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Thread: Miissing Strikes and Losing Fish

  1. #1

    Default Miissing Strikes and Losing Fish

    This evening I tried a local pond for a couple of hours and managed to catch 15 good sized bream - the best I have done this spring. But had the worse day ever missing fish. Probably had 20 strikes where I failed to hook fish and also lost at least that many fish that seemed to be well hooked. Fished mostly with # 10 and 12 sponge spiders. Used my 3 wt. with 5 ft. of 8# for a leader. My hooks are sharp and barbs pinched down. Need suggestions on how to hook and land more fish. I release all fish but still want to land them.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Tennessee
    Posts
    3,545

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    I cannot answer your question, but, I did want to welcome you to FAOL from Tennessee. I like using sponge spiders and tie most of mine on the hopper style hooks in sizes 6 and 8.

    Welcome aboard and enjoy.....
    Warren
    Fly fishing and fly tying are two things that I do, and when I am doing them, they are the only 2 things I think about. They clear my mind.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2006
    Location
    NE Gwinnett Co., GA
    Posts
    5,933

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    My friend, I would guess you are getting some strikes on legs and I have more LDR's (long distance releases) when I smash my barbs down. As Warren said welcome to the neighborhood. I just got back from calling on some prospects and visiting the family in south LA, unfortunately the rain kept my fly rod in my pickup. I need to find a good pattern for mullet before I go back. Just a fun thought I had, several years ago my buddy kept missing fish. He finally stripped his fly in the line was wrapped around and it was basically backward.
    Last edited by Uncle Jesse; 06-05-2013 at 02:37 AM.
    Want to hear God laugh? Tell him Your plans!!!

  4. #4

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    I would almost guarantee you that they are nipping at the legs and pulling the fly under, and they're nowhere near the hook! That is why I am not a huge top water fisherman for bream/bluegills. I will switch to a small unweighted or lightly weighted streamer and strip it just under the surface and catch the same fish that tail/leg nip my spiders.
    The Green Hornet strikes again!!!

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    28433 N State Lamoni, Ia 50140
    Posts
    3,916

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    I agree with the bluegills hitting the legs. One reason why the legs n my popers and such are shorter than what you buy.
    You also may just be barely lip hooking some of the bluegills. Loose them after a few seconds.
    Agree with going with a subsurface fly.

    Rick

  6. #6

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    I agree with Rick. Gills can get "nippy" and hard to catch on the surface. When this happens I add a dropper to the popper and hookups increase. It is weird because the gills are totally unpredictable if they are in the nippy mode or the actual "bite hard" mode. Don't over-analyze your technique. If the gills really want the fly, they will do more then just nip at it.
    caribe

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Shallotte, NC - USA
    Posts
    778

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    Ah, yes, the bluegills. About the time I think I have them figured, they change their habits! One of my favorite bluegill ponds will be hitting yellow poppers. Go back to the same place another day and they will not give yellow the time of day, black & white is what's catching them. And then there's that old saying, when their biting, they are biting; and when their not, they are not. When they have a feeding frenzy going on they will just about hit anything. Then I've seen where the gills are just picky ... they'll do a close trout roll over just to have a look see ... not hitting, just looking. And you'll think it's something your doing ... or maybe you need to sharpen your hooks. But such is not the case. They are sort like my cat, in a finicky mood.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2012
    Location
    West of the East and east of the West
    Posts
    450

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    Hang you a little pheasant tail or prince nymph off that spider and I'll bet your hook-ups increase dramatically!
    There have never in history been so many opportunities to do so many things that aren't worth doing. - William Gaddis

  9. #9

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    Went back Tuesday and managed to catch 18 - I believe that the fish are just not in an agressive mood. Too many fish are very lightlly hooked and lots of missed strikes. They seemed to be biting is spurts. The fish were in clear shallow water and I could see how they reacted to the fly - didn't spook - either showed interest but would not take the fly or they just ignored it. However if I just kept casting to different spots I eventually would hook 2 or 3 fish. Floating worked best although I tried several subsurface flies. I landed more fish by just barely keeping a bend in the rod and and not rushing them. Anyway I am doing better than I usually do this time of the year - when the temps are in the high 90 like
    today the fish usually have left the shallow water and I am lost trying to locare them. Thank yu guys for taking the time to help me. Guy

  10. #10

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    It's fishing. Sometimes you lose fish. You're obviously not doing anything WRONG because you are catching a good amount. If it was tarpon on a 10 weight instead of bluegills on a 3 weight, you'd probably be very happy to land half of what you hook.
    To the simpleton, proof does not matter once emotion takes hold of an issue.

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