I am certain that many of us have faced this problem time and time again: you are fishing for a long while, and when you finally about to give up, a beautiful trophy strikes your line. As any fishermen would, your reaction is to set the hook, however, when you lift your rod and draw your line, the hook seems to be pulled out of the fish’s mouth without ever having even scratched the fish.

Although one can simply write a situation like this off by saying the fishermen has bad timing, or the fish had not taken the fly in yet, there is one cause for this problem that can not be avoided, and is typically the reason for such a disappointment: the hook.

When fishing rivers, it is important to understand the the rocks and small pebbles along the bottum of the stream wear away at the soft tips of the hook, thereby making the striking tip blunt and therefor less effective. It is therefor very important to maintane this piont.

Thanks to technology, this can be accoplished by utilizing a number of different mechanical sharpeners, as well as simply using a hand sharpener. Reguardless of the method, it is very important the you remember to get to the piont.

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Due to my busy schedule, I had my brother run out to the store and buy me a leader. The only problem was that my brother is completely unlearned in all areas of fly fishing. Because of this, he bought me two ‘quick connect’ leaders.

Over the past few years I have seen many developments in these units, and have been very skeptical for a number of reasons. Firstly, I was worried about having such a large piece of plastic in the middle of the line, due to the effects that it could have on casting and stripping. I was worried that it would both distract fish from the fly, and furthermore, cause larger pull marks when retrieving the line. Despite my hesitation, I was actually very impressed with such units as a beginner’s tool.

This small connecter allowed me to quickly, and effectively, attach the leader without dealing with confusing nail knots, and although I was worried, I piece did not affect my casting at all. The unit weighed so little that the fluctuation caused by the interference did not show in the cast. Furthermore, when retrieving the line after a cast, the tapered plastic connecter moved smoothly through the water, resulting in no abnormal water marks.

All in all, I think that such units are a great investment for beginners who are not so confident in their ability to tie reliable knots. They make for a quick way to change out leaders, and, despite what one might believe, I have not found a significant, negative result of using such a tool.

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The purpose of these baskets is to hold the line from lying in the water while stripping it in before recasting due to the fact that allowing the line to float freely in the water, especially in current water such as a river or surf, will inevitably result in a large knot. However, by allowing the line to fall into a basket, the chances of a knot will be drastically reduced. Furthermore, freely floating line has to potential to become entangled in brush, rock, or other objects, both submerged and floating.

In the past, line baskets have been constructed simply of wicker, and although beautiful pieces of craftsmanship, did not hold up to the vigorous beatings that they underwent due to avid fishermen. The biggest problem with these baskets was that due to the constant soaking and drying of the wood, they wicker strips would begin to crack.

Today, line baskets have evolved into ultra-light, highly durable, rubber catch baskets that are not only very functional, but are comfortable to wear. In my own life, these baskets have truly shown themselves to be worth the investment, surviving even the most testing weather of winter, king salmon fishing.

Although there are many different ways of handling your line without the need to support it by a basket, these little twists of the hand can be complicated to learn. I highly recommend such an accessory for any fisherman, regardless of their experience on the water. There will always be circumstances in which one will want such a tool.

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The streamer, theoretically, was used primarily in the Montana state, and other western countries, until it was discovered, and brought eastward to be fished along the New England area. While the Montana was quickly making its way to the front of fishermen’s boxes here in the US, it was rapidly making its debut into Canada and New Zealand, becoming a personal favorite for northern trout fishing.

Although extremely effective, the Montana is a very simplistic nymph, as far as fishing it is concerned. This fly is a very popular fly year around, and should be fished deep along the riverbed. It is extraordinarily productive if fished in stony areas of streams, on the upstream face of rapid or turbulent water. When fishing the Montana, like most other nymphs, there are two key methods, the ‘dead drift’ method, and the ‘tight line’ method.

The ‘dead drift’ method of fishing is very self explanatory. The nymph should be cast directly across the current, and allowed to bounce across the bottom at a dead drift. The fisherman should allow this to occur until it reaches a point where his line is parallel to the banks of the river, causing it to no longer drift. At this point, the fisherman should slowly retrieve the nymph, stripping the line in with shoot twitches of the line; pausing between each movement. When suing this method, the fish will usually strike immediately after the nymph moves, so be prepared during those pauses! Although it is more difficult to feel the slight strikes of trout when using this method, it is generally preferred by experienced fishermen due to the fact that one can cover more water faster, increasing ones likeliness to come across fish.

The second of the two fishing methods is the ‘tight line’ method. The ‘tight line’ method is almost exactly the same as the ‘dead drift’, except without the first step. When using the ‘tight line’ method, one should cast the fly directly downstream from where they are standing, causing the line to immediately become taut. Let the nymph rest at that place for a while. Then, slowly retrieve the nymph in short twitches, as explained above. This method is useful due to the fact that the line is always taut, causing strikes to be more noticeable, and making it easier for the fisherman to set the hook.

Because of the construction of the nymph being almost entirely of chenille, the Montana, if dry cast, will float. To counter this, the fisherman can be proactive, and weight the nymph with lead wire, or he can simply resort to simply role casting the nymph keeping it from drying too quickly.

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If fished either at dawn or dusk, the Mickey Mouse is very effective, especially when the conditions are cool, and when fog is just slight on the water; although this pattern has been known to catch trout at many different times of day, in fairly different condition. Although the Mickey Mouse can be productively fished in a wide variety of terrains, it is best if fished along the edges of fielded streams, and rivers, where the muddy banks smoothly transition to water. Ideally, one should fish this pattern directly under an overhanging log, or tree branch, to give the illusion that the mouse has fallen from a place of natural safety.

Although the Mickey Mouse will remain afloat through most styles of casting, roll casting is undoubtedly the most efficient. While the weight of the mouse is not usually a factor when casting, because it weights so little, the size of the fly can very negatively affect the cast. Because of its large size, the wind caused by a cast will cause the mouse to flutter in the air, resulting in miscasts, and, or wind-knots.

Once the mouse is presented along the edge of the water, the fisherman should allowing it to sit in rest for a short moment, allowing the majority of the ripples to calm, then in short bursts, strip line in, slowly retrieving the mouse in a series of twitches and pauses. This will give the illusion that the mouse is injured in the water, and trying to swim. The trout will generally hit the mouse during the pauses. The most important thing to remember is that trout generally will not immediately strike such a large target. Instead, trout will hit the mouse a number of times, and then strike it for a kill. Understanding this, the fisherman needs to refrain from forcefully attempting the set the hook prematurely. The fisherman should not try to set the hook until the trout firmly strike the mouse, or they will only spook the trout, and will leave the stream with no more than a fish tale.

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I went a number of years fumbling through this action until my father pointed out to me a very simple was to correct this problem. When threading a line, pull enough line from the reel so that you can easily hold a piece float-line in your hand. Fold the line over and pass the loop through the eyelets. This loop will keep the line from passing back through the eyelets if dropped, saving time and frustration.

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Before getting too frustrated with the seemingly ‘fasting’ fish, consider two major things: water temperature, and water level. These two natural characteristics tend to be inversely related, in most cases. This means that generally, with a rise in temperature, there will be a decrease in water. This also means that an increase in water will typically result in a decrease in water temperature. These factors vary due to location, weather patterns, dams, and many other things.

If the water level and the temperature of the water seem normal, then simply try another fly, but if either of the two factors, especially the later, is abnormal, simply pull in your line and wait. If conditions are not favorable for large trout, they will become dormant during the day, trying to conserve as much energy as possible in case of emergency, and simply just to stay alive. To do this, they will usually sit out of currents, along the sides of streams, where they can still receive enough oxygen to breathe, but not have to remain swimming; some large trout will lay on the bottom, generally on the immediate downstream side of a submerged rock or log. As well as maintaining energy by not resting in currents, trout will cease to hunt and eat during the day, and rather will resort to feeding at night, under the cool cover of darkness. At night, when the water temperature cools, the trophy trout will begin to feed. So, on those hot summers days, it is best to start fishing around dusk, and fish throughout the night. When night fishing, there is one fly that stands out above all others: the Muddler Minnow.

The Muddler Minnow’s slender body, paired with its large, deer hair, head, make it a welcoming meal for any trophy trout cruising the waters in the late night. The deer hair head is what truly sets this streamer apart, for two major reasons, initial presentation, and retrieving presentation.

Initial presentation is the state of the fly the moment it first hits the surface of the water. The initial presentation is hinged on a slue of factors, such as the fly’s size, weight, structure, speed, and other such variables. When presenting a fly, it is typically advantageous for the fisherman to ease the fly into the water, with as little disruption as possible, but with the Muddler Minnow, it is a wholly different game. Due to its large head, the Muddler Minnow causes much disruption to the surface tension, which, at night catches the attention of, and attracts large trout. To present the fly initially, it is best to utilize the roll cast, or the barrel cast. The Muddler Minnow is a very heavy streamer, especially when wet, and can be quite a challenge for one to back cast. Once the fly hits the water, it is important to begin properly retrieving the fly: the retrieving presentation.

The retrieving presentation consists of all action of the fly from the time it hits the water, until it is ready to be cast again. When retrieving the Muddler Minnow, it should be drawn in short strips. The fisherman should allow about a ten second pause between each jerk, (try not to allow a pattern to form in the jerks and pauses of the retrieving presentation; a patterned retrieve will make the streamer less lifelike, and may spook the targeted trout).

What makes the Muddler Minnow unique from all other streamers is its head. The deer hair that makes up the head of the streamer is hollow, much like a clump of extremely small straws. These hairs trap small amounts of air inside their hollows, which, during every tuck of the line, is forced out of their confinement, and into the water, creating a quite noticeable disturbance along the surface of the water. Almost simultaneously, as well as during the pause, these hairs reopen, and fill again with air.

The most beneficial area to fish the Muddler Minnow, especially at night, is along the edges of river banks, as well as along protruding logs or rocks. At night, large fish will tend to move into shallower water, where smaller minnows and crayfish roam the riverbeds. Even in the lively nightlife of the riverbed, the Muddler Minnow truly makes a splash, and is a delectable treat for any large trout that may be in the area.

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Although Duckweed, in large numbers, can be hazardous to fish populations, pond-owners should not be too hasty to skim their ponds. Duckweed, as I found out after speaking with a DEP officer, Duckweed can be very beneficial to the ponds ecosystem. In small amounts, Duckweed, on a sunny day, produces vast amounts of oxygen which is then released directly into the water, making the pond a more advantageous place for fish growth. Unfortunately, on cloudy days, Duckweed, in order to stay alive, draws oxygen from the water, causing the levels of oxygen to drop dramatically, and ultimately threatening the livelihood of the fishes.

The reason for the fish-kill at the pond where I was fishing was that during that summer, the pond was covered by a very thick layer of Duckweed, and the weather remained cloudy off and on for a long period of time. This constant fluctuation in oxygen levels eventually killed of a couple hundred warm-water fish.

I asked the pond-owner whether it would be beneficial to simply skim the water to remove the duckweed, and not risk gambling with the lives of trophy fish. He stated that he was told by a local DEP officer that if he were to remove the weed from the water, the population of the fish would continue to grow uncontrollably, and eventually the larger fish would die off anyways. He told us that the Duckweed was a very helpful, natural, population regulator, keeping the ponds ecosystem at check.

So for all of you out there that are worried about the health of your ponds due to Duckweed, it is better to let nature take its course, then to interfere and face the consequences.

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When the trill finally catching a nice trout sets in, it is important that one remembers certain steps to safely releasing the fish to the river. Firstly, as I have stated in the past, a fisherman should never touch a fish before wetting his hand in the water. A dry hand will damage the fish’s protective mucus layer surrounding its body, could lead to severe harm. Secondly, it is never a good idea to leave a hook in the throat of a fish. If the hook is not in a position to be removed, then keep the fish. If there is, for some reason, a hook that is stuck toward the lips, or outside of the mouth, then you can leave the hook inside the mouth, after cutting back all the line from that hook. The hook will eventually fall out of the lip of the fish within 24 hours, allowing the fish to continue as normal.

Companies have developed an important tool in the area of catch and release fishing. While most fishing nets are knotted nets, meaning that the strings that construct the nets are knotted together, these nets have a tendency to scratch the body of the fish, again damaging the mucus layer that envelopes its body. To combat this problem, newer nets that have been made in which the body of the net consists of no knots, and is one continued piece of material. These nets are just as effective, and in most cases the same price. So do something good for the environment, and invest in a safe-net. Furthermore, when fishing, never let an injured fish go; it all falls under fishermen ethics: to leave the stream in better shape then it was when you arrived. Fly fishing is a wonderful hobby, so let it remain that way for years to come.

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There are two key reasons for dead-fly that can very easily be overcome in directly addressed, line spinning, and improper weighting of the streamer. The first culprit, line spin, is a result of line that has not been properly maintained. Over the course of time, line will become gritty, and will stretch due to constant use, causing the line to twist. These twists will actually become wound in the air, and, when the fly hits the water, the line will begin to ‘unwind,’ forcing the streamer to spin rapidly. This can easily be fixed by keeping you line clean, and straightening it with a piece of leather, as I have spoken about in the past.

The second, and more often the case, problem that results in ‘dead-fly,’ is the improper weighting of a streamer. There are times that, when a fly is tied, lead weight is used in the streamer to cause it to sink more rapidly. If the weight is not properly wrapped, it will make the shank of the streamer heavier than the rest of the hook, and will cause it to float upside-down.  Although lead weight is a common reason, dead-fly can be a result of a number of different materials used in streamer. This problem can be fixed simply by fastening about nine inches of heavy, transparent line to the head of the streamer and connecting a small piece of foam, or down feathers to the other end of the line. The buoyant material will float, turning the streamer upright again, allowing it to be fished normally. Some fishermen are skeptical to this practice, thinking that the line will cause fish to become less attracted to the streamer, but from experience I can say that it truly works.

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