i have been out on the river the past few evenings and trying to fish klinkhammers- i found i had a fish go at the fly almost every cast but was not very successful in hooking them. it seemed that the fish jumped onto the fly to try and drown it then rejected it, the ones i did hook were hooked in the lip. i wonder if this is a common problem and if so do different patterns hook better-
the fish were small browns 6-8 inch hooks- klinhammer debarbed size 18

Hi

I am having the same problem on stillwaters- see the boil or fish rise etc and I miss it. Reckon I am hooking 1 in 4 at the minute. Not sure if I am too eager or waiting too long.

One of our angler's approach to this behaviour is to watch the leader, after the rise, for the slightest movement, then strike.

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How poor a thing, sometimes I find,
Will captivate a greedy mind - Isaac Walton.

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Have seen this happening sometimes and was told to practically sit on your hands to stop you striking too soon.

It was Nigel Haigh who told me about this...the above advice is spot on...they'll "drown" it and come back for it, certainly on still water but I think on rivers it's a case of "Missed it!" from the fishes point of view.

If you fish a small nymph under the Klink, they will quite often get hooked on that. I used to think they had spotted it on the way down but John Tyzack says they miss the Klink and get the line to the duo in their mouths, hooking themselves on the way down.

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Roy

Definately hang a nymph off the Klink.
If nothing else you'll foul hook them with it when you strike

I have noticed this behaviour occasionally on the river at Mayfly time.

Just let them sink the fly and retrieve it towards you as you would do a nymph, if they are going to take it subsurface you should catch them in this manner

good luck

Dave

Hi Guys

I find if river trout are coming to the fly and missing.
Its nearly always there is a presentation fault somewhere.
Nylon could be too thick; micro drag or many times the fly is simply too large.


Gary

After you see the fish attack the fly i was told to say "god save the queen" to try and stop me striking to soon,it does work!

I should have written this post myself!! Last year I foul hooked two fish when fishing dry May flies. I was given two different sets of advice from people who know a lot more than me. Firstly, if you're fishing two drys, watch the other one for signs of movement before striking, and secondly, when you see a rise, just figure of eight retreive and the line will tighten if they were ever serious about taking it. One thing I have learned about dry fly fishing is that a rise and apparent "take" could well be just a close look and downright refusal !! There are hundreds of times a fish looks very closely at your wet flies or nymphs and then says NO!! Same with drys as far as I can see so far. One last thing, I had a fish rise to a daddy long legs, the fly balanced on the end of his nose as he pushed it about three inches out of the water and then proceeded to set it back on the surface as if it had never been disturbed .....I'll never forget it. A rise is not necessarily a take, just an expression of interest