[Gray Struznik]

I was in a conversation not to long ago with a couple guys about dropping a loop on the take. I've always pinched my line against the cork but I have now ran into a couple of strange situations with fish where I've woundered if I would have droped a loop on that fish would I have got him. I guess I could just be looking for an excuse for missing a fish from time to time but I think we all might do that. anyway let me know what you guys think? Loop vs tight line

 

[miyawaki]

Generally, winter yes, summer no.

Leland.

 

[attack]

hmmm i would be backwards on that, loop in summer, not in winter because there is more slack in a tip system than in a floating line/greased line presentation, that being said i have been sticking with the loop all this winter until now...the thing on my mind a lot lately is that every time i cast, all my running line goes out and i pullback mend in most instances and then grab a loop...i am pulling 4-5 ft of slack line out of that would be additional sink time...i dont like that so i think im going to play with no loop for a bit

 

[James Waggoner]

I'm not dead set on loop or no loop anymore, as I now find I do sometime do and don't do for the reasons "Attack" mentioned. If you tend to run tight drags, I'd say a loop is a protection, but I barely set my drags on the reels that have drags and the clickers well you know. What I don't understand in the "loop on no loop" question, is the "dropping loop" terminology. As I've never really heard anyone ever dropping a loop but rather allowing the loop to slip through the fingers until the reel sounds, then maybe a pinch and a raised hook set. Most of the time the loop is gone in a blink and the reel is sounding before I know whats even going on.

At one time I never used a loop while skating, didn't even touch the line, just straight to the reel (Note: drag set to tire fish)...it worked very well until one day a large aggressive steelhead hit my skater so hard it caused my reel to make perhaps a half revloution then it was gone! and I mean fly and everyting gone! Since then while skating I carry a loop and a drag only tight enough to prevent over run while pulling line off the reel.

 

[Panhandle]

Do a search. There's like 3000 threads on the subject here. Pretty played out topic.

 

[Gray Struznik]

Sorry I'm new to this board panhandel but it was on my mind so I posted it but thanks I'll check it out. The way it was explaned to me is sometimes you let the line slide threw your finger and others you drop the loop depending on how the fish grabs.

 

[Leroy Laviolet]

Olypen, nothing to be sorry about, people show up at different times on this sight, and have different insights, all of which are welcome- I would take Pan's advice and do the search, but new ideas and discusion are good too-
I like Miyawaki's way of no to summer, and yes to winter. I'd guess that this is due to more agressive fish when the temps are up and less agressive fish when the temps are down.

 

[sothereiwas]

To say drop a loop is deceiving. I always hold a loop, but never drop it. I allow the fish to take it from me. I hold it with enough tension to retain it, no more. Summer fish will often take the while loop very abruptly since I'm almost always fishing a floating line. In the winter if gives me some measurement of feel. To each his own, I would rather hold it and put the pinch on it then not have it as an option.

 

[nutsack angler]

no line fondling straight to the reel set to the bank party time excellent!

 

[Leroy Laviolet]

no line fondling straight to the reel set to the bank party time excellent!

!

 

[Han Double]

Generally, winter yes, summer no.

Leland.

iagree

as long as dropping means letting it slide through your fingers. learning how to do that was harder than any spey cast and quitting smoking combined.

 

[Verne]

I've never felt any need for holding and dropping loops for steelhead so I never have.

 

[gone johnson]

I've never felt the 'need' either.
I do it for fun - mostly when fishing grease liners for summer runs. It's cool feeling them take that loop from you. And it seems that every take is a little different.

I had a take last fall that seemed like it lasted for ten minutes, (I know it was just a few seconds though). The fly had swung well in to the slack water near shore when I noticed that something felt different with the line between my finger and thumb. With my other hand I gently, and slowly pulled in a few inches of line...just as gently, and just as slowly, a few inches of line were taken back out!

Grinning, I slyly pulled a couple more inches back in...now I could kinda feel him...so I slowly pulled in even more with the fish coming right along with it. It wasn't long before I had doubled the size of my holding loop. Well the last thing I wanted was more line lying on the water when this guy decided to do his torpedoe imitation so I waited...and waited...finally he ambled away and the loop began to shrink. Once the loop was gone I lifted the rod and things returned to normal - fish on!

Another time I had just sent out the cast and looked down to check the size of my loop. Just as I did, it vanished in a blink, the rod tip went under, and the reel started singing.

I don't know if a loop is good or bad - but damn is it fun!