News:

The Best Fishing Forum In The UK.
Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Member?

Main Menu
Please consider a donation to help with the running costs of this forum.

An old chestnut: off the reel or off the line?

Started by Midgie Hater, February 15, 2014, 05:31:46 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Midgie Hater

Doubtless this has been posed before but if so I missed it.

When playing a trout - or any fish on the fly I suppose - what do members prefer? To play it via the line or off the reel?

I ask because last May, when invited as a guest to the Frandy (I know - stockies as well as wildies - but with nice upland scenery to compensate, and hard-fighting fish to boot), I was playing a 3lb'er off the reel and one of my companions on this foray - a young lad and friend of the people who invited me along, who I'd never met until that day - said, matter-of-factly and somewhat sardonically on seeing me take in the slack and tighten the drag a bit: "you're better playing it off the line mate".

Why?

Personally I feel that there are many situations where you don't want loops of line at your feet, particularly on the river and especially when wading. Also, I feel that playing off the reel, with the application of some modest drag, means the fish is not only fighting the rod spring but the drag as well. So, unless it's a wee bandie I tend to reel in and play the fish that way. Sometimes the fish reacts in such a way that you simply have to use whatever method you can - at least initially, but even in those situations I will wind in the spare line if possible and fight it that way.

What do others think?

Bobfly

Fish On !  Panic to get line up out of the grass and thistles or out from under wellies in boat - then trying to hold by hand whilst winding or not - depending on weeds or wellies snagging - and then onto reel. That seems to be my average performance !!!!
~  <°))))):><       ~   <°))))):><

Wildfisher

If it's a small fish I don't  bother, big fish I want on the reel. I don't want loose  line catching in weeds or tangling. Have lost fish in the past because of this.

haresear

Quote from: admin on February 15, 2014, 05:43:45 PM
If it's a small fish I don't  bother, big fish I want on the reel. I don't want loose  line catching in weeds or tangling. Have lost fish in the past because of this.

Same here. You may have to move position (or run) with a big fish on. Trying to do that with loose line lying about is a no-no.

Alex
Protect the edge.

Wildfisher

Quote from: haresear on February 15, 2014, 05:51:44 PM
You may have to move position (or run) with a big fish on. Trying to do that with loose line lying about is a no-no.

As the video of yours that I posted a few weeks ago demonstrated.  Of course for loch only fishers this is not nearly as much of an issue as it is on rivers.

Here it is again. For some reason I never tire of this one.   :lol:

Brown Trout Runs Downstream

Midgie Hater

#5
Seems we're mostly in accord on this then and for much the same reasons. In terms of bankside snags though - I tend to find that if there is loose line before winding it in, it always seems to find the tiniest, most insignificant wrinkle to get stuck on!

Andy - yes, agreed, although I don't generally use finger or hand pressure as you and others do. What i've found myself doing is applying the drag a little bit and then increasing (or decreasing) as required.

Bobfly - that sounds like my very early attempts when getting a take - whether a big trout or a bandie! Think Stan Smith in American Dad running up and down the bank going "arrrghhh arrghhh arrgghhh!!!" when he hooks a fish in the episode featuring his criminal Dad  :lol: On one memorable occasion in my first season I was drifting a Daddy down a riffle when a (very small) bandie took it. Instead of raising the rod tip a bit I literally yanked the poor thing so that it became temporarily airborne, landed in the shallows near my feet, and very understandably shook itself free and bolted for the far bank! My companion/tutor burst out laughing, and I spent the rest of the session breaking down in giggles. needless to say I didn't get another take :)

Fred, nice video - and nice trout! Must admit I like the commentary, but also the NZ guide in the background barking out orders like a retired Drill Sergeant!


haresear

QuoteFred, nice video - and nice trout! Must admit I like the commentary, but also the NZ guide in the background barking out orders like a retired Drill Sergeant

Midgie Hater, the guide, my pal John Boyles must have been behaving himself because I was filming. He isn't normally so resttrained :)

Alex
Protect the edge.

Midgie Hater

Alex If that's restrained, i'd like to hear unbridled  :lol:

Les

zeolite

Until I contacted a North Platte rainbow I would not have bothered with the reel but that has changed. In a big fast river with a silver torpedo on and generally with 15-20 feet of line out I end up having to change arms before I get a 2lber in to net range. A drag reel is not a luxury!
Schrodinger's troots pictured above.

haresear

Quote from: Midgie Hater on February 16, 2014, 01:28:39 AM
Alex If that's restrained, i'd like to hear unbridled  :lol:

Les

Les, he's actually fairly diplomatic and understanding until he gets to know you. Once has done that, he takes no prisoners. "What the fuck are you doing?" is a frequently used phrase :lol:

John wants his clients to get fish. That's why once Fred has hooked the fish, John sees the pitfalls that can happen if you don't follow the fish downstream. In among those big rocks you need as little line as possible between you and the fish, otherwise you may end up with the line around a rock.  These guys hook big fish on an almost daily basis and are well worth listening to and learning from.

Alex



Alex

Protect the edge.

Go To Front Page