Apr 11 2008
How to use a Throat pump on a Fish!
Seen here is a common type of pump
This sounds disgusting at first, but this is a very useful skill to
learn. Fish are not attracted to the same bait all the time. To learn
what they are biting on that particular day, in that particular spot,
the easiest thing to do is to catch a fish and pump its throat.
This is a delicate procedure. You must be very careful when
pumping the throat of any fish. If you cause internal injuries while
doing this, the fish may die when released back into the water.
Take your time, and do this as gently as possible.
Pumps are available at fly fishing gear stores, and are discussed in
chapter four. They look much like an old-fashioned turkey baster,
but please only use a proper pump designed just for this purpose.
To use the pump;
1. Make sure your h ands are w et before picking up any fish.
Use a gentle touch to avoid removing scales
2. Prime and clean the pump by filling it once with lake or
river water, and then empty it out again.
3. Squeeze the empty bulb of the pump, and then carefully
insert the tube into the throat of the fish. Only insert the
tube 2 to 3 inches, and not all the way down.
4. Slowly release the bulb of the pump as you gently pull it
out of the fish. As you pull it out, the bulb will refill with
air, and suck in the recent contents of the throat.
Empty the pump into a glass jar so that you can examine the
throat contents. Look for anything that is still moving. This will
be what the fish has eaten last, and what you should mimic or
match in your bait.
NEVER PUMP A FISH SMALLER THAN 14″ !!!!!!!!!!!
Rick Passek “The Flyfish Fanatic™”
