Different kinds of retrieval methods

Melvinp

Well-known member
Here’s a list of my 6 favorite retrieval methods I use when fly fishing #1 The quickie short but fast retrieval of short amounts of line about a inch or two #2 quickie long same as short but up to a foot of line #3 The inch worm a inch at a time but slow #4 The slow roll a constant retrieval using your hand and rolling it around your fingers to create a slow but steady retrieval #5 The strip,strip,pause #6 The gotta smoke, when you make a cast and then put the rod under your arm to lite a smoke just a little movement every once in a while but just let it hang in the current. Any body got any more techniques
 

HenryDavid

Well-known member
#6 is what has been effective for me, I've "hung" my streamer in current next to downed trees, undercut banks, all the typical lower water hiding spots. I like to drift a bugger/streamer through a pool, slowly swing it, let it hang awhile and then swim it back at different speeds, even a sweep of the rod to try and trigger a strike. A mentor of mine taught me to let the streamer hang and slowly pull the rod toward yourself then let it slide back, a slow pulsing movement, only 6 inches or so, it's effective.
 

Don

Well-known member
#6 and #7 seem to work best for Bass and Pickerel at the lake. #7 is a medium fast full arm length strip, maybe 2 or 3 times then a pause moving the rod tip back and now and then. short strips don't seem effective on still water as the line isn't tight like on the river and in the crystal clear water I can see why it doesn't work. The flies are not doing down below what you are doing up above. The slight slackness in the line buffers the action.
For Panfish I strip slowly along the bottom with allot of brief stops. Thats coming to an end soon as the weeds become more of an issue.
 

Melvinp

Well-known member
#6 and #7 seem to work best for Bass and Pickerel at the lake. #7 is a medium fast full arm length strip, maybe 2 or 3 times then a pause moving the rod tip back and now and then. short strips don't seem effective on still water as the line isn't tight like on the river and in the crystal clear water I can see why it doesn't work. The flies are not doing down below what you are doing up above. The slight slackness in the line buffers the action.
For Panfish I strip slowly along the bottom with allot of brief stops. Thats coming to an end soon as the weeds become more of an issue.
Try very steady retrieves but slow and let it sink (wet fly ) way longer than you want just keep it off the bottom take your rod and pull it sideways slow and steady then take up the extra line you created in the pull best I’ve found for gills
 
  • Like
Reactions: Don

Melvinp

Well-known member
#6 is what has been effective for me, I've "hung" my streamer in current next to downed trees, undercut banks, all the typical lower water hiding spots. I like to drift a bugger/streamer through a pool, slowly swing it, let it hang awhile and then swim it back at different speeds, even a sweep of the rod to try and trigger a strike. A mentor of mine taught me to let the streamer hang and slowly pull the rod toward yourself then let it slide back, a slow pulsing movement, only 6 inches or so, it's effective.
Absolutely that’s the gotta smoke because when you have the rod under your arm then turn your body, light and then turn back down stream lol it works
 

Don

Well-known member
Since I'm new enough to not have many fish I question my method constantly. What I have to do is listen to you old farts as you've been there and succeeded. Another hoot is surface lures. I fish triangle bugs and it is hard to let them sit for 10 seconds after they land. Then its hard to do more than just twitch. I fish Dries, Caddis/Elk, terrestrials, you can ruin a really good outcome by retrieving too fast, I know, I've done it.
 

HenryDavid

Well-known member
That's how I was taught, see how long you can let it hang in the current, try to wait maybe 60 full seconds, then keep it there longer,.... similar with top water poppers, one slight twitch, then let it sit, see how long you can wait, then wait a little bit longer, then a very slight twitch. I love blasting poppers to make a huge disturbance, and the "POP" but it rarely if ever works.
 

HenryDavid

Well-known member
And never leave the pool you're fishing until you're certain nothing is in there actively feeding. After drifting, swinging, hanging and retrieving always try it again, a trout could be right next to your fly but not at all fixated on it. If it enters the pool again the trout might get it in it's sights and wham, fish are crazy ~!!
 

Don

Well-known member
Fish are crazy. My favorite are pickerel. They follow and follow. Right to the boat they follow.
 

Gremcat

Well-known member
I’m a Flutter Flutter Flutter working each edge/direction of a pool/run, followed by flutter drift flutter, in deep/slow current I’m straight drift,

Of course your asking about pure fly fishing which I know nothing of. Just today I was playing with varying setups while on a Corp call and realized I could use Half my beloved St Croix, I referred to her as Stella until I realized Shimano had used that name. Anyway, I want to try a 9’ mod action rod but it might be epic fail for my purposes so after many many hours trying to find a glass rod in a 9’ 5 wt that weighed what a CF/Graphite rod did I had an epiphany. I took the top two sections of the 3wt switch from Randy and it fit neatly onto the lower half of my 2 piece StCroix creating a slow/moderate action 9’ 4-5 wt ish. I did apologize to the now unnamed rod that’s caught me thousands of fish and will be buried with me. Man she’s ugly now but it’ll work for a trial.

Longer term I’d like something like a Sage Trout LL in a 9’6” length 4-5wt and 2 piece as I’ve seen literature on a blank they offered or used to like that. I’ve been stuck on no more than 3 piece rods forever. Might be a failing of the imagination.
 

Don

Well-known member
I'm learning the roll cast but the 4wt is a bit light. along as the fly isn't too heavy it seems to be okay.
 

Don

Well-known member
I’m a Flutter Flutter Flutter working each edge/direction of a pool/run, followed by flutter drift flutter, in deep/slow current I’m straight drift,

Of course your asking about pure fly fishing which I know nothing of. Just today I was playing with varying setups while on a Corp call and realized I could use Half my beloved St Croix, I referred to her as Stella until I realized Shimano had used that name. Anyway, I want to try a 9’ mod action rod but it might be epic fail for my purposes so after many many hours trying to find a glass rod in a 9’ 5 wt that weighed what a CF/Graphite rod did I had an epiphany. I took the top two sections of the 3wt switch from Randy and it fit neatly onto the lower half of my 2 piece StCroix creating a slow/moderate action 9’ 4-5 wt ish. I did apologize to the now unnamed rod that’s caught me thousands of fish and will be buried with me. Man she’s ugly now but it’ll work for a trial.

Longer term I’d like something like a Sage Trout LL in a 9’6” length 4-5wt and 2 piece as I’ve seen literature on a blank they offered or used to like that. I’ve been stuck on no more than 3 piece rods forever. Might be a failing of the imagination.
Look at the tutorials page. You seem calm, collected, and never distracted. You may find this right up you alley.
 

Don

Well-known member
Thats correct and my old limber 4wt isn't always willing. Its a very limber 4wt.
 

Melvinp

Well-known member
A lot of the giant musky flys are boat draggers there pretty much impossible to throw for any amount of time.throw them into the current from the back of the boat.If you plan on pitching these things all all you want them to look Hugh but be lite and dry fast.
 

Solitario Lupo

Moderator
Im not boat fishing for them. Most of the time it’s on shore and I only have to cast 10feet at the most. It gets harder when further to roll so. What I do is cast a short cast behind me and let the fly sit in the water then use the water and weight of the fly to cast forward.
 
Top