Hello all,

I have just read an article in Fly Fishing and Fly Tying Magazine about using Power Gum as part of your leader set up. Very interesting with regards using lighter tippets and still being able to land big fish due to the extra stretch given.

It got me thinking, I have just started river fishing this season and tend to fish down and across as the stretches of river I frequent have alot of over hanging trees etc and at the moment feel the only way I can fish these stretches is to drift the flies down to the fish. I have caught plenty of fish this season using this technique and also fishing upstream but as is common with down and across, bump alot of fish off. I realise that the usual method to over come this problem is to have your rod tip pointing up to about 45degrees or so, so that the bow formed from the tip to the water allows a fish to take a bit more solidly without the fish being bumped off. However I was thinking would the use of Power Gum increase the hook up rate due to the stretch not ripping the fly out of a snatching mouth of a trout / grayling / any other fish for that matter?

Now I know it is called fishing and not catching but was just thinking it may slightly increase the hook up ratio, no doubt there will still be fish bumped of due to a light hook hold which may result in (presumably) the loss of striking power due to the stretch in the Power Gum.

Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or experiences using Power Gum as part of their set up especially with regards to river fishing. It's probably a little late in the season to try it this time around as the season finishes at the end of the month, then again there are the grayling to target......

Many thanks in advance

Gary

Dabbled with it years ago but dislike it for the following main reasons:

It is too supple but quite heavy and feel it effects the turn over of the cast.

An overly stretchy section in the leader reduces the ability to feel bites.

More importantly I don't really feel their is a need for it. The only times I have been broken in recent memory is when a fish snatches at the top dropper and it is unworkable to include a section at this point.

For the record the fine translucent variety is the best buzzer ribbing I have found and nearly all of mine are tied using it. Have used the same spool of 4lb stuff for years but have struggled to find a replacement spool in the right colour of diameter.

I am always mad keen to try anything new, i did try power gum when it first came out,
i still have it ,
i used it a couple of times but got fed up with it, felt like catching a fish on a elastic band.