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Jim Wallace
05-06-2008, 09:57 AM
Went to a lowland lake yesterday and had my worst luck ever in several years of fishing there. Very few takes, and some tentative "bumps." I switched around with different colors and sizes of wooly buggers. I only saw a couple of fish rise the whole time I was there, and the only sign of bugs was a few tiny midges...size 38 or less, but they were so small i wasn't sure if I was seeing them or not.
Other anglers of all persuasions also whined about the lack of action. Was it the New Moon, air pressure, or it being a Monday after the weekend hordes? The place fished well Friday evening, before the weekend hordes.

I did lose a large head-shaking behemoth that wrapped me on a snag, though, and C&R'd two small stockers, two wild cutts, and took home what looked like one of the planted hatchery steelhead smolts. 6 hours of fishing. Usually have periods of much better action.

Water temp had risen from 52/53 on Friday to 57. It was very windy, easily 10-15mph with gusts to nearly 20.

No I didn't try Chironomids, dries, or small nymphs. Mainly trolled in the wind.




ceviche
05-06-2008, 04:01 PM
I had the same problem today. I feel like it's time to go back to school and figure out what the game is behind the new, warmer temperature. Things were a lot easier when the water was below 50 degrees. Fug!

scottflycst
05-06-2008, 07:45 PM
Yep, definitely weather related. Wait till the front moves thru tomorrow and fishing will improve.

Jim Wallace
05-06-2008, 08:25 PM
I thimk i figgured it out:hmmm: those pesky trout were feeding on Chironomids.
Last night when I cleaned my one keeper, I threw the head and entrails into a plastic bag and into the freezer, so it won't stink before I can toss em. Couple hours ago I dug out this gut bag and put it in the sink to thaw, so I could check the stomach contents. The trout had puked up a chunk of artificial bait when i bonked it, and I hadn't noticed any bulging stomach, so I had neglected this.

Try as I may, I could not ignore the accusing eye of the dead fish, glaring at me in its decapitated state, its black pupil seemingly without surface nor bottom, a portal to the infinite that connects the trout to me and you and everything else...beneath Nature's passion play of eat-or-be-eaten...:beer1:

...anyway, I squeezed the crap out of the stomach and it wuz .... Chironomids!

Sourdoughs
05-07-2008, 06:48 AM
...anyway, I squeezed the crap out of the stomach and it wuz .... Chironomids!

:thumb:

Good idea going back and checking! Next time out, when going around grab a not-yet emerging one off the water and check its color & shimmer. That'll point you in a good direction on the type of pattern to use. Good luck!