One Man Pontoons and Streamers
- This topic has 11 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated Feb 9, 2006 at 1:50 pm by
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I don’t do it from a float tube but from a boat. I use a 7wt with 350 grain Orvis DepthCharge line, it sinks just right in 1 gen. I think you have cast this rig before Zach. As far a short strikes, get used to it. It happens a lot, and I do mean a lot. I can’t tell you how many nice Browns I have brought out of cover only to charge the fly and turn at the last min (not that I was not satisfied to just to have seen them). Did they see the boat, did they not like my fly, or the presentation? I don’t know the answer, another even more aggravating situation is when they don’t hesitate eating it and still don’t get hooked. I had a foam fly last year that looked like a puppy had been chewing on it from where it had been hit so much. Somehow all the fish managed to spit it before I could get a hook in them, I guess I just suck at setting the hook.
Then there are the days where they just inhale the whole fly and all is good.
One thing you can do is start is tying a stinger hook on your big Trout flies. This does increase the chance of a bad injury to the fish however.As soon as everything gets back to normal you and I will do a trip using this method.
Mike
Mike and I have pretty much developed our tailwater streamer technique side by side, in a sense, so it’s no surprise that our experiences are similar.
Missed strikes can be incredibly frustrating, especially when you get a day full of them and nothing else. There is nothing quite like seeing a 6 to 8 lb. trout blast out of cover, inhale a streamer all the way into its mouth, and spit it out before you can set the hook. I have had the same thing happen with a striper in the 30 lb. range as well – it would have easily been the largest one I’ve caught on a fly if I’d been able to get a hook in it.
Mike states that he is satisfied just to see fish like these. He is obviously more insouciant about it than I.
Unfortunately, missed strikes go with the territory when fly fishing. A flyrod is a rather poor tool for fast-paced fishing, placing several obstacles in the way of a quick reaction to a strike. The thick flyline tends to bow in the current, and you have to take up that slack before you drive the hook home. Additionally, a weighted sink tip line is not very sensitive, dampening vibrations and making it harder to feel a bite. The rod works against you too – even a “stiff” flyrod is relatively limber compared to typical baitcasting gear, meaning it requires a lot more force to drive a hook home.
About the only advantage you get with a flyrod is the length of the rod, which allows you to move a lot of line in a hurry. However, the rod position for the “jerk strip” retrieve doesn’t place you in the best stance for a rapid hookset. Plus, any gear fisherman who has ever thrown jigs or spoons knows that fish almost always strike such baits on the fall. It is the same with streamers. This means that the strike is most likely to occur between strips. This is the most inopportune time for the angler – you’re taking up slack and repositioning your left hand for the next strip. It takes an added fraction of a second to get your hand into position and get that slack out of the line for the set, and that fraction of a second is all the fish needs to spit the streamer.
Also, big trout tend to attack large streamers out of territorial instinct, meaning they often may be trying to “tail bite” and chase the intruder away, rather than actually intending to eat it. Thus, the fish may not actually get the hook very deep into its mouth in the first place.
With all these obstacles, you’re destined to miss a lot of fish. The fish you hook often practically hook themselves – a lot of times, they gently inhale the fly between strips and they happen to still be holding it when you strip the line again, and the resulting hookset is largely due to chance.
If you ever get up to my neck of the woods for a striper trip this winter, we’ll spend a chunk of the day throwing streamers at skipjack. They strike a streamer much like a trout does, but you get the advantage of getting bit on every few casts all day long. It’s a great practice arena for perfecting your streamer technique and sharpening your hookset reflex.
bd
This is really good stuff. May have to try this method. Got a related question. I am in the market to buy a pontoon. I have looked really hard at the Scadden toons…they are up to class IV whitewater rated and can support up to ~700 lbs. They are also $1000 and up. Some of the water I float does have an occasional class III rapid. I also like to carry alot of gear and I am not the lightest guy in the world either. Most of the pontoons I see out there don’t look in the same league as the Scadden and I’m wondering if the quality is worth the price. Scadden boats also have a casting platform that slides out from under your seat. It has a lean bar that can be brought forward to give you that drift boat comfort. Any help would be appreciated.
Creeklover,
Lots of info of choices out there. I’m looking also. Based on everyone’s feedback, I think I’ve narrowed my search down to either a North Fork’s Henry’s Fork,
http://www.northforkoutdoors.com/2005Boats.htmlor the Creek Company ODC 915
http://www.creekcompany.com/multidisplay.php?Department=Pontoon+Boats
I think the biggest issue will be the weight factor. I think the ODC weighs in at 65lbs and I’m not sure about the NF. Whatever you give up in weight you will be sacrificing in durability. I want to be able to carry it at least a few feet if I have to.
I’m trying to do as much research and opinion searching as I can, as this is a pretty big purchase. I’ve got a 16′ kayak at home that I need to get rid of first. That’s what I’ve used for the past 8 years.Good luck.
Hey Creeklover,
That Scadden is the North Fork. Great minds think alike.
Let me know what you do.
JF
The Creek Company looks nice, but can it handle rough water….don’t know. The Scadden is bomber and I’m leaning to buying that. Sierra Outdoors has one for sale that looks pretty good. It has 1200 denier nylon (which I think is really good) and is on sale.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/xq/asp/base_no.77361/dept_id./est./qx/product.htm
The Scadden boats have an anchor line built into the frame so that the anchor line is out of the way. They seem to have put alot of thought into their boats. I’m looking at the Skykomish Sunrise ST.
I went to the Scadden website and they have a step by step on putting the Sunrise ST together. Just looking at it makes it look heavy. They were smart though, they have female doing the assembly. I did see they offer a wheel attachment option which would definitely make getting to the river easier.
I have the older Cardiac Canyon from Scadden, and have always thought it was worth the higher price tag.
Thanks for the info. I am probably going with the Sunrise. I am 235 lbs and the Sunrise supports alot more weight(700 lbs) and allows you to stand up straight on the casting platform. The longer pontoons help with mobility on the flats and the rapids.
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