Fly Rod Fighting Strategies - Part I: Large Trout And Strong Yellowfish

This issue: Different fish species often require different fighting techniques.

FRED STEYNBERG gives pointers on how to handle big trout and fast-running yellowfish.

I am often inspired by experiences with my clients to write articles giving practical advice, and this one is no different. For some fly anglers, fighting a fish on a fly rod is almost instinctive, but for others it is more calculated, and it takes time for the muscle memory to result in an automatic response.

Different fish species often require different fighting techniques when using a fly rod, techniques that need to be learnt, especially by newcomers to the sport. Having the correct fish-fighting skills ensures a quick and effective landing of the fish without fatiguing it (or in some situations even the angler) too much.

In January this year, I guided a couple of Scots on trophy still waters in the Eastern Cape. They had previously fished for salmon on lochs back home and had not yet experienced the world of small flies, thin tippets and large trout. They got stuck into the trout early that morning, and most of the fish came to the net without a problem. I did, however, notice a few obvious flaws in their fish-fighting techniques that could be a problem if they were to hook a large trophy fish. These were mistakes that many trout and yellow fish fly anglers make when fishing streams using lighter terminal tackle. I was constantly pointing out what they were doing wrong (as they had asked me to do) so as to avoid disappointment for both angler and guide. Later that day, the inevitable happened: three monster fish were lost because of poor fish-fighting techniques.