Post by flyguy on Sept 28, 2003 14:12:33 GMT -6
I am new to flyfishing this year. Up until last night I have caught a few small fish, and hooked into a few large but did not land them. I have landed a small sauger, and 5 small rainbows, hooked two large carp in about a foot of water but lost them within a minute.(6lb test).
Last night I waded into the Red and on about my 4th cast I had a strike that immediatly snaped my tippet. There were lots of Cats rising and splashing at the surface, so I removed my 9' leader and the 3' (6lb) tippet. I replaced it with 4' of 8lb tippet looped directly to my floating line, thinking that the fish were cruising just below the surface.
The result?? I hooked in to a channel cat that played for a good 15 minutes. The largest fish I had caught yet on a fly, about 20 inches. I lost my pliers in the water during the excitment, so I went back up to the house to get another set. I tries the same teqnique and within about 10 minutes I had hooked a much larger opponent, this one ran the line right out into the backing, and I just let him go fearing that he may break the tippet. Seemed as if he wanted to check just how much backing I had put on, as he took off down stream, then straight across the river then upstream. I hooked him at about 6:15pm and it was 7:30pm before I finally was able to land him. An hour an a quarter, now I know what the padded butt is for on the handle of my 8#. He measured about 31"s but I am not sure of the weight as I was finding it difficult to wiegh him by myself as it was getting dark. Seemed to be B/W 18-22 pounds if I had to guess.
I have bait fished in this location since I was about 7 years old, and this is the largest Cat I have caught, and on a fly yet. If you asked me a few months ago if it was possible to flyfish in the Red, I would have scoffed, but now I only want to use my fly rod.
Man, I'm having fun flyfishing!!!! ;D
I was using an 8# rod and floating WF #8 line, with a 5' 8lb tippet(no leader). My retrieve was medium in speed, about 12" at a time, a good 5 second pause in between strips.(everytime I got a strike I was using this teqnique) every thing else i tried was to no avail.
Smilin' Like a Big CAT ;D
Last night I waded into the Red and on about my 4th cast I had a strike that immediatly snaped my tippet. There were lots of Cats rising and splashing at the surface, so I removed my 9' leader and the 3' (6lb) tippet. I replaced it with 4' of 8lb tippet looped directly to my floating line, thinking that the fish were cruising just below the surface.
The result?? I hooked in to a channel cat that played for a good 15 minutes. The largest fish I had caught yet on a fly, about 20 inches. I lost my pliers in the water during the excitment, so I went back up to the house to get another set. I tries the same teqnique and within about 10 minutes I had hooked a much larger opponent, this one ran the line right out into the backing, and I just let him go fearing that he may break the tippet. Seemed as if he wanted to check just how much backing I had put on, as he took off down stream, then straight across the river then upstream. I hooked him at about 6:15pm and it was 7:30pm before I finally was able to land him. An hour an a quarter, now I know what the padded butt is for on the handle of my 8#. He measured about 31"s but I am not sure of the weight as I was finding it difficult to wiegh him by myself as it was getting dark. Seemed to be B/W 18-22 pounds if I had to guess.
I have bait fished in this location since I was about 7 years old, and this is the largest Cat I have caught, and on a fly yet. If you asked me a few months ago if it was possible to flyfish in the Red, I would have scoffed, but now I only want to use my fly rod.
Man, I'm having fun flyfishing!!!! ;D
I was using an 8# rod and floating WF #8 line, with a 5' 8lb tippet(no leader). My retrieve was medium in speed, about 12" at a time, a good 5 second pause in between strips.(everytime I got a strike I was using this teqnique) every thing else i tried was to no avail.
Smilin' Like a Big CAT ;D