Slack line reeling

I was looking through J. Castwell's archives last night and reread his article on "Really Good Reeling", and this prompted me to bring up a question. A couple of years ago, I read a book by Lee Wulff in which he mentioned the difficulty in getting good action photographs of hooked salmon or steelhead. He wanted some dramatic photos to publish for articles he wrote or to use in publicizing his fish camp. He said after setting the hook, he would then release the line and let the fish swim free until his photographer had time to get his camera ready for the shot. He said that once the line tension was released the fish would go back to just waiting in the current for something else to float by and would quit fighting. When everything was set to shoot the picture, he would carefully take up the slack in the line, and the fish would still be there and would usually jump at that point and give him a chance for a good picture.
After losing several fish while holding the line against my handle while reeling up the slack, one day I decided to see if Lee's method worked on trout. So far it has worked almost every time. As soon as I release the tension, the trout quit fighting the line, and I was able to more carefully take up the slack onto the reel. Of course, you have to watch closely as the last of the slack is drawn up to prevent putting a sudden shock on the tippet. This even worked well on my first 24 inch rainbow, after never catching anything bigger than a 12-13 inch trout before then.
Has anybody else out there tried this approach? It has worked for me so far.
Larry Compton

I do something similar while fishing for carp. I have found that the harder you fight against them the harder they fight back. When I hook a fish, I strip and lift the rod to get the initial hookset but instead of applying more pressure I keep very gentle pressure on and allow the fish to swim away from me. They take up slack in one direction, and I wind it onto the reel in the other. When all the slack is taken in or out, I'll put a little more tension on the fish and let the fight begin.

We often did that when we had 'on the water classes' to the complete amazement of the students. JC smoked a pipe in those days, would refill the pipe, light it and then finish playing and landing the fish. It's a really good exercise to teach fish behavior.

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LadyFisher, Publisher of
FAOL

Canoeman1947...
This is a classic case of what the saltwater flats guides tell you to do when a Bonefish does a 90 degree turn around a coral head or runs into the mangroves. They actually tell you to throw a slack loop at the fish so it will calm down till you can untangle the line. IT WORKS!!!

I have done similar things, but seldom on purpose. Once I hook a fish, especially a big one, I try to keep a bend in the rod. After almost 30 years I have figured out how to reel in the slack, which I always have, it seems. But on fish which have taken while I was fiddling around with something, generally a lack of pressure will keep them from getting too excited, but once they feel a hook...

IMHO, after the initial "shock" of getting hooked, the trout and salmon that I tackle will settle down and I don't need to keep such a tight line.

http://www.njflyfishing.com/vBulleti...tachmentid=215

This fellow (image enhanced by Dennis C.), waited by my feet so I could get the photo. Same thing when they settle down on the other bank. I'll let a salmon lay-up. Soon as you pull, it'll probably run again and jump.

Depends on the fish though,... salmon run straight, brooks zigzag a lot more.

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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec




[This message has been edited by fcch (edited 10 February 2005).]

So, are you guys saying that those poor fish are not feeling any pain?!?!????? That has got to be the meanest thing to just leave the fish sitting there with a hook in it's mouth while you get ready for a picture or pack a pipe. You know it is just cowering in fear of when you pull again! http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/wink.gif

Don

(ooopps, tripped over that bucket and spilled the worms.)

That's a pretty interesting idea, and I have another reason for attempting it. Ever hook into an unexpectedly large fish (carp in my case), and try to hold the line against the rod when it feels pressure on the other end? Before it breaks your leader, the line will burn your fingers nicely.

Now it's just a matter of being able to think straight when I hook into something that needs to be played off the reel.

Test

Well, At least he posted.....I degress....in regard to all the above .....doesn't it require [almost always] a good hook set?....or you'll lose the fish....oh, and that wouldn't be the end of the world....

Actually I mean a good hookup....

[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 10 February 2005).]

[This message has been edited by ducksterman (edited 11 February 2005).]

I've heard this technique being used when bass are hooked in cover with deep water near by. The hook is set, and then slack is given, and the fish will instictively go for the deeper water (which is generally open and less snagful)

I have to ask, woudln't those of you who use this technique want the hook to have a barb on it since there is no tension holding it in the fish's jaw?

BigCliff,

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana">quote:</font><HR>I have to ask, woudln't those of you who use this technique want the hook to have a barb on it since there is no tension holding it in the fish's jaw?
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I often use barbless and don't even think about it. I fell more confortable with a barbless on slack line in the jaw of a really calm trout, than a barbless in the mouth of a fighting, jumping, head shaking monster.

I use this tech to calm down the fish (and sometimes for photo opps). With a light tippet, it pays to be polite and patient. Once a lunker decides to settle down in a lie, you just have to wait him out sometimes.

I once had a client on a 6lb tippet, connected to a +14lb salmon. The fish settled down. Each time we tried to put a bit of pressure on , it ran. Finally settled into a draw on the other side of the #23 pool. We had to throw a rock to get it to come out as I knew if we pulled, it'd bolt.

Patience, ... a nice 18 lb salmon on light tippets take up to an hour to land (for C&BBQ) C&R we wouldn't use such light stuff.


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Christopher Chin
Jonquiere Quebec

A friend of mine from Hornell NY hooked a nice 17 inch brown a few years back and discovered that he had left his camera in his car. He gave the fish a little slack and walked back for the camera (about 200 feet). when he got back to his rod he found the fish in the same lie and still rising to the flies that were hatching.

Ol' Bill

JC,
I guess I didn't mention that I don't use this technique on every fish, just those where I have a lot of slack or a tangle in my line. I try not to leave a hook in a fish any longer than I have to.

Larry Compton