WARM AFTERNOON
I had been working in the garden trying to catch up to all the weeds that grew while I could not be in the garden. Then we kept getting rain that made it a mess. Also I had a third crop of dill coming up by the thousands. So by the time I got all the things done that needed to be done it was noon before I could think of going to a pond.
I ate lunch and headed out, taking two rods and a couple of boxes of flies. I had a 3 weight graphite and a 5 weightt bamboo rod with me. It was still to wet to try to drive into many ponds so I headed out to the university to fish the pond near the football field. This is what it looks like.
Pond near the university football field
The "G"
The far end of the pond is very shallow. The shallow water is also along the side in the third picture below the "G".
I fished the area starting in the fourth picture and then to the first picture. I found that the fish were very scattered. I used a lot of different flies, trying to see if there was a preferred pattern. The fish seemed to hit on any fly that was in front of them.
I made sure that there was a weighted fly he graphite rod and an unweighted fly on the bamboo rod. Some of the fish hit just after the fly hit the water while others wanted the fly to drop varying distances before hitting. Others wanted the fly very deep. Some wanted the fly on a straight retrieve and others on any variation of retrieve that could be done. By doing all of these things five or six fish would come from each place.
Many of these fish did not strike hard. No weight on the line or line movement. When I raised the rod tip to cast again there would be a fish on. This was not only the bluegills, but the bass also. The largest bass was around 18 inches long and gave no indication of having taken the fly.
I arrived by the tree that looks like it's in the water in the first picture and I had some hare's ears type flies tied up in sizes from 10 to 18. I thought that this might be a fun place to see if fish would take them in each size. I started out with the larger sizes in a dark brown color. I would get a fish every few casts, on both sizes. Changed sizes and got fish again. Tried the size 16 and 18 and got fish. It was harder to get the hook out on the smaller sizes. My hands are too big so it was forceps.
Since this worked I started using an olive hares ear and a grey hares ear on the two rods. I hooked fish every few casts. I changed to a smaller size and found that the fish would take those also. I tried some other flies and the fish were hitting those.
I was getting thirsty so I decided it was time to leave. I already had a good bunch of fish in the basket. I knew it would take a while to get them all taken care of.
Got them to the truck and went to the water fountain that is on the outside of the building you can see in the first photograph. It was nice to get a drink of water.
Just as I got back to the truck I saw another car pull into the lot. It was a couple of folks I know. I asked them if they were going to try fishing. They had thought they might try but decided it was too hot for them. I gave them about half of what I had caught. I knew that they will use them. I still had 40 fish at home. It was a fun day to be out even in the heat.
Hope you can get out on the water.
Rick