While running through the drift I am not feeling the differance between the fish knocking at my door & the weight skipping across the bottom. I feel that I am missing most of my hook-ups because of this.
The long debated statement:" A fellow fisherman through in the exact same thing as I, as far as I can see, & in two cast he has a fish on."
I consider myself a patient man, but this is becoming quite unnerving.
Seeing the posts & pics on this site are great. I surely long to be able to Make a few of those posts, myself.
The debat about the Puallyup was vary informative. I thought that the 6 foot leaders was kind of unusual.

Texas fling, I have had the same issue from time to time.
If you are using a fixed weight try switching to a sliding weight system for a while.

I think at times you can feel the bite better since your line is not hindered by the weight.

feeling the hit can take years to figure out. I would sugesst using hardware or bait from time to time so you dont get too discouraged. its much easier to tell a it with bait on driftgear. I would also suggest that you choose only one or two "go to" colors that work much of the time... (ex: pink pearl/white yarn... for steelies) and stick to them most of the time. I think not worrying about color will let you focus on the drift. Use sliding weights when you can, and focus on the bottom half of the drift. And keep at it! It'll get better.

if u are speaking specificly about the puy then I would have to agree,Started fishing it two weeks ago and could not beleive the luck that some where having,I really started to watch how they worked the drifts held there rods and tried to catch a peek at what they where using.this definatly helped to be observant of those around u,It will increase your odds.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have been using hollow core lead on my main line, in front of a bb, to a swival. Then the leader.
I just got back from the Puy. & had one up to the bank, but it was a belly hook. My second hookup was enough to say, "I best stop there. It is ready for the barbie now.
Well I believe that the west end rivers are in my sights for the rest of the salmon season. Looking forward to January Febuary. Hope the steelies knock on my door this winter.
Maybe I'll run into some of you while I am up there. Just look for the guy doing the same thing as my Avatar Image.

I gusse I would have to be one of thouse people you look at down on the Puyallup. Just this morning I caught around ten fish, using a 4 foot leader. Although most where on the flyrod. One king bit my eggs on the retrive!

I would suggest using less wieght for there is less bottom bouncing. Also once you get a couple of fish, you can remember what the bite/take feels like bite. Also raise or "jerk" the rod when ever the line stops moving. Nine out of ten times, or more, it is either a snage or a rock, but other times...

Having a sensitive rod is a bonus. And like mentioned before experience will be the biggest helper. Next time a guy throwing a 6 foot leader starts fishing circles around you check his fish when they hit the bank and I'll bet you they were flossed.(hooked outside in)

Good luck to ya.

one last piece of advice...

make sure you're hooks are sticky sharp, if the hooks are sharp enough many times it wont matter if you feel the bite. Once the hook point hits fish... the fish will do the rest.

Texas,

I think I have a foolproof method for you to work around the "feel thing" that everyone talks so much about. It's really effective and doesn't really require any "touch" at all. Some of the best drift fishermen I know admit to using this technique in tandem with the more typical feel technique.

It basically involves sight more than feel. The idea is to use your line as a "strike indicator". I like to use a high-vis line (my eyes aren't what they use to be), plus this line has no drawbacks on the Puy. It is as simple as concentrating on the point where your line ENTERS the water and up a few feet of line to observe the changes in tension (bow) and any other odd movement in the line. That section of line, under the proper tension and drift, will act as a "bobber" and reveal changes that are happening at the terminal end of your tackle. You will actually see a take before you feel it, since the change in tension can be seen long before it works it's way down your rod to your hand. It really works! It works so well that I can often tell kids just learning to drift when to "pull back" on a fish. I have witnessed guides do the same thing with their customers before they ever realized they had a fish. In either case, it wasn't "feel", but sight that gave away the take.

Many people struggle because they are concentrating too much on their rod TIP and trying to feel what's happening with their hand. Typically they're usually way to late on the strike (sound familiar?). Not watching your tip will also help you to keep your rod tip low and line tauter under drift.

Strikes using this method will very often appear as a hestitation or slowing of the line through the drift with the bow coming out of the line slightly. If this method sounds familiar it might be because it is a well known technique to flyfisherman who keep their rod tip low and keenly watch their line for a take. Whatever works, huh?

Hope this helps. And let us know if does or it doesn't.

Very interesting, Mooch.

Mooch

I have never heard of that before, thanks for posting that.

i second that "use sticky sharp hooks" and another factor would be use the lightest line possible for the drift/river, it will cut down on drag in the water, better/faster hook set, im gonna be using 8# for silvers on the carbon, some may use 6# but there are still some big kings in there, i know 8# isnt nearly enough for them, but i will manage..

Find a rubber cap (sometimes called a butt plug) They actually sell them pre set up but the homemade ones are cheaper and better.

the problem is you have to find the long ones that are about 2 inches long. next take 2 one oz sinkers place hole up (they well ballence) smack with a hammer until they fit the diameter of the plug, place it on the butt of your pole. it makes the tip light and your sence off feel well inprove greatly....DJ

I'll second Mooch's tip. I got that one from a guide a good while ago. He believed in it like gospel and it works. You can always see the strike before you feel it. Watch the line, not the rod tip.

Another thing you could try is a slow retrieve through the drift. You'll tick the bottom a little less, hang up less and a higher percentage of the ticks you feel will be strikes, plus the strikes feel more like strikes and less like the bottom.

Me thinks I'll pass on this tip....

Mooch

When I was guiding, that method was a way of life!



Cowlitzfisherman

Are you threading the main line through the weight? From your description it sounds like you might be. That will make it much harder to feel the bit. Either clamp the weight to a tag end from a knot on the swivel, or better, thread a second swivel onto the main line above the first swivel, tie 3 inches of line to that, and clamp your weight to that. That will probably make more difference than anything else.

I totally agree with Mooch. I hate to admit it but I was too lazy to try and type out the same suggestion a couple days ago. My tehnical explanations tend to be long winded and wandering from the point.
Regardless, I suggest you try this "Mooch-method." I first read about it in a Salmon, Trout, Steelheader article sometime in the early eighties. The article started off with some sort of boast about how to tell the difference between Puget Sound steelheaders and Olympic Peninsula steelheaders; The angler from the Peninsula has his rod tucked under his arm with the tip horizontal to the water while seemingly ignoring his rod tip. The Sound angler has his rod tip up at ready position, a fixated dumb stare watching for lightning to strike at any moment!!!
The O.P. guy is catching twice as many fish of course. The misnomer for the "feel" comes easier with every take.
Long story short- just watch the belly of the line. If it stops or pops- lay into 'em!
Good Luck

Hey guys, and gals, all good solutions. But, have you tried crosstraining, like darts, horse shoes, or even a video game!!! Sometimes we all hit a wall per say, and need a little extra training. To build hand eye coordination, and touch and feel sensitivty!!! Ever try to get your million horsepower Porsche around a curve, without the vibrate mode on your PS2 game controller, cant do it!!! Ah heck, just throw SPOONS at em!!!

Thanks, JTD,
That explains everything. All this time I thought moving from Maple Valley to Kingston would make me a bonafide OP fisherman instead of the dreaded Puget Sound angler (any relation to PSA is purely coincidental) I was always accused of being. But now I find that it was the way I hold my rod that ultimately made the difference.

Mr. Fling,
That rod in the crook of the arm thing was precisely what I was referring to as part of the "feel" thing those better (?) drifters I know would do in tandem with the aforementioned technique. But be warned this requires a much higher level of instruction and dedication to master. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!

Winterrun,
Sorry to step on you there. Hey couldn't help but notice your nice avatar. Do I detect a lil' Cleo hanging off that lip. Aren't they illegal? If not they should be! Bill gave me my first one sometime back and I've been trying to swear them off ever since. You know, the ol' first one's free, the rest are going to cost ya. Looks like he's got us all hooked; you me and that hookschnozz of yours.

By the way speaking of Bill, if crosstraining really would make that much difference then wouldn't we all have to take up bowling to be as good a drift fisherman he is?

WOW!!!!!!!! Thanks to all for your replys. You where all vary helpful, if not, entertaining.

I especially liked the line watch & have quit frankly used this technic not really thinking to much about it but will definitely take into more consideration the next time I am on the river.

One other thing. I hooked into a tree across the river last Sunday & when I got it loose, it came right back at me & boy was it mad. I hit me right on my left temple. The fella next to me said: "Did what I think I heard really happen?" I had to wait to regain full clarity before I could answer. It really rung my bell.