As the persistent reader has probably already gathered, I am primarily a fly fisherman, and feel only competent in that discipline but I do try to use other methods as well, from time to time. I have a bit of resistance to going after trout in a stream with anything but flies and fly line though. It is an irrational emotional thing, and not to be overthought. That's for me to do. Perhaps it has to do with my history of fishing with my father and how special that was. Or maybe it has to do with watching opening day or Wissahickon fishing. You can read about this in a previous entry.
Some time ago I wrote about catching bluegill in the pond near my office. Well, that exercise continues to attract an inordinate amount of attention from me. I've been over to the pond two days in a row this week, and I think twice last week too. But something interesting has happened: the fish got "smart." They are there, but they just don't take the Royal Coachman any longer. Whereas before I literally could not keep them off my fly, now they are eschewing it for whatever natural forage they are finding.
I should mention that after the post I made in April about the advantages of fishing while talking on the phone, I started catching bluegill like crazy--a week later. Now it is late May and the fish habits have changed.
Yesterday, I had an ultralite spinning rod in the car, and my tackle bag with flies and some lures, and I didn't want to waste time getting back to my billet to fetch my fly rod, so I went straight to the lake. I came up with a slightly unorthodox method. Having previously (oh yeah, the day before? or last week? I actually can't remember) discovered that a wiggly worm thing on a hook just doesn't go very far, I tied on a small Luhr Jensen spoon, with the hook off---and a trailer, with a streamer fly:
Use the flickr link instead if you need to. Google is not working right.
https://flic.kr/p/V3wJ8hWell, it worked! I caught a fish! After only 5 casts. (Well I spent 10 minutes in another location first....never mind that). Of course if you know fish, you'll instantly recognize the Black Crappie. I didn't at the time.
After that, I proceeded to spin-eptly lose my lure and my fly by breaking the line while casting. I really don't know how to use a spinning reel.
I went back tonight and brought my 9 foot salmon rod with 7 weight line. I needed distance. And tied on a different streamer--first a black/silver one, and a the end a black ghost (on which I lost a good opportunity--a real take but botched set). This was interesting because I had multiple hits. Over and over. And two really good takes that I failed to set the hook on. And a number of other botched attempts. When I tied on a rubber-legged fly with yellow legs, I got LOTS of attention. But the fish would swirl, then "punch" it, but would not put it in their mouths. But they hit it over and over!
I also brought the ultralight. This time I used a 1/32 ounce jighead and two #1 shots, and one of those white spinny-tailed worms, with a follower on which I tied the same type of streamer used on the fly rod. Now this got interesting, because one one particular cast (and only one) I had something really take my lure. It pulled hard enough that line was spooling off the drag--much bigger fight than anything of the panfish sort. But I did not "set" the hook hard enough--I lifted the tip, then I cranked and the drag screamed. After about 5 seconds, the load came off. I kind of think whatever it was had the white wormy thing in the mouth but the hook point never got him. Maybe it was a bass!
Finally, I slipped and fell in the lake while fly casting the black ghost 40 feet and that was pretty much it. Time to go wash my shoes. I suppose not filming with a gopro is good. I'd look like a clumsy fool.
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