Releasing a fish solo

**wfocharlie** · 01-17-2012, 02:28 PM

This is a good video of a guy doing this (almost) by himself. I think he could have de hooked it by himself if pliers were handy. Its amazing how easy some guys can make this look. I guess its just experience. Hope I can do it half this well at the end of a 13 foot rod the first time I try. So far I've only brought hatchery fish to hand.
Oh, and what a fish.

http://vimeo.com/34759722

**Gabe** · 01-17-2012, 02:59 PM

Aren't all you Wild fish pursuing fly guys supposed to de-barb your hooks?

**Ed Fast** · 01-17-2012, 03:19 PM

did you see the ears on the guy at the end?

Don't mess with him!

I got dizzy watching that vid.

Ed

**Arctic** · 01-17-2012, 03:24 PM

Thats a nice fish there! Dang! Sandy puts out some excellent fish for the fly guys fir sure!

Be careful of tension and flying lead when others are present!! I can see that fly comin back at the guy playing third hand!

I understand its difficult to land fish, high-stickin a Spey rod...

Hahahaha! Sweep em in with a side arm motion.

Its a lot easier to land fish when you arent standing waist deep in the run, and if you dont use anything, but a "check" drag system, or loosen your washer drag some.. Sweep that fish up to the shallows, freespool the reel, and cup the line, and follow it down to the leader. Thats just what Ive found to be easy. I used to high stick everything, but even with a telephone pole for a rod, you can still low stick 'em, and land 'em.

And, yeah... Somebody been grindin his head into a mat somewhere it looks like!

**Ed Fast** · 01-17-2012, 08:56 PM

if that's the guy I think it is, his name is Travis (I think) and used to wrestle at ASU or UofA.

I haven't seen him for a long time.

Ed

**fisherman** · 01-17-2012, 09:45 PM

That is a dangerous video my friend. I had a fish on the Klickitat this fall that I got to hand in a similar way, I forgot to do my technique for putting some slack line into the mix and the fish made one last push, slipped out of my hand, swam through my legs bringing the rod tip into the water, across a bunch of rocks, under my legs pulling the rod out of my hand and into the water. I managed to grab the rod just as I heard the SNAP! fish gone. It was a mess.

The thing I have found that really helps landing fish with a long rod is that once I am ready to bring them in I take my free hand and I quickly strip 2-3 pulls of line off the reel. I keep my other hand on the rod handle clamping onto the line to keep it secure. The second I grab the tail or leader with my free hand I open my rod hand and let out the free line. This instantly relieves the pressure on the line and the harsh bend in the rod tip.

**wfocharlie** · 01-18-2012, 06:43 AM

Some good tips you guys. Thats one of the reasons I posted this. The 2-3 strips until you get the leader sounds like a good idea. Ian the side sweep to the shallows sounds like a better option to the high stick. Now if I can just remember all this in an adrenaline haze.

Here is Ed Wards take on it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFU_ivIvjo
Similar to things Arctic and Fisherman mentioned.
Its cool to see a guy like that still get such a thrill out of bringing one to hand.

**Ed Fast** · 01-19-2012, 08:18 PM

Funny 'bout that vid: I watched it and was thinking why is that familiar?

Well, it suddenly hit me. I was watching some vids to see what I was gonna save from last year the other day and came upon this one. I didn't even realize that was the way I do it when keeping a fish in the water.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXglF...ature=youtu.be

sorry for Steve's (Blazinfish) bouncy camera work (just teasin', buddy) but you get the idea.

I am putting lots of pressure on that fish, by the way. That's how long it takes to get one of those buggers tired to hand and be able to unhook them without them beating themselves up. They just won't give up! All of the first runs, etc. were done by the time we got the camera going, but that's how it always goes.

haha, note how I say at the beginning that I think the fish is 'about done'.

Also, I have become lazy over the years and don't seem to put fish on the reel unless I have absolutely no choice. I should probably quit doing that, as I noticed in the vid it almost got me into trouble there, once.

Oh, and disclaimer, I am not claiming that is any kind of special video nor do I think I am good at doing videos, if that makes any sense. It is a raw clip from us goofing off on a fun day on the river. I have some good ones of Steve and Gabe, by the way. Some day I'll edit all the clips into a little vid of our fun day on the river. (probably not)

Ed