17/11/07.BRISBANE QLD 4074.
. WINTER FISHING HINTS.
Hello Idris,
Visit our website and enjoy some fine saving on William Joseph Gear - %15.00 off.
Just enter this discount code when checking out,
CA1107NY
Winter Fishing Tips.
Anyone spotted on the river after Halloween can be deemed as 'serious about fly fishing' or just plain 'nuts'. However this is one of my favorite times to brave the waters - It is nice to visit some favorites when the "masses" have decided to stay indoors. And there is no short supply of BIG fish.
For anglers that decide to brave the chill temperatures here are a few winter fly fishing tips/reminders:
Equipment.
1). Switch out your newer flyline with an older or cheaper one. The PVC coating is very susceptible to cracking in the colder temperatures. Winter fly fishing rarely involves beautiful long loops with delicate presentations and more likely produces a sizeable wake from the string of weights plopping in front of you.
2) Keep your reel as dry as possible. Tailwaters, small flies, and big fish are the name of the game during the winter months. Having a frozen reel is no way to enter the ring.
3) Always have a spare rod. Freezing temperatures and ice build up can be brutal to the delicate tips of fly rods. (more on ice build up later)
Techniques
1) Find the fish. Most of the fish tend to congregate in the deeper holes and runs with a medium current speed. Until you find these likely areas don't waste your time unless you are just 'shadow casting'.
2) Position yourself for long drifts. Find the best location to make the longest and best drift to these likely holding areas. An up-and-across cast with the water loading your rod at the end of your drift is ideal in freezing temperatures. Shorter line retrievals will reduce ice build up.
3) Hold rod tip high. Having the tip of your rod high will help reduce excess water on the flyline and rod guides. A light line shake will also increase effectiveness.
4) Use a stripping basket. Keeping all the excess flyline off the water will reduce ice build up.
5) Swirl rod tip underwater. Carefully swirling the rod tip will melt the ice much like your favorite cocktail. Also helps keep the reel out of the water by not having to set it down.
6) Pinch down barbs. Barbless hooks are always a good idea, and especially in frigid temps where a sticky barb can numb the hands quickly.
Sometimes the SDR (Short-Distance-Release) is a blessing.
7) Use a net. Again, always a good idea, but several reasons make it imperative in the winter. Many times the air temperature is much lower than the water and can shock or freeze the gills of trout. Netting the fish allows you to keep it in the water while you situate your gear, take off gloves, etc. as you prepare for the release or a quick photo.
8) Observe feeders. Crystal clear water allows you to see into the deepest holes. By watching feeding behaviors and reactions to your presentation you will dramatically improve your chances. Switch patterns and don't waste time with ignored presentations at the proper depth.
WWW.COMPLEATANGLER.BIZ
"The Hard to Find made Easy"
~CompleatNews~
www.compleatangler.biz
We have added a few new things Including the William Joseph Fusion Vest, voted best 2006 product. To give you a shot at owning one we are giving a 10% discount on all William Joseph products Through April 15th.
Just use this coupon number during checkout and your discount will be calculated in the price.
CA0406TX
Insert the above number into your shopping cart
(expires April 15th)
The Double Haul
Lefty Kreh wrote: "I have observed thousands of fly fishermen in a lifetime of fly fishing, and I now believe that almost every caster uses the double haul incorrectly or at least inefficiently--and that includes many great casters with whom I have been lucky enough to fish."
With that in mind, it's no wonder we might get conflicting advice. the following might be of help. To summarize the basics of casting:
1. All casting strokes (fore and back) are divided into two parts: a relatively long motion in which the rod is gradually accelerated and an ending motion with a much shorter and faster speed-up-and-stop of the tip or as expert Mel Kreiger puts it the "Whoomp!"
2. The shorter the distance the rod tip travels during the speed-up-and-stop, the tighter the loop will be and a tight loop translates to line speed and distance.
3. The faster the rod tip accelerates over that final short distance of the speed-up-and-stop and the quicker it stops, the faster the line will travel.
4. The rod tip should start low as you begin your cast with a line that is on the water.. Both rod hand and line hand are close together at the start. After the initial tug (not really the haul) on the line to break water tension and as the rod rises and loads, your line-hand follows your rod-hand and they are kept approximately the same distance apart.
5. The haul is short (inches) and hardly noticeable and occurs during the speed up and stop at the end of the back cast. Note: Why is this rearward haul desirable or necessary? This part of the double haul creates extra line speed for:----(a) shooting line back as you prepare to start you forecast and load the rod. and----(b.)
This extra speed translates into a bigger rod load without excess line out (an overload) in your backcast. In effect you've loaded the rod with a load based on speed, not line weight.... As the line starts forward then, considering just the rods effect, the rod now is supercharged by being flexed with the speed load but with a shorter and therefore lighter line load which translates into forward line speed.
6. The forward cast begins and your rod-hand and line-hand stay at equal distance apart. The line hand has to move forward and down slightly ahead of the rod hand or exactly with it (keeps you hands from crossing) until the haul is made during the speed-up-and-stop. The short haul (a few inches)is made during the speed up and stop portion of the cast with both hands stopping at the same time.
This completes the double haul-portion of the cast. From this point you can shoot line, lower the rod, allow the line to settle, etc. Many folks do confuse the haul or pull off the water and the longer reach with both hands and the line hand movement therein with the double haul when reaching for distance. It is likely and seems that with many fine distance casters that when you open and extend your cast when going for distance that the line hand does mimic the rod hand as you bring it forward in that it smoothly accelerates (wideing the gap between the hands) in conjunction with the smooth acceleration portion of the cast just prior to the speed up and stop of the rod hand and the short fast haul (talked about above)of the line hand.
Come visit us at
WWW.COMPLEATANGLER.BIZ
"The Hard to Find made Easy"
