I
am waiting for the 17th of march to come.
It is the first day of the fishing season here in the south east for the
barrow, Nore, and Suir rivers.
Last
year, 2010, I finished up my fishing by using a 15 foot salmon fly rod which is
more enjoyable than spinning rod fishing. My
plan this year for 2011 is to salmon fly fish all year.
Salmon fly fishing
is an art
that will not
be learned in a
short space of
time it takes
great patience.
Safety first. This topic is often overlooked as we all think that accidents will happen to someone else and not to ourselves. For anyone going salmon fishing then I would suggest at a minimum that they should have:-
1.
glasses for eye
protection,
2. a wading staff to test how deep the river is before
stepping forward,
3. a properly fitted life jacket.
The First Obstacles to Overcome.
The name! Double handed rod.
For some people even the name alone will prevent them from picking one up. Double handed, this must imply doubly as difficult as a single handed rod? Thankfully this is not the case; it is sometimes easier to teach people how to cast the double handed rod than the single handed rod.
For some people even the name alone will prevent them from picking one up. Double handed, this must imply doubly as difficult as a single handed rod? Thankfully this is not the case; it is sometimes easier to teach people how to cast the double handed rod than the single handed rod.
Length and strength.
The double handed requires only a small move on the hands to create a huge impression on the top of the rod therefore the single handed person usually starts by moving the hands too far and with too much energy. A short move with as little energy as possible is what is required in the beginning.
The double handed requires only a small move on the hands to create a huge impression on the top of the rod therefore the single handed person usually starts by moving the hands too far and with too much energy. A short move with as little energy as possible is what is required in the beginning.
Think – short
moves, bottom hand, with as little energy as possible.
Try to avoid reaching or
stretching, and also try to avoid having your hands too close together.
It is easier for most people to work a lever at shoulder width apart, and if
the hands are too close together then it is difficult to get the leverage of
the rod working at all.
Need to knows!
The following are a few things that all fly fishers need to know before any of their casting becomes efficient.
1. Avoid slack line and try to keep the tension of the line against the tip of the rod. Close your eyes and think about pulling the line, not throwing or pushing.
2. Mel Krieger’s word Whuuummmmmp, teaches us that we start slowly, build in speed and the fastest part of the cast is just before we stop.
3. The line will follow the rod tip. It has no choice, it is attached to it therefore if you are moving straight ahead when you stop the rod then the line will go straight ahead, moving downwards then the line will go downwards etc, ………………… Remember the leverage; even if you are moving downwards ever so slightly with your hand then the action is magnified at the top of the rod.
The following are a few things that all fly fishers need to know before any of their casting becomes efficient.
1. Avoid slack line and try to keep the tension of the line against the tip of the rod. Close your eyes and think about pulling the line, not throwing or pushing.
2. Mel Krieger’s word Whuuummmmmp, teaches us that we start slowly, build in speed and the fastest part of the cast is just before we stop.
3. The line will follow the rod tip. It has no choice, it is attached to it therefore if you are moving straight ahead when you stop the rod then the line will go straight ahead, moving downwards then the line will go downwards etc, ………………… Remember the leverage; even if you are moving downwards ever so slightly with your hand then the action is magnified at the top of the rod.
The Overhead Cast
The overhead cast consists of two casts; the back cast and the forward cast.
The six stages of the overhead cast are:-
The overhead cast consists of two casts; the back cast and the forward cast.
The six stages of the overhead cast are:-
Back cast =
lift, stroke and stop.
Forward cast = stroke, stop and follow through.
Forward cast = stroke, stop and follow through.
Or in simple terms:-
Dip the paint brush in
the paint tin; lift it to the ceiling and whuuuuump along the ceiling.
Stop!
Wait for your line to unfold then whuuuuuuump back along the ceiling. Stop!
Wait for your line to drop, and then bring your paint brush back to the paint tin.
Wait for your line to unfold then whuuuuuuump back along the ceiling. Stop!
Wait for your line to drop, and then bring your paint brush back to the paint tin.
Common casting faults with the Overhead cast
1. Rod tip too high
before you start.
One of the most common casting faults and one of the reasons for me failing my APGAI-Irl exam
the first year was starting to cast with the rod tip too high.
If you start with the rod tip too high then you have created slack line before you start to cast.
You have to move the rod a little bit before you get a straight tight line.
Remember every time you move you must be pulling the weight of the fly line to make the rod bend (load).
If the rod is not bending when you are moving it then you are not bending the rod.
One of the most common casting faults and one of the reasons for me failing my APGAI-Irl exam
the first year was starting to cast with the rod tip too high.
If you start with the rod tip too high then you have created slack line before you start to cast.
You have to move the rod a little bit before you get a straight tight line.
Remember every time you move you must be pulling the weight of the fly line to make the rod bend (load).
If the rod is not bending when you are moving it then you are not bending the rod.
2. The WHAM effect.
Use the word whuuuuuuump from the start of the back cast.
Start slowly, gradually build in speed and the fastest part of the cast is just before you stop.
Use the word whuuuuuuump from the start of the back cast.
Start slowly, gradually build in speed and the fastest part of the cast is just before you stop.
3. The
Elephant Trunk
This is when the bottom hand sticks out too far on the back cast.
This will drive your rod tip downwards when you stop and your line will follow hitting the grass or the water behind.
Remember only the ceiling not the windows and doors.
This is when the bottom hand sticks out too far on the back cast.
This will drive your rod tip downwards when you stop and your line will follow hitting the grass or the water behind.
Remember only the ceiling not the windows and doors.
4. Not using the bottom
hand at all.
This usually happens when the single handed caster picks up the double handed rod for the first time.
When the caster starts to realise that the bottom hand is as important as the top then they will really start to feel the benefits.
This usually happens when the single handed caster picks up the double handed rod for the first time.
When the caster starts to realise that the bottom hand is as important as the top then they will really start to feel the benefits.
Last
year it was all spinning rod fishing for me but not this year, as the good is
gone out off spinning for salmon. The
reason being is that you have more sport in fly fishing for salmon and it takes
more rod time and skill to land a salmon with a 15 foot fishing rod.
The
first step for me to do now is get my salmon licence from the South East
Fishery Board. The cost of the licence
will be €58.00.
My
second step is to get my salmon flies all in order. I hope to get the right
ones for this year at the right price as well.
My
third step is my fly rod reel. It needs
a service after last year with the hardship that it got from August to
September.
My
forth step is that my fishing rod needs cleaning and varnishing to keep it dry
for this year. I hope to have everything
in order for the 17th of March and have tight lines (this means
always with a fish on the line) for 2011.
I
decided this year that I will get the south east licence only.
·
The
Munster Blackwater is Ireland ’s
second largest river next to the mighty Shannon .
It rises in the mountains of east Kerry. It flows eastward for 75 miles through
Counties Cork and Waterford , until it enters the
sea at Youghal, in east Cork
The Moy
River rises in the Ox Mountains and
flows approximately 68 miles to where it enters the Atlantic
ocean at Killala bay. The river Moy is rated as one of the best
Salmon rivers in Europe , with catches of
between 8,000 and 10,000 Wild Atlantic Salmon annually to the rod and line. The
Spring fishing is at its best from mid March until mid May. Spring Salmon are considered to be the King
of Atlantic Salmon with weights ranging from 8 lbs to 20 lbs and there are a
few Salmon in excess of this landed each year.
Today is Tuesday the 15th of
March. It is only 2 days from the start
of the salmon fishing season. I am
hoping the first day is fine and dry and I have a tight line some part of the
day? It would make my day very
enjoyable. I am waiting now for the 17th
of March.
The 17th of March came and
went it was not my day on the river for I caught no salmon. Hoping the next day
on the river I will have more luck than the first day.
