Monday, February 26, 2018

A Long Skinny Fish Saves the Day

Any fish is a good fish.




And in February, it is easy to come home without a single tap. I've had at least 4 days like that this month. I should keep track; then again maybe I shouldn't!

After multiple days with nothing, the Cargo Cult issue starts to creep back into consciousness. Therefore when you finally feel a tug, the mind starts racing and the pulse goes up. "Was that real?"  Did I imagine that? Was it just a snag?

But then when you *see* a fish following, then it gets real. No more Cargo Cult concerns. But your hands start to shake---"don't mess up this cast!"

Haha it is only fishing. But it wouldn't mean anything if we didn't get excited about it.


There was a lot of water in the river, but where I found the pickerel it is always quiet.




Thursday, February 22, 2018

A Special Place

I was invited to fish yesterday in a very special place.

I didn't catch anything.

I had one take. Just one.

This stream has wild brook char in it. My friend has caught them in spring and fall but never this early. It was worth a try.

Wild brook trout are my greatest piscatorial motivator and have been pretty much all winter--heck all last year. But other than the one I caught in September, I've only been able to dream.

Someday, someday. I can't imagine how I am going to react. I will probably make too much noise and then be unable to focus for the rest of the day.


Tuesday, February 20, 2018

Maps Can Be Confusing

This doesn't make sense.
An "intersection" of streams?

That is all for now.


Friday, February 9, 2018

Making Up New Fly Patterns Is FUN

This week has been "Week of the Trout Management Area."

Last week was the last time I had any takes on the non-catch/release section of my local river. It happens to be that that section is closer to home. But I just can't stop fishing--and needing to catch a fish--so starting with Super Bowl Sunday, I've made attempts at the TMA.  4 days total. Yesterday (Thursday) was a skunking but I saw three trout, in two locations. The previous day I fished (Mon? Wed? I can't remember) I got one take, a very brief fight, and then lost it. And of course on Super Bowl Sunday I caught one and then lost it--on the black headed minnow streamer I devised below.

This morning, I started out going with my newest streamer pattern again--the minnow shape but a newer copy that I neglected to photo. It looked mostly like the lower one except only two rather than four peacocks, no dot dot dot flash, and less mallard flank bulk:



Sadly, I lost it somewhere in a cast at the first pool--the one I spooked two trout out of yesterday.

So I went into my box and found another fly I made up. Here it is, shortly after I caught the fish:

It is tied on an eagle claw size 10 smooth shank bait hook (offset bend) and the body is chartreuse ordinary acrylic yarn. I think I put nonlead wrap down first. It is a "nymph" because it has no hackle--I guess. But it doesn't change how I fish it--however I damn well want to!

 It was a perfect case of location and casting. There is a plunge pool with a waterfall just up 30 feet from a good vantage point. Plenty of back cast space for a 20 foot back cast, so I cast and shot line to put the fly right into the waterfall. I did this four times. The last time, I had that classic feeling of a snag while starting to get ready for a retrieve--and it was a fish!

I am glad I remembered my net. Being a catch/release section, and knowing that there are a number of people who pester this fish (including me) its--their--survival depends on being delicate with them. I was able to keep the fish substantially in the water, and the hook fell out without me touching the fish. When I saw it loose, I lowered the net into the water and the fish simply swam out of the net.

The videos are unedited and sequential. Because I don't have a helmet-cam, as usual there is no footage of the initial strike and fish fight, which is unfortunate, as it was memorably good.




Sunday, February 4, 2018

Sometimes There Aren't Pictures

Even though I got very little photographic activity today, and even though I did not catch anything I could take home, and even though I used up 6 shiners to no avail on the ice, it was still a good day fishing.

Why?

Because last weekend's adventure with baitfishing gave me an idea. I tied some minnow imitations. I just made them up with materials I had on hand. And it worked!

The lower one uses the following materials:
orange embroidery thread body
white saddle hackle tail
matched mallard flank wings (which slipped and became asymmetrical)
peacock herl
ice drop or whatever that is called flash
DNA flash
black monocord thread.
I used much more DNA than I've ever used on any fly. Instead of just 1 or two strands each side, I used  five. Underwater, it is really blue and iridescent. This one caught a trout.


I fished a c&r TMA -- I could see two or three trout below the pedestrian bridge. I started out with one of my wet fly things--like this one except with some gold mixed in 50-50:






This failed to attract any attention.

Then I fished another streamer that has been very successful during spring and summer:







This also did nothing. It was time to try my theory--that winter trout are in fact hungry and will devour a crippled minnow if given half a chance.

And it worked!

It took a few casts. The first time the fish was attracted, it approached, turned away, approached again and refused. The next time, it whacked at it but I couldn't feel it hit (I was fishing from above--line sensitivity is very poor in this circumstance). But I also believe it was hitting the long tail. So I tied on a trailing hook and gave it another try. Sure enough, the fish came out from under its lie and approached. I watched its lips open, then my fly was obscured. I waited just a moment and lifted my rod and sure enough, I had it!

Unfortunately though, after a decent amount of fight, I lost it. I believe it was on the trailer.

A fly tied to imitate a minnow can work--even when I do the designing and tying!

The only good photos I took were of a hatch: