Sunday’s Classic / The First Ten Seconds

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Hot in pursuit after a big fish - Photo By: Louis Cahill

Chaos and panic are good words to describe what goes through many anglers heads during the first ten seconds following a big fish hookup. The decisions you make during those first seconds of the fight will often determine whether you or the fish wins the battle. There’s lots of ways to lose a big fish and sometimes it’s completely out of your control. But one of the worst decisions you can make, specifically when a fish is making a screaming run upstream or downstream of you, is deciding to stay put and not follow. When this happens you better be ready to kick it into high gear and move your ass fast in pursuit. Otherwise, you’ll quickly find yourself with no leverage to apply adequate power to fight and steer the fish. It’s like trying to drive a car on a curvy road without a steering wheel, it’s just not going to work.

Big trout usually only have a couple really long hard runs. If you can stick with them during the blitzing runs and keep good tension, you’ll often find the hardest part of the fight is over with. After that it’s all about being patient and smart until you can bring the fish into the net. Most big fish are lost within the first ten seconds of the fight. Be smart and make the right decisions during those critical moments. That way you can claim victorious in the end.

Keep it Reel,

Kent Klewein
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 
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6 thoughts on “Sunday’s Classic / The First Ten Seconds

  1. Perfect post to read after the weekend fishing. It took me about 15 secs I would say for that big o’ trout to school me on the river.

    • Adam,

      So you made it 15 seconds before the big buck/hen broke you off. Man……, sounds like you almost made it through the chaos and had a great opportunity to land the big fish. Better luck next time, and at least you saw the big fish you hooked up on. You never can land all the fish you hook.

      Kent

  2. This article came very painfully to mind this evening…I stood still and watched the biggest brown of my life shred by tippet and take my fly downstream.

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