Setting the Hook

When you're ready, set the hook by giving your rod (and consequently the fishing line) a quick jerk backward and up. If you have a fish on line, it will fight back and your line will follow the movements of the fish. It can sometimes be difficult to tell if you have a bite or if you're just feeling the current or a fish bumping into the bait.
It takes a lot of experience to know when to set the hook. It also takes a lot of patience.

Setting the Fly Hook In Running Water

When you're fishing across and downstream, your line will be tight and you will recognize how the current feels against your fly. Set the hook as soon as you feel anything different on the line. But don't go crazy. Just a quick wrist movement should do it., moving both the line and the rod back and up. Straight, quick casting makes this technique work.

Setting the Fly Hook in Still Water

Cast your line, pull in a bit of line with your left hand. Hold the line. It's called twitch retrieving. But don't twitch your rod tip. Continue drawing and holding line until you feel the line tighten. Then keep drawing in line until the rod starts to bend on its own. Then hold tight on the line and raise your rod tip.

Setting the Fly Hook in Salt Water

Similar to still water hook setting but everything is bigger. Draw more line with each twitch and tip the rod hard, with both hands. You're using bigger hooks that don't penetrate as easily. And you're trying to hook a bigger fish.

Setting the Fly Hook in Flats

Fish living in saltwater flats don't act like other saltwater fish. You can't really feel them hit the fly. If you can see the fish, wait until it looks like it's changing direction to run away with his catch. Wait a second or two and then pull in about a foot of line. If you feel the fish, set the hook. And several times if need be.

Fishing guide arrested

A Queenstown fishing guide faces four dishonesty charges after allegedly failing to pass on licence fees collected from customers to Fish and Game Otago.

The 52-year-old man was arrested yesterday and will appear in Queenstown District Court on Monday.

The Otago Daily Times reported today that the arrest followed a lengthy private investigation by Fish and Game Otago after allegations were made that money paid by clients for 24-hour licence fees was dishonestly kept by a Queenstown-based fishing guide and charter business.
Fish and Game Otago chief executive Niall Watson said the investigation began in January after "irregularities in the licensing were noticed" last year.

The result of the private investigation was "enough to put the matter in the hands of the police".
The newspaper said Queenstown police executed several search warrants yesterday and arrested a Queenstown man.

He was charged with four counts of causing loss by deception, Detective Matthew Jones said.

Police were still investigating and there could be more charges laid.

Area Lake Fishing Report

Old Hickory Lake

Bass are being caught in shallow water on spinner and crank baits.

Bluegill are biting very good around structure.

Catfish are being caught on cut and stink baits.

Anglers say that crappie are biting slow. Fishing over all on Old Hickory lake is fair.



Cordell Hull Lake

Bass fishing is good, reports of bass being caught using top water baits and worms. Crappie are being caught in 8-10 feet of water on minnows.

Stripe fishing is good in the tail water area using a jig and twister tail combination.



Center Hill Lake

Bass are being caught on crankbaits, spinnerbaits, and plastic worms.

Some Walleye are being caught while trolling.

Catfish are being caught while jugging.

Bluegill are being caught on night crawlers and crickets.

Trout are being taken in the tail waters area. Fishing is reported to be good.



J, Percy Priest Lake

Crappie should be actively hitting small minnows and small jigs (chartreuse and white - 1 inch best). In the early spring most crappie are in the upper part of the lake consisting of Spring Creek, East Fork, and West Fork. As the water reaches into the high 50's the crappie should move in from the river channels. Look for submerged timber, tree stumps, and other cover in 10-20 feet of water that harbor schools of crappie.

Smallmouth bass should be caught with grubs, crankbaits and jigs on mud flats and areas where there is chunk rock, gravel, and other irregular terrain in the lower end of the lake. As the water warms up to mid 50's the bass should become more active feeding on baitfish in Suggs and Hamilton Creeks.

Large mouth bass should be caught by flipping jig-n-pig combos in 4 to 10 feet of water in the East Fork and the West Fork. Spinner baits and suspended crankbaits should be effective on pre-and post-spawn bass. Look for areas with stumps, fallen trees, and other natural cover providing habitat and ambush points on small prey. Fish available structure and cover in the backs of creeks where water temperatures warm faster.

Hybrid and stripers should be fished with small shiners and jigs early in the spring. As the water warms up they will feed on live shag. Fish shallow early in the spring and fish deep later in the spring through summer. Hybrid should be taken on cut bait and liver on the lower end of the lake.

Catfish should be caught on cut bait, liver, nite crawlers, and scented baits along sharp drops and around tributary creeks after spring rains.

Bluegill should be caught on small spinners, crickets, millworms, and red wigglers around shallow cover and structure.



Dale Hollow Lake

Bass fishing is best during the night, while throwing a jig or soft plastic around grass and rocky points.

Bluegill are being taken on red worms and crickets around shallow cover.

Fishing is reported to be good.