Hard Current

[Zeal]

This is something I had a major issue with when I trout fish (the concept is very much the same, only it's big fish on small gear). The area I go to has similar structure, except the area is where a major river dumps into a smaller one. This spot, the current is tough but I have the ultimate control for attack (I can have the current flow away from me, parallel, or towards me). I lost probably the biggest trout I ever had on the line because as soon as it ate my plug, it went right for the structure and hung my line up. I learned my lesson and caught it's big brother the year after.

I use mainly Rapala Baby Brown trout or a similar Yo Zuri plug (lipped)

http://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Flat-Fi.../dp/B005EIFICS

Just note that I use the plastic version, not this wooden version. Just to give you the idea of the plug shape and type I favor.

I actually have a single belly hook and a single tail hook on the lures I use for this hard current. You will get misses, but usually the ones that miss are the smaller fish.


The best angle of attack I found was actually standing where the current is moving away from me and also to the side where you have the border of the calm water meeting the ripping current. From there, I would cast straight ahead on the border then fan out. So standing at that area I would cast at 12 oclock through 3 o'clock (or into the calm water about 45 degrees from where my stance is). I used lures that were meant for subsurface such as what I linked above: whichever was light enough to look like it was getting batted around in the cross current and still able to dig in the water when retrieved slowly but also not so heavy that it would give off the submarine effect.

When they are hooked and start heading for their lair, I don't mess with the drag (I have my drag set to where it just passes the mark of not giving out line if I set the hook on a fish but I can still pull the line from the reel if needed), instead I give it some fast cranks and pull the rod past me to horse them away as if it were a tog and use the current against them by keeping them in the middle of the water column where the water forces them up and now they have to fight you and the current which makes them tire faster.

More often than not, if you keep them from running to their lair on their first few attempts they get discouraged and fight you more. If they manage to get to where they want, I actually move (if able) to the opposite direction. If they went to the left, I move right, etc. While moving, I keep the tension and reel the line to gain that ground back (same concept as backing down on a fish). If you can't move, its a real crapshoot. That's where a thick leader comes in, a long standing line if you can do that (a la Alberto Knie's Alberto Knot).

I do also cast down the middle of the water and retrieve back to me as well but I find that angle gives it more action.

99% of the time, the fish crush the lure in very close proximity. Namely, at the feet. I've never had much luck in drifting a plug.

Hope this helps and makes sense

[numbskull]

Good post.

When you say single hooks on the belly, do you mean a single treble or a single single? I've not experimented much with singles as belly hooks, but have a feeling I should. Have others? How's it work?

The other thing that intrigues me is the idea of fishing down current, i.e. retrieving with the current. There is a spot I fish where there is a sentinel rock (the first rock the current hits as it approaches a point......and usually the best rock to target) uptide of my only access. Sometimes I can get hits swimming a darter fast by this, and sometimes I think they follow the plug and hit it as it turns near my feet, but my sense is I'm not fishing very effectively.

Does anyone have experience bridge fishing? From reading the book about Billy the Greek (an interesting but poorly written one) I get the sense he swims bucktails back downtide straight at the fish and they will hit it if it is close enough. Pichney also made plugs to do this, but how he used them I've no idea.

How about you canal guys? You ever cast straight uptide and fish back towards you? With a jig or plug?

[Zeal]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Good post.

When you say single hooks on the belly, do you mean a single treble or a single single? I've not experimented much with singles as belly hooks, but have a feeling I should. Have others? How's it work?

The Yo Zuri is treble in the belly and single hook for the tail

The Rapala I made it so it was single hook for the belly (no treble), and single hook in the tail.

Honestly, the Rapala caught just as much or more than the Yo Zuri given their hook setups.

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by Zeal

This is something I had a major issue with when I trout fish (the concept is very much the same, only it's big fish on small gear). The area I go to has similar structure, except the area is where a major river dumps into a smaller one. This spot, the current is tough but I have the ultimate control for attack (I can have the current flow away from me, parallel, or towards me). I lost probably the biggest trout I ever had on the line because as soon as it ate my plug, it went right for the structure and hung my line up. I learned my lesson and caught it's big brother the year after.

I use mainly Rapala Baby Brown trout or a similar Yo Zuri plug (lipped)

http://www.amazon.com/Rapala-Flat-Fi.../dp/B005EIFICS

Just note that I use the plastic version, not this wooden version. Just to give you the idea of the plug shape and type I favor.

I actually have a single belly hook and a single tail hook on the lures I use for this hard current. You will get misses, but usually the ones that miss are the smaller fish.


The best angle of attack I found was actually standing where the current is moving away from me and also to the side where you have the border of the calm water meeting the ripping current. From there, I would cast straight ahead on the border then fan out. So standing at that area I would cast at 12 oclock through 3 o'clock (or into the calm water about 45 degrees from where my stance is). I used lures that were meant for subsurface such as what I linked above: whichever was light enough to look like it was getting batted around in the cross current and still able to dig in the water when retrieved slowly but also not so heavy that it would give off the submarine effect.

When they are hooked and start heading for their lair, I don't mess with the drag (I have my drag set to where it just passes the mark of not giving out line if I set the hook on a fish but I can still pull the line from the reel if needed), instead I give it some fast cranks and pull the rod past me to horse them away as if it were a tog and use the current against them by keeping them in the middle of the water column where the water forces them up and now they have to fight you and the current which makes them tire faster.

More often than not, if you keep them from running to their lair on their first few attempts they get discouraged and fight you more. If they manage to get to where they want, I actually move (if able) to the opposite direction. If they went to the left, I move right, etc. While moving, I keep the tension and reel the line to gain that ground back (same concept as backing down on a fish). If you can't move, its a real crapshoot. That's where a thick leader comes in, a long standing line if you can do that (a la Alberto Knie's Alberto Knot).

I do also cast down the middle of the water and retrieve back to me as well but I find that angle gives it more action.

99% of the time, the fish crush the lure in very close proximity. Namely, at the feet. I've never had much luck in drifting a plug.

Hope this helps and makes sense

Well writen Zeal thanks... One thing i stumpled upon this year with a current in my face and a rocky bottom (trout fishing) was to jig / flutter a spoon. Reeling it in strigjt or cross current was ok, but as soon as i dropped the spoon in between the rocks its was on and these brookies were agressive, some time crushing the spoon and jumping way out of the water.

This same place also had some nice bass mixed in as well, if they didnt pick up the spoon i used very small swim shads and both the trout and bass crushed them as well. I was excited to figure this out (happy accident) and i applied this in a few other spots and did very well as well for multiple species including my.PB pickeral which owned my 6#test right at the boat we were in a 10'car topper amd the fish was close to if not over 3'.

The spoon i fell im love with was the achme thunderbolt gold, they are hard to come bye.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device