I'm posting this more for newcomers to the sport, as i remember being told this many years ago, by the person who introduced me to fly-fishing

I was at a local fishery a couple of days ago, and the fish seemed to be off, nothing except the odd trout every hour or two showing, the very few that were showing seemed to keep well out of casting range and with a stiff wind blowing over the water, it's likely what we all describe as a pretty dour day.

After a couple of hours with no success with buzzers or the usual suspects, i decided to put a hothead damsel on the sink tip line that i had on, and allow it to sink using the weighted bead head, by this time it was past lunch-time as the hunger within me, made my stomach start to think that my throat had been slit, and this is when i made the stupid error, that i hope new or otherwise not so new anglers will avoid.

I cast out and decided to let the fly sink to the bottom, but instead of holding my rod, i tried to kill 2 birds with one stone, and take a sandwich from my bag, while resting the rod just at my feet (shouldnt take more than 10 seconds to whip out a sandwich i thought) and by that time the fly will have sunk, then i'll start a slow retrieve back.

And that's when it happened 2 seconds into my 10 second count down around £350 of fishing tackle lept up and flew from my feet, faster than a bad cheque, and straight into the water, before i could grab the damn rod, not a touch all day and as soon as you drop your concentration, bang some big trout makes off with your rod.

My first thoughts were (as i seen the lfly ine fastly disapearing from sight) dewd you're going swimming for this rod. Luckily enough there was another angler on the water and i quickly grabbed his rod, and cast over my line, and after what seemed like a lifetime, (just a few casts) i managed to snag into it, got the line in and a very embarassed and lucky me managed to retrieve the rod reel etc, albeit the big fish by this time had decided to detach itself from my fly.

So after retreiving the rod, i thought, okay enough of that, i'll cast out but this time hold my damn rod, and with my free hand lets get this much needed sandwich, but to my amazement, it happened again, bang another fish straight away, so struck it, and got it in, then ate the sandwich.

Now i used to think, what the hell are the chances of that happening to me, or the chances of it happening twice if i had not held my rod the 2nd time, sure you hear the odd story of it happening to someone who lives in some remote place, but i will NEVER ever drop my rod again, even for a split second.

I thought it could never happen to me, i was lucky i wasn't fishing a large venue, so it can and will happen to anyone. And it will be a very expensive lesson.

Regards
Jim

Good story that,done something similar many yrs ago whilst boat fishing on a ressie.Left a fly dangling in the water on a short line,fished grabbed hold of it,by by rod

Neil

Lesson to be leaned here folks

Ouch! As a newbie I've already developed the habit of resting my rod against my boot (I tend to fish sitting down because of my disability) whilst leaning over to grab a sandwich/choccy bar/drink etc from my bag, I guess that's one habit I'll have to unlearn quickly

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I used to like fishing because I thought it had some larger significance. Now I like fishing because it's the one thing I can think of that probably doesn't.

Once on a local fishery I frequented I had to borrow one of the owners rods (opened my rod bag to find my 2 piece rod in 3 pieces). Out on the boat I had the rod rested across my lap while chatting to my mate, when it got pulled over the side I leaped across and somehow managed to grab it in the water, and landed the fish (a PB on that lake at 5 1/2 lbs) Needless to say I have not made the same mistake since!