This is a reblog of an old post from Throwing Loops. I thought about after watching a few videos that have been doing the rounds about fish being lost to bigger fish. There’s a follow up coming, so watch this space…
“In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”
I doubt Ben Franklin would have ever thought his depressingly true quote could ever be applied to fishing. But like that yearly income statement there are few things that hurt like a good fish getting eaten while on the line.
While this may be a foreign concept to the majority of freshwater fly fisherman (there are, however, some seriously toothy fish in the wilder fresh waterways of the world) it is a very real and sometime fairly commonย occurrenceย for the saltwater fly fisherman. With so many different types of hungry and angry fish out there that are armed with a fearsomeย arrayย of teeth, it is simply a matter of time before a regular brine thrasher has a fish taken by the ‘taxman’.
I absolutely abhor the sinking sensation that comes with the sudden and strange heavy thump on the rod possibly followed by some head-shaking and an inevitable dead-weight that needs to be cranked up.
Whether its barracuda, a shark dogtooth tuna or some other serious predator making light of your catch, it annoys one. Especially if the fish being eaten is a trophy fish. I get very upset if I can’t release certain species. It leaves a sour taste and I know I am guilty of causing that fish to enter the foodchain a little earlier than nature may have intended.
Will I stop because of it? Never.
ย
ย
ย
ย