Hi guys.

For many a year I have wanted to attempt to impart some of my years of fly dangling experience onto others. However, having struggled like mad to even help my other half to catch her first river Brownie this year, i'm wondering where am I going wrong?

I can usually pitch up at the river, cast a dry upstream into a likely looking spot or two, and average 2 or 3 fish over a couple of hours. Sara, however for some inexplicable reason cant?

Now, my casting is fairly sorted, I catch the odd tree etc, but on the whole its ok, my stealth techniques are also good, i dont make too much noise on the bank and concealment of my person is good. It comes from years stalking Barbel and Chub.
Sara too, is pretty good at being quiet.

I find that when I have a tangle ensuing, I realise it fast and abort whatever Im casting instantly, she doesnt..............she will keep at it untill the fly is a web of leader around itself or whatever else it may have become attached too, why doesnt she realise?

I sit patiently beside her, helping her to spot the fish, giving my opinion of how to go about catching the brownie, but for some reason it just doesnt happem for her. Now this year I must have had 30 or so, and she hasnt had one?

Its starting to seem a little unfair, and although she is still keen as hell on fishing, I just detect the glimmer of hope is starting to dwindle a bit.

HOW OH HOW, can I help this lady catch her first Trout from moving water, adn reinstall the fishy fun we had when fishing Grafham earlier this season where she managed to get a few?

Come on guides, how do you assist your clients, assuming they can cast a reasonable line, have the right fly, and are sitting in front of a fish or two?

I had considered for some time becoming a casting/fishing guide, but seeing as i cant help my good lady I guess I'd be a poor commercial guide.
Jas

a big presumption "have THE right fly" ,we can only hope we have picked THE fly that the trout want there and then ,the rest is down to them ,how many have matched the hatch and blanked,then put something totaly obscure on and catch ....

__________________
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

O.K Bruce, I get your drift but lets assume that its a fly that I caught on maybe half an hour earlier. different swim, but close by.

Jas.

We have to assume some continuity

and there in your reply lies another situation that if not correct ,will stop them rising to take the fly or turn away at the last minute, "drift" ,... someone may be able to come on and put there finger on it straight away , im just going through process of elimination...

__________________
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

I think you may be being a little hard on yourself Jas.
Although I can't comment on fishing instruction.
My other passion is Karate and grappling arts.
I have tried to teach my better half a few things in the past and failed, however when she is taught by another instructor she picks things up quicker.
Maybe treat yourselves to a guided day on another river may take the pressure off you a bit.

Hope this helps

Sean

Thanks Sean, thats probably damn good advise that, I can honestly say its getting depressing trying to 'Make' her catch one, and failing dismally. She says she's not bothered but I know she is really.

We all would be wouldnt we? All summer and she's a damn fine 'netsgirl' / Ghillie!

Jas

---------- Post added at 10:37 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 AM ----------

Bruce I know exactly what you mean.

If I fish, I kind of just know when it doesnt look right, when the presentation just doesnt look right, drift, etc etc. How do you instill all that into a keen fisher girl, who just loves being on a river bank but gets increasingly flustered by tangles and just not catching?

That is the point I think?

Assuming that the person (ME) with her, can catch a few, and realises when the missing something just doesnt look right, how can you make the penny drop when the rods in someone elses hand, and remain calm in the face of failure!

Jas

hi there i too had a similar problem with my other half it didnt matter what flies or how she fished them i would catch and she woudnt. I did what was suggested i paid for her to have lessons and a guided day and low and behold she is catching regularly now( a little to regularly sometimes as she beats now) But it was definitely money well spent

if that was me and lord knows we all have days like that, i just sit down relax and then start again ,its amazing how a little break changes your mindset ,it will also put your girl back in a frame of mood to listen/watch and learn which she would of had no chance if still flustered...
you could try shortening her leader(dont know what length she is using) or try her with a furled leader with a short tippet ???

__________________
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

change your tactics quick.
let her fish wets down and across to catch the fish, then after a few successes try the upstream dry!!.
the object of her desire now is to catch, make sure she does, then you will once again be the object of her desire!!
regards
bert

Quote:
Originally Posted by barbusbruce
i'm wondering where am I going wrong?

change your tactics quick.
let her fish wets down and across to catch the fish, then after a few successes try the upstream dry!!.
the object of her desire now is to catch, make sure she does, then you will once again be the object of her desire!!
regards
bert




bert,

i didnt write that bit TL did in his original post

__________________
WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!