Been fishing a reservoir containing some well educated Rainbows.

I'm missing an awful lot of rises when fishing a dry or emerger just below the surface. I can see the swirl and fin and I think I strike fairly promptly. Occasionally I make contact but don't seem to be able to set the hook.

Any suggestions? (Apart from going back to Carp fishing with a bolt rig )

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

instead of striking try to figure of eight until the fish takes up the line it usually works for me cheers john

Thanks. I'll give that a try - if my nerves can stand it !

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

another option if you think you may be a bit slow on the strike is to keep your line short when casting and give yourself a better contact with the fish good luck john ps tell us how you get on

A couple of things: A bit of logic says you are either trying to connect too early or too late. Have you tried striking earlier or later, and seeing how the change affects hooking up?

Do you watch the very end of your line / leader for movement? If that moves the fish is dragging it along and you should strike immediately.

Is there much slack line you are trying to pick up before getting tight to the hook? This all takes time - time enough to miss the fish altogether. However, if there is a strong drag on the line (from current or wind creating a bend in it) that might be enough pressure to half set the hook when the fish takes it. The strike then completes the hook setting.

Also, you say you strike "fairly promptly". The fairly bit makes me wonder if the fish has eaten and spat out your fly before you have done anything at all. If you have ever watched trout in gin clear water and seen how quickly that can all happen you will know what I mean. The swirl is just as likely to be the movement upon spitting out your fly as the approach to it.

It's difficult to say without being there with you, but experimentation with timing and watching your line / leader would be my main suggestions.

Could be any number of reasons Bill,so is difficult to give a definitive answer without seeing you in action.Every rise needs to be read on its own merit as well so there is no right or wrong.However I think its safe to say that we usually tend to react faster than is neccesary when fishing dries...

Something that helps me if I find I'm missing too many is, 'reaching' for the fish instead of trying to lifting into them in the usual way.This has the dual effect of firstly slowing the rod arm a fraction and secondly if the fish does not have the fly in its mouth after all,the slight movement imparted on the fly when reaching can spur the fish into taking it.

This happens a lot on our C&R reservoir too. All manner of anglers have tried all manner of methods of hitting those rises but there are days when nothing seems to work.

I suspect it's due to light conditions and fish coming short to the fly - well that's my excuse any way. Some anglers suggest that the fish are just trying to drown the fly and you should wait for them to take the drowned fly - I'm not sure that that works either.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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*****©(

Nigel Haigh told me that and he added "particularly at this time of year". Several times I've just left a missed take and sure enough, the fish will come back for it.

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Roy

Can I ask what you mean by "reaching"? Do you mean a very slow and small lift into the fish?

Thanks to everybody for some helpful suggestions. Plenty of ideas to work on.

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"Take not out your 'ounds on a werry windy day" Surtees.

Yes just a slow lift of the rod,feeling for resistance.If the fish is there,simply continue the lift and bend into it as normal.