Little help please

[viking]

:confused: Can someone help me out here?
I was reading through the reports of the last few days and found that some people have done very well catching steel head in high water.
I was up for the weekend and struggled both days. I changed my rigging to keep my fly line off the water and got more hook-ups than ever before but they were all brief, like one tug or one jump and gone.
I realize there could be a thousand things I'm doing wrong but maybe if somebody could list a few basic rules for steelheading I can hopefully do better.
I've caught my share of steelies during past salmon runs by accident. I'd really like to start catching more on purpose during steelhead season, or at least have them on longer.
Thanks for your help,

[metalslayer]

What do you mean by "gone"??Broke off??Hook popped out??Could be drag set too heavy.For strictly steel I'll switch to Gamagatsu hooks and the land rate goes way up.

[woolybugger65]

try setting the hook. i ran into that problem last year, forever on my mind now. i guess i really didn't want to rip the hook out of it's mouth BUT i learned MY lesson.

[viking]

What do you mean by "gone"??Broke off??Hook popped out??Could be drag set too heavy.For strictly steel I'll switch to Gamagatsu hooks and the land rate goes way up.

Hook pops out. I don't keep drag real tight but I'll loosen up some more and try the Gamagatsu's. Didn't know hooks made a big difference
Thanks

[Adrenalinerush]

Hook pops out. I don't keep drag real tight but I'll loosen up some more and try the Gamagatsu's. Didn't know hooks made a big difference
Thanks

You gotta hook them or its just a hit n miss. Use any chemically sharpened hook out there, some are definately better than others but thats a start. Also, you need to carry a honing stone and check your hook for sharpness often. You can do this by dragging the hook point across your nail. If the hook is sharp it should stick in your nail without sliding. If it slides, you need to sharpen it, if it won't stick you, it won't stick the fish. Also, set your hook HARD, if you have your drag set properly you can't break your line no matter how hard you set your hook. You need to rear back and set your hook hard. When you factor in the belly in the line, the stretch in the line and the flex in your rod, you need to set the hook hard! Now back to sharpening your hook, along with checking your leader, making certain your hook is sharp is ultra important. I posted a thread about it last year and was hoping it would become a sticky but it got cut. Sharpen your hook !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and :fishing2: :fishing2: :fishing2: dull hook and:eek: :eek: :confused: :confused:

[shotnoyz]

I missed two this morning by using barbless hooks and not properly setting those hooks. I don't like to yank the :censored: out of the line, opting for a slow "gotcha." But I do miss fish when I do this.

You see, if you yank that line hard to set the hook, that fish is gonna go ape into orbit. I do that now and again and it's a thrill. But lately I've been practicing coaxing tactics, and despite some minor setbacks (lost fish), it can work quite well.

I look for the optimum fight that leave the fish healthy, once released. At least that's what I tell myself...

Those Gamgatsu hooks are very good.

[SwingingSpey]

How you set the hook should depend on how you are fishing. If you are dead-drifting eggs patterns or nymphs then some of your strikes will occur while your rod tip is high keeping your line of the water - a quick, firm hook set will usually work in this situation. You can also incorporate a short pull on the fly line to get tension on the fish quickly. If you get a strike while your fly is swinging toward the bank usually your rod tip will be low as you lead/follow your line as it swings. In this situation a sweep of the rod toward the near bank will increase your chances of hooking the fish in the corner of the mouth. Hooking fish in the corner of the mouth will lead to less fish lost.

[viking]

Thanks so much everyone. Great info. Can't wait to get out and put it to use. Hopefully this weekend.

[Ditchrat]

I changed my rigging to keep my fly line off the water and got more hook-ups than ever before but they were all brief, like one tug or one jump and gone.
,

You want an honest opinion?

Answer a couple question to yourself.
1) When keeping the line off the water did you stop your line from dead drifting and ended up with more of a swing?
2) Did you end up putting more lead on then normal to keep on bottom once the line past you and got downstream?
3) Did you get your hook back?

If the answer is yes then chances are you where foul hooking fish. You dont loss many fish to hook pull outs wen hooked in the mouth. When fish are foul hooked or lined hooks pull out all the time. Especailly when a fish jump or changes direction suddenly, because most foul hooked fish are not good solid hook sets through the skin and rarely does the barb make it through the skin.

Im not accusing your intent, but when you have hook ups that last only a few shakes or a jump chances are the hook isnt getting into the fish in the right places.

[viking]

You want an honest opinion?

Answer a couple question to yourself.
1) When keeping the line off the water did you stop your line from dead drifting and ended up with more of a swing?
2) Did you end up putting more lead on then normal to keep on bottom once the line past you and got downstream?
3) Did you get your hook back?

If the answer is yes then chances are you where foul hooking fish. You dont loss many fish to hook pull outs wen hooked in the mouth. When fish are foul hooked or lined hooks pull out all the time. Especailly when a fish jump or changes direction suddenly, because most foul hooked fish are not good solid hook sets through the skin and rarely does the barb make it through the skin.

Im not accusing your intent, but when you have hook ups that last on a few shakes or a jump chances are the hook isnt getting into the fish in the right places.

1 Not sure what you mean
2 no
3 yes

I appreciate you're not questioning my intent. But just for the record I never try to foul hook fish. Thats not fishing. Also I asked for help. I'm open to everything. Honest opinions icluded.
Thanks Ditch

[Ditchrat]

1 Not sure what you mean


This is a problem, If you dont have control or understanding of what your line is doing then it is reflected in poor success rate. And maybe the problem is you dont know what your line is doing and thus when a fish hits you dont set the hook in time resulting in missed oppertunities and barely hook fish.

Or

Maybe I poorly stated it,

When you cast out and drift does your line come straight downstream, like you are indy fishing or does it come down in a sweeping arch, even if its a small arch. And one its past you do you keep your tip high and continue to bouce or do you lower your rod tip and extend your drift.

[viking]

This is a problem, If you dont have control or understanding of what your line is doing then it is reflected in poor success rate. And maybe the problem is you dont know what your line is doing and thus when a fish hits you dont set the hook in time resulting in missed oppertunities and barely hook fish.

Or

Maybe I poorly stated it,

When you cast out and drift does your line come straight downstream, like you are indy fishing or does it come down in a sweeping arch, even if its a small arch. And one its past you do you keep your tip high and continue to bouce or do you lower your rod tip and extend your drift.

I lower my rod tip to extend my drift but what you said first about not setting the hook in time seems to be my main problem. It seems like I'm behind the eight ball knowing the fish is on til its too late. And yes, I guess as my line comes by in front of me it starts arching back in as it drifts down stream. Are you saying I should play out more line so this doesn't happen?

[shotnoyz]

I lower my rod tip to extend my drift but what you said first about not setting the hook in time seems to be my main problem. It seems like I'm behind the eight ball knowing the fish is on til its too late. And yes, I guess as my line comes by in front of me it starts arching back in as it drifts down stream. Are you saying I should play out more line so this doesn't happen?

I tend to let my line slack, probably missing some hits and slow on some. I don't like keeping a high, taut stick though many people do. I saw one ostentatious display of this in the Altmar Pool, or lower fly fishing zone. A guy drew the attention of "the usual suspects" who frequent that pool, old guys and retired, all of whom know one another and whose silent judgment of your mistakes can be excruciatingly difficult to bear... well this young guy was teaching them how to nymph fish.

He stood on the island opposite the south shore parking lot and held his rod real high; not just high, but real high. And he sort of danced. No kidding. As he did so his rod, too, bobbed up and down a bit as his fly bobbed up and down through its drift. I guess he was imparting life to whatever imitation he had on his line. It was hilarious watching him dance that jig.

He didn't catch anything... but a few sidelong and discriminating looks from... the usual suspects.