|
I went out to the lake again over my
lunch hour. Fishing has been very
spotty for the past couple of weeks.
Temperatures are dropping and the days
are getting shorter. The lake level has
dropped about 18" over the past
two weeks. The level is dropping because
this is a flood containment
reservoir and they are planning on being
ready for the winter snow melt and
spring rains.
The wind was out of the south and I decided
that it would be more fun to fish the little
settling pond on the east side of the road.
The water in this pond has been at a steady
level and the hill to the south of it blocked
most of the wind.
I had just got ready to cast when one of the
old geezers showed up. He told me to get on
the stick as fish sounded good for supper. I
told him that he could catch them himself it
he felt that way. I had not seen him for a
while and wondered what had been going on. He
told me they had been gone to see all of their
kids on a trip, no illness or bad stuff.
The water has some tint to it. We have had
some rain, not heavy, but just enough to color
the water. I figured it was time to try some
flies with color to see if they might show up
better in the water. I put on a Gilly (see Ricks
Favorite bluegill flies). This fly has the blue,
green, red and yellow in its color scheme. I put
a black marabou leech on the other rod,
just in case dark color would work better.
I cast out and let the fly drop for a long time.
I tied this fly with the smallest bead head I
have. I wanted it to drop deeper in the water,
but I also wanted to be able to move it very
slowly. I started to bring the fly in with slow
1 to 2 inch strips with a pause after it. I
wanted the fly to be in front of the fish for
a long time and not make them chase it.
I felt a couple of little bumps, but thought I
was hitting the weeds. It really felt like that.
As I raised the rod and pulled the line to make
another cast I found that I had a fish on. I was
surprised as I never felt it hit, or so I thought.
The old geezer told me to swing it around to him
when I got it in. Turned out to be an 8-inch crappie.
You know me, if it works once then try it again.
I cast out in the same area and let the fly drop
again. I had retrieved the fly a few feet when
the line stated to go under water. I felt the
weight and though I was fast into a weed. I
yanked on the line like a hook set to try to
get it off the weed. The weed did not like that
at all and headed for the middle of the pond.
By this time I have figured out that it was not
a weed but a fish that did this.
I put the rod up high to try to keep the fish
up in the water and away from the debris on the
bottom. The fish finally turned a little and
started swimming back and forth in the pond. I
would gain a little and lose a little line for
a fair amount of time. I had 4 or 5 X tippet
and did not want to horse the fish. I finally
got the fish to head toward me some. When the
fish got up fairly close there was a big bulge
in the water. I did not think the fish was that
big, or it would have gone across the pond.
With a little more line in I could see all of
the dead vegetation on the leader. I guess as
the fish moved around the line and leader picked
this stuff up and with my having the rod high in
the air it all slide down to near the fish. Now
this is a problem as I don't want to keep the rod
up in the air, as I think the leader will break.
I move back from the water's edge and drop the rod
tip down so it is just above the water and
perpendicular to the line. I hope to bring the
fish in and slip it up on the shore where I can
get a hold of it. This does work and I get my
hand on the tail of a cat fish. I am not sure
how big it is because of all the garbage on the
line. When I get the vegetation off the line
there is a 14" channel cat under all that stuff.
The old geezer was excited to get that fish. It
would be his first channel cat of the year. It
was fun to catch.
I cast out again to the same general area and
start to retrieve the fly. By now I am a little
paranoid and when I feel the first pump I set
the hook. This turns out to be a nice size bluegill.
I get another eight panfish on the next dozen
casts doing this and the old geezer is happy.
I told him he was my good luck charm as that
was the most fish I had caught there in about
three weeks.
I think that the fish were swimming along the
breakline that is on this pond. With the fly
moving very slowly they would take it in and
then swim with the fly. None of them were solid
hits, just that little tick, like hitting a weed.
The fun had to end as I needed to head back to
work. I never did try the leech to see if it
would work.
Hope you can get out on the water. ~ Rick
|
