Central Iowa Bluegills

[cycler68]

FishnDave
I was thinking that you might want to contact your insurance agent about getting compensation for some of your flies as they are most likely covered under your house insurance. It might not work since they were lost, not stolen, but I think it's worth a shot.

[white43]

Dave, that bass in the one photo is a beauty but it ain't no smaller, since it's mouth extends past the eye. That's a largie. Beautiful bluegill. Wow. I'm getting ever closer to retiring back in the farm pond country. JGW

[FishnDave]

I'm chalking the lost fly box/leader wallet episode up to "A Learning Experience".

White43, you are right. I haven't posted any pictures of smallmouth bass. I've caught a few this year, but not on a fly rod. For the pictures I posted, I may have made reference to "small bass"? Heaven knows I catch plenty of those...

Minnesota is "Fishing Heaven". You wanna retire HERE in IOWA???

[Wingsdlc]

I am feeling your pain about the lost fly box. This last weekend I made the 3 hr trip up to Roanoke VA to fish sm. mouth on the Roanoke. I ended up losing my dry fly box. I was pretty amazed how much cash I had into with replacement materials I had run out of. Life is full of learning experiences.

Really nice Catfish by the way. I am shocked they are taking top water.

[FishnDave]

Yeah, those topwater cats are FUN! Hit just like a bass. It isn't until the fight starts that you start to think,"Uh, this doesn't FEEL like a bass!"

Speaking of SMALL bass....here's today's lunch-outing trophy (on a "bare weenie")...I might've gotten 2" on a tape measure if I stretched it out a bit:

[FishnDave]

Hit an Ankeny pond with a fly rod during lunch today. First fish on was a really nice channel cat! What a fighter! For the first 5 minutes or so I didn't get to see the fish, even though the water was pretty clear. I was hopeful it was a grass carp!
Anyway, same ol' story. I finally got it to shore, and had my hand on it, but didn't get a good grip, and it managed to throw the fly as it darted away. Phooey again!

I also caught 4 bluegills and a crappie, and had a bass throw the fly at the last minute.

Here's the crappie (for you lovers of fish porn):

[crappiecrazy]

Nice crappie!