SHORT SUNDAY AFTERNOON
After we got home from church my wife suggested to me that it might be a good idea for me to head for a pond. It had been a stressful morning. Stress or not, who am I to argue with a chance to go to the water?
Once again I decided to a fish a pond close to home. I grabbed two rods, put two hook boxes of flies in my pocket, and grabbed my hat and the fish basket. The hook boxes contained some flies that I have been playing with and I want to use them for a while to see how they work. Knitters in town save me their yarn scraps. They are using a lot of llama, wool and other such fibers in multiple colors. I get some weird dubbing mixtures using this stuff.
When I got out to the pond I headed for the dam end. I know the water is deeper here, but there are flats at each end that gently slope down to the deep water. This might help let me find at what depth the fish are holding.
I had a black furl tailed leech on one rod and one of the weird flies on the other. I always use a fly I have caught fish on first when I am trying new flies. I tried the black fur tailed leech first, and on the third cast I got a nice gill. I tried the other fly, and on the second cast it got a light tap and had a nice crappie on it. After that not I did not catch another fish so I moved and tried again.
I got another crappie on the black fur tailed leech then I tried the other fly but did not have any luck. I tied on another experiment and picked up two gills. Then nothing happened., so I moved on again.
At the next spot I picked up a couple of fish. All were hooked as I cast straight out and brought the fly in. All were hooked about 10 feet off shore. Short casts did not let me catch any fish. I had to make a long cast and bring the fly in. Realizing this, I would make a few casts and then move on. I picked up a few fish at most places that I cast. I got them on several different flies, so I will have to try these flies again on another day.
I was at the end of the dam when another car came to the pond. I know the people that drive this car and did not want to have to put up with them as I was fishing. I had had a lot of fun and did not need an aggravation.
I headed home and filleted the fish, and I was able to share fillets with a few people. Most of all I was more relaxed that I had been earlier. My better half is a very wise woman.
Hope you can get out on the water.
Rick