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Shock and stop

2K views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Lefty 
#1 ·
Although most fly anglers (including myself) most often choose between a succession of snappy single handed pulls -or- the double handed "hand over fist" or "milk the cow" retrieve, there's a useful variation of the single hand strip that I call the "shock and stop" retrieve. It works on virtually all gamefish species under the right conditions, from deep offshore rips and shoals to albies on Vineyard Sound. As I recall, I first-casted a nice albie on a silverside pattern from Larry Backman's Mako last year at the Boneclave using the "shock and stop" retrieve beneath busting albies in the rip.



I also enjoyed a 7 keeper day on the Billingsgate Shoal fishing deep with 444 QD lines and very large sand eel patterns. The wire liner's were getting fish up to 40# using small jigs and wire on the shoal, so we ran out there with deep lines and flies. To keep the flies down on the wind-drift through the line of birds working the bait, we limited the retrieve to a hard jolt, then a pause - repeat. This kept the fly low in the zone and in the face of larger fish. The results were phenomenal.

Another location I've enjoyed success with this technique in on the Salisbury side of the mouth of the Merrimac where the currents are fast and the waters are deep on the beginning of the ebb. This is a good time for fish to stack up behind current breaks like the "pick", the short jetties, mussel beds, and the pronounced rockpiles that make themselves visible during low tide.

The technique also allows intermediate lines to fish very deep without changing to fast sinking lines.

On a releated note:

I have high hopes that in addition to it's effectiveness in the Northeast, it will be a contributing technique to the untangling of the relatively new fly-fishery for giant chinook salmon in the saltwater of the pacific northwest. Although the coho, chum, pink, and at times sockeye salmon are eager to take the flies retrieved in the ocean, the chinook tends to defy capture in the traditional strip retrieve manner. Tyler (the Spey casting machine from the Spring Native Mini-clave last week) guides from Langara Lodge on Vancouver Island during season. I hope to visit him one of these days to test such theories!

Good fishing...

Juro
 
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#3 ·
Hey Juro,

Remember, as kids, what we used to call a similar (very successful) method that we used with floating rapalas on largemouth & smallmouth?

"minnow-pause" :)

For those of you who haven't seen the humor in this yet, say it a few times :)

BTW, the trick was to stop swimming it, and let it sit for a _long_ time, then twitch, swim, pause, ...
Bill
 
#4 ·
Bill -

I'll never forget the largemouth bass you caught with the piece of yarn in it's mouth... being the curious teen you had to pull it out. The "yarn" was attached to a decomposing water rat!

I have never eaten a largemouth since that day.

That was the day we snuck a canoe in the Cambridge res near rte 2, the fish were fighting for the plug and we caught two bass on the same plug more than once.
 
#5 ·
While crusing around with Nate at the Mini Rhody Trip last weekend I was boasting on about the Largemouth fishery we have here. Ya a few flyfish it, but not many. I predict (you can say you heard it here first) that this underutilyzed fishery will be discovered by the FFing hoards and be used heavily within a few years or so. Who could turn down a wrestle with ol' 5lb. Bucket Mouth on a 6wt.?

Terry
 
#6 ·
Hey Terry -

I agree, and the SMALLMOUTH fishing in this region is out of this world! I am only being cautious because of the plentiful activities of the season, but end May early June is the PRIME time for hot bronzeback action in NH lakes.

I am still optimistic that we will get at least a day trip to this "secret" area on Winnipesaukee this year. As I recall there were a few folks interested, like the fishin' machine himself - NATE!
 
#8 ·
>I agree, and the SMALLMOUTH fishing in this region is out >of this world! I am only being cautious because of
>the plentiful activities of the season, but end May early >June is the PRIME time for hot bronzeback action in NH
>lakes.

Juro:
Remember NEC VII is happening the first weekend in June (June 1st to 4th). It's a chance to get to meet many FF@ers. I'll be there from May 31st to the 3rd, leaving the 4th. I think Brenda will be there on the same dates.
 
#9 ·
Yo,
Juro only has to hint of a fishing excursion and then it starts. Just found this:

New Hampshire
Resident Hunting and Fishing License Fees

Combination Hunting and Fishing (All Species)............. $ 31.50
Resident Fishing (All Species)........................................$ 24.25
One-Day Family Fishing License................................... $ 26.00
Atlantic Salmon Brood Stock Permit..............................$ 10.00
Hunting..........................................................................$ 15.50
Muzzleloader.................................................................$ 11.00
Archery.........................................................................$ 15.50
Wildlife Habitat Fee (required).......................................$ 2.50

Non-Resident Fishing and Hunting Licenses

Fishing (All Species).............................$ 36.50
Fishing (15 Days).................................$ 28.50
Fishing (7 Days)....................................$ 24.50
Fishing (3 Days)....................................$ 19.50
Combination Hunting and Fishing...........$ 97.00
Hunting.................................................$ 70.50
Muzzleloader.........................................$ 28.00
Archery.................................................$ 50.00
Hunting (Small Game)............................$ 36.50
Hunting (Small Game / 3 days)...............$ 17.50
Wildlife Habitat Fee (required)... ..........$ 2.50
 
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