Anyone got any idea how strong a trout can pull while swimming?

For example, could a 8lb trout generate enough force by just swimming, to break an 8lb line? Could it generate 16lb force, or perhaps only 4lb....

For the sake of the arguement, imagine a no stretch line fastened to a point with no give, and the fish is not allowed to get a run first to build up momentum.

Why I'm wondering is a good trout took off on me last year after taking my dap, he then broke the line by diving into some sharp rocks in Lough Corrib and shredded the braid (I use very light braid as my dapping line)....I think back and wonder how much pressure I could have applied to it by increasing the drag on the reel.... I didn't use vey much!

sorry if its a bit of a nerdy question...

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"We took care only to choose the green, newly hatched variety of this unlikely insect, as the trout reject the ones that have turned black after twenty four hours out of the water. Or at least they do unless you can't find any other kind - and then they don't"

I think the moment of greatest tension is at the moment of take/strike. If the leader survives that it shouldn't really succumb unless, as in your case it was grazed on rocks etc. Pulling the hook out is much more likely I'd say. Damned if you do, damned if you don't, as they say.

How much pressure is too much? You can only really answer that just after it snaps I'd say.

[/COLOR]They have a reputation for not sticking to the rules, cheating scamps! Clearly all depends on the fish. There's much more you can do without having to apply much more pressure. It's not about pulling the fish in another direction; it's getting it off balance, then it is rendered powerless almost.

And i've never seen why anyone would rather play the fish off the reel, but then we're all different

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Chris

Gott weiss ich will kein Engel sein

I think the issue is momentum - not pull. A trout which gets up to speed on a slack line has a far greater impact (momentum = speed * weight) than one which is static because the force it exerts is that which is necessary to stop it - not just its weight. If the impact is greater than the tackle can absorb - combination of rod flex and drag response - snap. That's probably why most breaks happen on the take - the rod is going one way and as the line is held there's no drag and the fish the other!
The three break offs i suffered last season all happened because for various reasons I had slack line which allowed the fish to accelerate and then hit a taut set up. (Yes they were for various reasons my fault)
GD

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We come from dust; we return to dust. I'm going to fish

Spot on Grey Duster. Breaks are generally caused by 'shock impact' not by constant pull. Tie an 8lb weight to the end of your leader, then try to lift it off the floor with your rod. No chance. I doubt 2lbs can be lifted.
Now take some 2lbs mono and pull steadily trying to break it. Now give it a snatch from slack, and it will snap easily.

Disclaimer : The writer of this post will in no way be held responsible for deep lacerations/loss of digits.

Nick

ID, if you hold the rod and let someone grip the fly you will get an idea of how much pressure you can apply to a fish, its surprising how little effort it takes for the fish to pull with the rod vertical, the fly holder wont need to grip hard to pull your arm down,
if the rod is pointing toward the fish though, the fly holder can pull the fly off with a tug if the line is held tight at full stretch.

I always believe that a fish lost through a snapped line is the fault of the angler. If you use the correct line for the job you shouldnt be snapped off. use the rod as a spring and you'll not break 8lb line before you break the rod. shock impacts/knots/old line/rocks etc will damage the line and can lead to breaks but using the rod as intended will not snap it unless you're undergunned.

There's another way a fish can break line. If line is drowned the cushioning force of the rod is taken out of the equation and a fish can pull against the resistance of the sunk line. In this way a large trout can take, dive and swim towards you. You will feel no pressure but when you get back your leader it may often be cleanly broken. It's for this reason that dedicated deep fishers use very strong leaders.

Malcolm

yes and a lot goes on the weight of the line for example a 5 line will generate less drag than a 9 line. as a rule of thumb you should mach the tippet to the line so a 5 line = 5lb tippet and an 8 line 8lb tippet and this should be considered a minimum breaking strain. just the drag alone can snap say 6lb tippet line on a 8 rated line. always match the tippet to the line rating as a minimum breaking strain

as a rule of thumb you should mach the tippet to the line so a 5 line = 5lb tippet and an 8 line 8lb tippet and this should be considered a minimum breaking strain. just the drag alone can snap say 6lb tippet line on a 8 rated line. always match the tippet to the line rating as a minimum breaking strain[/QUOTE]

Are you saying my greys 10' #8 and 18ft leader 6lb co-poly with a gold head nymph is undergunned?

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Clive M