[ja]

Now, this question may sound a bit silly but here it goes. I was out today on the Vedder. Caught 1 jack coho in the lower but that's besides the point. While I was fishing mid river in moderate current with a colorado blade, my float went down and when I set the hook it appeared I had gotten snagged. There was basically no movement of my line or rod tip. I then released the line tension to see what would happen...not much. Snagged for sure I thought. But then I tightened up the line tension again I noticed my rod tip moving a bit, not a whole lot but it did move up a down. This happen a couple more times, though if it was a fish it did not move from its spot as my line remained where it was. After a bit I pulled harder and the hook popped up. Was I just snagged or perhaps snagged a fish (18" leader btw)??? Any thoughts?

I haven't fished the Vedder much though I do lake fish and I know a bite from a snag...lol :hmmm:

Cheers all :cheers:

 

[Gibbs]

You could have been caught on a submerged stick or something that was moving a little underwater, sometimes a stick feels like a fish at first!

 

[steve]

sounds like the current on the line when you were snagged. If it was a fish you should have been able to move it.

 

[young gun]

u those sticks might fool you at first, but they sometimes turn into 35lb springs, if in doubt set the hook and ask questions later. The one time u dont set and just pull it'll be a fish. A suggestion keep a tight line, u can tell from the float but when the lines tight and u get a solid tap and the float goes under, thats when u know u have a fish

 

[ramtuffyankee]

similar thing happened to me 3 times today while fishing wool. i thought i was setting the hook too soon. then the 3rd time i just reeled in only to find a leaf on my hook :wallbash:

 

[reelangler]

Sometimes when the float gets under the water the tension of the line between the hook and the float will tighten, and the current will try and suck it down. It can take quite a bit of force to pull it up and can sometimes move around a bit.

 

[Giuseppe]

hey ja, just a suggestion, you don't need to use a 18lb leader. I personally landed over 25lb springs with a 10lb leader, and saw other people landing over 35lb springs with the same 10lb leader. If you are not sure then use a 12lb leader, it will be more than fine. :beerchug:

G

 

[STLHDR]

hey ja, just a suggestion, you don't need to use a 18lb leader. I personally landed over 25lb springs with a 10lb leader, and saw other people landing over 35lb springs with the same 10lb leader. If you are not sure then use a 12lb leader, it will be more than fine. :beerchug:

G

18" = 18 inches, not 18 lbs

 

[rpt]

There is about a million miles of lost fishing line in the Vedder and every inch of it can feel like a hit when it catches some part of your tackle which then slides along the line under tension. It can be very realistic and very frustrating.

As others have said, when in doubt, set the hook. I will sometimes use a more gradual setting technique if i think it's a snag - that involves applying full tension a bit slower so i can feel things like branches or line while still keeping atight line which will prompt a fish to move and eliminate any doubt (takes a bit of practice and a fair bit of experience with both snags and true hits).

 

[ja]

Thanks all for your replies. I find the different perspectives quite informative and useful...no doubt, collectively, a whole lot of experience in all the comments! :beerchug:

 

[Giuseppe]

Thanks all for your replies. I find the different perspectives quite informative and useful...no doubt, collectively, a whole lot of experience in all the comments! :beerchug:

my apologies ja, I misunderstood.

G

 

[ja]

no problem Giuseppe...and you are correct. I actually do use 12 pound leader!

 

[HOOK]

also keep a really good feel for the tiny little tap,tap,taps I have caught several this year the barely tapped a few times so i just tightened a bit to get the hook to stick, then when the fish shook its head a bit i bury the hook and the battle is on :thumbup:

 

[SilverBright]

also keep a really good feel for the tiny little tap,tap,taps I have caught several this year the barely tapped a few times so i just tightened a bit to get the hook to stick, then when the fish shook its head a bit i bury the hook and the battle is on :thumbup:

I employ the same method when I am not certain it's a dead to rights strike. I lift my rod tip up and see what resistance I am actually feeling down there...if I can get a feel for a headshake at all then I give 'er a yank and fight on!!

 

[scruffy]

also keep a really good feel for the tiny little tap,tap,taps I have caught several this year the barely tapped a few times so i just tightened a bit to get the hook to stick, then when the fish shook its head a bit i bury the hook and the battle is on :thumbup:

i've had this happen to me as well but ive noticed a couple of times the float was doing a weird dance thinking i might of snagged up with somthing so i lifted up on the rod to find a fish at the other end....i'll also do the same wait a second to set the hook and the fight is on.