[Bent Rod]

You are happily fishing away for Steelhead in small pocket water, when you come to an obvious spot where a Steelhead would sit, you make a perfect cast and just as your float hits the sweet spot "plunk" it's under.

Now instead of performing the OBVIOUS and setting the hook, you simply lift as though you were hung up, just then a nice Steelhead rolls on the surface and sends your gear flying back at you and often into a tree.

To this day I still do this and for the life of me cannot believe I do.

I mean you were casting to that spot with the understanding that a fish would be there and when the float goes down, "set the hook bozo".

Think I need to be hypnotized and have something "inserted into my brain".

This happened to not just me yesterday but my friend also, his was a "monster" fish that he got a good look at, so the pain was even worse.

This goes right along side the dreaded look away at something, like a bird, or a person, and look back to find your float gone and flashing silver where it used to be, you set the hook and you get NADA.

Care to share any of your similar situations??

 

[Merc]

...Or you make a far cast across the river into a nice looking seam, and even before you can start mending your line, your float goes down and you got a massive amount of line bellying out and you can't get a proper hook set so you end up losing the fish. Happened to me yesterday.

 

[rln]

it's no different than when you expect a fish to be there so you strike so hard in anticipation when the float buries that you break it off right away. Same end result fish 1 you nothing. Happened this weekend.

 

[fyrslyer]

Ya the classic look down to see one of those little birds diving in the water or playing around near your feet, and you look up and see your float just popping back up or still under water i hate those its like they wait for you to look away and then strike lol

 

[Merc]

it's no different than when you expect a fish to be there so you strike so hard in anticipation when the float buries that you break it off right away. Same end result fish 1 you nothing. Happened this weekend.

Ah...same school of hook setting as JetboatJim! I've seen missed hooksets from him hitting escape velocity on its way to the moon! :happy:

Of course on the other hand, once he's hooked, ain't nothing going to make him pop off...other than a tonsillectomy!!!! :thumbup:

 

[fishortho]

I also hate it when you are "two siding" a pool, with you on one side of a run and the "other guy" on the far shore, fishing a dinner plate run in the middle that always produces. You make a few casts, then float down, quick set...nothing, but the roe bag is torn and you re rig. Then you carefully run another setup thru the seam again and bam floatdown, hookset and a nice bar rolls under the surface and you know the fish was not stung, so they will usually return....You hope the competition on the other side hasn't seen what you saw, then the fisher on the far bank sees you re-rigging and drops right into your drift and BAM....Fish on and the bugger lands a 15lb. hatchery buck........AHH yes, the joys of steelheading.........You are correct, Rod, as soon as you look away, they will steal the bait everytime!!.........Ortho

 

[Krypto-Limitkiller-Sanderson]

I missed my best chance at a fish yesterday due to the "look away". Hours on end of intently watching your float. Watch a guy land a fish just minuted before. Hear something in the bush and take a quick peek. Look back to see your float zipping across the river but as I set the hook the float comes popping back to the surface :wallbash:

 

[Big Green Machine]

then the fisher on the far bank sees you re-rigging and drops right into your drift and BAM

Yes, the ole "Man Down", is a good time to take advantage of that fish. I wouldn't do it to someone I don't know but if I'm fishing with a buddy, that fish is mine!

 

[Zach Sanchioni]

Now instead of performing the OBVIOUS and setting the hook, you simply lift as though you were hung up, just then a nice Steelhead rolls on the surface and sends your gear flying back at you and often into a tree.

AHHH! Thats what I like to call the "Steelhead BITCHSLAP"! LOL

 

[hotrod]

Holy [email protected]!

This happened to me last week like crazy one day! Missed a half a dozen take downs on my circuit............I went back the next day to the same circuit and the float just floats in all the spots the float went down the day before. :wallbash:

What a great thread Bent Rod! LMAO!


Hotrod

 

[xgolfman]

What's worse is having to re learn NOT to set the hook...I've had a few "peck peck" and instead of letting my line go and have him take it, I jerk it hard like setting the hook...pop's the damn fly right out of their mouths... One time I got it right I got a fish...But Damn!! it's hard to not yank back when you feel that tug!!!

 

[ribolovac]

Great thread Bent rod,by the way didn't phone you saved some time for both of us,picked up two 25 packs of jig hooks and pins, they are great.Thx.
Talk about missing steel strikes,the other day missed two becoause of the belly was two big,when i did set the hook fish was already out of water and swiming free.
Strangest thing happened this morning,started fishing shrimp in the morning and at the end of one drift I started to reel in, and fish was on, shook her head right out of the water and I set the hook almost killed myself with the lead.By the way, this was my thrid cast, and Like we all know our first casts of the day get most atention,I had the line tight right to the float all the time unbeliveble I didn't feel the fish.
She must of taken the bait and fallowed the drift until I stoped her.
Anyways my fishing day went really good today again,Hooked into three fish landed one big wild buck probably around 17-18,my first big steel,cought the fish in the rapids,did this fish ever took a lot of line of my reel,10pound leader couldn't try to stop her,ended happy anyways,good luck. :thumbup:

 

[Krypto-Limitkiller-Sanderson]

Yes, the ole "Man Down", is a good time to take advantage of that fish. I wouldn't do it to someone I don't know but if I'm fishing with a buddy, that fish is mine!

Sounds familiar. How many holes do I know of that are nick named "stealfish"... 4, 5, 6 maybe... ;D

 

[firstlight]

Have had the look away and float down in classic style this season.
The best one was i was retrieving my line while looking upstream at something.
It felt like my worm was hanging up so i looked back to see a Steelie trying to get and then it must have sen me and turned and bolted. :thumbup:
Has been my worst year for landed versus hooked ratio.4-14 ;D

 

[chasinchrome]

What's worse is having to re learn NOT to set the hook...I've had a few "peck peck" and instead of letting my line go and have him take it, I jerk it hard like setting the hook...pop's the damn fly right out of their mouths... One time I got it right I got a fish...But Damn!! it's hard to not yank back when you feel that tug!!!

I agree !
The hardest thing to teach yourself is not to set the hook when the illusive steelhead grabs your fly!
It took me a few years and many dissapointing ON-OFFS to learn that if it aint pulling on me I aint pulling on it !
Nowadays I carry a loop the size of the average fish and when that tightens and the real starts turning WHAM!

 

[HOOK]

well im sure glad to see it happens to even the best of us out there :happy: Im not even going to get into how many times ive had that happen. The real kicker is when you dont touch a damn thing the rest of the day after that happens :'( especially when you see someone else walk in behind you and Bang, landed, hatch, bonk, Bye bye. :naughty: Mind you im pretty sure we have all been the ones that walk in and do it to others :happy:
I havent gotten any steel on the fly yet but thank god i know to let them take it and really take it before you bury that hook ;D ;D

 

[fishing4salmon]

I hate those (edited) fisherman, who always YELL out LOUD when they get a fish on. Last year fall, one day, my fishing buddy and I arrive at vedder river in the first light, those (edited)just come in and stand beside you like no farer than 1 meter. I was amazed how unpolited they are. And when they get a fish on, they just yell like they have never seen a fish before. I hate those yelling and stuff when I try to catch those spooky coho. it realli scared them away

 

[Krypto-Limitkiller-Sanderson]

You can scream as loud as you want all day long, the fish will not notice. Its annoying when others around you are yipping like coyotes but it will not spook the fish.

 

[ramtuffyankee]

thank you admin for the editing. i have seen all types of yellers out there. not just one certain " breed"

 

[Grumpy]

Great thread, read it all with a smile. Nodding in agreement / sympathy and several other emotions. I'll not be able to get out on the water till next Sept and will try to not pull one of my bonehead moves, knowing full well that I will still miss a few through sheer foolishness. Will we ever learn