Playing And Landing Your Fish (Part Seven - Snags And Boats)

When a salmon or a large trout makes a run down stream through heavy water and the chance of stopping him look slim. You can sometimes bring him back by feeding out a lot of slack quickly, if the fish pauses long enough slack to release all of the pull from upstream. He is likely to come back toward you, since the pull now comes from below. It is natural for him to return, but this doesn't always work. At best, it is a gamble.

The fish will often get into a weed bed or drop down to the bottom and sulk. If you try to haul him in the line will break, and you'll lose your Fish. You must sweat it out by slacking off your line to let the fish think he is free.

In a few minutes he will move, and you can start battling him again. Or you can try rapping the rod butt, whilst at the same time moving the rod from side to side. This may disturb him enough to provoke more fight.

The sight of your boat may frighten your fish into a last-ditch run. So be ready for it, let him run again, rather than trying to drag him in. He may even dive under the boat. His last-minute attempt for freedom. should this occur thrust the rod tip deep into the water, and work the line around the end of the boat. Then with one hand placed beyond the rod grip lift up on the fish. The straight uplift will usually bring him to the top.

Most boats tangles can be avoided by standing up and reaching around corners with the rod. And whilst on the subject of boat tangles, you should be cautioned against allowing on board, anything that may catch, or interfere with, your line. Don't permit ropes to drag in the water. If you hook a good fish and are anchored, haul in the anchor immediately if possible. Your fish may run afoul of the anchor rope and give you some added problems.

Just remember that in this wonderful, if at times frustrating, sport called fishing, no one plays every fish perfectly, a certain percentage are bound to escape. And that really, is what makes it a sport. How dull and boring it would be if we caught fish all the time, and none of them got away.