paid out, coils on deck, already being in position.

That's the time they grab their rod out of the holder, strip all the line on the deck, finally make their 1st cast a few feet, now stop,

and undo the line knots from the under coils.

 

Drives me crazy. I try to explain the actions doesn't last long in most cases. Quickness and getting the cast off is so important,

if you want to keep the catch numbers up.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9

Yes I try to go over the drill by calling out the location and distance (100yards, 11 oclock) and then tell the caster he should get ready to cast As we slow the boat to get it in position. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few more from when I am on the pointy end and someone else is the wheel man.

 

1. Approaching from the back of the school.

2. No placing the boat in an intercept position.

3. Not accounting for the wind. 

4. Approaching the school too fast and cutting the motor to late. Even if you don't put the fish down and manage to get a decent cast off, people can only strip so fast. 

Embrace American Privilege

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, DAQ said:

A few more from when I am on the pointy end and someone else is the wheel man.

 

1. Approaching from the back of the school.

2. No placing the boat in an intercept position.

3. Not accounting for the wind. 

4. Approaching the school too fast and cutting the motor to late. Even if you don't put the fish down and manage to get a decent cast off, people can only strip so fast. 


all true, at times though it can be difficult to determine the direction breaking will be going. Quite often I’ll be inching in, and it would seem I’ve got a ways to go, but I’ll be seeing them on the recorder, so I’ll stop there and hopefully they come up right around the boat. That’s where that sinking line comes in handy 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Stripernut1 said:

Over the years the one most common reason I have had to give away trips (don't catch fish next trip is free) is the lack of a good hook set. As said before a trout hook set just does not cut it. I always tell my clients that stripers eat crabs and lobster for breakfast, so rip some lip!


if they are inexperienced or to get the jitters out thatS where I ask them to get a few fish in the boat on spinning gear first. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Mike Oliver said:

Then they are just cheap. Many a guide will have experienced this.

 

It reminds me of ****** corporate behaviours.

 

John you gotta be more selective.:howdy:

 

Mikey


Hi Mike,

 

yep I’d like to take out only highly experienced guys who only want to smell the flowers.  Trouble is you don’t get that way until you one day realize you’ve caught enough fish for a lifetime. Gotta help folks complete that journey. Lol

Edited by JohnP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bad cast is still a fishing opportunity, don’t just pick it up fast and try again. Fish it out, most fish are caught very close to you, within 50’. 

 

Dont overthink the whole concept of flyfishing. It’s not that hard and can be done by everyone, it’s the finer aspects of it that can be a challenge like double haul or stopping the rod movement for the cast stroke. 

 

Observe what is going on around you. Don’t just run out and cast, give it a minute to look and see if any signals show you what to do. Same goes for the fish following, maybe your retrieve is too slow or fast. Does the retrieve need to stop and go movements. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the trout side, I’m amazed at how so many people run right to the ‘spot’ without working their way out to it. I’ve caught so many fish this season in places that I didn’t ‘expect’ a fish to be. Thankfully, it happened often enough and early enough that it forced me to consider every bit of water. 

ASMFC - Destroying public resources and fisheries one stock at a time since 1942.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One big thing I always do is wear a stripping basket even in a boat I always wear one never leave home without it!

I’ve seen guys trying to cast to bones or Albies without one only to have a tangle and A missed opportunity see it all the time hey more fish for me!

dont leave fish to find fish Pat Abate always said!

Edited by mkus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, JohnP said:

I added one more

 

leaving fish to find fish

 

this is often a captain error. 
 

the desire to find greener grass instead of seeing that the fish that are feeding might turn into something on a larger scale which so often is the case 

This is one commonly-accepted rule that I disagree with.

 

While it CAN be true, back when I used to do a lot of tournament fishing, we won more than a few by avoiding the crowd and the obvious fish, and going off on our own to find something that was a little better quality than everyone else was catching.  

 

Wjile those were tuna and not bass, blues or albacore, the same principle can apply.  If all you've got in front of you are rats, it can pay to look for a pattern that might yield fewer, but bigger, fish.  Or to stay where you are but change up what you're doing in order to avoid the small fish and attract something bigger.  Again, that probably applies to non-fly situations, but still.

 

Yes, the fish you have might turn into something better, but they also might not.  If you have reason to believe that you might do better elsewhere, a move could produce dividends.c

"I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.."  --  Ted Williams

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 mins ago, CWitek said:

This is one commonly-accepted rule that I disagree with.

 

While it CAN be true, back when I used to do a lot of tournament fishing, we won more than a few by avoiding the crowd and the obvious fish, and going off on our own to find something that was a little better quality than everyone else was catching.  

 

Wjile those were tuna and not bass, blues or albacore, the same principle can apply.  If all you've got in front of you are rats, it can pay to look for a pattern that might yield fewer, but bigger, fish.  Or to stay where you are but change up what you're doing in order to avoid the small fish and attract something bigger.  Again, that probably applies to non-fly situations, but still.

 

Yes, the fish you have might turn into something better, but they also might not.  If you have reason to believe that you might do better elsewhere, a move could produce dividends.c

I have and will often leave fish to look for better opportunities elsewhere. This most commonly relates to size but sometimes crowds too. Getting a few fish in relative solitude is far more pleasurable than catching a **** ton in a crowd.

ASMFC - Destroying public resources and fisheries one stock at a time since 1942.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 mins ago, Drew C. said:

I have and will often leave fish to look for better opportunities elsewhere. This most commonly relates to size but sometimes crowds too. Getting a few fish in relative solitude is far more pleasurable than catching a **** ton in a crowd.

Yes, I've done that, too.  One of the best things about fishing in the ocean is being alone.

"I have always believed that outdoor writers who come out against fish and wildlife conservation are in the wrong business. To me, it makes as much sense golf writers coming out against grass.."  --  Ted Williams

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, JohnP said:

Yes I try to go over the drill by calling out the location and distance (100yards, 11 oclock) and then tell the caster he should get ready to cast As we slow the boat to get it in position. 

When I yell out, "Battle Stations.... Battle Stations.... Battle Stations" 

I expect all our guns to be locked and loaded.... ready to fire in seconds!

Nothing flies by me without a hook!
If my fly is down, That's a good thing.

Public Access.....It's a shore thing. My daily requirement of "Vitamin Sea".


Capt. Ray Stachelek

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to register here in order to participate.

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


×
×
  • Create New...