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The morning had been cold and cloudless, and by noon I'd fished a section of the Taylor River
several times with just one midsize rainbow to show for it. The bright sunlight had made the
fish wary, and all of the large fish I'd seen in recent days seemed to have vanished. Luckily,
clouds moved in after lunch, and the reduced glare allowed me to spot several big guys holding
above some midstream boulders. As I moved in closer to cast to what looked like a 10-pound rainbow,
I spotted movement just upstream. As I focused on the spot, I could make out the telltale red side
and gill plate of a monstrous rainbow - I estimated its weight to be in the mid-teens.
Quickly, I ducked - so my silhouette against the snowy background would not spook the huge fish.
Just as I prepared to cast, the fish suddenly slid several feet upstream, and his spot was taken
over by an even larger male. I stood there, locked in position, afraid that any movement would
frighten either one of the monster trout now holding just upstream from me. Slowly I made a roll
cast to the giant fish closest to me. The cast was slightly short, so I stripped out another two
feet of line and recast.
On my third cast, the current took the midge pattern right into the trout's feeding lane. The
big fish kicked a little to the side, opened his mouth wide, and inhaled the fly. I set the hook,
and the water erupted as he surfaced to make the most violent headshakes I'd ever seen. He was
throwing water five feet in either direction, and my rod arm was going up and down with each headshake
like I was hammering nails.
The giant rainbow bolted upstream, with me following as closely as I could, but as I caught up
with him he turned and charged downstream. This up-and-down battle lasted for 15 minutes, until
he finally tired and made several sideways rolls on the surface. Only then was I able to guide
him into shallow water and slide him headfirst into my outstretched net. At 32 inches and 16
pounds, it was the largest rainbow I'd ever landed.
Large Trout and Small Tippets
Perhaps the toughest challenge in fly fishing is landing a trout over 10 pounds on a small fly
and a light tippet. Because the weight of the fish alone usually exceeds the breaking strength
of the tippet material, the trick is to use fish-fighting strategies that allow you to bring
the fish to the net without applying so much pressure that the line breaks or the hook is dislodged.
It doesn't help that the excitement of catching what may be the largest trout you've ever hooked
sends adrenaline coursing through your body.
Large fish are most often lost right at the beginning or the end of the fight-during the first
ten seconds or so after being hooked, or as they are brought in close to the net. When such a
fish is first hooked, it usually makes a series of strong headshakes followed by a long run.
You need to be prepared and react quickly.
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DThe best way to keep a consistent amount of tension on the fish is to slightly raise and lower
your arm and the rod tip in time with the headshakes so that the rod tip flexes for each shake.
Lower the rod tip only about one foot with each shake, and then return it to the original position
as soon as possible. The rod should appear to be an extension of your arm. This takes pressure off
of the knots in the line, lessens the pressure on the fly so it doesn't dislodge, and continues to
wear down the fish by forcing it to pull against the pressure of the rod and line.
When the fish makes a strong run away from you, immediately drop your arm and rod to a nearly
horizontal position, with the rod tip pointing at a spot just above the fish. Although many
anglers have been taught to raise the rod tip-and that you never point the rod at the fish-my
experience has shown that the drag system of a decent reel is better than you are at maintaining
even line tension during a strong run. Let the reel do its job, and the flexing of the slightly
raised rod tip will act as a cushion.
As soon as the fish slows or stops its run, move your rod to a more vertical position to take
up the slack in the line. This will allow the rod tip to act as a shock absorber to counteract
any sharp tugs on the line during the fight. This dampening effect will decrease the chances of
breaking your tippet, but be ready to lower the rod if again if the fish makes another run.
Stay Close to the Action
To fight big trout on light tippets, you must have a solid understanding of your equipment and
its capabilities-not the technical specifications of your rod's construction or how many pieces
and parts make up your reel's drag system, but rather how all the various pieces of equipment are
used to overcome and land a big fish. You want to be able to apply as much leverage and tension
as possible on the fish without breaking it off. Leverage is the pressure you apply to the fish
to try to control its direction, and tension is the amount of stress that you place on the leader,
line, and rod.
Tpossible, hold your rod directly above the fish and remain as close to the fish as you can.
This usually results in you traveling up stream and down with the fish, taking in line whenever
possible in an attempt to keep your rod tip virtually above the fish. Maintaining a short line-preferably
one to three rod lengths between you and the fish-will decrease the chances of the trout taking
control of the fight. When a big fish runs some distance away from you, it decreases your ability
to put upward or sideways leverage on it. Plus, by staying close, you avoid the additional tension
created by the drag of the line through the water, and you can use your rod to steer the line or
the fish out of danger should your line wrap around an object in the river. Your goal is to wear
down the fish and prevent it from getting its head down and using its full strength to fight you.
To generate leverage on a fish, you need to use good rod placement, which helps you to direct
the fish to a spot where you can net it. Of course, the trout will try to get to fast, turbulent
water where it can use its strength to the maximum. Here are some tricks that will help you stay
in control, and maintain leverage on a big fish.
As soon as possible, steer the fish into shallower and slower moving, water, by applying sideways-and
slightly downstream-leverage with the rod. Some anglers like to lay the rod parallel to the water to
exert side pressure, but I prefer to hold the rod at a 45-degree angle, which keeps the trout's head
up. By forcing the trout downstream, you can fight the fish, not the current it's swimming in.
To throw the fish off balance, change rod position frequently between having the tip up and
applying side pressure on the fish. These changes in direction of leverage will help disorient
the fish, which oftentimes causes it to come to the surface and shake its head, which tends to
tire it out faster. If you do everything right, your big trout will start to show signs of
fatigue and may even start to roll in the water as a last attempt to break free.
The Landing
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Getting a large trout in the net can be the hardest part of the process. At the end of the fight,
when the fish detects you or the net in the water, it will give a final burst. Don't get overly
anxious and try to drag the fish back towards you or apply undo pressure on the line to keep the
fish from running. Impatience at this stage can be disastrous.
You want to be in control of the fight until the fish is safely into the net, so don't be hurried
and never try to net a fish in fast current. Watch how the fish acts to determine if it is ready;
if you attempt to net a fish too soon, you stand a good chance of breaking your tippet with the
net itself. If a fish rolls on the surface or can no longer hold its position in the current and
starts to swim downstream, you're in business.
Always net the fish head first. This ensures that any last burst of energy will propel the fish
into the net, not away from it. It is important that you not get overly anxious and try to net
the fish too early or tail first. Stay calm, and continue to use and practice these techniques
and you'll be landing more and larger trout.
Your Guide's Corner Hosts, Landon Mayer and Dennis Kreutz
Watch for upcoming Extreme Fly Fishing videos so you can
See It, Learn It, Do It, to the Extreme.
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