Home Forums Fishing Flyfishing Really blasphemous fishing technique

Well, I'm new to fishing for smallmouth, and haven't been fly fishing for quite a while, and always fished surface flies. So I took the old mask and snorkel and headed on down to the river with the fly rod.
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<br>I spent about an hour snorkeling and fish watching, then I got out of the water, armed with knowledge on where the fis were, and started fishing without any success. So I put the two activities together. I don't think I broke any game laws, but sometimes ignorance is bliss
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<br>It was like watching the underwater video on the bass fishing shows, but it was live and in color. What an education. It's amazing how soft some of the hits are. I can see them mouthing the woolly bugger but can't feel a thing.
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<br>So, I took off the mask and snorkel, and eventually came up with a retrieve that seemed to incite the fish into hitting harder as I was able to catch and release about 10 in about half an hour, before they wised up. Unfortunately, I was only catching the "average" sized fish, about 10 inchers. None of the few bigguns cooperated. I suppose that will take a few more trips.
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<br>It was also amazing to see that a lot of the "fishy" looking water didn't hold any fish at all. A spot just a few hundred yards from the hole with all the fish was absolutely empty. There was one spot that held just a single fish, but it was a trophy.
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<br>Regards,
<br>Scott

capt_e, Major cool idea! You must have a lot of water clarity to see fish you cast to, even close ones. I have dived and watched saltwater reef fish and rockcod while a friend in a boat above jigged for them. There were always several fish swimming or poised within a few feet of the jig, mostly greenling, but rarely did they bite. The jig had to come right to the edge of a rock cod cave or crevice before the fish would dart out and grab it. The fisherman was oblivious to all the action below except when a fish hit his lure hard. Golly, you have taken flyfishing to a new zenith.

I poled the skiff into position, the fella on the bow make a good presentation, the Tarpon sucked it down. Upon striking the fish, the tip section separated from the rod, and spent the ensuing battle adding drag to the line and consternation to the fishermen. Fish was boated and released(about#40), rod tip reinstalled W/O damage and life went on. Probably not an IGFA recognized technique...