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[Bone]

I went fly fishing on the weekend at buntzen Lake and was trolling with my fly rod  with a olive woolly bugger. I noticed, I was getting lots of bits, but lost them as I was reeling them in. My sink line was out fully... maybe that was the reason why there was too much slack. Can someone please give your input.

[jettabambino]

well chances are if you were trolling the line would have been somewhat tight.. plus since you had them on i would say it didnt have to do much with the slack... i would have tried a smaller woolly bugger... this would have helped...

I also used to have this problem and found that if i used the fly reel i would some times lose them... i would try stripping the line to get them in....

[Bone]

well chances are if you were trolling the line would have been somewhat tight.. plus since you had them on i would say it didnt have to do much with the slack... i would have tried a smaller woolly bugger... this would have helped...

I also used to have this problem and found that if i used the fly reel i would some times lose them... i would try stripping the line to get them in....

When striping the line, do you end up reeling the extra line in at some point or do you just land the fish with all the line by your feet?

[jettabambino]

i have all the line by my feet... Not sure if this is the correct way but i have found that with smaller fish i.e stocked trout this works best.

[Rieber]

That's funny because it's happened to me a few times. I made the tail on my Buggers too long. On a slow troll the fish were chasing the fly and just nipping the tail. Next time it happens try pinching/tearing off half the length of the tail. It didn't solve all my problems but it significantly helped.

Remember there's no shame in conservation through incompetance - at least that's my excuse.

I've also found that I get a better hook set with a strip instead of the just jerking the rod back. I try and remember to do this on the Vedder but those dang driftfishing habits are hard to break.

[RalphH]

also make sure your hooks are "sticky" sharp. Broken leaders and lost fish are often caused by dull hooks

[newsman]

That's funny because it's happened to me a few times. I made the tail on my Buggers too long. On a slow troll the fish were chasing the fly and just nipping the tail. Next time it happens try pinching/tearing off half the length of the tail. It didn't solve all my problems but it significantly helped.

Remember there's no shame in conservation through incompetance - at least that's my excuse.

I've also found that I get a better hook set with a strip instead of the just jerking the rod back. I try and remember to do this on the Vedder but those dang driftfishing habits are hard to break.

We call those short strikes, vary common with flies that have long tails. Shorten up your tails. I don't put any tail at all on most of my flies. The tails are part of fly tying tradition and oftain do not make any difference.

[sliverbullet]

and if you are tying flies with tails make sure it is the length of the hooks shank.

[Floon]

Try stopping completely. Then start a few long slow 12" strips and pause. It can work for you.
When a natural gets attacked it will curl up into a protective ball and fall toward the lake bottom.... the fish will return to eat 'em up.
Remember to SET the hook and keep the line tight. Tension is essential especially with a long line because of stretch. With newer fly fishers, I find they simply are afraid to use the rod to play the fish. Keep the tip bent at all times keeping connection with the fish. Practice fast stripping for a while each outing, it gets rid of rusty thumbs. Try to get and play bigger fish off the reel if you can; less chance of tangles.
Can be tricky and hair raising when they come right at you but with practice you'll get better and better. More fishing is in order.