I have been fly fishing for many years now and can’t remember when I fished a stream or river. I was telling a friend yesterday I really prefer stilllwater fly fishing over fishing a stream or river. I really enjoy tying buggers, leeches, midge pupa, streamers, nymphs and all the other flies that are designed for lake fishing. I think seeing a little bobber get pulled under or stripping a full sink line and having it come to a dead stop is just as exciting as watching a fish rise to take a dry fly.(yes bobber fishing is done in streams and rivers) I think locating fish in a lake is a great challenge. My biggest, personal best trout, largemouth bass, shellcracker, and bluegill all were caught in a lake or a pond.
Float tubing is so relaxing and is a great way to get out with the fish. I have had fish swin up to me pause and slowly finn away, appearing not to be distrubed by presence at all. I always have to laugh when people say " I did not know you could fly fish in a lake" or " I did not know you could catch a bass or crappie with a fly in a lake" " I thought fly fishing was suppose to be done in a river with dry flies" There always seems to be more room to fish on a lake. That is one of the main reasons I started to fish lakes, when on the stream it always seemd liked I would have to walk for ever to find open water(Maybe that is because I live in So. Cal.). I am sure I am in the minority, but does anyone else like lake fishing more than fishing a river or stream and if so what are your reasons for enjoying a nice lake or pond full of trout or bluegill.
I hope everyone has a great New Year and 2012 is a great year for you!
Lanny
Not me. Lakes get old real fast for me (as do some rivers, I will admit). I fish them at ice-out for a month or so, then back to streams when possible.
Both have magic. I love the difference of wading alone a river the entire day, casting dries, just stopping for a sandwich at noon beneath a tree, enjoying the music of the water and to the other side, the quiet surface of a small high mountain lake from my belly boat, casting midges or dragon nymphs to the rushes. In any case is simply flyfishing.
Happy new year!
R.
Growing up in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, I spent most of my life fishing in lakes or slow moving water. Using dry flies for trout and poppers for LMB and SMB. I also caught the Calico Bass and of course the various types of sunfish. Occasionally, I would hook into a Land-Lock Salmon using a streamer. This river or stream is all new to me and I haven’t had much luck at all.
Fishing for trout, I really like using dries and have never had much luck on lakes so I prefer moving waters. Having said that, if I was looking to get a picture of a real trophy and didn’t want to spend the $$$ for a trip to Alaska, there’s a few stillwaters in MT I know where it could be done, as long as a person didn’t mind a little wind.
Trav really prefers lakes as well, but I’ll let him tell you why S I tied into I don’t know what, but big, at the Cottonwood Reservoir north of Livington two years ago, but there is almost always wind there as well.
i prefer stillwater. But a lot of that is because of our messed up law here in Utah that land owners own the river that runs through their property. No tresspassing. There is some public river and darn nice rivers and creeks at that, but with the limit on where one can fish and a large city, it does become combat fishing. Yesterday for example. I found a spot that looked good. across the river and up about 150 or so feet was a lady flipping an indicator and letting it drift down stream. I watched for second to see where it ended and no where near where I was, so I cast straight out and let it drift down. First cast, fish on, second and third cast same thing, so, I look straight across the river where I had been casting and there was her hubby now cross casting. This is normal, but it sucks. I do like rivers and I like the challenge, but I LOVE stillwater, and I am good at it. For all the reasons you mentioned. Plus I have several pontoons and a boat. No crowds for the most part and easier to avoid, and something about that rolling while sitting there. I will say, easier to fish in the wind than shore or river. I have caught my biggest fish battling wind and 4 foot waves. What a rush!
But, while on vacation this year, my hubby was down with a headache so I fishe river and I had the whole thing to myself, 7 to 10 hours a day and 5 days, I was in heaven!
I started out fishing lakes when I was a young child. My dad wasn’t a fly fisherman, so when we went fishing it was to a lake for the most part. I have honestly never fished rivers or streams in earnest until about 12-14 years ago. I love fishing the St. Joe River in Idaho, chasing Westslope Cutthroat, but because of aging legs, I have to give that up. That’s not all bad, because I have over 100 lakes to fish within 76 miles. One lake is 11 miles away and yet another is 3. I have a lot to re-learn as far as locating fish and figuring what the best patterns are, but I look forward to the challenge. I love the serenity of lake fishing, and to be honest, won’t miss fighting the slippery rocks of rivers and streams. I personally can’t understand why anyone would not enjoy a day afloat in a place like this;
My preference is for moving water, but I do enjoy still water fishing. I especially enjoy stillwater fishing when one can explore the lake edge, either trying to spot cruising fish or scouting for likely looking locations (note the alliteration!). A nice remote wilderness lake or pond can be a real challenge. And, the rise on a lake can blow you away at times!
I’ll always prefer the lakes, though. While a wilderness river or stream, where you can have the water to yourself, is amazing, those opportunities aren’t abundant for most of us. I have a boat, so on a lake, if there are more folks than I like close by, I can just move to where they aren’t.
I consider lakes more mentally challenging as well, while being less of a physical one.
To me it’s always been if the waters don’t move, I DO. I simply prefer streams and rivers and maybe because they’re a whole bunch easier to read.
And as far as “deciding which girl to dance with”, I’d choose the one that has the best “moves” ( and I did).
Every time I think of fishing those MT prairie lakes, the first thing I remember are how my hamstrings screamed and my quads cramped while I paddled like mad trying to keep my float tube from blowing clear to Great Falls, with waves crashing over my back.
Then the next thing I remember is my father-in-law landing a 7 lb bull trout and a 5 lb brown within a few hours, the brown taking him on a 10 minute Nantucket Sleighride.
… and I took up fishing as a complement to hiking, so my preference goes to wade fishing streams and rivers. The more remote, the better, but that isn’t always feasible. Fortunately, I almost always have the water I want to fish entirely to myself.
Dealing with watercraft and being confined to one hold no interest for me, so stillwater just doesn’t enter the equation. Except when it involves hiking to a mountain lake and casting about from the shore or wadeable water, which is a pretty rare event these days.
( and I did).