Ghillie Cottage
For the Warmest of Welcomes by the Mightiest of Rivers
Salmon Fly
Fishing 'OFF THE REEL'
at one of
The Great Fishing Houses of
Ireland
First set your reel clutch at MINIMUM CHECK, to allow line to be pulled off without resistance. After you have made your cast, mend the line if you wish to slow the passage of the fly on fast water.
Place the rod in the hand that is the same as the bank you are fishing,
Right Bank as you look downstream have the rod in the RIGHT hand.
Left Bank as you look downstream have the rod in the LEFT hand.
Holding the rod with your hand at the upper part of the handle, extend your arm, have the first rod ring at eye level. Place the butt of the rod on your thigh. This will be a comfortable position and your other hand is left free.
As the current moves the fly line across the river KEEP THE ROD TIP TO THE BANK SIDE OF THE LINE.
When a salmon takes your fly DO NOTHING !!!!!!!!!
Keep the arm holding the rod locked. DO NOT STRIKE !!!!!!!!
Allow the salmon to pull off a much line as it wants.
THE PRESSURE OF THE CURRENT ON THE FLY LINE WILL SET THE HOOKS
To put pressure on the salmon, PLACE THE PALM OF THE FREE HAND ON THE EXPOSED RIM ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FLY REEL.
This will act as a break, it is then easy to play your salmon.
Once the salmon starts to tire, you can then increase the clutch setting on the reel. Do this in small increments according to the strength of the salmon. Keep reeling in any line that you can.
At the earliest time, when wading, get out of the river and onto the bank. This will give you greater mobility should the salmon take off up or downstream. TRY TO KEEP LEVEL OR DOWNSTREAM OF THE SALMON
Do not let the salmon get too far downstream, the pressure of the current can break out the hook hold.
KEEP THE TOP OF THE ROD HIGH so that the rod acts as a shock absorber. The only time you drop the rod point, is when the SALMON LEAPS. When this happens PLACE THE TIP OF THE ROD ON THE WATER. This takes direct pressure off your fly leader. When the salmon re-enters the river RAISE THE ROD. Do not give slack line. Always keep pressure on the salmon.
When the salmon is played out it will lie on its side, this is when you bring the fish over and into the Gye net, taking the net well up the bank before using the priest. Many salmon have jumped back into the river simply because the net was not taken up onto the bank.
Tight Lines!!!
Doug Lock R.E.F.F.I.S. 4 April, 1998
Ghillie Cottage, Kilbarry Stud, Fermoy, Co. Cork,
Ireland
Telephone: ++353-25-32720 Telefax: ++ 353-25-33000
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