Losing salmon on Tobies

[johnesmithson]

Just back from a few days on a West Highland spate river. Wettest August week they could remember, gauge disappeared completely for 2 days so I put away the fly rods and reached for the spinning gear which I shared with my son. Between us we landed a 10lb cock fish but hooked and lost 6 more including two grilse which came off at the net. I'm sure that my incompetence was part of the problem, but I don't usually expect to lose that many fish when they are properly hooked. There again, I don't do much spinning. So my questions are: is this a well-known problem with Tobies (we didn't use any other spinners), and if so, is there a fix? Also, how do you play a salmon on a short line with a fixed spool reel? If I had been using a fly rod I would have been able to give more line and play them with better control (I think!).

Cheers, Johnny

[boisker]

I've no experience of spinning for salmon so no direct answer for the species...
but I don't understand the problem with short line? Was it a small reel spool with larger than recommended line?
Growing up I always coarse fished and used a fixed spool reel... I'd probably have on 150yrds nylon and have the clutch set appropriately for the expected fish / line weight...

[robmason]

Ahh, the Toby Spoon!
As Falkus said- the best attractor of salmon and the worst hooker!
His solution- to prevent the hook from wobbling- was to use a flying mount as for a Devon. A wire strace connects the hook to the front swivel and steadies it for contact. Better still, avoid altogether!

[johnesmithson]

Thanks Boisker. What I meant was if you have a strong fish under your bank on a short line and it isn't played out, if I am fly fishing I try to coax it out into the stream and palm the reel to feed line and then play it at more of a distance. I found I couldn't do that with the spinning reel because it would mean constantly changing the clutch setting to allow you to reel in/feed line. Just shows my lack of spinning nous I guess!

[yeoman]

A lot of people swear by adding another split ring at the treble end.This apparently reduces the leverage exerted on the hook.
I've also heard of an extra small treble being added to the split ring on the line end, in case the fish hits the front of the lure. Must be a bu**er for tangles,though.
If you're using a good quality fixed spool, you shouldn't have any bother getting the right clutch setting.Front drag are much smoother than rear drag. If you have a reel with a sticky drag, get rid of it.

[BarleBlanker]

Aug 16, 2016 17:23:03 GMT yeoman said:

A lot of people swear by adding another split ring at the treble end.This apparently reduces the leverage exerted on the hook.

This always worked very well for me.
I can't say I particularly likes the Toby. I preferred Mepps and the Flying C. The Flying C in particular needs the treble removed and replaced with a barbless double or single. You can simply snap off one leg of the treble (the brazed on leg if you have any sense...), squash the barbs on the other two legs and squeeze them together a bit (to give the more usual double angle of about 60 degrees). This was all I ever did and they hook fine. They are best fished upstream to avoid deep hooking. Even in very high water you should be able to fish most lies from below or at least square with a bit of thought.

Aug 16, 2016 17:23:03 GMT yeoman said:

If you're using a good quality fixed spool, you shouldn't have any bother getting the right clutch setting.Front drag are much smoother than rear drag. If you have a reel with a sticky drag, get rid of it.

I must say I got on better with a rear drag (Shimano) which I found easier to adjust quickly if need be but use what works for you. I used to quite like the excitement of a strong fish in high water tucked in under me feet on the Lyn, Barle or Frome. Just try to give 'em as much sidestrain as you can to wear them down. You don't really want them bu99ering off out into the main flow if it is really raging!


Andy