Making life easier for yourself

[haresear]

 If you wear as I do, wading boots over stocking soled waders, there is a good chance you will have got your line around the hooks on the boots or around your laces from time to time, especially if you generally fish upstream. While this is just a right pain in normal fishing, it can spell disaster when you hook a big fish which wants to run. The remedy is to use gravel guards and to make sure these cover your laces and the lacing hooks.

On the subject of loose line: It makes sense when you spot a fish and suspect that it is a good fish, to get as much line on the reel as you can before casting to it. Then, if it takes off, there is little chance of the loose line bunching or tangling round anything else. It also means you are immediately mobile if you have to follow the fish. By keeping all unnecessary loose line on the reel, there is an additional benefit by ensuring that you can?t line the fish. If you are using a long leader, you will be keeping the junction of line and leader well out of view of the fish, as you just can?t overshoot the target.

Alex

[harelug]

It also means you are immediately mobile if you have to follow the fish.

In this scenario wouldn't the fish have already solved the loose line problem?

[haresear]

It also means you are immediately mobile if you have to follow the fish.

In this scenario wouldn't the fish have already solved the loose line problem?

Yes, but it means you have the line on the reel to start with and don't have to hope it doesn't catch on something. I once was broken by a really good fish when the loose line blew round the reel handle. Ouch.

In reality as you know, when fishing upstream, you have to immediately start taking up the slack to stay in touch, but the less of this loose line there is lying about, the better.

Get to your bed Harelug. :lol:

Alex

[aliferste]

Good advice, what I sometimes find is that a good fish shoots downstream towards me causing loops of line to be all over the place. I then have to frantically wind whilst trying to stay in contact with fish

[haresear]

Good advice, what I sometimes find is that a good fish shoots downstream towards me causing loops of line to be all over the place. I then have to frantically wind whilst trying to stay in contact with fish

No way round that one Alistair. You have to decide quickly whether to wind or strip in. It's usually safest  to strip in and then reel up the slack.

Alex

[Wildfisher]

My waders neoprene and breathable both have built in gravel guards (Snowbees). Another tip must be always to fish as short a line as you can and manage the line on the reel before disaster strikes. Good in theory! My biggest problem is (fishing upstream) getting the line round the net and wading stick. That is usually a fiasco waiting to happen 

[haresear]

My biggest problem is (fishing upstream) getting the line round the net and wading stick.

I don't get on too well with a wading stick either. It is a pain when fishing upstream, but a neccessary tool in some places.

As regards nets. Why not sling it on your back?

I see no point at all in carrying wee nets. I use the biggest and longest one I can carry on my back via a magnet and it is attached by a lanyard and a karabiner as well.
I used to use a salmon size wooden scoop net, but after a nerve racking fiasco involving my biggest ever trout and a high bank, where I ended up having to cross the river several times to net it, I have changed to a McLean weigh net . http://www.mclean-angling.co.nz/webapps/site/4945/widgets/37668/info/gallery-view.html?info_id=34646

The pear shaped hoop is rigid and by pressing a button and putting my foot on the inside edge of the hoop, I can extend it single handedly to a length of 53 inches. Despite the extended length, the net folds to an overall length of 23 inches, so it is compact and out of the way when walking and fishing.

alex

[Wildfisher]

how much does that net cost Alex. What do you mean by  "via a magnet" 

[haresear]

The net is not cheap at ?50 but it is bomb proof.

The magnetic net release I use is the Mayfly one http://www.schmidtoutfitters.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&Product_ID=1968

I got it at Glasgow Angling Centre and it cost about ?20 which was a bit painful. Other companies do them around the same price, but here is one for a tenner... http://www.hopkinsholloway.co.uk/products.php?SID=60&CatID=60

Alex

[Clan Ford]

I got my magnetic net release from Taimen:-

www.taimen.com/mt/product_info.php?cPath=170_332&products_id=1363

9.71 Euros and free P&P

Mines works just fine.


Alex,

I've been on the look out for a Salmon sized wooden scoop net - for Salmon Funnily enough.  Where did you get yours?

Norm