October 9, 2022

[FishnDave]

I caught 2 (yes...TWO!) big Giant Floater mussels today. One was just just the shells. The other was still alive, and I swear it was taking line out BEFORE I set the hook!


This is my first year of catching Bowfin. I caught 46 of them this year! I read that Bowfin are an uncommon common fish...meaning they are somewhat widespread, but not in high concentrations anywhere. So I'm pretty pleased with my past 6 weeks of catching them. My best day was 15!


I also caught some largemouth bass, a bluegill, green sunfish..and a Black Crappie and a feral Goldfish:


And a couple Common Carp as well... one gold, one silver.


I saw snakes, frogs, turtles, a bald eagle, white herons, and a pileated woodpecker.

[Rick Z]

Some nice fish there.
Rick

[iaflyfisher]

Nice fishing David!

[BadBug]

Dave,
You should post a video demonstrating your technique for catching those Giant Floater Mussels and the fly pattern(s) used to catch them. Are the live or dead mussels attracted to the same patterns? ( ) Great photos by the way.

Dennis

[FishnDave]

Dave,
You should post a video demonstrating your technique for catching those Giant Floater Mussels and the fly pattern(s) used to catch them. Are the live or dead mussels attracted to the same patterns? ( ) Great photos by the way.

Dennis

Thanks Rick & Dale!
Great idea, Dennis! Color hasn't seemed to be a factor, but #2 or #4 conehead Woolly Bugger or conehead Zuddler seem to be the patterns they are keying one. The dead mussels seem to prefer a slower retrieve near the bottom. The living mussels...it really seems like a reaction strike, so keep the fly moving fast!
A couple other pro-tips...They'll often bulldog, fight deep...but catch one in the right mood (a.k.a. a "flexing" mussel), and they will jump, headshake, and tailwalk like a tarpon! So be sure to "bow to the king" exactly like you would a jumping tarpon. You won't find this kind of experienced-based advice anywhere else...guaranteed!
The still-alive ones are slimy/gamey. Turn those loose. The long-dead ones you can eat, though. I hear they are chock-full of calcium.