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    • Fw: Strip strike solution

    Tom.....
     
    I agree all the way.  We'll share this.
     
    Another problem which occurs with some of the very best SW anglers I've fished :
     
    The day is long.  No targets.  Angler on "point"....loaded and cocked; hammer back....for hours.
     
    Suddenly a large permit is within range.  The angler makes a perfect presentation, and the permit takes the fly and starts off.
     
    From my perspective from the poling platform, the unbelievable is happening.  The angler holds the line tight with the line hand.  The rod bends double.  The angler will NOT release the line.....and the tippet pops!!!!! 
     
    Afterward, the angler gets a silly grin and says something stupid like, " I wasn't going to let him take my line." It's like some sort of brain clutch.   Fortunately, it happens rarely....and, in my experience, almost always with very seasoned SW anglers who know better.
     
                                                                Gordy
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Tom White
    Sent: Sunday, October 16, 2005 7:59 AM
    Subject: RE: Strip strike solution

    Gordie;

    First of all these are the tips I am sure you know, but they help me with clients.

     

    I think one reason a lot of novice anglers ?trout set? is they use shot strips; ie; the rod hand is close to their body.

     

    Jake taught me to have the angler extend the rod hand as far forward as possible ? even a locked elbow, bend at the waist to give a longer strip yet. Reach forward with the line hand to the stripping hand. This will give you a VERY LONG strip if necessary. If you are making a LONG strip and get a strike you still have some real estate left and are more likely to continue the strip.

     

    If you have the hand close to the body, you will more often than not; ?trout set?.

     

    A calm voice with cadence from the guide will also help.

     

    When in doubt; keep stripping, when the fish runs, keep stripping. Then when sanity arrives you will usually still have the fish on.

     

    When the fish runs toward you producing slack, put your rod tip far under water, let go of the line with your line hand and reel very fast.

     

    With the rod tip out of the water you do two things. First you release all the tension from the fly line to the fish, but more importantly, you will have a tendency to wrap the fly line around the tip of the rod when reeling fast.

     

    I never remembered the line clearing until my 5-6th Tarpon.

     

    What a rush!!!

     

    Capt. Tom White

     

    -----Original Message-----
    From: Gordon Hill [mailto:hillshead@xxxxxxx]
    Sent: Sunday,     October 16, 2005 7:39 AM
    To: JEFFERY BAREFOOT; Kirk Eberhard; Chuck Easterling; Lawrence Baggett; Randy Olson; Steve Jacob; Rick Whorwood; Dennis Grant; John Wilson; Dan Wright; Bob Andreae; Dusty Sprague; Peter Minnick; Marty Tannahil; Jim Brady;     Tom White; Ken Cole; Bruce Chard; Roman Glemba; Bob Tabbert; Allen Crise; Dave Rothrock; Gary Wood; Jake Jordan; Mark Kreider; Tom Harper; Nial Logan; Doug Hart; Sheila Hassan; Floyd Franke
    Cc: Jerry Iverson; Gary Meyer; Charlie Shedd; Clay Roberts; Bob Rumph; Bill Howland; Walter Simbirski; hillshead@xxxxxxx; Kathleen Wagner; Dermon Sox; Kim Boal; Ray Rhash; Peter Lami; gavin platz; Ron Kerr; Jerry Puckett; Bryan Nims; Dana Stern; Jerry Simons; Cezanne Alexander; Don Jackson; Michael Gallert; Douglas Swift; Cathy Lee Hill; Jim Valle; Ron Pedegana; Bob Beanblossom; Tom Bell; Frank Ogden; Jim Phillips; Ken Cole; Jeff Wagner; Jim Penrod; gregrahe; Molly Semenik; Ian Muirhead; Shane Morrison; Ernie Maynard; Paul Arden
    Subject: Re: Strip strike solution

     

    Jeff.....

     

    One reason for not using the 2 handed retrieve is that for some salt water species the, "take" is soft, and you lose rod sensitivity (sensation of a soft strike from the rod tip to the hand) and miss some of them.

     

    For me, a more important reason is that you lose some control of the subtle motion of the fly needed for other species.  For example, for some bonefishing situations, I like to carefully move the fly in direct relation to the approaching fish.  If he follows and doesn't take, I know when to begin a long slowly accelerating strip.

     

    Once in a while, for permit, I'll "crawl" my crab fly on the flat.....VVVEEEEERRRRRRRRRRY SLLLLOWWWLY...the way a real crab might move.

     

    I can't make those carefully controlled moves with the rod tucked under my arm.  Then, too, with those 2 species, I don't strike other than to raise the rod tip.....because if I strike a large bonefish and happen to do that as he explodes, it'll pop any tippet in a heartbeat !

     

    With any member of the tuna/bonita family, the fish takes on the run (unless chummed up) and he's either on or not.  The run is so blistering fast that the tension almost always sets the hook.  Anything you add is likely to break the tippet.

     

    When fly fishing for snappers (pargo), Groupers.....and some other species, I prefer a strong combo strike and IMMEDIATE max pressure to keep the fish from diving for the coral or other cover.  You can't do that with a 2 handed retrieve, either.

     

    With tarpon, you don't have to do anything in a hurry.  Even the rare critter which slams the fly and is in the air before you can think demands that I just, "hang on" and watch the pile of line on the deck until I can come to what's left of my sanity.......THEN strip strike (Provided he's still there.)  Billy Pate and some others, recommend a triple hard strip strike after each jump.  I don't do that.

     

    Flip Pallot once tried a trick which I've since confirmed.  He wanted to see how long a tarpon would hold the fly if he simply allowed slack line....practically no pressure on the fish.  He got several of them to hold for a full minute.....and one for 2 full minutes.....then was still able to make a successful strike.  That works especially well if the tarpon takes the fly as he's in the comfort zone of his friends in a school.  Under that circumstance, sometimes you can strike him hard and apply max pressure and he still will simply cruise along with the school.....UNTIL HE FINDS HE CAN'T KEEP UP WITH THE REST OF THEM.  Then he'll go ballistic. 

     

    When fly fishing for shark, you need a really hard strike right away...to penetrate thick skin.  Some shark species will reject the fly quickly if you don't do that.  I lose most spinner sharks (mackeral sharks and blacktips) anyway as they leap and twist like a ballerina.  They destroy any leader I can make.

     

    The general rule of thumb with SW fly fishing is to make your strike depending on 2 factors.  1. The species  and 2. the approach and apparent, "attitude" of the quarry.  This is just one factor which makes salt water sight fishing so fascinating for me.

     

    You asked about penetration.  Yes, it's enough with most SW species.  With tarpon and billfish, it may not be......so, to get max penetration, the combination of strip strike along with a sideways strong sweep of the rod in a horizontal rod plane may well be best.

     

                                                                                                            Gordy

    ----- Original Message -----

    Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 5:28 PM

    Subject: Re: Strip strike solution

     

    Gordy,

     

            Curious?  What about just using the 2 hand retrieve always?  Omitting any further modifications. Is the penetration enough? 

     

    Jeff  

    ----- Original Message -----

    From: Gordon Hill

    Sent: Saturday, October 15, 2005 9:10 AM

    Subject: Strip strike solution

     

    Group...

     

    OK....here it is:

     

    I have the angler place the rod under the casting arm, tucked in tight.   He then learns a two handed retrieve (as we use for breaking tuna or albies).  Then we modify that to have him make a slow line hand retrieve just as he would ordinarily, but with the rod, "OUT OF THE EQUATION".  When the tarpon takes the fly, he's a lot more likely to make that strip strike properly.  After striking a couple of fish successfully, this burns enough of a hole in his brain that he's over the problem.......(Until he comes back next year.)

     

    Only after doing this repeatedly, do we get a little more sophisticated and teach a COMBINED STRIKE, using a low side sweep of the rod as the strip strike is performed with the line hand.  This yields the most solid strike the angler can make.

     

    With that one, it helps to take the angler out on a sand bar or lawn, and have him practice that combined strike with the instructor as the, "fish".  Taking time to do that can really increase success on the water !!!

     

    When using circle hook flies, I don't strike until the fish has increased the pressure on the rod at his own pace.  (Using these hooks, I get fewer good hookups, but I land about the same number of small tarpon on which I've practiced this......because with the circle hooks, you don't lose many on the jumps.)

     

    This teaching method is similar to what Floyd Franke taught us as a method of teaching the double and single hauls.....with the rod tucked under the arm, so the student can concentrate on the timing of the use of the line hand for making the haul.....VERY EFFECTIVE !!!!

     

                                                                                                     Gordy