It’s gonna happen eventually: you’re going to get your fly stuck in a tree on the opposite bank of the river you’re fishing. So, what’s the best way to get your fly back without breaking it off? Pennsylvania fly-fishing guide Kurt Thomas offers an ingenious solution in this video from Leafbranch Studios.
Does his method of getting his fly back from being hung up in a tree work if the tree is behind him? That’s usually been my problem because I don’t usually wade fish, but cast from the bank of a stream or river. I usually lose most of my flies that way.
Go fishing with a chainsaw
But if I don’t sacrifice at least on fly to the tree gods, then they will not be pleased and will put bad mojo on the stream.
I’ve seen Joe Humphreys do this. It works really well with weighted nymphs.
What happened to the link?
Bummer. That happens sometime, when the person who made the video takes it down or changes settings. Sorry about that?
I have used this and works really good. Not all the time but I would say 2 out of 3.
I love small streams and small streams always mean overhanging limbs with fish under them, and I get snagged in trees 5 inches over the water more than id like to admit to trying those casts (rapala had an advert saying “to cast to heaven you have to cast through hell” and I agree to it), and it leaves me stuck looking at my fly weighing my options of breaking the fly off and possibly spooking the fish, or wadeing over to get it back definitely scaring the fish. This might save me a few flies and give me a few fish!
Google: Catch-A-Lure. Just came out, super idea and is a solution for these moments.
cooL suggestion! certainly better than the other options usually tried…
Works well, used it several times and 3 out 4 times successful.
I give it a few tugs whilst effing and jeffing. when the line snaps i increase the variety of my swearing and the volume.