LAST TRIP OF 2009
I did not know that this would be my last timeout for the year. It is early November and the hammer may drop at any time. The weather had been unusually warm and it had not rained. The wind had blown fairly steadily and things had a chance to dry out.
I checked with the owner of some property and he told me that I would be able to drive into the pond. He has just finished harvesting the fields around the pond. Time to load the canoe and get out on the water.
Got everything loaded and headed to the pond. Checked the weather just before I left and a cold front is coming our way. I get out to the land where the pond is and find the gate open. This is unusual as the gate is usually closed.
I know the landowner is about half-a-mile away. I go check with him and he does not know why the gate is open, but heads to the land to check it.
He drives around and then can’t find anyone on the land. As he is leaving he remembers that he left the gate open for me, trying to be nice. I told him not to be nice without telling me.
Got to the pond and found the water to be very muddy, but that would be true of any pond. Got the canoe unloaded and all my stuff in the canoe. Got to the edge of the pond and made a few casts. Did not get any bites, but found that there was a huge algae bloom on the pond.
The warm temperatures with all the nutrient washed into the pond must have caused this. This pond has a good population of fish and I am confident that a few of them will be tempted by the flies.
I have four fly rods with me. They have a Goldie Jr, a white boa yarn leech, and ant pattern, and a fly tied with a luminescent fly on them. I cast the ant pattern out and let it set. The next is the white boa yarn fly.
I try the boa fly at many depths and speeds and it does not elicit any interest. I try the other two flies and they do the same thing. A lot of practice, but no interest on the part of the fish.
I moved the canoe to another area on the pond and went through the same thing. A lot of casting, but no interest from the fish. The flies are going along the break line and at all angles to it.
Time to move to the flat that is at the shallow end of the pond. I change the ant to a popper pattern. I want to be able to move it across the surface of the pond. Wonderful theory, but no more success than the ant.
I change the flies to the off beat colors in my boxes. Purple, orange, pink and a green fly are on the rods now. Time to try these colors as the more common are not working.
I am casting the orange fly around a stump when I catch a 6-inch crappie.
I try several more casts and there are no more fish there interested in the fly.
I decide to head home. I am not finding what will work to catch the fish this day.
PS. The cold front caused the ponds to skim over with ice, ending the season.
Hope you can get out on the water.
Rick