I had the unpleasant experience of hooking a Dipper on the River Clyde today. I cast to the far bank as the bird flew past my leader, i then saw my line straighten so i lifted thinking it was a fish, only to see the Dipper jolt straight back and into the water. I pulled it in as quick as i could and netted it. The bird was going mental so i could not get the fly out and had to snip the leader as close to the bird as possible, then let it go. It flew off and appeared to be fine. I packed up and went home after this, a bizarre end to an otherwise enjoyable day.

Cheers Diarmid.

Hello birdman,,cant stop laughing,would love to have saw your face,,

cheers edd

I once hooked a Canada goose making its way up river one night while sea trout fishing. I thought I was into a lump until the line started to lift off the water! Thankfully the hook pulled out as the bird 'flew' past me.

Hooked a duck in the wing last year. Lots of tourist onlookers. Got it in fairly quickly and a pal held it while I took the hook out. Same as you, packed straight in after that. Not a pleasant experience but was nice to see the duck go back to the water as though nothing had happened

Diarmid I hooked a bat last summer; it was dusk and it took my sedge in mid air! Had a hell of a job trying to unhook because it kept trying to bite me when I got near; don't think getting a bite from a bat is wise.
I think you did absolutely the right thing snipping the leader as close as poss. Hope you were using a barbless hook; I always do.

I hooked a bat once on the Towy...

It tried to pick up my Waddingtons as it came to surface when I was roll casting

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Dave Wiltshire

River Fly Box

It was a Youtube moment..i felt so sorry for the poor wee Dipper

Cheers Diarmid.

Yes I have had a few , the "best" so far was a swan , not sure how to top that really ???

Don't feel to bad about it mate , it aint as if you set out to catch/kill/injure the bird on purpose like and you did all you could for it .....

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Your fish ----> ><((((º> My fish ----> ><(((((((((º>
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Cheers Danny

Co-Founder of S.S.F.D 2010

Hooked a cormorant and a sea gull or two, but not fly fishing.. I was spinning for mackeral..

The cormorant scared the **** out of me..

cheers
JJ

I was fishing lough cowey one day when a swallow decided to lift my fly off the water, it was quite funny watchng it for 5 minutes in the air with my line until it got off..Hooked a swan on the river one day float fishing, it swam round my float and line caught on its foot then it went bunkers off on a 100 yard dash down stream, what a scrap that was...on a 12ft salmon rod and heavy line i dont think ive hooked a fish to beat the scrap....it got off though and no hook in it.