An earlier post on bass rod sensitivity made me realize I've been having trouble keeping acrobatic trout on the line. I keep my hooks sharp. I spin cast and fly fish, and it seems that my old fiberglass spinning rod and antique bamboo fly rod do a better job of keeping a fish hooked-up, than do their graphite counterparts. I have no empirical evidence, just a gut feeling. Has anyone else noticed that graphite rods are less forgiving than bamboo or fiberglass for fighting fish?

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

No evidence, but the fact that even power for power and action for action most graphite rods are going to respond and recover more quickly than the counterparts you mention means you could be tearing hooks out of thin tissues.

...........

Are you using fast action blanks paired with braid?

I had the same problem with speckled trout (salt water) but went back to mono on my fast action rods (all bait casters) but braid and moderate fast blanks on my spinning gear.

Hi George,

Quite often Graphite rods are faster than fiberglass rods in general and for that matter may be considered 'less forgiving'. You may want to try some slightly slower or softer 'fast action' graphite blanks. This is a very common issue with fish that have soft mouths such as trout or very hard mouths such as tarpon. A more foregiving blank is often the answer and where I try to guide people rather than the obsession with 'extra fast' blanks depending on the application of course.

Tight Lines and Bull's-eyes,

Get Bit Outdoors
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I use 6# and 8# mono for spinning. For fly fishing: a 6 weight line with mono tapered leader.
The spinning rod is built on a Lamiglas IMP 903, if I remember correctly. It's nice and light, and a little on the powerful side for some trout, except that every now and again, we catch 20+ inch Browns and Rainbows. That's when I'm glad to have it. I will be building a less powerful popping blank this weekend, an SP 841 from Batson/Forecast, hoping that will land more fish.
For fly fishing, I'll have to check some options. I need to be able to toss a 6 weight line, given the wind and the size of some of the streamers, or maybe I'll just keep using the bamboo. There is a magical feeling to catching fish, using a 60 year-old rod that belonged to my grandfather.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

George,
I've exactly the opposite experience.
The faster and lighter I build the more strikes I feel and the more fish I release.
I do wait longer before setting the hook, but I know he's there earlier.
I'm always too late on the hook set anymore, with my old glass rods, but I've aged like they have.

You need to tell your wife you just require more practice time on the stream !!!!
Sounds like a good plan. Fish more !!

Gene Moore

Tom said a mouthful in one word...recover. Recovery rate of the blank is critical in keeping the fish pinned. It's one of the reasons many consider glass & composite for cranking rods, and also more moderate rods for short line techniques like flipping.

_________________________________________
"Angling is extremely time consuming.
That's sort of the whole point." - Thomas McGuane

Also, when a fish leaves the water, its a good idea to give a little slack in the line.

Like John said -- bow to the fish -- ease off on the tension. When they jump and shake with tension on the line it tends to rip the hook out

You may also be trying to hard and - hauling - the fish in with too much force

Bill - willierods.com

Thanks for all the feedback, guys!

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO

Is the hook coming out when the fish is under the water or when it jumps? It makes a difference in blank selection. I assume these are freshwater trout.

George,
Over the years I have caught lots and lots of trout.

I have found that for successful trout fishing a moderate or even slow action rod is the best recipe for myself.

I also use only mono for trout fishing.

Trout and very active fish after being hooked. The success ratio seems to really go up if you are using a softer rod that is more forgiving, as well as having line that has some stretch.

That is one of the reasons that folks like to use bamboo, as well as glass rods.

Both limber and soft moderate actions.

The other thing that is very important, especially if using a faster tipped rod or braided line and that is to alway keep the tip hight and try to always keep tension on the line by keeping a nice bend in the rod, as well as never slacking off on the reeling in of the fish.
When the fish jump and flip, it is very easy to get slack in the line, and a good share of the time, the fish will throw the hook,if enough tension is not kept on the fish.

If you are fishing from shore, one of the best ways to land a trout to keep the line tight, is to simply pull the fish up on shore. That way, there is no chance of the fish flipping the hook at the last minutes, or flipping out of the net.


As long as you maintain hook tension on the fish, you can catch fish with any rod and reel. It is just that the more moderate action rods that are less popular today are very effective to to catch these fun fish.

If you haven't tried any of the NFC blanks, they make some of the nicest trout rods on the market today. Very very light, very very sensitive, and they have the correct action to do very well for these fish.

Take care
Roger

Not for nothing but keeping the tip high on a fast action rod is - probably - why you are loosing fish Too much tension on the hook weather it be jumping or under the water On Soft mouthed fish they come out easy

The softer action rods would work well even better then the fast

Another thing is with a fast action you can pull the hook out buy just setting the hook
Sounds like you should just be more gentle remember there mouths are Soft

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2011 03:25PM by bill boettcher.

Faster action rods may actually help maintain tension and "hook set" on fish that shake their heads rapidly, via the better dampening or "recovery rate".
But at the end of the day, I believe that if youv'e chosen the correct leader for the species, and tied a good knot, then it is mostly up to the fish and how aggresively he "bit" the hook.
It seems to me that all the larger fish I've landed have sucked the fly in well past the opening of the mouth. I've had many solid hook-ups and strong runs on stripers that just ending suddenly with me reeling that unharmed and still well tied on fly back in and wondering what happened? Must have only had a small piece of lip hooked and it was simply doomed to rip out....how else? Oh well, that's fishing.

Gary,
It's when the fish are under water that I am having issues. I'll fight them for a while, then, suddenly, they're gone. I am not trying to "horse" them in, but I am trying to bring them to the net quickly, so as not to totally exhaust them, since most will be released.

George Forster
Fort Collins, CO



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2011 06:13AM by George Forster.

perhaps you are fishing too Fast I mean not letting the fish have the fly long enough to get it in his thought. and pulling it out of it before he has time to try and swallow it
i have found that most all have the fly well into there thought. And it is a lot of the time a real pain to get my fly back
Once you fell the hit most of the time they hook them selfs and a SET is not necessary.

Also to match the hatch is very important. Ya got to know what they are eating at that time you are fishing Certain bugs come out at certain times of the year and when they eat, they eat hard.

It may be some as simple as the wrong color fly and or size.

Bill - willierods.com



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/24/2011 09:37AM by bill boettcher.

Regardless of fly rod action, I like fighting my fish with my rod parallel to the water’s surface. I feel that trout don’t like being forced toward the surface during the fight, and by keeping my rod tip low I can guide the fish left and right while slowly stripping back line. When pulled toward the surface trout seem to shake their heads more violently, increasing the chance that the hook will come free.

Jeff

Like Jeff

Nice and easy just enough tension to keep slack on but not high to rip out the hook

Bill - willierods.com

Coming late to this. Very interested in this topic I use 2 lb mono with fast action and relatively high powered rod and never felt that I had a problem with loosing fish from coming unhooked. However, I do have a friend who is used to 4 wt moderate action fly rods converted to spin rods and he looses more fish with fast action rod. I think it's a matter of how one uses the rod and getting used to a particular action. When I fight a fish, I always keep tension but keep my hold relatively relaxed and supple, along with the drag quite loose to cushion 2 lb mono. That way, I don't suddenly jerk the rod and the drag also gives when necessary. It's also possible that 2 lb mono stretches considerably and thus acts as a cushion for a fast rod. I'm not sure. I'll try some braid next to see if I loose more fish.

Mo

Hmmmm. I'm thinking a slower action rods leads to a little more relaxed fishing style. Just like a bamboo rod might make you slow down on the casting stroke.

I know I tend to play the fish more on a slower action and/or glass rod. With a fast action graphite I find myself more bent on trying to get them to gaff as fast as possible (within reason).

Russ in Hollywood, FL.