I've been under the weather for a couple of weeks, busy at work (really, I don't just read the interwebs...I just have one of my three constantly working PCs on WFF if possible) and took on three new projects. On Valentine's Day we adopted a stray cat that, when taken to the vet needed $250 in shots, $250 in neutering and [GULP] $900 in broken femoral head repair for his hip. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, if the girls would have not been so attached to this little creature I don't know what I would have done.
What I did do was a bunch of errands this morning, have lunch with the family and then went to fish.
I hit a local lake that seems to have been giving guys fits. I arrived after picking up my new custom float tube rod holder from another member here. I do hope that he will post photos of his creation because these thing will sell. I got mine in trade and will post a photo of it later as I did not have my camera on the lake today.
I arrived at 4:15. Air temp 55 degrees. Full sunlight. Water temp felt cold, probably mid to low 40's cold. Slight wind creating a nice chironomid chop and only one other vehicle at the parking area. I could hear two guys talking to each other on the lake and as I was gearing up one came off the lake to pack it in. His talkative and helpful pal was soon to join him but he and I chatted it up a bit (imagine that, right).
No sooner had I finished rigging rods, thanking the gent for a nice St. Helens/Adams area to consider for a family tent camper trip he disappeared up the trail. I pushed off and as soon as I got settled into my kicking stroke the wind just died. It was as calm as could be and the sun was still up. I started to slowly strip a cortland clear camo line with an Islander Camo Carey Special and scope out the surface of the water. After about 20 minutes of glass calm I noticed a few tiy midges, probably a size 32. (sorry Taxon, don't know what they were, but I could match them in appearance but not size). There were also some shucks...now that I can handle. Where is that Matt Smith magic fly...here we go and there it went. I was fishing it under a bobbermacatorthingamajiggy device and down it went and in came an average looking and not too fiesty 12" stocker.
I could hear the first guy that left the lake say "that guy is into a fish already". Hearing that felt good. They had fished for six hours without a single rise seen or bump felt. A half hour later the magic fly had not delivered again and I swapped up to one of Rob Ast's loscha racoons (hope I got that right). I think it looks like the shucks and I had this one on my honey glass 4wt with a floater. I had worked some floatant into my furled unithread leader so the fly would be pretty close to the slime layer. FREAKING WHAM and my little click pawl reel was making music. [for those that say they are spring pawl reels...not this one...no springs, just a plasticised lever that clicks] Another fish to hand, that is two and I've been here about an hour. Not great but I'm not skunked.
The sun was now behind the trees. It got cold fast, I could see my breath and my hands were getting cold. I was happy to have been out and had a good time. I tied on one of my wine colored caddis emergers with a dark brown head and beaded body under the fuzzy dubbing. It is a confidence fly for me here and I slowly worked my way along the sloping shoal toward the takeout. Halfway back to take out there was a swirl and stretch to the line. Third fish to hand, another like the second, about 14" and my day on the water has been nice.
A good time was had by this guy.
What I did do was a bunch of errands this morning, have lunch with the family and then went to fish.
I hit a local lake that seems to have been giving guys fits. I arrived after picking up my new custom float tube rod holder from another member here. I do hope that he will post photos of his creation because these thing will sell. I got mine in trade and will post a photo of it later as I did not have my camera on the lake today.
I arrived at 4:15. Air temp 55 degrees. Full sunlight. Water temp felt cold, probably mid to low 40's cold. Slight wind creating a nice chironomid chop and only one other vehicle at the parking area. I could hear two guys talking to each other on the lake and as I was gearing up one came off the lake to pack it in. His talkative and helpful pal was soon to join him but he and I chatted it up a bit (imagine that, right).
No sooner had I finished rigging rods, thanking the gent for a nice St. Helens/Adams area to consider for a family tent camper trip he disappeared up the trail. I pushed off and as soon as I got settled into my kicking stroke the wind just died. It was as calm as could be and the sun was still up. I started to slowly strip a cortland clear camo line with an Islander Camo Carey Special and scope out the surface of the water. After about 20 minutes of glass calm I noticed a few tiy midges, probably a size 32. (sorry Taxon, don't know what they were, but I could match them in appearance but not size). There were also some shucks...now that I can handle. Where is that Matt Smith magic fly...here we go and there it went. I was fishing it under a bobbermacatorthingamajiggy device and down it went and in came an average looking and not too fiesty 12" stocker.
I could hear the first guy that left the lake say "that guy is into a fish already". Hearing that felt good. They had fished for six hours without a single rise seen or bump felt. A half hour later the magic fly had not delivered again and I swapped up to one of Rob Ast's loscha racoons (hope I got that right). I think it looks like the shucks and I had this one on my honey glass 4wt with a floater. I had worked some floatant into my furled unithread leader so the fly would be pretty close to the slime layer. FREAKING WHAM and my little click pawl reel was making music. [for those that say they are spring pawl reels...not this one...no springs, just a plasticised lever that clicks] Another fish to hand, that is two and I've been here about an hour. Not great but I'm not skunked.
The sun was now behind the trees. It got cold fast, I could see my breath and my hands were getting cold. I was happy to have been out and had a good time. I tied on one of my wine colored caddis emergers with a dark brown head and beaded body under the fuzzy dubbing. It is a confidence fly for me here and I slowly worked my way along the sloping shoal toward the takeout. Halfway back to take out there was a swirl and stretch to the line. Third fish to hand, another like the second, about 14" and my day on the water has been nice.
A good time was had by this guy.