Knots for trout flies

Mach Two

I am having trouble losing trout when fly fishing. I am using copolymer leader and a turle knot. I have been using this knot for years with monofilament and never any trouble. Now when I hook large trout it seems to be slipping as in pulling through. It is hard enough to hook big trout only to lose them at the last hurdle.

jack01986

I've only ever used a tucked half blood knot just make sure to wet the knot when pulling tight. Not and any knots slip out like you've described. Never used the turle knot myself.

Mach Two

Thanks for that. What sort of material do you use for leader. The turle knot is very easy to make especially at night. But if it slips when put under a lot of pressure it is no good. Or maybe it is the narrow diameter of the copolymer leader that is causing it to slip.

boomdocker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117822376#Comment_117822376

You'll never need any other knot than this one, been using it myself for years and never slipped

The turtle knot arguably gives better presentation of larger doubles and trebles eg salmon flies, but not necessary for trout flies in my view

Using mono and fluoro, depending on circumstances, but mostly fluoro

jack01986

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117823815#Comment_117823815

I've been using it with fluoro and mono with no issues.

Mach Two

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117837641#Comment_117837641

Very good. Thanks for that.

bluezulu49

Try the double davy knot. I find it to be very secure on fine fluorocarbon (Airflo G3). What make and diameter of tippet are you using?

Mach Two

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843060#Comment_117843060

Scierra. Tactical nylon tippet. 0.18mm. 6lbs Copolymer.

bluezulu49

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117843099#Comment_117843099

Double davy should work fine on that. I found that my tucked half blood knots were slipping with the G3 and switched to the double davy two years ago. I have had tippet break since then but not at the fly knot.

Mach Two

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117844255#Comment_117844255

Is it easy to tie in the dark.

bluezulu49

Easy enough. I find threading the eye of the hook is the most difficult part. Animation here ---> https://www.animatedknots.com/double-davy-knot

Mach Two

Now maybe you will be able to answer me this one. I hook a lot of trout and lose them after 5-15 seconds. Why is this happening?

whelzer

Are you losing flies or trout or both (at the same time)?

Knots have been covered above, if your tippet is consistently breaking, it could be a dodgy spool/been exposed to sunlight, etc try a new one.

If trout are coming off a lot, (we all lose some), is this river(upstream/down) or lake, bought flies or home tied? Could be crap/blunt hooks, or you are striking too soon or fighting them too hard? Bit more info would help.

You say large trout, are these rainbows or wild browns?

Mach Two

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117869933#Comment_117869933

I tie my own flies. I am fishing wet flies. Normally down and across the river. All wild brown trout. Definitely all over 1lb. Lost three decent fish a couple of nights ago. On a newly tied fly. I use Mustad B175 hooks. One was on for 15-20 seconds and then gone. Very disappointing. At least I am not losing any flies anymore and the leader is not breaking.

Maybe I didn't give it enough slack. I normally strick immediately after feeling the fish take.

whelzer

When playing a fish downstream you are also fighting the current, so will always lose some (a lot) of fish, especially large ones, they have more volume/resistance.

Long term - I would recommended fishing upstream, it takes lots of practice but you'll never look back - wets, spiders, nymphs and streamers all a better experience. You will also catch more fish.

Back to the problem now, there is an Oliver Edwards video that explains this far better than I can but basic idea is , when we first start swinging wets there is a tendency to keep the rod low as the flies swing, His take is not to drop the rod at all , keep it high at all times such that a catenary curve exists between rod tip and where the flyline hits the water.

I'll see if I can find the video...

Mach Two

If the rod was held high and you strike a fish would that increase or decrease the speed of the strike. Does it increase the probability of hooking the fish by using the curvature of the rod to act as a spring.

Would upstream fishing at night spook trout more so than downstream. As a fly line gently passing over a fish would not be noticed as easily as a line being thrown upstream.

whelzer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117877419#Comment_117877419

Yes to the probability of hooking due to rod and rod acting spring like. When fishing this way the fish generally hook themselves, its not really a strike, more of a tightening and stopping the line.

We could start a separate thread on what spooky means, so I'll just give you a slither of my 2c worth. I'll start with a yes fish can be spooky but overall I do not believe flyline is a huge contributor. If you think about what trout might see on a given day, non food - foamy crap, sticks, whole branches, leaves, weeds, bottles, footballs, nappies (yes Ive seen some), then ducks, swans, etc in terms of volume this can be 1000s, certainly 100s per day, every day. A well cast flyline is no big deal to a trout!.

Upstream/Downstream is somewhat irrelevant in these terms (I would argue downstream is less stealthy), having said that in pitch black, downstream is your only man unless you want to go full jedi and just sense when a trout is taking upstream in the dark - another topic for another thread maybe!

Mach Two

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117901567#Comment_117901567

When you say holding the rod high,how high is high. 45°,70° or 90°. I actually tried it this evening. Hard to get used to it. Old habits die hard. I think I hold the rod low because it is easier to make a back cast. Purely because you have a longer upward motion to throw the line behind you.