[wet fly]

Yesterday, while fishing I started counting the number of strips I used with the wincutter. Most of my fishing situations I used 4 to 7 strips. Ten strips is the most strips I can handle with any regularity. Thanks to my long arms I move 30 feet of line with 7 strips. 30 feet plus 54 feet plus the leader outside the tip is very repetative for me. I can do a better presentation to the lay hole with a shorter line in most cases. Stripping in the line takes time and with a longer belly it may only take a strip or two to get it out there. At this point I will live with 4 to 7 strips. Jerry

 

[sinktip]

Good question. I do not like stripping in a lot of line so I fish mid to long bellied lines. For most winter fishing, I fish a mid-spey and where the run calls for it, am not opposed to shooting line. I rarely will need to shoot more than 10-15' though so the stripping in minimized. In answer to your question 3-4 strips maximum in most cases.

I do see advantage though in at least minimal stripping as it 1) brings the line fully under tension and 2) gives the fish a chance to chase and take. The first point is probably more important but I have picked up a number of dollies on the second and even the occasional steelhead from time to time.

 

[t_richerzhagen]

Salmon Like Strips

Salmon like strips, at least coho do.

 

[juro]

The other day we were casting a 8/9/10 WC on the 14' 9wt CND Custom. It was pretty much throwing the whole line (a wrap or two on the spool) every time. The tailwind helped but the line takes most of the credit. First thought was "Scott OD was right". After about 20 of these rocket launches, the complement to that thought was "boy, stripping all this running line sure bites".

I think it all evens out - there are situations when every line on the market today excels and others where they don't. I think these situations have been covered completely in the other thread which needs no introduction by now :hehe:

I am definitely going to pick up a WC to go with my 1409 Custom, to use alongside my Midspey, Grandspey, Airflo Traditional, etc...

Interesting factoid: The Atlantic Salmon guys hook a very high percentage of their fish on the strip.

 

[KerryS]

10 strips about 3 feet each. I have caught 2 steelhead this season on the strip. That is enough to keep me stripin'

 

[flytyer]

Wet Fly,

The number of strips depends on the belly length of the line I am using and how far I am casting at the moment. Since I don't like to spend a lot of time stripping line, I fish the mid and long belly lines, with the long belly line being used most of the time. However, when fishing smaller rivers like the upper forks of the Sky, I use the mid belly lines exclusively.

With the long belly line on my 16 foot thunderstick, I can make the same cast you describe without any stripping at all. And with a mid belly line, it takes only 3 or 4 strips to do the same.

 

[NrthFrk16]

Stripping line or turning around and walking up river...same differance!!

My first summer run to hand last year came not when I was stripping in line but when I was actually walking up river with my back to tuned to the rod, line and fish.

I was done fishing a tailout in which I know, in the runoff of June, the fish love to sit at the very lip of the tailout and even, at times, almost up onto the bar that borders that tailout.

I fished my fly to the point that it was almost beaching itself up onto the rocks and decided to make another pass as I had the stretch all to myself.

I took one strip to tighten the line, turned my back around and just started walking upstream...trailing 60 feet of flyline and all.

With my rod pointed downstream as I headed upstream, I had taken about 3 steps when I felt the rod practically jerk out of my hand.

I turned around, set the hook and the tussle was on!

 

[KerryS]

Walking up stream and stripping not exactly the same. Although one of the fish I hooked was on what I call the dangle. That is when I let the line hang for a few seconds with a few short strips after the swing. The other fish was hooked after a half dozen or so strips. I am thinking the fish was following the fly similar to what a dolly might do and struck because of the stop and go action of the strip. While walking up stream I would think the fly is just following you at a steady pace.

I know a few steelheaders that claim 40 percent of the steelhead they hook are hooked while in the process of striping in line. I can't make that claim.