To strike or not to strike..????

Caribs · 04-08-2010 6:27pm #1

Been fishing the big lakes out west and over the last four or so months have missed multiple fish whilst dapping mayfly, daddies and grasshoppers. I see the take and then as taught, dip the rod and count a one two three, lift the rod and....nothing but a bare hook.

I've still to actually strike into a fish this year while dapping and been stripped more times than I want to admit despite having caught reasonable numbers of trout in previous years.

So, looking for advice from anyone who's familiar with dapping to wonder if I'm striking too early or too late. I know without seeing the strike its hard to guess but hoping ye can share your experience. The story goes that when you see a fly etc been taken on the dap that you lower your rod, take some time to light a pipe and then strike so I'm inclined to think I'm striking too early but wondering if the fish are changing how they take a live bait and should I strike earlier??

ironbluedun · 05-08-2010 8:39am

Caribs wrote: »

Been fishing the big lakes out west and over the last four or so months have missed multiple fish whilst dapping mayfly, daddies and grasshoppers. I see the take and then as taught, dip the rod and count a one two three, lift the rod and....nothing but a bare hook.

I've still to actually strike into a fish this year while dapping and been stripped more times than I want to admit despite having caught reasonable numbers of trout in previous years.

So, looking for advice from anyone who's familiar with dapping to wonder if I'm striking too early or too late. I know without seeing the strike its hard to guess but hoping ye can share your experience. The story goes that when you see a fly etc been taken on the dap that you lower your rod, take some time to light a pipe and then strike so I'm inclined to think I'm striking too early but wondering if the fish are changing how they take a live bait and should I strike earlier??

yes we used to allow three or four seconds to allow the fish to turn before striking...it is a tricky one to know what to do and it is more down to presentation and fish behaviour than your striking technique.

About what i am going to say now i know it sounds nice here 'on paper' but much harder in practise, however if the fish is larger i would allow slightly longer before striking and less time for smaller fish, a second or so, i know it sounds easy but it is not. And i believe the most important thing is when dapping i only use small hooks size 12 and conceal the hook well by using two hoppers and a daddy, he wont spit that out too quick....;) try and conceal the hook better so he doesn't 'feel' it too early.

so try to bulk up the bait by using more fly on the hook or a combination, this will conceal the hook and will also attract better fish...When dapping on Sheelin i often use three grasshoppers on the hook. i best of luck.

Caribs · 05-08-2010 9:17am

Thanks for that. I normally use two hoppers or a Corrib cocktail of the hopper and a daddy but hadn't really tried to especially conceal the hook to any great extent.

I normally put the hook on in the same way as I would for a mayfly so the hook is somewhat exposed depending obviously on the size of the bait but only use smaller hooks like yourself and rarely go bigger than a 12 unless I'm stuck.

Will try filling the hook as you suggest and see does it tempt a leviathan from the deep or even a tiddler..!!

ronnie3585 · 05-08-2010 10:09am

I do a lot of dapping on the Corrib and would generally wait for at least 5 seconds before striking. I know some more experienced guys than me that swear by seven seconds. It can be very hard to wait that long as it goes against all your instincts if your used to fishing artificial flys.

Counting to 5, I've only lost one fish this mayfly season. I find it works for me.

ironbluedun · 05-08-2010 2:24pm

ronnie3585 wrote: »

It can be very hard to wait that long as it goes against all your instincts

thats for sure................7 seconds is a tad long for me i would be getting too anxious by 6.5!!!!

:D........... for larger fish roughly 4 seconds does it for me... and for smaller fish (if you can see him) slightly shorter strike time.

Auldloon · 05-08-2010 6:42pm

ronnie3585 wrote: »

It can be very hard to wait that long as it goes against all your instincts if your used to fishing artificial flys.

You are so right I can still see a huge open mouth I pulled the feckin fly away from 2 years ago...:o

davidk11811 · 29-08-2010 3:31pm

Going to re-open this thread again for discussion. If you were'nt dapping how long should you wait to strike. I've never caught a fish on the fly so I'm not taking the risk of losing my first one. Also why is it that you must wait 3-7 seconds before striking when dapping?

Caribs · 29-08-2010 4:30pm

To the best of my knowledge when you're fishing an artificial fly you should strike as soon as you see the fish take it. They can feel the difference between the natural food and the artificial fly so if you don't strike they'll spit it out.

For dapping as they are feeding on a natural fly or grasshopper they are more likely to take them off the surface before properly taking them into their mouths so if you strike too soon you just pull the hook away and leave the flies or hoppers behind. Waiting a few seconds allows them to get a good bite on it and in theory reduces the chances of getting stripped.

davidk11811 · 29-08-2010 4:40pm

Caribs wrote: »

To the best of my knowledge when you're fishing an artificial fly you should strike as soon as you see the fish take it. They can feel the difference between the natural food and the artificial fly so if you don't strike they'll spit it out.

For dapping as they are feeding on a natural fly or grasshopper they are more likely to take them off the surface before properly taking them into their mouths so if you strike too soon you just pull the hook away and leave the flies or hoppers behind. Waiting a few seconds allows them to get a good bite on it and in theory reduces the chances of getting stripped.

So is it only wet flys that you strike immediately or just anything except daddys and grasshoppers?

Caribs · 29-08-2010 9:59pm

any of the artificial flies as far as I know, applies to both wet and dry.

jack01986 · 29-08-2010 11:58pm

If fishing wet or dry flies I would strike as soon as I see to the rise.

ironbluedun · 30-08-2010 4:45pm

depends upon where you are fishing....when fishing the dry fly i dont really 'strike' just lift into the fish and tighten up.

stevenmu · 01-09-2010 2:44pm

I've often heard/read that with dries you should wait a second or two, but I've missed every fish I've tried this with, and have a reasonably good success rate with 'striking' immediately. And like above a 'strike' for me is just a quick lift rather than the more powerful two-handed yank you'd often see pike fishermen use.

jack01986 · 01-09-2010 3:09pm

I didnt mean that either I just lift the tip and tighten into the fish. Not like I was trying to set the hook in a tarpo or anything.

davidk11811 · 01-09-2010 3:11pm

jack01986 wrote: »

If fishing wet or dry flies I would strike as soon as I see to the rise.

So what's the difference when your dapping?

jack01986 · 01-09-2010 5:01pm

I've never done much dapping myself so dont really know. It could be to do with the fact when dapping you are inmore direct contact (tighter line?)with the fish so dont have to set the hook as quickly maybe? Im not 100% sure.

davidk11811 · 01-09-2010 10:56pm

jack01986 wrote: »

I've never done much dapping myself so dont really know. It could be to do with the fact when dapping you are inmore direct contact (tighter line?)with the fish so dont have to set the hook as quickly maybe? Im not 100% sure.

Would it be different if you were using the daddy long legs/grasshopper on a fly rod?

jack01986 · 01-09-2010 11:32pm

Im guessing you mean an artificial daddy long legs or grasshopper, ye Id do the same as I normaly would while flyfishing. I think it might be something to do with the fish knowing the difference between a real and artifical fly so you may have more time with the real thing??

ironbluedun · 02-09-2010 9:09am

jack01986 wrote: »

Im guessing you mean an artificial daddy long legs or grasshopper, ye Id do the same as I normaly would while flyfishing. I think it might be something to do with the fish knowing the difference between a real and artifical fly so you may have more time with the real thing??

true enough with the 'natural' fly you get longer to let him turn and go down with the fly in his beak....with the artificial the trout will quickly realise that he has gobbed something that doesnt quite feel 'real' and out he spits it. so with dryfly lift into the fish when you see him in dapping naturals let him take and turn before giving the welly.

DryFlyFishing · 08-09-2010 8:54pm

dont strike fish will hook himself - large gape hook short shank - light wire hook is like a needle it penetrates easy- 2 or 3 mayfly or whatever mix, but cover the hook..

if you keep on getting your hook striped, or rise and no fish... move location as your on a small fish drift

To strike or not to strike..????

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