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Dapping is a fly-fishing technique that allows only the fly (not the leader or tippet) to gently touch the surface of the water.  It is considered to be one of the oldest forms of fly-fishing, first described in The Compleat Angler in 1653.

It is a skilful, effective and targetted method of catching trout, as it allows you to present the fly in an almost-perfect imitation of how flies naturally land on the surface of the water, often jumping off and landing again and again.  It is often thought to be the ideal way to catch larger, smarter and warier brown trout.  In Ireland, dapping is done primarily in lakeboats, with the boat set and allowed to drift along, kept in position with the oar.  It is also a useful technique on rivers, over river pools and in conditions with thick cover or banks that make back casting difficult.

How to dapp successfully:

• Stay out of but close to the water and do your best to minimise your movements. 
• Make sure your line is reeled in, with only a small section of your leader & tippet out. 
• Slowly extend your rod, dangling it over the area you believe (or know) the fish are in. 
• Keep observing, while you slowly lower your fly until it is barely touching the water surface. 
• If there is no wind, lightly move your rod, so the fly gently bounces off the water. 
• When the trout takes the fly, wait a moment before setting the hook.

What Tackle Do I Need?

Dapping can be done with any Dry Fly and Floatant, or indeed a real live fly on a a small hook (Size 8 would do very nicely).  To know which fly you should use, simply observe what's buzzing around at the present time. 

For lake dapping, you'll ideally need a specially-designed Dapping Rod - a long telescopic pole-type rod, usually around 5m in length.  If dapping in a river area with overhanging trees and cover, you'll need a shorter rod so as not to tangle with the vegetation. 

Any standard Trout Fly Reel will do the trick or you can even use a Spinning Reel.

Check out our Dapping Tackle Collection, where we have grouped together all the gear you will need to try out this technique.

And - like any angling method - Dapping takes time, patience and not a little practise, but it's a really great one to try. 

Let us know how you get on!

Kevin

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MASSIVE selection of tried-and-tested Trout Flies available for you to buy individually, on a Pick & Mix basis.  Over 250 specially selected patterns to choose from, in hook sizes 14-12-10. 

Take a look at the collection here

Pick your favourites & SAVE 20% when you spend €100 on this collection (discount taken automatically at Checkout)

**Sold Online Only** - make your selection Online & choose Delivery or Local Pick-Up & we'll have them ready for you.

Kevin McSherry

April 2023

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We get a lot of questions about the absolute essentials needed for Pike Fishing & the measures to be taken to ensure your own safety when handling these beasts - and, as importantly, the safety of your prized catch.

While on the bank recently, doing a bit of pole fishing, we met a family whose boy had hooked a good pike of around 9lb, but had no equipment to safely land, unhook and release the fish.  We had to step in to show them what to do and loan them some equipment - we are happy to report that the pike swam away safe and unharmed, and it was great to see smiles all round!

When pike fishing with deadbaits or lures, there are a few items that make catching and releasing a safe and easy experience for human and fish.  We have included links to recommended products (click on the paragraph headers, or search for them using the Search bar on our website).

Unhooking Mat
These padded mats are lightweight, so no burden to carry, and are designed to allow you to safely unhook fish away from hard ground and/or sharp rocks.  An absolute must for fish welfare. Click here to see our selection.

Landing Net with Handle
A large, strong net with a suitable handle is essential for safely landing fish from all types of banks and boats.  It is much safer to net a fish than to try swinging or beaching it.  Make sure the net is wide and deep enough to comfortably hold a large fish, and strong enough to support its weight.  Net with rubber-coasted mesh are not essential, but they are more fish-friendly and can also be useful to prevent your hooks getting tangled in the mesh, causing a mess.  See our extensive selection here: 
Long-Nose Pliers/Forceps
Forceps or pliers are probably one of the most important pieces of kit in your pike angling armoury.  These are used to remove hooks from the mouths of pike, and prevent your fingers from getting nasty cuts.  A wire cutters is also a handy thing to have, and some pliers come with a wire cutting function, ideal for cutting hooks if they get stuck in your clothing, bags, etc.  See our extensive range here.

Strong, suitable Line and Wire Trace
Having a good quality line in correct weight, bolstered by the addition of strong wire trace will prevent the pike biting off the line and heading off with the hook still in its mouth.

Landing Your Pike
When fishing, be sure to keep your gear (particularly your Net, Unhooking Mat and Pliers) close to hand so that you can quickly land and unhook your pike with the minimum of delay and/or fumbling.

Unhooking Your Pike
When you have landed your pike, place it on the mat and kneel over it, placing the fish in the gap between your knees (but not touching or squeezing it with your legs).  Carefully grip the pike by slipping your fingers between the gills and gill plates, and clamping your thumb on the outside.  Be careful of hooks and teeth!  Now, use the pliers to remove the hooks.

If weighing the fish, do so quickly in a damp Weigh Sling.

Before release, either rest the fish back in the net or hold it in the water, swaying it back and forth, until it is ready to take off.

And there we have it!  The very best of luck with the season.  We'd love to see photos of your catch, so please share any with us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/openseason.ie/ 

Tight lines!
Patrick & Donagh

Updated April 2023

Cometa Air Rifles - A Great Range for Every Budget!

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OpenSeason.ie delighted to welcome the SPORTEX brand of rods, reels and accessories - designed & produced in Germany and renowned for their reliability, strength and all-round performance. 

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