WHICH SIDE OF THE MOUTH ?

[sinkingtip]

Hi Guys - looked for the appropriate place to post this thread and reckoned this was it. Apologies to the Moderators if it has been misplaced.

Ever wondered if, when you unhook a fish, that the side of mouth the fly is in (scissor hooking) can give any clues as to whether the fish allowed the fly to swim (a) past it before deciding to 'turn' and go for it or (b) turn upstream and into the fly before it arrives at / around the fish's nose......follow me ?. if you think about the (a) option then the chances are the fish is hooked in the left side of the mouth - the side as viewed by you looking downstream.
If it is option (b) then it would be the right hand side of the mouth. ? Of what value this information may or may not impart I have no idea - just curious to see if anyone else has ever given this any thought.
The above does not take into account any fish that may have the hook "richt doon it's throat" or 'neb' caught fish which, I have found, are usually 'dangle' caught fish - but I may be wrong.

Hope you are able to figure out what I mean - got a stinking head cold just now and cant think straight.
Opinions gentlemen - no Lemsip jokes please

[Fruin]

What bank are you fishing from, looking downstream?

[sinkingtip]

Hi Dave - from what you describe in the R - L flow implies to me that the fly had passed the fish before it turns - assuming that you are fishing from the left bank as you look downstream - fish hooked in RHS.

The L - R flow ditto in reverse. Fishing from right bank and, again, after the fly has passed - hooked in LHS

By left and right sides of mouth I mean the side of the fish's head as you look downstream towards the direction they are lying (not looking straight down on top with both your and the fish's head pointing the same way).
Complicated I know but, like you, a bit of an 'anorak' thing with me too. I have observed, on a few occaisions, fish taking a fly - usually from a high bank and with a friend fishing below and, on average, more fish take after the fly has passed than before the fly has passed. This is a generalisation as, in these observations I have also seen every other permutation on the theme. Seldom have I seen them 'circle and intercept' - it is usually a single sweep upstream followed bay a sharp turn to the left or right.

Hi Fruin - hope this answers your querie also. Still none the wiser but worthy of debate I think.
Cheers guys - anybody else ?

[sinkingtip]

Just a bit . Food for thought though . Thanks for the contribution Dave. Maybe we will work it out one day ;D

[rennie]

Hail Sinkingtip,there is a great deal indeed to be learned where and how your Salmon are hooked and the more you ponder such issues the more you can learn in the long term.
I once had an England coarse fishing international explain to me in great detail about the relationship between where in the mouth and how you hook coarse fish and how and where in the water they are feeding.Now I know Salmon don't feed as coarse fish do but I think you can also throw the manner of how a Salmon takes your fly(as in aggression,playfulness,memory?,or subdued feeding response).
I don't believe its just a question of right or left side of the mouth,theres the roof of the mouth,the throat,the tongue and indeed the bottom pallet too.Now throw in the density of line you are using the size/weight of fly time of year water/air temp. and the heads spinning.Next time you catch a Salmon using a fully sunk line and weighted fly see where in the mouth you have hooked it,in my opinion your presentation has been perfect if the Salmon is hooked in the back of its mouth or throat,now if you are fishing a floater and small fly and can present your fly further across the stream I would expect a fish to be hooked firmly in the scissors.Next time you catch a Salmon look at how you have hooked it then try to use what you see to get the perfect presentation,it could change a good day into a great day,or like me stop you getting bored when nowts happening or provide a kick up the a#### to make it happen! Pedro.

[sinkingtip]

Double Hail Pedro ;D - all points taken and understood. A thorough and informative reply. Many imponderables I know - guess the main thing is to execute the perfect cast, present the fly at the appropriate depth and pace and just be thankful when you get a "guid pull".
I have alway looked at hook holds generally and tried to gain what knowledge, or form what opinions I could. After a few seasons of doing this the phrase "rhyme nor reason" became the sole outcome of my attempt at valid research although your observations and comments show, quite plainly, that I am not alone in at least giving consideration to such items of detail . Food for thought.
Regards

[Fruin]

I tried to look into the exact way that fish would take on certain rivers/pools; fast, slow, shallow, deep, lowland, highland etc. and tied myself in knots.

This was after a two week period, on holiday from work, when I managed to hook 15 fish and lost every one of them. I was not doing anything different from before. The next season I only lost one fish out of all the fish I hooked. Like sinkingtip says "rhyme nor reason" springs to mind!!!

[ceilidh]

Just to throw another variable into the equation! Has anyone noticed whether the location of the hook-hold tends to vary when fishing very long tailed flies, such as a collie dog? If a salmon was approaching from behind the fly one might expect to feel a higher proportion of plucks, which fail to connect, however, I have not personally found this to be the case and most of the fish I have caught when fishing this type of fly have taken firmly and been hooked in the scissors, suggesting that they came at the fly from the side(?)

[para1]

Have seen a few fish take the Rapala in the middle. Does this change when fishing the fly, some of my flies are 4ins long.
And does it really matter, if it's on the bank you have done something right