Thanks, appreciated. I'm far from perfect but I get better with time. I still lift them out of the net and admire for a half second once in a while or catch myself lifting the net out of water, so room for improvement.Originally Posted by greybark
I think one of the most important aspects is to play fish quickly. This is something I wish I would have corrected earlier in my fishing career. In my teens and early 20's I used to fish with 2lb tippet because I found that I could "get away with more" (bad technique) and catch more fish. While somewhat true, it meant playing fish for way too long.
Last decade or so I catch these little guys (well, usually little, occasional big rainbow or bull) with 5-6lb tippet. Instead of letting them strip line and playing them until they are tired enough to bring in without snapping off, most of the time I can just muscle them in without a chance of breaking off.
30 seconds vs 2-3 minutes makes a world of difference when it comes to how much gas they have left in their tank. This way, waiting for a fish to recover before letting it go is rarely necessary or even possible and chances of being able to hold one are usually slim anyway. They usually just explode with fury right out of the net at the first opportunity.
Reply With Quote
