{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Golf Course Pond Fishing

There is a great app available for iphone and android called Knot Wars.  It walks thru the various knots and give good instructions on how to tie each giving the benefits for each.

I was OCD on knots  a few years ago but finally settled on 4:  homer rhode improved loop knot *(which upon googling is the non-sip mono loop) it-held a 4 foot tarpon on 100lb mono leader, the pitzen or san diego jam knot for terminal tackle connections,  albright for line to line connections and perfection loop for loop connections.

If its really cold, fishing for trout, and I am in a hurry I will with the clinch knot.

Pick a few and practice so you can tie them quickly.



On Tuesday, May 13, 2014 9:47:32 AM UTC-4, Matthew Longley wrote:

Glad to have you on the forum.

It seems like the problem isn't WHICH knot you are tying, it's HOW you are tying it.  I use a clinch knot because I know I tie it well.  Plenty of folks use clinch knots without any fear of knot failure.  Figure out what knot you can tie well, and stick to it.  You'll have plenty of time later to learn a portfolio of new knots.

With the clinch knot, a few things:

1 - are you lubricating the knot before you tighten?  I'm manic about this, I spit on my knots 2-3 times while I'm tightening them.

2 - are you tightening the knot by pulling on the leader-end, NOT the tag-end?

3 - are you testing your knot before using it?  Good test is the hook the fly to a zipper or the handle of your forceps and give it a good tug.

4 - are you clipping the tag end too short?  If your knot failure is so late in the fight, my guess is this might have something to do with it.

As for topwater, if I were you I'd bring a small popper and a floating line out with me next time.  Nothing builds fishing confidence like having dozens of panfish hammer a popper.  Plus you'll get used to the routine of landing a fish, for the next time you have a lunker on the end of your line.

On Monday, May 12, 2014 10:03:58 PM UTC-4, Hoya (Hopeful) Bass Destroya wrote:

This is my first time posting on the group.

A bit about me: I'm a novice fly fisherman, began fishing last year when I went out with a buddy to Gravelly Point in the late afternoon/evening. I was both figuratively and literally hooked (took one right to the shoulder). Been trout fishing out in West Virginia at Smoke Hole (came up empty and with a birds nest of tippet at the end of my line but it was a great trip nonetheless). Hit the "Pool of Giants" (up by the C&O Canal's wide water) with no luck, although it's pretty gorgeous during the fall, so that made up for it. Finally caught my first fish on a fly line two weeks ago during Shadness Madness at Fletcher's, a beautiful American Trout about 13" long. Then caught four more last week including a 16" or 17" American beauty and a few hickories.

While I know from speaking with those far more experienced than me that many consider Trout fishing the most "pure" form of fly fishing, there's something about Largemouth Bass that have really enticed me since I first got into fly fishing last year. So I went out to my golf course on Saturday evening where there's a pretty sizable pond (probably about 1.5-2 acres) and started casting. Had a 6 wt Redington rod with full sinking line and some 0x leader on it (leftover from chasing shad), put some flashy streamer (courtesy of Fly Times DC) on it and started slinging out about 20 feet and then pulling back in 3-4 inch spurts towards the shoreline. I positioned myself right by the stream that feeds into the pond (drops off about 2 ft) as my understanding is that predator fish love to sit by the freshly oxidized water and gather up critters. Anyways, on my second cast BAM, a big bass snaps into my fly and starts running the line out. I fought him in and he was popping out of the water and putting on a show, but then my knot failed and I lost not just the fish but did him the indignity of leaving the fly in his mouth. Pretty bummed about it but kept at it, got some nibbles but nothing else.

Went back tonight after reading up Sunday about how to fish ponds. Got on the water around 7:30 and fish are popping out of the water all over the place. Saw several carp lazily drifting along the shoreline although they had zero interest in what I was putting out there. Tried a similar setup, 6wt rod, 0x leader, flashy wooly bugger and drag it back in short spurts, and lo and behold I hooked another large bass. This one I had 6 ft away and thought that victory was finally mine, my clinch knot failed again. I've watched a ton of youtube videos about how to tie the knot properly, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong?

So my main question is, is there a simple solution to my knot problem? Also, I notice alot of fish rising up to the surface of the pond but they're too far out for me to cast to (I'm still learning proper technique and can't get out more than 25 feet or so). Should I stick with sinking line and streamers and buggers or move to something that floats on the surface? Any help would be much appreciated as I literally can't wait to get back on the pond tomorrow after work.

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