So, I finally got up north to Area 9. First beach I went to had 8-10 people at the beginning about sun up and stayed until there were only a few people left. Saw a few caught. I had a few follow the fly to the tip of the rod. My question is: how do you deal with "The Follow?" I striped faster on one then slower and not irratic on another. No grabs but I did get one solid head shake. Went to another beach and there was noone around. missed a good grab in about an hour. There was a bunch of weeds in the water and had to clean my fly nearly every cast. Well, now back to area 11/13.
The follow without a grab is frustrating, but at least you are getting some action. If you had a head shake you had a grab. The silvers will be less cautious at very low light, in fog, with a breeze rippling the water, around surf. Accelerating your retrieve into the rod tip helps stimulate a strike or rapidly changing direction of the retrieve. Also, fishing in a current makes them less cautious and more aggressive strikers.
Some fish just won't commit. As Dimebrite mentioned, accelerating your retrieve will help. My favorite way to do that is as follows. Say you take a cast and the current moves your line off to the left. Once you can see the fly and have 5 to 10 feet of line out, do a quick sweep across your body to the right. Many times this will get a fish to commit. You also get to see the whole thing as the fish zips after your fly right in front of you. If your fly comes in on the same side you are holding your rod, swing the fly in towards the beach. I do this every cast regardless of if I have a follower or not. It is pretty surprising how often fish hit that have been following your fly that you don't see or know they are there.
The last "trick" in my quiver for tracking but not taking fish is stop the fly for an instant then pull it away. The pause drops the fly back into their face and they often just open their mouth and grab. If no take then when the fly is pulled away they often will grab it as it basically is coming out of the water.
Plus if you tied a loop rather than a cinch, the fly, if it's weighted up front, dips down and moves a little more realistically. That and a little marabou instead of deer hair will exaggerate that movement.
Ditto on the non-slip loop and it's one heck of a strong knot. Tungsten conehead or dumbell eyes make the fly jig a lot, even when stripped fast. I think keeping up the speed or accelerating is best as it give the fish the least time to identify what it is chasing and may trigger a predatory response (bite).
Thanks for the replies. Those are really good tips that I am going to put to use next time I get a chance. But as of now back to work.
I will add to Wolverines comment. On Sat I had a large fish follow my fly to shore. The lighting was perfect to see him. One strip follow, then I let the fly sink when it was inhaled by the fish. My mistake (just guessing here) was to try to set the hook to soon and not let him swim off with it then set the hook. When I pulled back it was there.... then gone. I think the whole beach could hear my cursing. Dave
so i get the loop knot, need to look up how to tie. but some of the beaches are pretty shallow and when using a fly with weight and no movement i get so much salad. worth it of course if you have a fallow. do you guys ever do a semi short cast sorta shot gun an area with quick strips then fire back out??
Splitting hairs, but F&S says the Rapala knot wins in strength (89% vs. 86%). The non-slip looks like it's easier to get the desired loop size though. The Rapala sometimes gives me more loop than I bargained for.
thanks stonefish. i printed the page out so i can practice this one. looks like it would work with spoons too. i know, but when bank fishing the lower snohomish there is no way to cast a fly, hardly can cast a spoon with a steep bank and all.
