How To Catch More Fish on a Fly Rod | Ep. 81

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VIDEO - How to Fight Fish - • Setting the Hook & Fig...
VIDEO - Rigs & Knots - • How to Set Up Your Fly...
PODCAST - How to Fish Lakes - • Simple Tips to Master ...
PODCAST - Barbless Hooks - • Why You Should Use Bar...
SUBMIT A QUESTION TO THE SHOW - rebrand.ly/UT-Questions
Do you like losing big fish? Of course not! No one does! On this week's episode of Untangled: Fly Fishing for Everyone, Spencer walks you through a 5-step checklist he's developed over YEARS of losing big trout. If you follow these steps, you'll avoid learning the hard way, and start putting more nice fish in the net in no time!
You'll also learn about:
- How to assemble a dry-dropper rig with barbless hooks
- Why barbless hooks are the best option for every angler
- How to tell the difference between hooking into a fish and snagging bottom
- Some general tips on how to effectively fly fish lakes
If you have any fly fishing specific questions or want to chat, email us at: [e-mail]
#flyfishing #flyfishingtrout #beginnerflyfishing #flycasting #flytying
Disclaimer: Please see the link for our disclaimer policy for all of our videos on the Ventures Fly Co. KZbin channel. wp.me/PdQnAh-ff

[@19DannyBoy65]

I bought my first fly rod a bit ago and after watching your beginner masterclass series I caught my first trout on a fly last week. It was only a 5 or 6 incher out of a stocked pond and it was such a dink that it swam through my net after I unhooked it, but I had a blast and I have to say I’m hooked on fly fishing thanks to you guys!

[@SpencerDurrant]

Awesome! Stoked to hear it.

[@DallasLarson40]

Haha keep your line tight like Spencer’s waistband after all you can eat wings😂 Dude Spencer that killed me😂

[@SpencerDurrant]

I'm glad my obesity is still funny, haha.

[@jamesmauckmd8931]

Thanks for the info, Spencer. I’m really trying to learn this sport of trout fly fishing as I retire. I’ve gotten 2 to the net and lost 3 which were hooked. I’ve lost countless that I never got hook set. Going back to the 3 that got off the hook while dancing on the water, I know that all three were because I did not keep line tight. In fact, I realized with stripping the trout in, I released the fly line from the finger holding it tight to the cork handle and let the line go loose. Btw- sipping Diet Coke as I watch this video.

[@SpencerDurrant]

Thanks!

[@jamesmauckmd8931]

As a follow-up, all three which got off were downstream.

[@Jessie_Ann244]

I love the Clarkson’s Farm sticker on the laptop😂

[@dougspreher4576]

Thank you Spencer. I needed this video about about a week ago. I just went to a cancer retreat at a elite trout club in north central Ohio. I hooked up a few dozen fish, but the big 24 to 30 inch Rainbows and Browns always spit the fly back at me.

[@SpencerDurrant]

Well, next time you'll be able to show them who's boss! ha

[@gregb8824]

Please try the DOUBLE Davey knot. I can guarantee if you give it a chance you are going to love it.

[@jeepguy04]

Well Pepsi is better then coke lol caught my first fish in Montana on a fly pole last week thanks for the great info on ur videos

[@SpencerDurrant]

Pepsi isn't better than Coke. That's a law of the universe, I believe. Sir Isaac Newton's little-known 5th law of Physics.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

I used to fish with barbs on my hooks until i got one stuck in a $300 jacket and tore a nasy hole in it, also I've cast a big ol streamer into my own ear, that would have been really really bad if it had its barb still. I don't notice losing any more fish. That said, when fish move a lot after getting hooked, they "wallow" out the hook hole to the point that a small barb does nothing. I firmly believe that the biggest enemy to fish mouths are treble hooks, double hooks, and the angler not removing the hook gently and ethically. I hate to see some angler lift a fish by the hook and release the fish by holding the hook and trying to maneuver the hook out of the fish's mouth so it drops off the hook. Barb or not, the most damage done is by poor handling and big ol treble hooks. I hate to see government mandatory practices that attempt to change outcomes without education and without changes to remove suboptimal human practices.

[@HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

That said if it's a size 18 or smaller, I sometimes leave the micro barb in place. The fish move and twist that barb around enough that it doesn't seem to matter. I'd rather see longer hook points.

[@19DannyBoy65]

Absolutely, efficient and safe handling is the most important thing. Barbed hooks and treble hooks aren’t even in and of themselves that much worse, but they generally require more/rougher handling of the fish to remove them and that excess handling is the main issue.

[@SpencerDurrant]

Great stuff!

[@egregiousblunder5395]

Common reasons I see: 1. Improper hook sets/angle of set. 2. Not keeping enough tension on the line after the hook sets. 3. Poor knot strength. 4. Trying to muscle the fish in swift current on too light of tackle. Now, number 2 has it's moments, you need to understand to apply enough tension, but also know when to let the fish run when necessary, learning to control that drag is a must sometimes. Glad you mentioned the damaged that barbed hooks do, all my bugs are tied on barbless hooks for that reason!

[@SpencerDurrant]

Yeah, the other day I was fishing and didn't realize I hadn't crimped the barb on that hook down until I caught one. I forgot how much of an absolute mess it is to deal with barbs. Half the time, my barbless hooks pop out of the fish's mouth once it gets in the net.

[@egregiousblunder5395]

@@SpencerDurrant Barbless are great for when your grip slips on the line and you harpoon a finger, you don't have to spend 20 minutes screaming and hollering while on the water trying to dig it out lol.

[@dancollins4058]

This was literally me questioning everything this last Saturday. Down to the poor knot to my hook. The only difference was the fish and river

[@Tectonic001]

Nice 👍

[@matthiasr5021]

Haha! Thats the Stuff I needed two Weeks ago. I Lost all of my fish on one day, till i found the reason: My leader was to short and often repaired, so it was to stiff and with little stretch. Next day i tied a new one on my line and it went just like butter again. Always tight lines and a bucket full of hot wings! Greetings Mazze from Berlin

[@SpencerDurrant]

We always need this kind of info a day earlier, haha. But thanks a bunch! I'm eating wings tonight...

[@ttechflyman5840]

You addressed landing fish when they get downstream of you. Issues I had on a recent trip were getting a strike and having fish swim directly at me from upstream location which made it difficult to get that much line in to keep tension. The fish commonly took the nymph and would move upstream slightly and then take off downstream which caused slack in line where they would get loose. What am I doing wrong there?? Thanks for all your great content!

[@SpencerDurrant]

I know it's easier said than done, but when the fish moves upstream, you've got to give it some side pressure and try to keep it out of the faster water in the middle of the river. That'll help keep it from running downstream on you too much.

[@daveschlom4033]

This came at the most opportune time. Exactly one week ago this evening, I was fishing the famous Hex hatch on Fall River here in NorCal. Missed many a take but then finally sealed the deal with a great eat. But then...I lost the fish. And I know why. It was a very big trout and he wanted to run. I needed to let him. Unfortunately my guide friend misread what he saw and told me to strip. In a moment of confusion I put my finger break on and that was all she wrote. It was MY FAULT. Lesson? Once I am fighting a fish, I need to just focus on what I am doing and block everything else out. Fortunately, I redeemed myself with a big fish the next morning while fishing by myself. It's a crusher when you lose a big one. BUT, as you say here quite eloquently, if you learn from those experiences you will win more often than you lose.

[@SpencerDurrant]

I'm glad you made up for the lost one, Dave! Yeah, it's tough to look back at these failures, but it's crazy how much you can learn from them.

[@ravingdog24]

How about when they say, "There are no more wings."?