Snitch Payback

[briansII]

Last Weds I was fishing a C&R/special regs section of my local. Across the river was a gentleman and his two boys(there were others in the group) fishing spinning gear. I watched the dad hook 2 trout, land them very quickly, and release them even quicker. He didn't remove either fish from the water, and the second fish he did not even touch it. His son hooked a huge trout, then looked to have trouble with his reel. He called for dad's help. Dad came over to survey the situation, and the trout was gone. There was no trying to retrieve the fish by hand lining, and wearing it out. It was just gone, and my guess was dad gave it slack, or broke it off. I was impressed.

On my side of the river, I don't get a single bump. So much for the superiority of fly fishing over conventional gear. Anyway, the dad sparks up a conversation from the other side. He can see two fishermen downstream, on my side of the river. I can't. He points at them, and I move out into the river a few more feet, but they are obscured by all the stream side bushes/trees. He said they are fishing salmon eggs and Powerbait. He continues on that they are keeping the big fish, and letting the small fish go. By the time he gets to the part about them holding the small fish out of the water for 5 minutes, then releasing, my neck starts to get hot. He explains that his phone is back at his truck(parked about a 1/2 mile way and he has two boys with him). He asks if I have a phone and can call CalTip. I pull my phone out, but can't get reception. I reel in and go searching for a signal. Two calls later I give all the info to CalTip. Never got a "call back", but I'm happy that the warden will be armed with the vehicle description and license #. If he sees the vehicle, I know he'll setup and watch them.

Yesterday, on the same stretch, I see a young man and probably his daughter. He makes a cast with his spinning outfit, and promptly gets snagged. I watch as he sets up the girl's rod. He reaches into his waistpack and grabs a lump of Powerbait. While he's rolling it into a ball, I'm formulating a response. Take the tactful approach. Lie and tell him I saw the warden 5 minutes ago.....or ignore it. I choose option A. I have a brief, but polite conversation with him, and he eventually moves off.

Later, I hook myself in the back of the arm. First try at stream side removal hurt. Second try I man up, take a deep breath and yank for all I'm worth. I can't visually see it, and misjudge which direction I need to yank it out. Now it's buried to the bend of the hook. I reel up and go home. Once in front of a mirror I see the error I made, and I'm able to yank it out without ruining my new shirt. Not sure why it was so hard to pull out. No flies in my boxes have barbs.......well, I missed one. The odds I tied that fly on, set my anchor too close, and that gust of wind...........

briansII

[darrin terry]

That does not sound fun at all. I understand about it being confusing which way to pull when you can't see the hook though. I was creek fishing a couple summers back and landed a fly into my cheek and after feeling the hook still could not tell which way to pull. Had my friend Scott pull it out for me. I don't know about the payback thing though.

[Bakoguy]

Your good deed will be rewarded another time in a better way.
Thanks be it was your arm not your cheek.

[BBH]

Just think if you never snagged yourself and would have fished that fly for a while. DFG shows up for a sweater test and your looking at a $500 ticket. I would take the hole in the back of my arm any day over the alternative! Sounds like the fishing gods rewarded your cal tip efforts and saved you with a gust of wind!

At least that's one way to look at it!

Good work on taking the time to educate the young dad & call in on the other knuckleheads.. I'm sure next time you fish you will be rewarded properly with a nice fat kiped jaw trout!

Cheers!

Tom

[WanderingBlues]

Here's a thought... Next time you see a guy tossing power bait in a special regs area, start bombing his spot with rocks. Yell like a mad man and maybe he'll think you are seriously nuts and pack it in....

[stanbery]

Here's a thought... Next time you see a guy tossing power bait in a special regs area, start bombing his spot with rocks. Yell like a mad man and maybe he'll think you are seriously nuts and pack it in....

I thought he was
Just Kidding Brian.
Jon

[bassman]

Goodonya' for lookin' after C&R waters. I spin fish at times but won't even do that in C&R water even if legal. There should always be small areas of all trout water for special regs.

As for the hook, surely you are familiar with the looped mono trick? Loop some mono under the hook, pull it back to the bend of the hook, push down hard on back of hook and give it a snap. Or...am I reading it wrong and the hook was in your shirt behind you and not in you or where you could reach?

[briansII]

Here's a thought... Next time you see a guy tossing power bait in a special regs area, start bombing his spot with rocks. Yell like a mad man and maybe he'll think you are seriously nuts and pack it in....

I thought he was
Just Kidding Brian.
Jon

Well, I basically did that. My spey casts can be accurately described as trying to shot put a bowling ball. I was using a custom made shooting head. Even with my meager skills, that thing will fly. I was definitely infringing on his water. With all the river noise, I was shouting across the river.

Goodonya' for lookin' after C&R waters. I spin fish at times but won't even do that in C&R water even if legal. There should always be small areas of all trout water for special regs.

As for the hook, surely you are familiar with the looped mono trick? Loop some mono under the hook, pull it back to the bend of the hook, push down hard on back of hook and give it a snap. Or...am I reading it wrong and the hook was in your shirt behind you and not in you or where you could reach?

I do know the mono loop method, and have used it more than a few times. The hook was stuck through my shirt, into the back of my right arm. I could not see it, and had only one hand to try and yank it out. I forgot to mention, right after I stuck myself I was feeling around for the fly. About 70' of fly line was still in the water.....in the current.....quickly to become tight on the fly stuck in my arm. That hurt a bit.

briansII

[meb]

I feel your pain figuratively and literally, I've slapped my face a few times practicing my spey cast using yarn, and that even hurts. I've also stuck a few hooks in my neck and ear with a single handed rod that required the services of a doctor one time and a friend the other.

Were you using a sinking tip and Skagit head or a Scandi? I'm definitely in the beginning stages of spey casting, but I try and keep the sinking tips and Skagit heads a little farther away from me when setting the anchor than I do when fishing a Scandi.

MB

[briansII]

I feel your pain figuratively and literally, I've slapped my face a few times practicing my spey cast using yarn, and that even hurts. I've also stuck a few hooks in my neck and ear with a single handed rod that required the services of a doctor one time and a friend the other.

Were you using a sinking tip and Skagit head or a Scandi? I'm definitely in the beginning stages of spey casting, but I try and keep the sinking tips and Skagit heads a little farther away from me when setting the anchor than I do when fishing a Scandi.

MB

I was using a skagit style(Wulff Ambush) line, and a T11 tip. With the tight quarters, and current I was fishing, I tried to set the anchor up and away from me. Just had a lapse, and didn't get everything placed properly. Happens all the time, but this time it bit me.

Fished the same setup lastnight, but with a floating tip. I didn't like it. I prefer sinking tips, or no tip with this line and rod(12' 5wt)combo. Much prefer a scandi if I'm not dredging.

briansII