Down & Dirty

[briansII]

Reading another FFing forum, I came across this video.

If there was ever a video showing how to put a lot of pressure on a fish, by lowering your rod tip, this is it.

This is not how it's done.

I think he's watched too many Saturday morning fishing shows.

briansII

[Flatsix]

I was thinking that the rod was holding out pretty well, this guy really had a bend going until the very last head shake and then "SNAP"!!

I wonder who the rod manuf is?

[Pete]

This might be a question for Flybob, but you are all welcome to answer . Since I have never caught a rod breaking worthy fish I'll show my ignorance and ask... why keep the rod low and in the water? I think I know, but I need to hear it from the pros.

[duckdog]

That was hilarious , as soon as that guy started running his hands up that rod it was over.

[WanderingBlues]

Ah that was funny. I've learned the hard way on 2 big fish in current not to do that. The first was with Papa in a snow storm on the EW. We got a great look at him before he broke me off (and this after about 3-5 minutes, a run to the backing, and taking us downstream 50 yds). The 2nd was with Andrew on HC. He was spotting for me from above. The big brown graced me by taking a midge, took me down stream where by I lifted up and he was gone. I thought Andrew was gonna crap a brick.

Bottom line, after he chewed my butt, I keep it low and I'm always ready to swing the fish when needed. A never ending education....

[stanbery]

This might be a question for Flybob, but you are all welcome to answer I'll show my ignorance and ask... why keep the rod low and in the water? I think I know, but I need to hear it from the pros.

Pete

If you keep it down and dirty it is easier to control the fish. Case in point on the first video, Fish is down stream in the middle of fast water right? Look to see how he has his rod placed and you will notice that the rod is down and to the right so he his getting the fish out of the main current into slower water which makes it easier to land the fish.
Something for you to think about
When the rod tip is straight up in the air which way are you pulling on a fish? When rod tip is side to side which way are you pulling on a fish?

Jon

[briansII]

This might be a question for Flybob, but you are all welcome to answer . Since I have never caught a rod breaking worthy fish I'll show my ignorance and ask... why keep the rod low and in the water? I think I know, but I need to hear it from the pros.

Not even close to a pro, and I am not sure you need to keep the rod in the water, but I have done that in the past. I'm sure you know that the lower, or flatter the rod angle, the more the rod's lower section comes into play. That video is sort of an exaggeration of the technique(spey rod showing flex in the butt, and rod down to the side), and the reason I said, "If there was ever a video showing how to put a lot of pressure on a fish, by lowering your rod tip, this is it." That guy landed a King Salmon, in current, on a 13', 7wt spey rod. He may have done it holding a high rod, but it would have taken a looooong time, and good chance he would've snapped the rod.

Seems like a long time ago, Ken Hanley showed me the difference rod angles have in applying pressure. He took my rod, handed me the fly and had me back away from him.......made sure I held the fly at the hook bend, NOT the hook eye. He held the rod tip high, and put a big bend in the rod tip. I could easily hold onto the fly. Some pressure, but not much. He said hang on and slowly lowered the rod to his side. Warning me, the pressure increased, and he put a deeper bend into the rod. The pressure increased to the point of me holding very tightly to the fly so it wouldn't fly out of my hand. He eased off before it got to be too much for me to hold on. Good lesson, and I use it consistently when fighting fish of any size.

<edit> As Jon said, it also gives you control of the fish's head. Having the power to steer the fish is a big deal on fish that can pull drag out.

briansII