Setting the hook, timing.

[DruLeeParsec]

OK folks, here's an admittedly newbie question.

There are times on my local river, The Bear, and also up on the Yuba when I've had strikes that are lightening fast. The fly is just floating there when BAM! it vanishes in a splash.

I think I'm missing them by not setting the hook fast enough. But I've also heard that you need to wait a split second and then set the hook. I've even heard that you should say "thank you" and then set.

First of all, do you think it's better to hit immediately or to set after a split second of pause?

Secondly, How the heck do you have the patience to wait for that split second? When that BAM happens I jump. It's going to take real practice not to hit it so quickly.

[Dave E]

On those waters, a lightening fast splashy rise is probably the work of a micro dink. If you set quickly and make contact, you'd likely leave the little guy high and dry on the bankline behind you or turn him into something resembling an Acapulco cliff diver. When the fish you're really after eats your fly, the pause and lift principle will work just fine.

Best, Dave

[rainbowchaser]

The missed strikes are often last second rejects. Are you sure you had the right fly? I often try adding some more or finer tippet to avoid last second drag and maybe go down one size on the fly. For some reason bugs in the air look bigger to me than they do if I manage to catch one and look at it closely.

[jburge]

Just my experience with 3 guided trips--if you're on the Yuba, well, you're gonna have to wait. Each time I missed a Yuba 'bow, it was because I was too quick on the draw. Dave Sloan (hope nobody minds my mentioning his name) is a great guide and will tell you, you gotta wait. He's got years of experience and knows that they will come up to take the fly but it doesn't actually get in the mouth, until they turn back down. He's warned me, and I've done it anyway, if you react too quickly, you'll literally pull the fly right out of his mouth.

On the other hand though, the little guys in the Bear, North Fork American, and South Fork American are fast little buggers I find my set time is a little quicker.

You're right though. It takes unheard of patience to wait for that take, especially when you see the bug disappear and that flash in the water.

John

[DruLeeParsec]

Oh boy. You stand there being as quiet as you can, stalking the fish, trying not to spook them. I'm even trying not to move my lower body during a cast to avoid sending out waves while I'm casting.

You wait minutes, maybe hours, before that sudden BAM! happens and I need to wait!?

That's going to be tough.

I gotta be less jumpy. Maybe a beer or two would help

[Big Bad Wulff]

From the limited experience I have you have to either feel the fish on the line or see your line moving off before 'setting' a hook. In fly fishing 'setting the hook' is merely lifting your rod.....gently.
With bass and warm water species that surface hit should be(most times) met with a 'set'.

[fcch]

Dru !! .. Patience!!

Come up and try atlantics. On some occassions (dries) you have to wait a FEW seconds!!


Boris T showing us the patience born of over 28 years of fishing for Atlantics!

The salmon has already taken the fly and our young Boris hasn't even flinched yet!

[Andrew]

I've found that when a strike seems lightning fast and extra splashy, it's usually not a strike at all. The trout was going for the fly but at the last moment decided against a take and the splash is coming from the quick turn away. Usually the fly being used is "almost" right. It needs to be a size different (smaller), a different shade or maybe on a lighter tippet.

Sometimes too the flashy rises come from smaller fish like dace.

When you are working a rising fish does the rise form to your fly seem different? Or are all the rises flashy? If the rise is different my first paragraph is your answer. If the rise to your fly is the same as the other rises - well, you're missing the fish. (we've all been there!)

To answer your question directly: Your strike (on surface trout anyway) shouldn't really be a strike at all, it's more just a tightening of your line slack. Sort of a quick flick of your rod tip. Smooth not jerky. Hard to describe obviously.

[Denny]

Yes, slow down your reaction, when a trout takes a fly they normally suck the fly in, then turn to swim away. If you set the hook quickly you will miss. The big thing in setting a hook for me it to remember to move your rod tip horizontal, not raise the tip up. Raise the tip and you will jerk the fly out of the fishes mouth. Horizontal you will hook in the side (corner) of the mouth and seldom loose a fish, even with barbless if you play the fish with your rod tip up, and keep tension on your line. I normally hand line small fish, only the bigger ones do I get on the reel.

Slow down!
Go fishin.

Denny

[Bucky]

I often have the same issue. Just last night, I missed several fish due to trying to set too early (though some were probably rejections). The one fish I did hook into, I tried to wait to set the hook, only I waited too long and the hook was set down its throat and I had to cut the line. I have to work on finding that perfect length of pause before setting.