Bouncing Trout on Tenkara
It's been a bit of a frustrating couple of sessions recently. I've been bumping fish off when I've been in very close contact with the fly. Not one to be beaten by a problem I investigated a few options. The first idea I had was that the rod I was fishing with was a little stiffer than my usual rod so perhaps it wasn't giving enough when a fish lunges at the fly.
How about introducing some pole rubber into the equation? I made up inserts about 10cm long with different grades of course fishing pole elastic. (8, 5, 3) I was concerned the casting would be effected but it wasn't too bad. The stuff is heavier than the fluorocarbon so I put it on at the tip end of the line so that it wouldn't effect the cast as much.
Did I have any plucky takes that bounced off a fish? No. That's good though isn't it? Certainly I had fish to hand.
Not the biggest fish in the world but fish all the same. So I took the rubber off and guess what happened? Bounced fish? No. I still was keeping them hooked.
How frustrating is that? Catching fish is great but when you came out to try and solve a problem and the problem has disappeared then it's all a bit mind boggling. Off I went up to the junction pool but stopped where a small side bypass in the river joins back in. It's another good hole for fish.
Very tight so I had to drop back to my very small rod. Fantastic accuracy and no problem hooking fish after fish from this pool.
It gave me a chance to experiment with a new desiccant and floatant powder. Crazy stuff that was able to float my wet fly like a cork without leaving a white film on it. Much more powerful than the "amphibian bottom" stuff and the tubs being sold on eBay. Something to watch for in the future when I decide how the heck to package the stuff. Two powders. Separate or combined? Anyway I was after trout.
Round the corner in the side flow was another pool.
This is Tenkara and every pocket can be exploited. Especially the little ones that people often overlook when they race for the main fishing holes. Powdered up the same wet fly so it would bob over the riffles and into the pool. It had hardly hit the water when a fish came darting from under a tree root and snaffled it.
Onwards to the main junction pool. There are big fish in this pool. I know. I saw them following my fly as it pulsed through the pool. I tried everything I could think of but I still couldn't get them to take. Time was short so I'll have to return again with some new ideas to tempt the big ones from their deep lie.
What about these bouncing trout? It didn't seem to be a problem this time. The reason I think is this. I was using a slightly longer tippet and I was not has heavy handed with the rod when setting the rook. Perhaps I'll keep the pole elastic about for the next time I have a frustrating day bouncing fish off the hook to see if it will help. Until then, I'll not be getting too short with the tippet. 4ft as a minimum.
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