The Retrieve,

[Korrie]

With the winter months on us, most of us, will be doing more still waters, the next couple of months.
I chatted to a couple of fly fishers about this the other day, and it was very obvious the retrieves that they will be using was limited to 2 or 3 different types.

The retrieves and combintation of retrieves are probably one of the most overlooked facets of still water fishing.
Sometimes the combination of retrieves and here, I am refering to not only 1 or 2 but sometimes a combination of 5 or 6 retrieves in a single retrieve of the fly line and fly lines will confince the fish to take the fly.

I will list some of the retrieves and in due course, discuss the retrieves as the and when I find some time.

1. Figure 8 retrieve and variations.
2. single hand retrieve, short to very long
3. Rolly poly
4. The NO-Retrieve. Letting your flies just hang without moving them,
5. The hang and the lift.
6. The double speed retrieve.

I will add some more tomorrow, or if you want to add, a couple, please feel free.

[BuzzLiteBeer]

The "Earratic" retrieve.

[Jax]

Yep I'd go for the "Erratic" retrieve with an added speedup using short twitches of the rod tip to exaggerate the movement.

[Umhlangarox]

With the winter months on us, most of us, will be doing more still waters, the next couple of months.
I chatted to a couple of fly fishers about this the other day, and it was very obvious the retrieves that they will be using was limited to 2 or 3 different types.

The retrieves and combintation of retrieves are probably one of the most overlooked facets of still water fishing.
Sometimes the combination of retrieves and here, I am refering to not only 1 or 2 but sometimes a combination of 5 or 6 retrieves in a single retrieve of the fly line and fly lines will confince the fish to take the fly.

I will list some of the retrieves and in due course, discuss the retrieves as the and when I find some time.

1. Figure 8 retrieve and variations.
2. single hand retrieve, short to very long
3. Rolly poly
4. The NO-Retrieve. Letting your flies just hang without moving them,
5. The hang and the lift.
6. The double speed retrieve.

I will add some more tomorrow, or if you want to add, a couple, please feel free.

I will normally try all the above with a couple more thrown in for good measure. My plan of action will normally be to try each on their own depending on the retrieve or as a combination. Once I have found a retrieve that starts to work consistently I will stick to it. If i find it is starting to become less successful I will start from the beginning again.

Like you said the retrieve is SO crucial, I often see guys fishing with one retrieve and never changing it.

People do seem to at times forget how important the retrieve is!

[FishWhisperer]

Mr T, you still fishing boet? We need to organize another Lakies mission or at least visit that place that you found that 7lb'er

[Umhlangarox]

Mr T, you still fishing boet? We need to organize another Lakies mission or at least visit that place that you found that 7lb'er

Always have and always will bro, once we have had some rain I think we venture up that river

[Korrie]

The combination of retrieves are probably the most overlooked retrieve.
I am of the opinion, that if fly fishers use a combination of retrieves on a cast, they will find that they catch a lot more fish.
a couple of combination examples will be on a single retrieve, a couple of slow figure 8's going into a couple of fast figure 8's. stop for 2 or 3 seconds, then 2 or 3 short extended continous retrieves. followed by 2 or 3 long retreives. with a stop for sometimes up to 10 seconds. follow that up with 4 or 5 very fast figure 8's immediately going into a very long continous strip, repeated 2 or 3 times. then stopping for another 8 to 10 seconds. Lifting the rod, jiggling the flies thru the water column, then holding the flies for another 10 seconds, follow that with some figure 8s fast and slow.
Try and remember what you are doing and when the fish is taking the flies. once you have picked up the pattern when the fish is taking the fly, try and repeat that more in your next cast's retrieve. Many fly fishers think that it is the single action that enticed the fish into taking the fly, but you will be surprised, how many times, you will find that it is the combination of the previous 10 seconds that made up the fishes mind to eventually take the fly.

[Gerrit Viljoen]

Jerk strip retrieve. :wink:

Ps. Korrie I'm amazed you've progressed this far with this thread ito adding content I'm still waiting to read about your theories on coloured hooks?????

[gkieser]

My Dad's go to: long slow strips with thumb from stripping hand on line and use thumb to jerk line intermittently. I find this very effective too.

My Brother in Law's go to: Squeeze fly line between thumb and forefinger of rod holding hand then strip slowly with other hand. This makes the line bounce and vibrate which i guess imparts very erratic movement to the fly.

[Korrie]

My Dad's go to: long slow strips with thumb from stripping hand on line and use thumb to jerk line intermittently. I find this very effective too.

My Brother in Law's go to: Squeeze fly line between thumb and forefinger of rod holding hand then strip slowly with other hand. This makes the line bounce and vibrate which i guess imparts very erratic movement to the fly.

I have wondered many times about the method as per your last sentence. Surely the sound and vibrations etc must travel along the fly line either, attracking the fish or scaring them off.