How to Think Like a Fish

by Jeremy Wade

  Fly-fishing. Use of extremely lightweight lures that mimic insects or small fish. Because these flies are so lightweight, they have to be cast using special heavy line, and rods that are specially designed to handle these lines. Fishing flies are normally constructed from pieces of feather, fur, and synthetic fabric, bound to the hook by thread. Sometimes lead/brass/tungsten weight or buoyant foam is added, along with refinements such as weed guards and plastic eyes. At the other extreme, the simplest fly I have used was a strip of rag torn from my T-shirt, fished on six feet of nylon line attached to a cane. Twitched through the water in small rapid jerks, the rag transforms into a remarkably good likeness of a small fish. When worked along the edges of fallen tree trunks, this can be a killer method for Amazonian peacock bass.

  Freelining. Fishing with just a hook on the end of the line and nothing else. The ultimate in simplicity (apart from a handline). Advantages: quick and easy to set up, only one knot as a potential weak point. Disadvantages: hard to cast light baits, hard to detect some bites. Should not be used if any risk of fish taking the bait undetected.

  Freespool reel. Fixed-spool reel concept originally developed by Shimano in the 1970s (marketed as ‘Baitrunner’ reels) whereby a fish can take line, against minimal resistance, with the bail arm closed. This is achieved through use of a secondary drag mechanism, with a separate rotating control, which is engaged by means of a lever. Switching back to the main drag is by means of the same lever, or by turning the reel handle. Very useful in running water, when resistance can be precisely matched to current strength. Removes any need to fish with an open bail arm, which risks tangles.

  Hair rig. Revolutionary method of rigging, now with many variations and refinements, whereby the bait (usually a boilie) is not mounted on the hook but suspended from the hook shank by a short ‘hair’ of leader material, formed by using a knotless knot. Allows more natural behavior of hookbait and gives improved hook-up rates.

  High sticking. Holding the rod too close to the vertical when playing a fish. Ideally the butt of the rod and the line should make an angle of about 90 degrees. Clearly this angle will decrease and increase somewhat when pumping the rod to bring a fish in, but the angle should never be too acute when the rod is under load. The greatest risk of this is when the fish is in close, and the consequence can be a broken rod-tip, and a lost fish. (Can also refer to a specialized fly-fishing technique, for presenting a fly in fast water at close range.)

  Hook length. The short length of line to which the hook is tied. Often a different material from the main line.

  J-hook. The conventional fish-hook shape, like the letter J. But in the same way that typography gives us many variants of the letter J, so too does hook design: long shank, wide gape, offset point, thick wire, thin wire, bent shank… adding up to a huge number of different patterns.

  Jig. A lure comprising a plastic body threaded onto a hook that has an integral weight near the eye. This can be lowered from a boat and moved vertically up and down, or cast and twitched along the bottom.

  Landing net. Net on a handle for safely enclosing the fish and bringing it ashore, or into the boat.

  Leader. The short length of line on the end of the main line, to which the hook or lure is attached. Normally a different material from the main line, with different properties–e.g., more supple, more bite resistant, less visible. A short leader attached directly to a hook is called a hook length.

  Legering (also ledgering). Any technique where a lead or other weight holds the line on the bottom.

  Long line. A commercial fishing method comprising a length of strong line with shorter hook lengths at intervals. Widely used for marine species, but also used in rivers in some countries. Can be set to fish near the surface, using floats, or on the bottom.

  Long-trotting. See trotting.

  Lure. An artificial lure is any non-edible bait that mimics a small fish or other food item, such as a frog or crab. Some, such as modern soft plastic baits, are very lifelike. Others, such as bar spoons, spinnerbaits and buzzbaits, don’t resemble any known fish but are more like caricatures, sending out exaggerated vibrations and visual signals to call the attention of a predator. Some are very low-tech. In the Solomon Islands I caught a trevally on a piece of white leaf, taken to the bottom using a rock then swum to the surface on a handline; and in the Amazon I caught peacock bass on a piece of rag torn from a T-shirt, twitched alongside fallen tree trunks.

  Monofilament (mono, nylon). What most people think of when they think of fishing line. Literally a single, clear filament of nylon. Classed according to diameter and breaking strain. Different brands vary in terms of stretch, memory (the tendency to hold a twist), hardness, color, etc. See braid.

  Multiplier reel. British name for the ‘conventional’/casting reel, which is the type of reel I normally use, mounted on top of the rod. (Australians call it an ‘overhead’ reel.) Most commonly used in salt water, and so called because one turn of the handle produces more turns of the spool, by means of gears. They take some practice to master, because if the spool rotates too quickly on the cast, it can overrun and cause a ‘bird’s nest,’ but modern reels have built-in brakes, which make this less of an issue. Better for bringing in heavy fish than a fixed-spool reel.

  Nylon. See monofilament.

  Outrigger. Long arm projecting from the side of a big-game boat, fitted with a cord-and-pulley mechanism carrying line clips. Enables multiple lures (commonly four) to be trolled in a wide formation without risk of tangling.

  Particles, particle baits. Small hookbaits used in conjunction with a scatter of free offerings. The best known is probably sweetcorn. Nuts and seeds must be properly prepared (soaked and cooked) so they don’t swell inside the fish’s stomach. Or buy pre-prepared.

  Plumbing. Use of a lead weight, normally in conjunction with a float, to measure the depth of water. Best method is to thread a running lead (then a bead) onto the line, then attach a large float to the end. After casting, pull the float down to the weight, then release a foot of line at a time until the float appears at the surface. (This won’t work in strong current. Here the best option is sonar.) Dragging with a weight can also give information about the nature of the bottom: where there is sand, gravel, rock, silt and weed.

  Popper. Floating lure with a flat or concave head, designed to make loud popping and gurgling sounds when retrieved across the surface in a series of sharp jerks.

  Pumping (as in pumping the rod). Trying to turn a reel against strong resistance will not work. To bring in a big fish, you have to use the rod. Bring in a few feet of line by pulling the rod back (but not too far) then wind down as you drop the rod forward again. Repeat. Keep tension on the fish all the time–a very common mistake is to let the line go slack when winding down, which can lead to the hook falling out. (The hook is sometimes not fully home in the early stages, but slowly pulls into a secure hold.)

  Running lead. A weight that holds the line in place on the bottom but which allows a fish to pull the line without moving or feeling the weight (either because the weight has a hole bored through it or because the line passes through an eye or an attached swivel). The set-up as a whole is known as a ‘running rig.’

  Shock leader. A length of heavy line (about one and a half rod lengths) between the main line and the hook length, used to prevent a break-off when casting a heavy weight long distances. When casting, the near end of the shock leader needs to be on the reel, so none of the main line is subjected to the stress of casting.

  Sliding float. As the name implies it slides up the line, normally because of a hole running through it. Stopped at a pre-set depth by a stop knot on the line with a sliding bead below it. Allows float-fishing in water that is deeper than the length of the rod, since the stop-knot easily passes through the rings and onto the reel.

  Sonar. Method of detecting objects underwater by sending out sound waves and picking up the echoes, as used by dolphins (‘echo location’). Man-made sonars are very useful for ma
pping depths from a boat (‘echo sounding’), and most can also detect fish (may be marketed as ‘fishfinders’). Sophisticated models also have GPS and ‘side scan,’ which shows objects such as sunken tree trunks to the side of the boat as illuminated 3D shapes with dark shadows. The simplest sonars are the size of a waterproof flashlight.

  Spinnerbait. Lure with a wire frame that somewhat resembles a miniature coat hanger. On one arm it carries one or more flashing spoon-like blades; on the other is a weighted, inward-turned single hook, adorned with a trailing skirt of colorful plastic strands. Can be fished through weed without snagging.

  Spinning. Common term for lure fishing. So called because many early metal lures (spinners) would spin on the end of the line, sending out vibrations and flashes of light.

  Tag end. When tying a knot, this is the shorter of the two pieces of line emerging from the knot, usually a few inches long. After tightening the knot, the tag end should be snipped close (but not too close) to the knot.

  Terminal tackle. All the bits and bobs on the end of the main reel line. As well as the hook (sometimes more than one), this may include items such as: float, weight/s, swivel/s, leader, hook length, wire trace. The number of permutations, for different types of fishing, is endless.

  Test curve. A measure of rod flexibility. The amount of force needed to pull the rod-tip into a position where it is making a 90-degree angle with the butt. Most early carp rods had a test curve around 1.5lb. For modern carp fishing (longer range, heavier casting weights, bigger fish) it’s more commonly 2.25–3.5lb. Lure-fishing rods are normally rated in terms of casting weight. Heavier saltwater rods are rated in terms of line strength: 30-, 50- and 130lb-class.

  Tippet. The thinnest and very end piece of a fly-fishing leader.

  Top shot. Top shotting is the increasingly common practice, mostly in salt water, of combining braid with mono (or fluoro). Normally the braid is loaded onto the reel first, then joined to a top shot of mono. Among its benefits, it allows the use of smaller-capacity reels than previously possible.

  Touch-legering (also touch-ledgering). Possibly the most sensitive bite detector is a human fingertip, resting on the line above the reel. It’s possible to fish a single rod like this for several hours.

  Trace. Leader made from wire, to prevent the fish’s teeth biting through it. Used when the target species has cutting teeth, or when another toothy species might investigate.

  Trolling. Pulling a lure behind a boat. Seeing the bottom with sonar helps to troll more effectively.

  Trotting. Letting a float go downstream with the current. Most fun with a centerpin reel. Once you’ve got ‘quite a lot’ of line out, you’re long trotting. I caught one of my most memorable childhood fish this way: my first three-pound chub. More recently it has brought goliath tigerfish.

  Uptide rod. Saltwater boat-fishing rod designed for casting ‘upstream’ into the tide, with an anchor-like grip lead and a slack line. Longer and lighter in action than a conventional boat rod.

  Wind-on leader. A long leader of thick monofilament with a flexible loop at one end made from woven Dacron (Terylene). When joined (using a loop-to-loop cat’s paw) to a loop in the end of the main line (formed by a Bimini twist), this thick leader can be wound through the rod rings and onto the reel, which isn’t possible if the leader is attached using a swivel. Makes line management much easier when a big fish comes in close.

  Also by the author

  Somewhere Down the Crazy River:

  Journeys in Search of Giant Fish (with Paul Boote)

  River Monsters:

  True Stories of the Ones That Didn’t Get Away

  Index

  adrenaline, 18, 22–3, 96

  agoutis, 19

  aikido, 102

  Alaska, 56

  alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula), 28, 64, 136

  all-tackle records, 81

  Amazon, river system, 11, 18–23, 25–7, 34–5, 45, 49, 51, 95, 153, 163, 165, 168, 183, 195, 244

  commercial fishing, 26, 34

  mãe d’água (mother of the water), 155

  water levels, 209, 214

  anacondas, 25, 130

  angling partnerships, 164–5

  Angling Trust, 23–8

  Araguaia River, 34

  arapaima (Arapaima gigas), 11, 25–8, 78, 94–101, 105, 119–20, 152, 182–3

  Arctic char, 129

  arowana (Osteoglossum bicirrhosum), 166

  Ascension Island, 82, 185, 199, 224

  atmospheric pressure, 175, 209

  Australians, indigenous, 198, 200

  bait

  bait fishing, 132–41, 160–3

  boilies, 240

  breadcrust, floating, 7–8

  carp baits, 207, 209

  deadbait, 57, 78, 133, 209, 241

  dog biscuits, 69, 209

  livebait, 115, 168

  particle bait, 245

  potatoes, 160–1

  Banbibi, goddess, 155

  basketball, 102

  bathyscopes, 59

  ‘BB,’ see Watkins-Pitchford, Denys

  beliefs and superstitions, 154–6

  benzene, ring structure of, 176–7

  Bestelink, Brad, 125, 127

  Bickersteth, James, 90

  Bird, David, 184

  bite alarms, 39–40, 136, 161

  boa constrictors, 26

  bowfin, 103

  Brandreth, Gyles, 207

  British Carp Study Group, 170, 211

  British Record Fish Committee, 81

  British Sub-Aqua Club, 128

  buffaloes, 180–1, 183–4, 190

  caimans, 78

  carbohydrate, 160–1

  carbon usage, 204

  carp, 11, 63, 69, 77, 87, 103, 121, 200, 222

  and indeterminate growth, 181

  Java carp, 210

  mirror carp, 199, 209

  pink carp, 134

  and telepathy, 170

  carp fishing, 7–9, 24, 27, 67, 165

  and bait ‘ingredient X,’ 207

  and hair rigs, 112, 162–3

  and multiple rods, 135

  and potato bait, 160–1

  rods, 160, 188, 248

  and subconscious senses, 172–9

  castaway, rescued, 116–17

  catch-and-release, 193, 195, 197–8

  catfish, 30, 40, 43, 45, 48, 62–3, 79, 134, 163, 167–8, 198–9

  nesting, 214–15

  noodling, 213–19

  catfish (species)

  dourada (Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii), 35–6

  flathead catfish (Pylodictis olivaris), 215, 222

  goliath catfish (piraiba) (Brachyplatystoma filamentosum), 34–42, 167

  goonch catfish (Bagarius yarelli), 85, 90–1, 129, 133, 152, 164, 181–2, 184

  Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas), 182

  red-tailed catfish (Phractocephalus hemioliopterus), 35, 37, 115

  tapah (helicopter catfish) (Wallagonia leerii), 167–71

  wels catfish (Silurus glanis), 11, 152, 167, 171, 190

  Cayman Trench, 226

  chub, 77

  Clark, Alan, 207

  close seasons, 195

  coarse angling, 11, 221–2

  Columbia River, 120, 196

  combination locks, 16–17

  Confessions of a Carp Fisher (Denys Watkins-Pitchford), 67

  Congo, river, 11, 25, 45, 48, 57, 151

  countercurrents, 87, 89, 92

  crimps, double-barrel, 112–13

  crocodiles, 125–30, 182, 200

  curassows, 19

  da Vinci, Leonardo, 49

  dams, 28

  David Copperfield (Dickens), 44

  diving

  breath-hold, 217–18

  scuba, 125–30

  dolphins, 25, 163

  dorado (Salminus brasiliensis), 103, 137

  earthquakes, 61–3

  Easter Island, 49

  eels

  electric, 51

/>   freshwater, 35

  mottled, 129

  swamp, 138

  elephants, 208

  environment, human impacts on, 28, 203–5

  Essequibo River, 33–6

  Ethiopia, 49

  ‘extreme angling,’ 223

  Fairs, Duncan, 218–19

  Fiji, 129

  filming, 202–3

  fish

  ability to see hooks, 163

  calorific value, 82

  and distress, 200–2

  field of view, 65–7

  identifying individuals, 199–200

  indeterminate growth, 181

  maximum sizes of, 181–2

  measuring size of, 79

  migrations, 35–6

  record fish, 81–2

  and telepathy, 170

  vibration sensors, 63

  vulnerability, 28, 195–8

  weightlessness, 79–80

  fish handling, 99, 201–2, 216–17

  fishing

  acquiring information, 53–60

  and attention to detail, 187–90

  and competition, 215, 221–2

  development of techniques, 45–50

  evolution and experiment in, 161–4

  importance of rehearsal, 147–8

  in lakes, 58–9

  language of, 29–30

  laws and licenses, 237

  opportunism, 171

  origins of, 44–5

  partnerships, 164–5

  and sport, 79, 102

  and stealth, 64–70

  and subconscious senses, 172–9

  fishing diaries, see notebooks

  fishing gear, 30, 38–9

  advances in, 184–5

  and angler’s skill, 80–1

  and attention to detail, 187–90

  buffalo test, 184

  float tubes, 103, 142–3, 146, 241

  gorges, 48–9

  hook sharpness, 188–9

  light versus heavy, 73, 77–83, 186

  line breakages, 80

  line condition, 189

  multiplier reels, 38, 78, 83, 86, 105, 137, 150, 245–6

  poppers, 82, 245

  rods, 150–3

  test curve, 150, 248

  see also hooks; knots