|
I went out again this last Saturday to see if I
could duplicate what happened last weekend. Got
started at about 11:30 a.m. in the morning. Had to
get some other things done to prepare for the winter.
When I got to the pond there was no wind and the water
was as clear as a bell. I got the canoe off the pickup
and got my stuff into it. I paddled so I was about 20
feet from the shore and started casting. I started with
a Marabou Miss because the yellow marabou wing is so easy
to see in clear water. The first time the fly disappeared,
I keep retrieving just like I was. The line again twitched
when I saw the fly. On the next cast when I saw the fly
disappear I set the hook. I had a 14" crappie on the line.
I did see several other fish flash as they took off for
other parts while I was landing this fish.
I did not get another strike until I was about 20
feet down the shore line. I caught one bluegill here.
I again saw the other fish flashing away when the fight
started. I cast to deeper water but did not catch any fish.
The only place I was catching any fish was to cast right
up against the shore.
I would then slowly retrieve the fly almost letting it
drop straight down to following along the slope of the
land under the water.
I caught a fair number of fish along the shore in this
pond and then I had used up the bank. When I tried back
at the point where I started I did not have any luck.
I decided to head to another pond and see if the same
thing would happen.
At the second pond I decided to fish from the shore
as all the fish I had caught were right up against
the shore. I cast the fly about 10 feet the first
time and had a bass engulf it. By fishing from the
shore I could pull the fish toward me and not spook
as many fish as I had before.
I did see the fly disappear several times and would
retrieve for a ways before I set the hook. I caught
fish a little closer together in linear distance along
the shore of the pond when I did this. I was getting
the fish to swim with the fly into the area where fish
had been spooked out of before. I found that they
would follow with the fly for about 15 to 20 feet.
At this point another guy showed up at the pond. I
know him and he uses spinning gear with two inch
twister tails. He cast into the center of the pond
and did not catch anything. He was fishing the far
side of the pond from me. I suggested that he do the
same thing with his jigs as I was with the flies. He
tried it and was catching fish. He said that he could
see the twister tail disappear but his line did not
move. The only time the line would move was when he
saw the bait again.
We both continued to catch fish until we met along
the bank. He said he had a pond that he wanted me to
go to with him. When we got to this pond, new to me,
we had the same thing happen with some of the fish.
The others slammed the fly so hard there was no doubt
about whether it was a strike or not. We caught several
fish along the shore in this pond also. Casting to the
center just would not produce any fish.
I am not sure of what the water temperatures are in
any of these ponds. As this has not happened to me
before, or at least I was not aware of it, I am
wondering if it is temperature dependent.
I will explore it more until the ponds freeze over.
I still have not found a sinking line that will let
me ice fish.
I also had a suggestion to mix a little nylon stocking
material into the body of the fly and it might get
entangled in the teeth of the fish. I will have to
find some new tying material.
Had a good meal of fish and was able to share some
with others.
Hope you can get out on the water. ~ Rick
ziegeria@grm.net
|
