tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22802546026002829322024-03-18T08:23:00.452-07:00FishnDaveMostly about fishing...maybe a few odds & ends thrown in.FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.comBlogger834125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-88074899138054598422024-03-18T08:07:00.000-07:002024-03-18T08:07:09.472-07:00March 16, 2024<p> With my Bowfin spot finally open for the year, I was excited to give it a shot, and check out the water levels, and what the recent rains may have affected.</p><p>I'd tied up a few Bass Master flies... and then realized I forgot the rubber legs on all of them!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08Qf3km7_9TqL2BvfII5s7PQKTzh8ZJNjChl3U2Icm5Z3d0FAaCM_yxB5CrK7oemlgLa3Qg0uRkXLG3h8KwxbjiGXPE0fntuaGwIOeAf3LU7rKnsKFHAyRDG7-XpF-c0a-ZLT7tptyE-CvtqWSGo7Dayu5_TtS-h2wkyiFGXG4oIjU_Wd9ZhPYNWCOAs/s2861/IMG_1337.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2861" height="330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh08Qf3km7_9TqL2BvfII5s7PQKTzh8ZJNjChl3U2Icm5Z3d0FAaCM_yxB5CrK7oemlgLa3Qg0uRkXLG3h8KwxbjiGXPE0fntuaGwIOeAf3LU7rKnsKFHAyRDG7-XpF-c0a-ZLT7tptyE-CvtqWSGo7Dayu5_TtS-h2wkyiFGXG4oIjU_Wd9ZhPYNWCOAs/w640-h330/IMG_1337.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>At the first spot I fished, I caught a small female Eyetail Bowfin, and lost a slightly larger one. Success!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vjJQwBLb9Ul8MmfXUjyVskL38JH-nmi6syG7gtSrDTChijfdO4Mi-R9aUsyqT9lLG0MC5vtGuUqFdiPrkfU9in6qd6YySf-NUImZTPfnI-5eG73pzTW1GLKnnT_9IkJD5ADG5WcWXyef4OJFtDhVwTeSGmRpgTXAFUiktT3E1j6noUXZhcpZPdQN6No/s3111/IMG_1359.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1939" data-original-width="3111" height="398" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_vjJQwBLb9Ul8MmfXUjyVskL38JH-nmi6syG7gtSrDTChijfdO4Mi-R9aUsyqT9lLG0MC5vtGuUqFdiPrkfU9in6qd6YySf-NUImZTPfnI-5eG73pzTW1GLKnnT_9IkJD5ADG5WcWXyef4OJFtDhVwTeSGmRpgTXAFUiktT3E1j6noUXZhcpZPdQN6No/w640-h398/IMG_1359.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>I moved to the 2nd and 3rd and 4th spots... Caught a Bluegill and a half-dozen or so Green Sunfish.<div>At one spot, I spotted a fish in the opening of a shallow weedy area. Decided to try for it. I put a microjig in front of it several times, it appeared interested and looked, but did not eat. It moved to another spot in the small cleared area. I put the fly in front of it repeatedly, and got it to eat the fly at least 3 times. It spit the fly out so fast, I wasn't able to set the hook quickly enough. Frustrated at wasting time on this Silver Carp, I finally just foul-hooked it. DON'T JUDGE ME! 😜😅<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnerJ9us8lx_MmfS8dNdGZ-DnA3dA0WMIWx44eN_7ITV7_xXahwJB8EPI5U3VLbhwkJe6MA7LgN2oVPRRj13GIMuCQt66_ikIfe-HiZTlbbHuDrn8cZczNyZhE1bEP8UFOlhuXRyAagYTxae6E55FapeQtm5zbSqzKu-HUKb7CAndXBg10w2RBoxf2Hg/s3824/IMG_1361.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1912" data-original-width="3824" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjnerJ9us8lx_MmfS8dNdGZ-DnA3dA0WMIWx44eN_7ITV7_xXahwJB8EPI5U3VLbhwkJe6MA7LgN2oVPRRj13GIMuCQt66_ikIfe-HiZTlbbHuDrn8cZczNyZhE1bEP8UFOlhuXRyAagYTxae6E55FapeQtm5zbSqzKu-HUKb7CAndXBg10w2RBoxf2Hg/w640-h320/IMG_1361.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">At the next couple areas, there were lots of (mostly pretty small) Common Carp feeding in very shallow water, their backs often out of the water. Tough to fish for them, it was VERY windy, and strike detection was nearly impossible for me. I managed to hook 4 of them, but I think all may have been foul-hooked. After WAY TOO LONG, I gave up.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I did get to meet another fly angler on my way out, and as luck would have it, we follow each other on Instagram, but had never met. Jack is super-nice, and a much better angler than me! Very glad to have met up!</div><p><br /></p></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-28968087408085511932024-03-11T07:16:00.000-07:002024-03-12T07:40:38.125-07:00March 10, 2024 Micro-Flyfishing<p> Tried a different section of the same creek yesterday, with the micro stuff again. Caught 29 fish. 13 Striped Shiners, 4 Creek Chubs, 3 Bluntnose Minnows, 3 Bleeding Shiners, 1 Northern Studfish, 2 Longear Sunfish, 2 Bluegills, and 1 Green Sunfish. Finally had a couple Darters hooked, and several Topminnows hooked, but all fell back into the water instead of into my hand. Rats... would have loved to have gotten pics of them!</p><p>This looks like it would be really easy to catch these little fish. Sometimes it is (for the Striped Shiners and Creek Chubs), but its also a lot of work and time, and patience when trying to get the smaller-mouthed fish to strike something that isn't real. Many times I see fish come up and look and decide my offering is NOT FOOD. Frustrating. Equally frustrating is when a fish finally DOES hit, and somehow manages to not get hooked on the tiny hook. You only get so many shots!</p><p>Friends were consulted again to help me I.D. some of the fish. </p><p>The Bluntnose Minnow was a new species on fly for me.</p><p>Bleeding Shiners:<br /><img alt="SU78D.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78D.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="640" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78D.jpg" width="640" /></p><p>Bluntnose Minnows:</p><p><img alt="SU78V.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78V.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="640" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78V.jpg" width="640" /></p><p><img alt="SU78Z.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78Z.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="640" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78Z.jpg" width="640" /></p><p>Creek Chubs:<br /><img alt="SU78t.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78t.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="640" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU78t.jpg" width="640" /></p><p>Northern Studfish:<br /><img alt="SU781.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU781.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="306" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU781.jpg" width="640" /></p><p>Striped Shiners:</p><p><img alt="SU7RK.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU7RK.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="349" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU7RK.jpg" width="640" /></p><p><img alt="SU7RH.jpg" class="ipsImage" data-cke-saved-src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU7RH.jpg" data-ratio="75.09" height="391" src="https://s9.gifyu.com/images/SU7RH.jpg" width="640" /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7Kuw_guyEaUK2ZFqJwGMabYueFE5xJo-M3KxXJpfZqqqVhwbOnT3bZpK2dl0sIrhyrGeJxj4gRrskKBJkO9Kin7NdkYdxQQRQiUXFaR6_wRFp6W15V5U838QPIrtwn_l3X3t5ztqQBJWSgdr-gSblnESwam5ejafDOrPX1wBguYiNypdTHyOV4Mk02g/s4032/IMG_1244.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig7Kuw_guyEaUK2ZFqJwGMabYueFE5xJo-M3KxXJpfZqqqVhwbOnT3bZpK2dl0sIrhyrGeJxj4gRrskKBJkO9Kin7NdkYdxQQRQiUXFaR6_wRFp6W15V5U838QPIrtwn_l3X3t5ztqQBJWSgdr-gSblnESwam5ejafDOrPX1wBguYiNypdTHyOV4Mk02g/w640-h480/IMG_1244.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYmnl5o4Wi6xJ7XBAH9gP11ags8QeqJ8nqgS6AfbTKGvdMgF_OlNOYG_f4r4GwC-7iiqNIuu82HEg9OvLvpPXhsba_eU9SEspn-s4zzrIupu94fpESZe3mILaTUVk8FDTwD3BeVXfVm0cNUwa3YAFmcX9QpsUHFLOCJngEUc4FxCJYXka06gzAayPyjU/s3507/IMG_1243.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2630" data-original-width="3507" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNYmnl5o4Wi6xJ7XBAH9gP11ags8QeqJ8nqgS6AfbTKGvdMgF_OlNOYG_f4r4GwC-7iiqNIuu82HEg9OvLvpPXhsba_eU9SEspn-s4zzrIupu94fpESZe3mILaTUVk8FDTwD3BeVXfVm0cNUwa3YAFmcX9QpsUHFLOCJngEUc4FxCJYXka06gzAayPyjU/w640-h480/IMG_1243.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM96e5soyA19HbBSiqKMyXC8g-vORmVneimA_4uNmSsZHNTt1hjCyGISpOy4zx15KIZAQQfQQA5VHJKM7XmdRfiMTIdze00BLqlinp0qFjovxv3XqrRmhl6I_8ozVpucP4-hl8r9x_dymVyfBdRlfrEzqQ6FFKWeQ9pllsIJ0HWYX13z2-_Dz-B47v1U/s4032/IMG_1295.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLM96e5soyA19HbBSiqKMyXC8g-vORmVneimA_4uNmSsZHNTt1hjCyGISpOy4zx15KIZAQQfQQA5VHJKM7XmdRfiMTIdze00BLqlinp0qFjovxv3XqrRmhl6I_8ozVpucP4-hl8r9x_dymVyfBdRlfrEzqQ6FFKWeQ9pllsIJ0HWYX13z2-_Dz-B47v1U/w640-h480/IMG_1295.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzG8UYAyAGJlSJqtTW67lbQ29D3p1MabYPWdkEW5eGvi5Ekz2QlyzB2MUCN8PEyACKbS5muoY2s282ILZ-XmRN9shMyqUU57yTyiMqP_5Yi-u6j2emkBynV3TkdIfm2FRGPsNbFBUa7TSBmtCqagAOp2BlQ5DgWLH1f8dX0w76jGnumhLwYGrBdotvX0/s2756/IMG_1218.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2067" data-original-width="2756" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzG8UYAyAGJlSJqtTW67lbQ29D3p1MabYPWdkEW5eGvi5Ekz2QlyzB2MUCN8PEyACKbS5muoY2s282ILZ-XmRN9shMyqUU57yTyiMqP_5Yi-u6j2emkBynV3TkdIfm2FRGPsNbFBUa7TSBmtCqagAOp2BlQ5DgWLH1f8dX0w76jGnumhLwYGrBdotvX0/w640-h480/IMG_1218.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-74015497911898872282024-03-04T07:24:00.000-08:002024-03-05T06:38:51.375-08:00March 2, 2024 - Micro-Flyfishing<p>Having reached my goal of 100 U.S. Freshwater Fish on Fly, I've considered changing my stance on micro-fishing. It wasn't something I was particularly interested in, although I DO like seeing some of the cool micro species folks catch, such as the beautiful darter species. Most Micro-anglers use bait, often a tiny chunk of worm or even a piece of a grain of rice. I'm going to try it with micro "flies" on a fly rod. Something artificial (not bait) tied on a very small hook. Trout anglers have been using very small hooks for some midge dry flies and midge larva nymph flies for many years.</p><p>Anyway... So I looked into micro-fishing a bit. Many micro & minnow species have TINY mouths. Gotta have a tiny hook they can get in their mouth. For my first go at this, I bought some Tanago hooks that are pre-snelled on a length of line/thread. I tied some material to 3 of the hooks (so far), each one a bit different material and different color.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNWUu22PCi9z93QW9gEVuNG1N6lqQ9hEasXCWHAeO72g6uELLgA0Bw66uzJxyCys683Rx3-hNyKrqzoD3spbApwckBP54Ty-N2YuW78SoeBwLvECH9xibCaZXJRLVPxuEuV_0PHZCRoRcZJsLz79MTlJ54zg0dNl5h76pGk0b75bK4o66tjocBbmegM4/s4032/IMG_1079.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzNWUu22PCi9z93QW9gEVuNG1N6lqQ9hEasXCWHAeO72g6uELLgA0Bw66uzJxyCys683Rx3-hNyKrqzoD3spbApwckBP54Ty-N2YuW78SoeBwLvECH9xibCaZXJRLVPxuEuV_0PHZCRoRcZJsLz79MTlJ54zg0dNl5h76pGk0b75bK4o66tjocBbmegM4/w480-h640/IMG_1079.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><p>I took them fishing to a new-to-me creek. I fished for at least a couple couple hours, caught at least a dozen fish. Lost 2 of the 3 tanago flies to overhead trees after missed hooksets. Might be a little too aggressive... hey, I'm just learning! :)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWtlPmzGpHUkj-LmuWsPL3quPRakXH_arAlyyfVyJ_olGAK8xiEiOCsKYA8Geeri_6QU5djgh_hKeNZ4r3VpjgepBYoo5zIcWF5F4InsibsG5gcB37b3cphz4_R8LZQa0dkACTuQGbadxtpLT2cPNG7mVrgLN9MucQbqMvAsud4P7PzMMY16fR1H_lrk/s3188/IMG_1085.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2143" data-original-width="3188" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWtlPmzGpHUkj-LmuWsPL3quPRakXH_arAlyyfVyJ_olGAK8xiEiOCsKYA8Geeri_6QU5djgh_hKeNZ4r3VpjgepBYoo5zIcWF5F4InsibsG5gcB37b3cphz4_R8LZQa0dkACTuQGbadxtpLT2cPNG7mVrgLN9MucQbqMvAsud4P7PzMMY16fR1H_lrk/w640-h430/IMG_1085.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLzo1ujkMX24Cpw1ZN0INh25uuL8P7KOmoD9MHoiw7xQNNqjwbSPYpIdrWz0auqF-ZZOUJ5mbfoOCgKWbXchZRgHxXS5zj8FAuleJ3RfbKwOTczLLT4FkvjU2Yyqj1yw_zYfIwSTzjzeP77wgFdPkJdjnwtPdfUkHotvOQIIi4aQfOGJ5QS4IigRlbpM/s580/IMG_1139.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="580" data-original-width="487" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLzo1ujkMX24Cpw1ZN0INh25uuL8P7KOmoD9MHoiw7xQNNqjwbSPYpIdrWz0auqF-ZZOUJ5mbfoOCgKWbXchZRgHxXS5zj8FAuleJ3RfbKwOTczLLT4FkvjU2Yyqj1yw_zYfIwSTzjzeP77wgFdPkJdjnwtPdfUkHotvOQIIi4aQfOGJ5QS4IigRlbpM/w538-h640/IMG_1139.JPG" width="538" /></a></div><p>One of the reasons micro fishing didn't previously appeal to me, was that minnow species can be pretty hard to distinguish from each other. Today was a good example. There were 4 species I recognized (3 I'd caught before on larger flies), and then there were some I was not sure about... and still am not sure about.</p><p>These 2 are Creek Chubs. Much smaller than I'm used to catching:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mbROAEubunzJelcleG-I0EeEfj8qoZk7v2jhb4JgfLsaFN9v5S9qFm86Lhs5gupgT5JdSZDcNDtNt3vYyt-ii1twozeYiyra4ymNiJUkUaDbUCtFLhsw5Jn_xDfykfInu9c90Y3QXKicz9kzkpFAgl83ZtYMCy1DmNnonE2gBRwS15sJFoKDAsDvS30/s2048/7F5194FF-0F7C-4AF4-9BA7-570B4145F115.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mbROAEubunzJelcleG-I0EeEfj8qoZk7v2jhb4JgfLsaFN9v5S9qFm86Lhs5gupgT5JdSZDcNDtNt3vYyt-ii1twozeYiyra4ymNiJUkUaDbUCtFLhsw5Jn_xDfykfInu9c90Y3QXKicz9kzkpFAgl83ZtYMCy1DmNnonE2gBRwS15sJFoKDAsDvS30/w640-h640/7F5194FF-0F7C-4AF4-9BA7-570B4145F115.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Mottled Sculpins:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSw32Oi1F2VoANbhmgLNHS5IG8yw0Xi4rsL2Y0HMo1qkSyQg-KrX6lQzAz-rXSamzRXhyphenhyphenbRT_rLlE0oQRqWBoQeVqeaYhk7SgxSaCTCIEgfQhgOO7i8afsH8twYvWgv3rc3cd-YdU6XceO9S_wUOLPi-Vghn9KJyOLqeDgL1upreF5V0dU0Ln2EvnJfo/s2048/74B47833-1BFC-4288-9473-95052A8B1AA0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDSw32Oi1F2VoANbhmgLNHS5IG8yw0Xi4rsL2Y0HMo1qkSyQg-KrX6lQzAz-rXSamzRXhyphenhyphenbRT_rLlE0oQRqWBoQeVqeaYhk7SgxSaCTCIEgfQhgOO7i8afsH8twYvWgv3rc3cd-YdU6XceO9S_wUOLPi-Vghn9KJyOLqeDgL1upreF5V0dU0Ln2EvnJfo/w640-h640/74B47833-1BFC-4288-9473-95052A8B1AA0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Wb9v9TfMuii47DBRAefmXVbAXzW_TBs6T_RG7z8p4sttsgMUIdE5_3JWs_G0xq_sMMdsW180npF7Xc_fN9IYlzL-7mJjMWLg0GBpgLW24U7YCJoU34wuXb0zLQMqXl1I9TKMluwjiXUJr-DApDltKhZVw6oSVGeZo-qFnge2usNcNecNZu_8PybjFEQ/s2048/E99F402C-7DC1-4CDE-A6F9-8770D09D0AD0.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2Wb9v9TfMuii47DBRAefmXVbAXzW_TBs6T_RG7z8p4sttsgMUIdE5_3JWs_G0xq_sMMdsW180npF7Xc_fN9IYlzL-7mJjMWLg0GBpgLW24U7YCJoU34wuXb0zLQMqXl1I9TKMluwjiXUJr-DApDltKhZVw6oSVGeZo-qFnge2usNcNecNZu_8PybjFEQ/w640-h640/E99F402C-7DC1-4CDE-A6F9-8770D09D0AD0.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Southern Redbelly Dace (just one):</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDMxYgbu1JSx-MyNq3uydPPDzFhtKquZ2mx4tDXF1yWWQ-rpeSqKdCGq0PnyqLyVEsCf5cXymUP_Vos5jyZdt_Rb4zYTEKwg87MIqk9TE-0h83pk35uJPAAEgH7C2pb4pACP3mVnxqaMT1e1Ye08AOQl4NFSXXxF6kg9JtvgH-PKJy2s4v4naJ0hB9hI/s2048/6703C5D2-992A-4A21-90F1-33448F049FAC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWDMxYgbu1JSx-MyNq3uydPPDzFhtKquZ2mx4tDXF1yWWQ-rpeSqKdCGq0PnyqLyVEsCf5cXymUP_Vos5jyZdt_Rb4zYTEKwg87MIqk9TE-0h83pk35uJPAAEgH7C2pb4pACP3mVnxqaMT1e1Ye08AOQl4NFSXXxF6kg9JtvgH-PKJy2s4v4naJ0hB9hI/w640-h640/6703C5D2-992A-4A21-90F1-33448F049FAC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Striped Shiner:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PTdmfyvvbFKYtur4nKAx211jSlVP8hM12S1IKAnRLsx7lUAzP4xoZyrsnUXe5iVlb_myLqYukXIp5BM6q6uqQkRm2xO2RF5Rd7cx2PU_9EViNcbdoYrC9dN8gGtD5UOPKc7qIWoZWMqn9iV60rfJFg2ayN862fvIPkOqdpcng6Ib0rgdvkdQci0IT84/s2048/D3F2A69E-5762-403D-98B3-A6F0A367FF67.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-PTdmfyvvbFKYtur4nKAx211jSlVP8hM12S1IKAnRLsx7lUAzP4xoZyrsnUXe5iVlb_myLqYukXIp5BM6q6uqQkRm2xO2RF5Rd7cx2PU_9EViNcbdoYrC9dN8gGtD5UOPKc7qIWoZWMqn9iV60rfJFg2ayN862fvIPkOqdpcng6Ib0rgdvkdQci0IT84/w640-h640/D3F2A69E-5762-403D-98B3-A6F0A367FF67.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Some or all of the following may also be Striped Shiners, or not...I really don't know.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyYAFrymecr_ICMRzRuc1fxY8Fqfurl_kox_ADcfYIuGzXgNuBe3-QHHjVK1nR1jouVr-Tbksl7NdmVOs7x53iDNBXlaITQ462FZ0AFvGoe_u1miIJfYm7XJ7pb7ZWTe5wvQXNmYBF1GC_FHsPM6u7vG67OtVbLV5VrwFUU7kLsJ56exsPv8sLPBuNoU/s2048/09F279F8-E6DC-46EA-B965-ED9CE9C7FF28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKyYAFrymecr_ICMRzRuc1fxY8Fqfurl_kox_ADcfYIuGzXgNuBe3-QHHjVK1nR1jouVr-Tbksl7NdmVOs7x53iDNBXlaITQ462FZ0AFvGoe_u1miIJfYm7XJ7pb7ZWTe5wvQXNmYBF1GC_FHsPM6u7vG67OtVbLV5VrwFUU7kLsJ56exsPv8sLPBuNoU/w640-h640/09F279F8-E6DC-46EA-B965-ED9CE9C7FF28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr3AiHrn9lJcsf8S1q9QuJ2BBjwaRlvK5kpsNldE9vj228OCyo4cCf7Lw6g16cl6PapfGy_Gy25qx4yk3BE2BVosYJjnGVwJfbcLwc1qQ2DyaccFDx8QxmW_TPfzu3uakMitNTCwKXvhphWs3vx9aRhSl63NHyt8myQ_lWrNRceT1lGFkhxmjzk6riJ4/s2048/51AAB7CB-D94C-4719-8DC1-C41CB4C318CF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbr3AiHrn9lJcsf8S1q9QuJ2BBjwaRlvK5kpsNldE9vj228OCyo4cCf7Lw6g16cl6PapfGy_Gy25qx4yk3BE2BVosYJjnGVwJfbcLwc1qQ2DyaccFDx8QxmW_TPfzu3uakMitNTCwKXvhphWs3vx9aRhSl63NHyt8myQ_lWrNRceT1lGFkhxmjzk6riJ4/w640-h640/51AAB7CB-D94C-4719-8DC1-C41CB4C318CF.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrlUUZqqswlrRHcpAzfHiouWIQFgLidBHcdmpK-cqLFf5OIFg8Qc_3tTHzo513xgaOJovJ94EiaGez2tmS2lJ4VQe1Db53OKNk3nOuiEeWZEdehNviE8WJmYe4IREaaEvh_cZZvx1N8BQ56xfrDFiIroT6YlliYOR-FhnHgSbhvl3FAQhfxyoQynWRKQ/s2048/2B0AD48B-AFB6-46FE-A8F8-78BCE787A2C2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtrlUUZqqswlrRHcpAzfHiouWIQFgLidBHcdmpK-cqLFf5OIFg8Qc_3tTHzo513xgaOJovJ94EiaGez2tmS2lJ4VQe1Db53OKNk3nOuiEeWZEdehNviE8WJmYe4IREaaEvh_cZZvx1N8BQ56xfrDFiIroT6YlliYOR-FhnHgSbhvl3FAQhfxyoQynWRKQ/w640-h640/2B0AD48B-AFB6-46FE-A8F8-78BCE787A2C2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRoFIohA7TWM-rCFu_4nBvBckNjuL9jAUNOcUf97nx2JDNXg5cmoJNhv1JjykjALaJn_fdPgXxC-bISA1ZN6Wd_nuFASbyeIK-N2p8c18uUL8_p6CJ2HERWp6Inhsv41jNloJUyE2R8gc3gOuBfGqGFykb8fLt2D_DWKnhpKMSXbzyQnM8cXjJmZ_xb0/s2048/EA6373EE-F092-4A03-8F65-EBC4A62DA222.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRoFIohA7TWM-rCFu_4nBvBckNjuL9jAUNOcUf97nx2JDNXg5cmoJNhv1JjykjALaJn_fdPgXxC-bISA1ZN6Wd_nuFASbyeIK-N2p8c18uUL8_p6CJ2HERWp6Inhsv41jNloJUyE2R8gc3gOuBfGqGFykb8fLt2D_DWKnhpKMSXbzyQnM8cXjJmZ_xb0/w640-h640/EA6373EE-F092-4A03-8F65-EBC4A62DA222.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cx-wi57_PY0rvLyqnH62E7JE9-oihaB0QW1kW1lIJcgH8In1OSBEXIer4iMe2SdoKlP4v_ipMjsRmlpejaFpsx2niae6jUPGAtwkELN7_nQ6L4uOF6gREUHaotbj6e6bWzX0Sr0JHwesxQhZmLrxnd082eXSKRmRotZVkNkmWgTc5sYaXiVWS-MHZy4/s2048/482A5E6E-D38C-46A7-B304-CABAF6CED945.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cx-wi57_PY0rvLyqnH62E7JE9-oihaB0QW1kW1lIJcgH8In1OSBEXIer4iMe2SdoKlP4v_ipMjsRmlpejaFpsx2niae6jUPGAtwkELN7_nQ6L4uOF6gREUHaotbj6e6bWzX0Sr0JHwesxQhZmLrxnd082eXSKRmRotZVkNkmWgTc5sYaXiVWS-MHZy4/w640-h640/482A5E6E-D38C-46A7-B304-CABAF6CED945.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Addendum.... I just got a pack of Daiichi 1130 #26 hooks. Close to the same overall size as the tanago hooks, but the tanago hooks are finer gauge wire and the distance from the hook bend to hook point is about 1/2.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdcKLRpi1GofHc3qGXgTqusdPMfFpNFqBdiWp7kF0Mre2i2Lo2Z6Rd0P1KX3aUnYhwxwYHXEbJYUEqKFFNxYHDv8WY7G9makjMOB1ariVkLJyzKotKRv9Ff86SlpGxmxXJmIhCoJTT25_pQ_MGaiL4TLH5zmRgCfly4gDcTOcVKE-mncA8ORdLBo6fC8/s1072/IMG_1165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1072" data-original-width="904" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbdcKLRpi1GofHc3qGXgTqusdPMfFpNFqBdiWp7kF0Mre2i2Lo2Z6Rd0P1KX3aUnYhwxwYHXEbJYUEqKFFNxYHDv8WY7G9makjMOB1ariVkLJyzKotKRv9Ff86SlpGxmxXJmIhCoJTT25_pQ_MGaiL4TLH5zmRgCfly4gDcTOcVKE-mncA8ORdLBo6fC8/w540-h640/IMG_1165.JPG" width="540" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-26619229703742125532024-02-26T06:44:00.000-08:002024-02-26T06:44:51.232-08:00February 25, 2024<p> Got out fishing for just the 3rd time this year. Warmer weather recently had me thinking the Golden Shiners might be willing to strike, as they often do early in the year. Hoped for other species as well, but you never know this early in the year what else might willing to play.</p><p>So, went to a pond that has Golden Shiners. Used a microjig that was made by a local angler, on a #14 hook. Missed some and lost some fish, but managed to catch 5 Golden Shiners, plus a couple small Redear Sunfish, a few small Bluegills, a Green Sunfish, and a little Largemouth Bass.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXejvtVRqkvpKv_nqGwYp2EsLicRL3GFCReY4uMju3FJzuo9BWIFz1-nf_iGJhXVgoLIjssaweFq1I-QlMYGASYFzfDkir9KasWIHWhAGRfyNjZEy1OTP-Hrvc4zi9Sw9FQStMnJcQmF0ARLqCRIy1uK7eV_g7Tyrqd6KxozUqcFhPtogD03kN2JHA4I/s3242/IMG_1028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="3242" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiXejvtVRqkvpKv_nqGwYp2EsLicRL3GFCReY4uMju3FJzuo9BWIFz1-nf_iGJhXVgoLIjssaweFq1I-QlMYGASYFzfDkir9KasWIHWhAGRfyNjZEy1OTP-Hrvc4zi9Sw9FQStMnJcQmF0ARLqCRIy1uK7eV_g7Tyrqd6KxozUqcFhPtogD03kN2JHA4I/w640-h380/IMG_1028.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Shiner on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1HR7F8p_rkrhMNPZ1GHvT82RUqsqaDG5geB96cDonNP5nhnfwe7acERQ5X_T2GozXYpaBgFMHG9uSeEP39gO5VVIIdYLTMGNsb-fYkDq_uRErWzt3xvD_x7J0ddo_Z_-adR1hrnjhduD2LCi-UNtvHdIoeVF9ZMZfoCwwBV8vZyJUKXCPvTPsBwubBU/s3202/IMG_1031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1704" data-original-width="3202" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1HR7F8p_rkrhMNPZ1GHvT82RUqsqaDG5geB96cDonNP5nhnfwe7acERQ5X_T2GozXYpaBgFMHG9uSeEP39gO5VVIIdYLTMGNsb-fYkDq_uRErWzt3xvD_x7J0ddo_Z_-adR1hrnjhduD2LCi-UNtvHdIoeVF9ZMZfoCwwBV8vZyJUKXCPvTPsBwubBU/w640-h340/IMG_1031.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxqrKClrTLKXJV8W7PbNIHLgjWlIAPJ3C3fELkrIuAn2moWL42E7xjMOJZd39up79-BN093qTowkRHsIlJf11ZN2MofFgBoia3K38EOfAcjUuAv2Zgkh3NBjcjXzn_t45Pb8DWyY3Tpg1E1diryhPado2-uQFxB6Yy6Xb_XStSzb_X7oU6p5uHOYbYrg/s3451/IMG_1047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1653" data-original-width="3451" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxqrKClrTLKXJV8W7PbNIHLgjWlIAPJ3C3fELkrIuAn2moWL42E7xjMOJZd39up79-BN093qTowkRHsIlJf11ZN2MofFgBoia3K38EOfAcjUuAv2Zgkh3NBjcjXzn_t45Pb8DWyY3Tpg1E1diryhPado2-uQFxB6Yy6Xb_XStSzb_X7oU6p5uHOYbYrg/w640-h306/IMG_1047.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TF2fI7nXOaWgTjnuCUh8fIYB3ZnGZGHINcy6jFn9OVlt4thWV5Dh35VwLDAjXjal3jl7j9pPtzma4VdoU-8aZxXejDKOCbL5EE-2cug34_qtf1xi5SinanugRwkvmd6mvdlFAoOKzsugCRvB_BZqWGmmDyXyhS2o_OFIpPpVAQE5RSn3o7hxVVi9ohY/s3365/IMG_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1781" data-original-width="3365" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4TF2fI7nXOaWgTjnuCUh8fIYB3ZnGZGHINcy6jFn9OVlt4thWV5Dh35VwLDAjXjal3jl7j9pPtzma4VdoU-8aZxXejDKOCbL5EE-2cug34_qtf1xi5SinanugRwkvmd6mvdlFAoOKzsugCRvB_BZqWGmmDyXyhS2o_OFIpPpVAQE5RSn3o7hxVVi9ohY/w640-h338/IMG_1040.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15JOy_f7YMQi823mjjj7hwkeNWz2HmG-iWGKfGUD_bJ0AUT3-j0UUWORad6bpU50gXcFsH_rRM-QXMKH8UVuiA3HZ_PdDt7QCK1wK5oY0HFpdzW2dLZ0ITbgP0Cm2Qrd4qUwM4SgBd9uaXjE_ULSGyLu97AqdGGTP1VZLYlpza72itf2UBDAF28RtXKQ/s3380/IMG_1044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1690" data-original-width="3380" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg15JOy_f7YMQi823mjjj7hwkeNWz2HmG-iWGKfGUD_bJ0AUT3-j0UUWORad6bpU50gXcFsH_rRM-QXMKH8UVuiA3HZ_PdDt7QCK1wK5oY0HFpdzW2dLZ0ITbgP0Cm2Qrd4qUwM4SgBd9uaXjE_ULSGyLu97AqdGGTP1VZLYlpza72itf2UBDAF28RtXKQ/w640-h320/IMG_1044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4-8rCp-QGlcjkxEtxYdrncZfemc0tQGBqTg4dAGe33vwsp2HfgAb_8EamEoHN95o3pHMDPia7ndTBdVYt3nVjQvDvBlZ_JaUQaunU6NIZ9FoZhtmOwQMvfRM-KSx-f1_txFFpukJIECvcM-xU6hWs0RGR_i4RGqTxYEYmLVuzAvqIeqkMTs7Zgoj2DU/s2984/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1747" data-original-width="2984" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn4-8rCp-QGlcjkxEtxYdrncZfemc0tQGBqTg4dAGe33vwsp2HfgAb_8EamEoHN95o3pHMDPia7ndTBdVYt3nVjQvDvBlZ_JaUQaunU6NIZ9FoZhtmOwQMvfRM-KSx-f1_txFFpukJIECvcM-xU6hWs0RGR_i4RGqTxYEYmLVuzAvqIeqkMTs7Zgoj2DU/w640-h374/IMG_1035.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redear Sunfish<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyqsAgjD5S7lgyjVZBLnRHBJHn0gW9TlL9wklX9ZCy1DBXUjFTz50tDsbFnME7zmApTVNw-iUdMkarEH29AF4D4o4vVFZlc7ldvqK4AxfCQ8F32Y2yWvSsirQ3BWGTO1JB4UCbz-AmyOjhkGljqgmh2RaPUth6U9b8V_Ny3t8mWqvmQnNO2E65Uf18dk/s3302/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1735" data-original-width="3302" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiyqsAgjD5S7lgyjVZBLnRHBJHn0gW9TlL9wklX9ZCy1DBXUjFTz50tDsbFnME7zmApTVNw-iUdMkarEH29AF4D4o4vVFZlc7ldvqK4AxfCQ8F32Y2yWvSsirQ3BWGTO1JB4UCbz-AmyOjhkGljqgmh2RaPUth6U9b8V_Ny3t8mWqvmQnNO2E65Uf18dk/w640-h336/IMG_1037.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green Sunfish</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>I stopped at a creek on my way home. Water was low, clear, and slow. Didn't see many fish at all, which isn't unusual this time of year, but also somewhat alarming given how clear the water was. I did see a couple grass carp. I tossed a beadhead woolly bugger their way. They seemed to be following it, but I lost track of where the fly was, and felt it had sunk to the bottom, and they were unlikely to eat it. I made some more casts, but didn't see those fish again.<div><br /></div><div>I did manage to catch one bass at the creek, it had excellent markings!</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBPWOEmr0_qJZZ7aEPAcfBqUEohOx8-30OVRzPkE3qePwBfQnnM2P-2-DWE_C_8rbFXAyTjIB7vHZJxwxV9QaT4dq1Dp8_K0HCPO6ru_ZXNcrKZA47x0bi3ttsCEvuRhzFgkhn_KZ-Yw389-LnLECpinjOLEONvInD6Cog6g584CBJRLK5IoqMZqHjAU/s3442/IMG_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1725" data-original-width="3442" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwBPWOEmr0_qJZZ7aEPAcfBqUEohOx8-30OVRzPkE3qePwBfQnnM2P-2-DWE_C_8rbFXAyTjIB7vHZJxwxV9QaT4dq1Dp8_K0HCPO6ru_ZXNcrKZA47x0bi3ttsCEvuRhzFgkhn_KZ-Yw389-LnLECpinjOLEONvInD6Cog6g584CBJRLK5IoqMZqHjAU/w640-h320/IMG_1052.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-48861282924000371822024-02-05T06:21:00.000-08:002024-02-19T14:31:06.682-08:00February 3, 2024<p> First "local" fishing outing of the year. I like going after the Koi especially, since they remain fairly active when the water is cold, plus they fight good and can be very colorful. What's NOT to like??</p><p>The takes were generally more subtle this trip than in warmer months. I was able to get the fish to start feeding by throwing some cat food out onto the water. Took awhile to get some takers to come to the surface. Before that, there were almost no fish seen anywhere.</p><p>Used a microjig under an indicator, the microjig tied with white rabbit fur tail and eggstasy chenille body. The Goldfish hit that as well. Ended the short session with 6 Koi and 4 Goldfish.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbpEfQoD-bEL6QLZwnGJY9VvwjBQPpLuowSvC_yMAG_h7XuFS84zvUZIDtiErJaAePf00bLVtH-lf4BpmlNzKzy-6rMmnPK0Tboie8K5x-slQxe9l6-BkikLNju94efouh7qTbX6kqOCiLH_39dbRr7KDn6DaO41mNdyF2DIl_lxK8r8GX_jfPoVWmq0/s2048/5F28E13C-D9F4-4DE0-B4B6-81A2B7D37D54.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIbpEfQoD-bEL6QLZwnGJY9VvwjBQPpLuowSvC_yMAG_h7XuFS84zvUZIDtiErJaAePf00bLVtH-lf4BpmlNzKzy-6rMmnPK0Tboie8K5x-slQxe9l6-BkikLNju94efouh7qTbX6kqOCiLH_39dbRr7KDn6DaO41mNdyF2DIl_lxK8r8GX_jfPoVWmq0/w640-h640/5F28E13C-D9F4-4DE0-B4B6-81A2B7D37D54.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8-1ijt5cEzGAqVuDyme7RQ2MaaSApEU_av0QgyG8rMoWOAiKkPxQ2zMCODO4nrjANjgMgImW1lesOJgFJLQIKHoMvZOw7vuQdboaXcAvcMBRwOTdRZhpdpo4c68ZqnHwNUg4zzK1_aBlLRyglbAQ7dehkovp4dJ11lfz0FNr-z8bj5bm4-5VPRQE4t4/s2048/83ACF844-6304-48AA-844A-4FB8DB02E855.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8-1ijt5cEzGAqVuDyme7RQ2MaaSApEU_av0QgyG8rMoWOAiKkPxQ2zMCODO4nrjANjgMgImW1lesOJgFJLQIKHoMvZOw7vuQdboaXcAvcMBRwOTdRZhpdpo4c68ZqnHwNUg4zzK1_aBlLRyglbAQ7dehkovp4dJ11lfz0FNr-z8bj5bm4-5VPRQE4t4/w640-h640/83ACF844-6304-48AA-844A-4FB8DB02E855.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBBtOjdiBZBgK3svjk9lx9wGNqudxY-gxYbiQzxFzCFbD4zEDEgiiCWwpNcIRrBZ99oIw6o3dYIRkXh399zRof4W5hfYsX7h7mbgzJ6gcsBzm7aagAsMxX0arNjVdW_I2o1ogZawCeYVQrRBhSGgkQyOUqs8gRmmeEX5LmclPNnMGpCJ3-sLbMkZnYAc/s2048/C271C593-97B8-456D-9F45-95C4F7605E8A.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmBBtOjdiBZBgK3svjk9lx9wGNqudxY-gxYbiQzxFzCFbD4zEDEgiiCWwpNcIRrBZ99oIw6o3dYIRkXh399zRof4W5hfYsX7h7mbgzJ6gcsBzm7aagAsMxX0arNjVdW_I2o1ogZawCeYVQrRBhSGgkQyOUqs8gRmmeEX5LmclPNnMGpCJ3-sLbMkZnYAc/w640-h640/C271C593-97B8-456D-9F45-95C4F7605E8A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Goldfish:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW1NDnPHwhFHo71kbX4bzldOxgCfeIoo1RntpYZOjCei4FRHb0wuTmDB03OipwarDWr9N0b0pj1fX_S3pLPvOj1GuOpphUqcOWv6-OgCkbyaiwgx16abg8Eh9dRVrZ1CZZirLFOK1sAHmv1xyBg5u9Kci6uPawkKvrWiMVfG5gRXyYXKxwfh_UVl2bf8/s2048/6535DD0D-141E-430C-AAF4-5FA355EA1843.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMW1NDnPHwhFHo71kbX4bzldOxgCfeIoo1RntpYZOjCei4FRHb0wuTmDB03OipwarDWr9N0b0pj1fX_S3pLPvOj1GuOpphUqcOWv6-OgCkbyaiwgx16abg8Eh9dRVrZ1CZZirLFOK1sAHmv1xyBg5u9Kci6uPawkKvrWiMVfG5gRXyYXKxwfh_UVl2bf8/w640-h640/6535DD0D-141E-430C-AAF4-5FA355EA1843.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O82Ij_nULTUuBiAZZ28M5wAcb0R5mHocpewmB-AacpkTYX0o9dLtsO-ML3Opc97C59CoUiKdNdkpcZVClfEUBXO61PU9RxmqOCvXZFVqGQ8R-ucTh-yP4Fgesrm42PtDckt4uCSLKzFuCQA_FXwIZn25d-z_RRB74AGfLOF7VwTXyfVeyr2fJW5l1_M/s2048/DD64E3B9-CE00-4A41-B141-72281872FAD2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0O82Ij_nULTUuBiAZZ28M5wAcb0R5mHocpewmB-AacpkTYX0o9dLtsO-ML3Opc97C59CoUiKdNdkpcZVClfEUBXO61PU9RxmqOCvXZFVqGQ8R-ucTh-yP4Fgesrm42PtDckt4uCSLKzFuCQA_FXwIZn25d-z_RRB74AGfLOF7VwTXyfVeyr2fJW5l1_M/w640-h640/DD64E3B9-CE00-4A41-B141-72281872FAD2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-42318138301900340722024-01-29T08:44:00.000-08:002024-02-07T09:57:13.140-08:00January 26-27, 2024<p> Drove the 6.5 hours from St Louis to west-central Arkansas to fish with a buddy. He'd previously scoped out the location, and the plan was to get me my first Striped Bass on fly, and hopefully get both of us our first Blue Catfish on fly. Goals were achieved, despite the cool wet weather and the water being more muddied up than usual.</p><p><span style="font-size: 16.1px;"><span style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: times;">I tried a number of fly patterns...but ended up catching EVERYTHING on this trip on the fly below. Pearl estaz grande body, silver flash and white peacock tail, on a 1/8 oz jighead (Waspi Super Jig Head). That heavy jig wasn't easy to cast very far on the fly gear. I did do some fly casting, using a sink tip and also floating lines, but in the end vertically jigging this heavy deal to get down and stay down on the bottom got me the fish, plus I've been having elbow issues in my casting arm, so this technique was easier on me. I tell you what...when those Drum would thump the jig, and I'd set the hook, those dudes are STRONG and definitely sent pains up my arm! Fun!</span></span></p><p>I didn't catch big numbers of fish, but they were strong fighters. I caught 5 Freshwater Drum, 4 Striped Bass, (3 French Hens), 2 Blue Catfish, 1 White Bass, 1 Largemouth Bass.</p><p>Day 1:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMbrtb6AOCzwIqzWapSSlp4_ht670a5GKKmJrDNSfhyphenhyphen6JDjwSRubUzBJXzOyUhtigKqlqTl2Ot1l4msvtbjbcYJtfY6QOkxlwhw_xolwFZkHPADVCugGEwb14Qxhih9F_jfKUYrH7FF1N_VZVNmZFxrbebkYYxAuPrA-Bwy1OPTOCZXarcWjsKTwkktM/s4032/IMG_8204.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMbrtb6AOCzwIqzWapSSlp4_ht670a5GKKmJrDNSfhyphenhyphen6JDjwSRubUzBJXzOyUhtigKqlqTl2Ot1l4msvtbjbcYJtfY6QOkxlwhw_xolwFZkHPADVCugGEwb14Qxhih9F_jfKUYrH7FF1N_VZVNmZFxrbebkYYxAuPrA-Bwy1OPTOCZXarcWjsKTwkktM/w640-h480/IMG_8204.HEIC" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Striped Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY_jiVqlxm5ZDKw5_qALL_A5Lg2810iha-y7-IUg5gPDJ5aJv9tNOB8XPJBIrFKvAggByjF9W0SnmHmsA0D6weyLCqW6gHQ1E6pnEQxKN0jdp-sbh1zB9SEpmsKMI_8Ej7_7ZqSbz8F33lIpCa-VT8SDZDpV5hQQjD-CXKR6HYqNlCETvR9p83hkE9Ck/s2048/63CF2870-6AF3-4AED-BEFA-4C0520FD8DE1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheY_jiVqlxm5ZDKw5_qALL_A5Lg2810iha-y7-IUg5gPDJ5aJv9tNOB8XPJBIrFKvAggByjF9W0SnmHmsA0D6weyLCqW6gHQ1E6pnEQxKN0jdp-sbh1zB9SEpmsKMI_8Ej7_7ZqSbz8F33lIpCa-VT8SDZDpV5hQQjD-CXKR6HYqNlCETvR9p83hkE9Ck/w640-h640/63CF2870-6AF3-4AED-BEFA-4C0520FD8DE1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ys-QAcYQrW_yb_eEnBy2vd_5MY-zGQ_lY9xJKi77aG2bG00ay0BWyW-nG1GVYEfmI6AQaWU3qClz8NQFJ95O5CRJn3kDeNAYlSxaAv0rLhlviV9bA2umafz8jFwhYT1SMYmdYHBr425_QoJciZKbdvjS8OEL0c8vr_IgWK-XEiblPn9r_PvmlHHaKOA/s2048/FB01EBDD-31CF-483C-A804-CC0330CDC7BB.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Ys-QAcYQrW_yb_eEnBy2vd_5MY-zGQ_lY9xJKi77aG2bG00ay0BWyW-nG1GVYEfmI6AQaWU3qClz8NQFJ95O5CRJn3kDeNAYlSxaAv0rLhlviV9bA2umafz8jFwhYT1SMYmdYHBr425_QoJciZKbdvjS8OEL0c8vr_IgWK-XEiblPn9r_PvmlHHaKOA/w640-h640/FB01EBDD-31CF-483C-A804-CC0330CDC7BB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEx1P2tKAzz2LqMr6Nv7MqtWnm5pDtYC3UaMeA3iWzZDYp6KiNyzAon7daoW76tEdM8upp8UMB-qaKdf-yaZS6UB3eU7rRXmML4jdindoE4F4Q8q4CNGvlG2EN7t1DzgYrzOFeEbcjfDWLssTxSUSXKfdJ7O1xrqELvVb8wEtZx_qadTB1uo343qcag4/s3771/IMG_0761.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3771" data-original-width="2220" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJEx1P2tKAzz2LqMr6Nv7MqtWnm5pDtYC3UaMeA3iWzZDYp6KiNyzAon7daoW76tEdM8upp8UMB-qaKdf-yaZS6UB3eU7rRXmML4jdindoE4F4Q8q4CNGvlG2EN7t1DzgYrzOFeEbcjfDWLssTxSUSXKfdJ7O1xrqELvVb8wEtZx_qadTB1uo343qcag4/w376-h640/IMG_0761.JPG" width="376" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIltNUCke-qI5OLL5nIjnElRQD4FyeT5Y3Cyp90BHjioWieDHxAuRCjixOJ3pVc182DhmbbhfAapAPb5ccKkekeqvc9VFKxwxq4OCOG3xJqK3KAZPpGJlzK3SZWM1bJpTs-AAnd50O1spw7zvf5Vcs5uQ6k-FUls-IOUDuN7IP86UWIUfhIwmCAjpVOQ/s3669/IMG_0743.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2589" data-original-width="3669" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYIltNUCke-qI5OLL5nIjnElRQD4FyeT5Y3Cyp90BHjioWieDHxAuRCjixOJ3pVc182DhmbbhfAapAPb5ccKkekeqvc9VFKxwxq4OCOG3xJqK3KAZPpGJlzK3SZWM1bJpTs-AAnd50O1spw7zvf5Vcs5uQ6k-FUls-IOUDuN7IP86UWIUfhIwmCAjpVOQ/w640-h452/IMG_0743.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshwater Drum on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Day 2:</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwTnmGGXmSy05EJRXruqwiyoBvujZS3xs4yXKpHnmvxBWcMsGI1dGo4dmuwuEGzYwUAKdKBycl5luzWE92fqJldHO_D2zjnNjgEBrfHQx9uLVVVHP4KcTSiqcBY6Uwj4UzIqy0S76eWa0pCD7098d1vQanQx68SLhVL_fmkxMMCkMrlBTqMheFZ8G_v4/s2885/IMG_0786.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2590" data-original-width="2885" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizwTnmGGXmSy05EJRXruqwiyoBvujZS3xs4yXKpHnmvxBWcMsGI1dGo4dmuwuEGzYwUAKdKBycl5luzWE92fqJldHO_D2zjnNjgEBrfHQx9uLVVVHP4KcTSiqcBY6Uwj4UzIqy0S76eWa0pCD7098d1vQanQx68SLhVL_fmkxMMCkMrlBTqMheFZ8G_v4/w640-h574/IMG_0786.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue Cat on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgpLRZysAa3VA9EnpExDMUHkiu2z1_-UNJ_XNKNJIhsJHdFTyDpUGfRIqAq_1V_bS08qdbedQwA-f2UnLfjbx8XM-5OURwF9rKuQ2HCIdJuWT3C6fpmplj7jQRcyhd4naqalaEJmKaBQ1vxbR9voBMeeLNSZcgjNGS9POjOtgVchHdS5n81bwxisAsrY/s2938/IMG_0781.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2439" data-original-width="2938" height="532" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgpLRZysAa3VA9EnpExDMUHkiu2z1_-UNJ_XNKNJIhsJHdFTyDpUGfRIqAq_1V_bS08qdbedQwA-f2UnLfjbx8XM-5OURwF9rKuQ2HCIdJuWT3C6fpmplj7jQRcyhd4naqalaEJmKaBQ1vxbR9voBMeeLNSZcgjNGS9POjOtgVchHdS5n81bwxisAsrY/w640-h532/IMG_0781.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMvlZROgHh5m3akPqmUJhcqMTNFV4NNDvYAiHW8IB5s0ZGhZ2BkVlchYsTlaypDfhSRs7TmwV-c6bb4MmRF9S5SgzgxwptTvSnLLMSYfMsQvXR8pVAVC7jMiJAWNqQsyKT1-uwm9yEHIAAq5D0zcMRLKCpqPPeq4r6GwbA0gZntu24vRRRWHdutKh7k0/s2048/AE7070F6-34D1-45BC-B469-FE2D86FC2CAC.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRMvlZROgHh5m3akPqmUJhcqMTNFV4NNDvYAiHW8IB5s0ZGhZ2BkVlchYsTlaypDfhSRs7TmwV-c6bb4MmRF9S5SgzgxwptTvSnLLMSYfMsQvXR8pVAVC7jMiJAWNqQsyKT1-uwm9yEHIAAq5D0zcMRLKCpqPPeq4r6GwbA0gZntu24vRRRWHdutKh7k0/w640-h640/AE7070F6-34D1-45BC-B469-FE2D86FC2CAC.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaB8c_7HpRCzRqpFSvMzluhYO3kKAr6tHZ3dEhHSq8VBPp5ODIIsRj8BrLTfRAKpzFyfDTQreNzmj_ptz5f4DM7hbMb448GttrRJdG31F8eVPSOGeglrOtpklm0A1QIkWhzbrevqbBELlpVbrlqOIpMW1-bLF7I0nSxVkZrTOpCb7Ice9TodBX96oZGJI/s2048/573ADA9C-8E78-4B78-8ACD-88D80FA78348.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaB8c_7HpRCzRqpFSvMzluhYO3kKAr6tHZ3dEhHSq8VBPp5ODIIsRj8BrLTfRAKpzFyfDTQreNzmj_ptz5f4DM7hbMb448GttrRJdG31F8eVPSOGeglrOtpklm0A1QIkWhzbrevqbBELlpVbrlqOIpMW1-bLF7I0nSxVkZrTOpCb7Ice9TodBX96oZGJI/w640-h640/573ADA9C-8E78-4B78-8ACD-88D80FA78348.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJKUH-OfPJ3-mFXsIEI5_mE-nrZYCFS1GFld55P6pXcfdGws8ay30AZr-Ir-hsF6q_rycYr-Ow_WsdLOlSx30rWCUwsJDzy9wEFsGLAX6Es0QcWfjBOYjFpLzUIjw902MbT6fPqOpyvH4PSD0nnBCGijGYeLrqvK5vlKCaI2kVnhUfmB8YFZqYPxLhBA/s3316/IMG_0795.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1912" data-original-width="3316" height="370" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYJKUH-OfPJ3-mFXsIEI5_mE-nrZYCFS1GFld55P6pXcfdGws8ay30AZr-Ir-hsF6q_rycYr-Ow_WsdLOlSx30rWCUwsJDzy9wEFsGLAX6Es0QcWfjBOYjFpLzUIjw902MbT6fPqOpyvH4PSD0nnBCGijGYeLrqvK5vlKCaI2kVnhUfmB8YFZqYPxLhBA/w640-h370/IMG_0795.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVaF_dN9j_Al-UmCL8f2x6gkLneHK56TM4OWGzN7-IlI5DcbeXrW_LOaw5PEfTItWSkEKWzUhNypKjfBdi_qxSwzLg2zPdC0nnRLqyaRhJKTXF4ya0Ad0FM7djwydi5EXGn15iNaBZdRAvlTgiSqX8DRLgcwFhU6veEJA8tQtfSpjwkBF9HBaiFXtv3o/s1440/FF4699B6-1C11-4099-8792-8D2617CBF7AE.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="1440" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRVaF_dN9j_Al-UmCL8f2x6gkLneHK56TM4OWGzN7-IlI5DcbeXrW_LOaw5PEfTItWSkEKWzUhNypKjfBdi_qxSwzLg2zPdC0nnRLqyaRhJKTXF4ya0Ad0FM7djwydi5EXGn15iNaBZdRAvlTgiSqX8DRLgcwFhU6veEJA8tQtfSpjwkBF9HBaiFXtv3o/w640-h520/FF4699B6-1C11-4099-8792-8D2617CBF7AE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2nd Blue Cat on Fly<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>The Striped Bass and Blue Catfish enabled me to reach my goal of 100 U.S. Freshwater Species on Fly. This also put me at 115 Species on Fly.FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-84016651472160339252024-01-21T13:33:00.000-08:002024-01-21T13:33:27.754-08:00Redspotted Sunfish on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Redspotted Sunfish.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS93F6a8uE2WIAupg4xaSXfDhMNgLK0p1BhXKauHuN05jwtXuSZzz8xbGiZ3kCLFN4I9hF55AzD4WEnXpMTN9ASwaL8hflk0hP491VroMW-SApQ66qWZ87PtSCXDMeHef2erfKQC6VlR-3T27aWEZVLRml5JC_K76p9gpH4AKZEVh-iS7jvTgGLdRi7Zk/s2956/IMG_7292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1882" data-original-width="2956" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS93F6a8uE2WIAupg4xaSXfDhMNgLK0p1BhXKauHuN05jwtXuSZzz8xbGiZ3kCLFN4I9hF55AzD4WEnXpMTN9ASwaL8hflk0hP491VroMW-SApQ66qWZ87PtSCXDMeHef2erfKQC6VlR-3T27aWEZVLRml5JC_K76p9gpH4AKZEVh-iS7jvTgGLdRi7Zk/w640-h408/IMG_7292.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redspotted Sunfish on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although I had taken Ichthyology in college, and had been nearly a lifelong angler, Redspotted Sunfish were basically unknown to me until a couple years ago. I'm certainly no expert, but I just don't see anyone talking about these fish, especially as a target for fly fishing. So, I will share what I've learned so far.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Below is the range map for Redspotted Sunfish, an excellent visual created by KOAW.ORG. Check these guys out, they have really done some great research on all the sunfish species!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5808f56fcd0f687a0363b922/1604584423530-EELAM5XFJ4D3F79RFX9G/Redspotted+Sunfish+Lepomis+miniatus+Range+Map+Koaw+Nature.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5808f56fcd0f687a0363b922/1604584423530-EELAM5XFJ4D3F79RFX9G/Redspotted+Sunfish+Lepomis+miniatus+Range+Map+Koaw+Nature.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div>I've caught them in small creeks and swampy areas in southern MO and northern AR.</div><div><br /></div><div>Really cool fish! I've caught them on surface flies (like a foam bug), on microjigs, and on a small black unweighted woolly bugger.</div><div><br /></div><div>They don't get very big, so keep your fly small. #10 or smaller will do the trick.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jDjDoTFSkIUMSkvazz3zfLCELbq2RWbwa5YtDvRLfT_iyLsSRgEV9oZGfpZ_E2PYCJE2PDkCeZTmfWCq5xtirrRU8e7I6nO3basjfwNbTBbjuCQTMCOeC34RjYO_ahV24daTUoEk858AjCvN9nM9CiTTtFpOXbFSGQD08YbhGWC01YkKECUruPItoEs/s2172/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="2172" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6jDjDoTFSkIUMSkvazz3zfLCELbq2RWbwa5YtDvRLfT_iyLsSRgEV9oZGfpZ_E2PYCJE2PDkCeZTmfWCq5xtirrRU8e7I6nO3basjfwNbTBbjuCQTMCOeC34RjYO_ahV24daTUoEk858AjCvN9nM9CiTTtFpOXbFSGQD08YbhGWC01YkKECUruPItoEs/w640-h342/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are #12 or #14 microjigs, which work well for Redspotted Sunfish. Small Woolly Buggers also get eaten.</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Best times to catch them are Spring close to when they are spawning, in my experience, but I also haven't gone looking for them after about mid-summer.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you might expect, I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But I've caught ones I did not see before they ate the fly. </div><div><br /></div><div>They seem to like being near vegetation, but I've caught them near rocks as well.</div><p>They don't get particularly big, usually, and they aren't particularly strong fighters. Redspotted Sunfish can be enjoyed on 3wt-5wt fly rods. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 2lb-6lb Fluorocarbon. </p><p>Redspotted Sunfish are very challenging, uncommon, unusual, interesting, and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be more appreciated. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </p><div><p>Here's some pics of Redspotted Sunfish I've caught while fly fishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6HnpgM-UcSdOLt79x0m1MZ_PZPxxndgMSYd-6wzDqsz5UziONUnlmvwTtabcnCM58FATsch5YZi4621vC7DMqJbo-UU8HSwFbiVH5ndd-IsNIOgfz0VW_aWzxlQ5Iqpybv2z67zye_bSvLIv08EGj8cXH756jXpFfAu_HiXblWG0vYubcslmB4XuSO4/s3036/IMG_7288.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2180" data-original-width="3036" height="460" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM6HnpgM-UcSdOLt79x0m1MZ_PZPxxndgMSYd-6wzDqsz5UziONUnlmvwTtabcnCM58FATsch5YZi4621vC7DMqJbo-UU8HSwFbiVH5ndd-IsNIOgfz0VW_aWzxlQ5Iqpybv2z67zye_bSvLIv08EGj8cXH756jXpFfAu_HiXblWG0vYubcslmB4XuSO4/w640-h460/IMG_7288.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhOyb2CiiHanunTPe4NdfWodb04wQZsazGcm1yNpLazwk6dONwqK-34Tv3M8zpnD8fpx8NIBeP1NHZwJMfUnVzuvUf5qrmO_wgqy3SP9mnY5BOmK5CeC_zsLIDwypHZYS2RHAGzpy8BV2rky2ARHRz1F6mCoSdEx9TfB6xzyTktoPkvgAMzk4cHaf9fE/s2820/IMG_7300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2104" data-original-width="2820" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwhOyb2CiiHanunTPe4NdfWodb04wQZsazGcm1yNpLazwk6dONwqK-34Tv3M8zpnD8fpx8NIBeP1NHZwJMfUnVzuvUf5qrmO_wgqy3SP9mnY5BOmK5CeC_zsLIDwypHZYS2RHAGzpy8BV2rky2ARHRz1F6mCoSdEx9TfB6xzyTktoPkvgAMzk4cHaf9fE/w640-h478/IMG_7300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZxXhtzVXSjOJi2rrSH8_4hzrtQyl1q-WCXZmntfB0q_czmzUW0zoXe4-BN_y4ywZlgPk0lLMQw0oqC1CdtKSjOBY6Wrm2d6KwkIz1FUI03zXtRdbEpc0QwhVyRB00ncJ2YORWUEMgHTzF-ziLFhDi7j9mkMiiF3I9FmJYPZO-eWO2bZLtnLiLPo1ikA/s2943/IMG_7208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2078" data-original-width="2943" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZxXhtzVXSjOJi2rrSH8_4hzrtQyl1q-WCXZmntfB0q_czmzUW0zoXe4-BN_y4ywZlgPk0lLMQw0oqC1CdtKSjOBY6Wrm2d6KwkIz1FUI03zXtRdbEpc0QwhVyRB00ncJ2YORWUEMgHTzF-ziLFhDi7j9mkMiiF3I9FmJYPZO-eWO2bZLtnLiLPo1ikA/w640-h452/IMG_7208.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF85AEb0IgraA2L5RMD05ZRjXNTkid9ADnf5ewOMfkzHa4KhVfOQXF7ZfL4GsuzZGooinXTqZg3ca1JzJEntGN20f5xd_IRMZz_wSQygQTM-FAifg-06n7Cxi10rANPyNwcpYTw_IMqJUr6ycF_OFGQA-4UZuV9LxW_DY59CyFz06dA17iI4riGGmClH4/s3112/IMG_7219.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2190" data-original-width="3112" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF85AEb0IgraA2L5RMD05ZRjXNTkid9ADnf5ewOMfkzHa4KhVfOQXF7ZfL4GsuzZGooinXTqZg3ca1JzJEntGN20f5xd_IRMZz_wSQygQTM-FAifg-06n7Cxi10rANPyNwcpYTw_IMqJUr6ycF_OFGQA-4UZuV9LxW_DY59CyFz06dA17iI4riGGmClH4/w640-h450/IMG_7219.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25Pt-4sV6XWxYRM8-jKHr6l7y-ud_BOrKyw6t5eA6m4NogkWTIQI2hZKq3gaH7Wa19rwajtkjOd935vyZMUdnSSZDmKx-o1JBfjkTNenVy5MfX4E-JetrsxHvjOSFyhNH_oHyuKZ6wcM7loTWA-VJIa6uM1Su-v3tjBAGFgYxnY9hLUKmZNNtiekNHJg/s3416/IMG_7092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2174" data-original-width="3416" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25Pt-4sV6XWxYRM8-jKHr6l7y-ud_BOrKyw6t5eA6m4NogkWTIQI2hZKq3gaH7Wa19rwajtkjOd935vyZMUdnSSZDmKx-o1JBfjkTNenVy5MfX4E-JetrsxHvjOSFyhNH_oHyuKZ6wcM7loTWA-VJIa6uM1Su-v3tjBAGFgYxnY9hLUKmZNNtiekNHJg/w640-h408/IMG_7092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUPU-PKvZWuWZr6lwT_IeWTkA1C59Zjpf6epDiIX5UZP1iBMY467qhr2NXJVBYZGWPYFrks-R007a8AA5lsHaXvk_nyPi_Y9cfo22sGlSiJv1pBHFcjjMC-sWcauSVKIQKvzzVDQ2E8bSGzJTlc2g7oKJqUlulwKKn6GrhtKarPmzzms9sl2uBOjpfQQ/s3066/IMG_7089.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2142" data-original-width="3066" height="448" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUPU-PKvZWuWZr6lwT_IeWTkA1C59Zjpf6epDiIX5UZP1iBMY467qhr2NXJVBYZGWPYFrks-R007a8AA5lsHaXvk_nyPi_Y9cfo22sGlSiJv1pBHFcjjMC-sWcauSVKIQKvzzVDQ2E8bSGzJTlc2g7oKJqUlulwKKn6GrhtKarPmzzms9sl2uBOjpfQQ/w640-h448/IMG_7089.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dYMP3FyR6KULIk_dJXIRcR2elrMTZ5xtr8BlycMuTu4b6KWrLZuav6Z_ESnfN7fwQcffG0Vly3q8Yg8O5bme6wmTx26I_jhtLw2sPpb_S0iuzHtBy0wk-dK-qEkHvMgTZZH5UUgrGRI/s2048/5B355F47-019E-4F4A-AD9E-F08F5253569F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1dYMP3FyR6KULIk_dJXIRcR2elrMTZ5xtr8BlycMuTu4b6KWrLZuav6Z_ESnfN7fwQcffG0Vly3q8Yg8O5bme6wmTx26I_jhtLw2sPpb_S0iuzHtBy0wk-dK-qEkHvMgTZZH5UUgrGRI/w640-h640/5B355F47-019E-4F4A-AD9E-F08F5253569F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-44492000132987034212024-01-21T13:00:00.000-08:002024-01-21T13:00:07.292-08:00Channel Catfish on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Channel Catfish.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvcRJzOfLcYFzG84R-0GGDvqSWT1bGRK-ex5-xkd8CJkEtLf0eppGPWI7Rvy363psNS6QubAVuc45nVziy6uNoeV8wXbYhUxpY8KFMg_F2ZeVamCzxiq4BS0RStIPshjWECDYZ7jsywHV/s800/DM_22inFlyRodCatfish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="489" data-original-width="800" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVvcRJzOfLcYFzG84R-0GGDvqSWT1bGRK-ex5-xkd8CJkEtLf0eppGPWI7Rvy363psNS6QubAVuc45nVziy6uNoeV8wXbYhUxpY8KFMg_F2ZeVamCzxiq4BS0RStIPshjWECDYZ7jsywHV/w640-h392/DM_22inFlyRodCatfish.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Channel Catfish on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xAJ72zpf_zy30BmqVchrDvQ3Uh-Wx_jp8Vm0fSr1lga0RorrqWel_Cn3z_crzbFm1sMjCpsn_N03NW-Z_6xfn7roJ3HnuNL0il3h5UdyXaU142PKo1addgMqVkmPG4d5AN9024p4NYG1FzLx2Smb5s3bjE4P54EYZZPGB3xr6SRj9KqeeewLMP-YwWg/s2048/64555889-90EA-4856-87B2-14FE15F17183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"></a></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvBsjC_9sBvb-LsOX4uzlhEjlFFOpBYdc0Hf4VMGjKMnz3KydsdXTBF3yu2ypCbzWMK2pCcMu8BhZ-3ZJaAVa_vbJ8a6wW2kTgkX5DwuHvvk3TeXAM7z93-Fg8bddfo3MSHC5Fe0tqcCjaeOrHnm7MeOQ0zCAPs-PL0RiRy33174kpR1DJGmyiVIT4gE/s1201/IMG_6973.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1201" height="442" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikvBsjC_9sBvb-LsOX4uzlhEjlFFOpBYdc0Hf4VMGjKMnz3KydsdXTBF3yu2ypCbzWMK2pCcMu8BhZ-3ZJaAVa_vbJ8a6wW2kTgkX5DwuHvvk3TeXAM7z93-Fg8bddfo3MSHC5Fe0tqcCjaeOrHnm7MeOQ0zCAPs-PL0RiRy33174kpR1DJGmyiVIT4gE/w640-h442/IMG_6973.PNG" style="cursor: move;" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Channel Catfish on Fly<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xAJ72zpf_zy30BmqVchrDvQ3Uh-Wx_jp8Vm0fSr1lga0RorrqWel_Cn3z_crzbFm1sMjCpsn_N03NW-Z_6xfn7roJ3HnuNL0il3h5UdyXaU142PKo1addgMqVkmPG4d5AN9024p4NYG1FzLx2Smb5s3bjE4P54EYZZPGB3xr6SRj9KqeeewLMP-YwWg/s2048/64555889-90EA-4856-87B2-14FE15F17183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2xAJ72zpf_zy30BmqVchrDvQ3Uh-Wx_jp8Vm0fSr1lga0RorrqWel_Cn3z_crzbFm1sMjCpsn_N03NW-Z_6xfn7roJ3HnuNL0il3h5UdyXaU142PKo1addgMqVkmPG4d5AN9024p4NYG1FzLx2Smb5s3bjE4P54EYZZPGB3xr6SRj9KqeeewLMP-YwWg/w640-h640/64555889-90EA-4856-87B2-14FE15F17183.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Channel Catfish on a Bass Popper!</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Channel Catfish can be found in the middle of the U.S., east of the Rocky Mountains, and west of the Appalachian Mountains... and Canada thru Texas.</div><div><br /></div><div>They have been widely stocked, and can be found in rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and ponds.</div><div><br /></div><div>Channel Catfish are fairly omnivorous, but in my experience, they seem to become more and more predatory the larger they get. All sizes will hit a fly. They will feed everywhere from the very surface to the very bottom. In a reservoir or spillway where they may be feasting on Shad, I've caught them on white fly patterns that resemble a shad or other baitfish. In a pond where they may be feeding on nymphs, I've caught them on flyrod versions, like a Gartside Nymph or Jumpin' Catfish Nymph or Woolly Bugger. I've caught them on bass-sized fly rod poppers in the evening when they may be hunting for frogs or small bluegills. I've caught them on a Zonker fly pattern, and I've caught them on sculpin or crayfish patterns on the bottom. I've caught them on microjigs suspended beneath a strike indicator. I've caught them on flies tied for carp fished on or near the bottom. There truly is no wrong way to fly fish for Channel Catfish, but the fish will have to tell you what they want.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stu Thompson catches nice channel catfish on his DDH Leech fly pattern in the Red River in Manitoba near Winnipeg.</div><div><br /></div><div>Where I fish, I catch Channel Catfish most often during the warmest months of the year. I don't know what they do when it gets colder, but I just don't see or catch them then. I say that, but I've also caught them while ice-fishing.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you might expect, I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But most often I'm fishing stained water. When ripe mulberries are falling into the water, channel catfish will hang out in the water underneath those trees and eat the fruit that drops in...or a fly that looks roughly like a mulberry. Even during the rest of the summer, I've caught catfish under overhanging trees. They probably like the shade, but they will certainly check out any "plop" sound on the water to see if it is food.</div><div><br /></div><div>They do seem to like feeding along rocky shorelines. They will feed just under the surface at times, but most often are feeding near the bottom. They will also feed along weedlines.</div><div><br /></div><div>Channel Catfish can get big, and are excellent, strong fighters. They can be enjoyed on 4wt-6wt fly rods. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be about 8lb Fluorocarbon. </div><p>Handle Channel Catfish with care, as the spines in there dorsal and pectoral fins can poke you. It stings, but they are not poisonous. Also, don't lip them like a bass. Expecially the larger ones have very rough tooth pads on their jaws, and a VERY strong bite force. They WILL clamp down on your finger! </p><p>Channel Catfish are very challenging, strong, and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated by more fly anglers. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </p><div><p>Here's some pics of Channel Catfish I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuYdmXJiXN4NphPd86NuPH352diiMuHDlSUmkPI-JPHwSAOfO8a_DKsiW30czi7i5FbI2amBMvz9_jwc56Nre2AF2YUJilFNXm_MlVZai6AFiGbmmNKiK9bEIlO2ZKrEkeNZp18HR4s8EHYpUvcY62_ApomVkqyVagx7Yo-_MSgGRQshyZMJh2A2xpHU/s1346/DM_GPS_28inCC_9-18-2018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1038" data-original-width="1346" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAuYdmXJiXN4NphPd86NuPH352diiMuHDlSUmkPI-JPHwSAOfO8a_DKsiW30czi7i5FbI2amBMvz9_jwc56Nre2AF2YUJilFNXm_MlVZai6AFiGbmmNKiK9bEIlO2ZKrEkeNZp18HR4s8EHYpUvcY62_ApomVkqyVagx7Yo-_MSgGRQshyZMJh2A2xpHU/w640-h494/DM_GPS_28inCC_9-18-2018.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuFpTrNebg8qQ3PlByWr-NE1P4UDI07JG2kAR7uENvYN1JZpy9pYuoxaMFqC-UBYy-miKHHTbE3m2Ejf50fCa1fpMKuxgginsSyobT84LrbCHDoHCrCoMkIb4HOb1VviGVoFhxSDL2i4dkz723p1Vz2pUzx0WQF17PC81YZZWo6TAxzAPyDgnnjBfwpI/s1280/DM_MT_Catfish_FlyRod_8-6-2011_B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1270" data-original-width="1280" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyuFpTrNebg8qQ3PlByWr-NE1P4UDI07JG2kAR7uENvYN1JZpy9pYuoxaMFqC-UBYy-miKHHTbE3m2Ejf50fCa1fpMKuxgginsSyobT84LrbCHDoHCrCoMkIb4HOb1VviGVoFhxSDL2i4dkz723p1Vz2pUzx0WQF17PC81YZZWo6TAxzAPyDgnnjBfwpI/w640-h636/DM_MT_Catfish_FlyRod_8-6-2011_B2.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJKcLiv58kcVgZ4KzPh1DgF4cq2luruGnUQvspV6dJLfyiTAU07YHkMxhn1UGnsfIyTqya9rG78iXojFpDcpOTgO9M9AZHLO0ITu1Pqldt-QbvhUAnB29Q19U0Ocg-6uLANYmtyp1qz6N113oLc4pJrSP82pQYiNmpWLXOTFu47zBUppWmsi1r2cU8tM/s1280/DM_GP_27in_CC_9-11-2011a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="624" data-original-width="1280" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioJKcLiv58kcVgZ4KzPh1DgF4cq2luruGnUQvspV6dJLfyiTAU07YHkMxhn1UGnsfIyTqya9rG78iXojFpDcpOTgO9M9AZHLO0ITu1Pqldt-QbvhUAnB29Q19U0Ocg-6uLANYmtyp1qz6N113oLc4pJrSP82pQYiNmpWLXOTFu47zBUppWmsi1r2cU8tM/w640-h312/DM_GP_27in_CC_9-11-2011a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0_eifGb20rdF65t5TnNkf-tMsHBgBAHPHdSm9-PrsXzIXSu3gKJOMR3sUJ0IC5XAerXEgEeS28c85xdc5i76EZUy-I8tQIhhcIvCfDm9bRa1Hw2_Pz9VXWkXvTn-wwPjHOkR3Mktwdbbg-MvHF4mcqkGsDtTBv-RSu38fuIJWrDVZo0B2PrdWBPU1Mg/s1280/DM_PRS_CC_27in_9-8-2011a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="1280" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-0_eifGb20rdF65t5TnNkf-tMsHBgBAHPHdSm9-PrsXzIXSu3gKJOMR3sUJ0IC5XAerXEgEeS28c85xdc5i76EZUy-I8tQIhhcIvCfDm9bRa1Hw2_Pz9VXWkXvTn-wwPjHOkR3Mktwdbbg-MvHF4mcqkGsDtTBv-RSu38fuIJWrDVZo0B2PrdWBPU1Mg/w640-h298/DM_PRS_CC_27in_9-8-2011a.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9yAP7sQ4E7ur-YWYMko0mPSIn5tB6GbOPmsf-AqrrpJA1biFHgsxky_m7QVcQKQ8VY2Br0vXRHssGDo3iSZUSzLrg4J1gRQq2yNIsp0Jl-Bbpr51RNlg5O5OIB_n-Pgk47YBAWqHxYNWOo82xKDlqTOM-BFil8AlfUhWnvgFkjeC6tfr4A7mnxXjlA/s3322/IMG_1067.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1798" data-original-width="3322" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc9yAP7sQ4E7ur-YWYMko0mPSIn5tB6GbOPmsf-AqrrpJA1biFHgsxky_m7QVcQKQ8VY2Br0vXRHssGDo3iSZUSzLrg4J1gRQq2yNIsp0Jl-Bbpr51RNlg5O5OIB_n-Pgk47YBAWqHxYNWOo82xKDlqTOM-BFil8AlfUhWnvgFkjeC6tfr4A7mnxXjlA/w640-h346/IMG_1067.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hz6_RP2KBhPqMnVXiwpFCjkxAa0WWDGzHnAWJKEhyvNNofYfoMT0Nyut4134dgjO154IIYEsacMTFHfBHajRCpG352AV7uSFITSdl6I4MajPaxYKEtGdH5t2yUDdixyVKg5IEYDDHXobhNgCKZJhtJgeowb9A_FOtD8jG_M-5ISGnmY9HECEV8vuueI/s3393/IMG_2244.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3393" data-original-width="1468" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1hz6_RP2KBhPqMnVXiwpFCjkxAa0WWDGzHnAWJKEhyvNNofYfoMT0Nyut4134dgjO154IIYEsacMTFHfBHajRCpG352AV7uSFITSdl6I4MajPaxYKEtGdH5t2yUDdixyVKg5IEYDDHXobhNgCKZJhtJgeowb9A_FOtD8jG_M-5ISGnmY9HECEV8vuueI/w276-h640/IMG_2244.JPG" width="276" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlWzOvifU37jGy6D35esUQVGpmXo-5HDzQxH2OXjixIJGn0l_Sdr7PofcJgRwqRQyZ6cocR3YqEnjpnddE0pEZ2cD1DsLKhDekMCDrzbElqhugQvi7_mCS70ev2boSKKEBhfqFcGPyauL47xoma3kFSx9YhbwHiPa3tzUor7RjBbNJamSLYcWiv7uAhM/s3802/IMG_4351.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3802" data-original-width="1961" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlWzOvifU37jGy6D35esUQVGpmXo-5HDzQxH2OXjixIJGn0l_Sdr7PofcJgRwqRQyZ6cocR3YqEnjpnddE0pEZ2cD1DsLKhDekMCDrzbElqhugQvi7_mCS70ev2boSKKEBhfqFcGPyauL47xoma3kFSx9YhbwHiPa3tzUor7RjBbNJamSLYcWiv7uAhM/w330-h640/IMG_4351.JPG" width="330" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSDbhm62efJUURPCwU5GqwoHRCqq98bchuVCScrB34e8StUt7AeeqUNayFuG_Lt7OTqQem7x1GWSy4H6Tna43SF_0m5YA8pvcneAOnih3HbkapjfdGTtXQ82a67tVQyQ1HF9EaSuTkynqtaBH-1a1mOIiQ9SwVilRsuV7OtqP0FmY7HxCTroZgJ4zRII/s2048/F07FA6E5-097F-4F26-826E-1FD167E4F922.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmSDbhm62efJUURPCwU5GqwoHRCqq98bchuVCScrB34e8StUt7AeeqUNayFuG_Lt7OTqQem7x1GWSy4H6Tna43SF_0m5YA8pvcneAOnih3HbkapjfdGTtXQ82a67tVQyQ1HF9EaSuTkynqtaBH-1a1mOIiQ9SwVilRsuV7OtqP0FmY7HxCTroZgJ4zRII/w640-h640/F07FA6E5-097F-4F26-826E-1FD167E4F922.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaIhpMcPnZiUFMKoDIvhpRQKwcgM6cKtzpCgoo9Ssge9vuYsmk6bgiBnx8vbnDgAtkcktN-VvB_qHngFr3elvpFkUdNQyMOLhWpWF0sIX-z98MDdTexK35tmb3frag5lRnzr07_1yDPXB3Cw8piHQs2MWvxe8ab14nbYQaqGqK1MaTIhG_c9junFmqpU/s2048/FCCF4378-6FC0-44EA-BEF6-48B131983D77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaIhpMcPnZiUFMKoDIvhpRQKwcgM6cKtzpCgoo9Ssge9vuYsmk6bgiBnx8vbnDgAtkcktN-VvB_qHngFr3elvpFkUdNQyMOLhWpWF0sIX-z98MDdTexK35tmb3frag5lRnzr07_1yDPXB3Cw8piHQs2MWvxe8ab14nbYQaqGqK1MaTIhG_c9junFmqpU/w640-h640/FCCF4378-6FC0-44EA-BEF6-48B131983D77.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small Channel Catfish will hit flies too!</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J396zhh43aAdUQyVMg-TYzJiQgQbEcO61UHo18_8oMVlt5yyKdKpel0QYHB5B7FIICbKGDfhOE19M1t1jzBmJnsgY0YwaroqUDTNzUBZfz4zFuQHcHJc8IJGPwwgqVNglPUGcjcROq-AIhqY4QbrxJx5o2h4nA_88wee_4EqQ_IMIzLjlFr-_Q5pJOY/s3258/IMG_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1610" data-original-width="3258" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9J396zhh43aAdUQyVMg-TYzJiQgQbEcO61UHo18_8oMVlt5yyKdKpel0QYHB5B7FIICbKGDfhOE19M1t1jzBmJnsgY0YwaroqUDTNzUBZfz4zFuQHcHJc8IJGPwwgqVNglPUGcjcROq-AIhqY4QbrxJx5o2h4nA_88wee_4EqQ_IMIzLjlFr-_Q5pJOY/w640-h316/IMG_1524.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZHkn0M1UxjH1PHZvko2bTpovb_I_14Pvdua1E15v8xWsglQU0Rk1MuqtZok0pnQGucFYr3lTpjh7csc5mTHUpLqIQOrqXAzlI_OLhlTLFdWk4AbrvRnJbWZTj9hQoSdG_WHdox9SPIJnA_x78YRyid8vrMnrA_PubxpuGGb076U65Vv2YYeFWdKxPzU/s1523/IMG_9573.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1523" data-original-width="828" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZHkn0M1UxjH1PHZvko2bTpovb_I_14Pvdua1E15v8xWsglQU0Rk1MuqtZok0pnQGucFYr3lTpjh7csc5mTHUpLqIQOrqXAzlI_OLhlTLFdWk4AbrvRnJbWZTj9hQoSdG_WHdox9SPIJnA_x78YRyid8vrMnrA_PubxpuGGb076U65Vv2YYeFWdKxPzU/w348-h640/IMG_9573.PNG" width="348" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZUikV1vU5JL4iHSgg9jGII0v3bWYlTtvLpvA8XAtiMiDynXoLwAygT-amOGXkN5tXG84RcLwljrez8l8xXtZe35dwM60R-ySdrOGWnwmQ7qHDKh_B4k25LCeuZxOSxtR7RYLGvnkeCAxq9f6xl6E2FVCi_dBvdKFdTpnNcfBC3CxCUhFG_HjGQrEmo0/s3487/IMG_1069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1830" data-original-width="3487" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmZUikV1vU5JL4iHSgg9jGII0v3bWYlTtvLpvA8XAtiMiDynXoLwAygT-amOGXkN5tXG84RcLwljrez8l8xXtZe35dwM60R-ySdrOGWnwmQ7qHDKh_B4k25LCeuZxOSxtR7RYLGvnkeCAxq9f6xl6E2FVCi_dBvdKFdTpnNcfBC3CxCUhFG_HjGQrEmo0/w640-h336/IMG_1069.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJithr0ntb90wCB8G8T2FRmgvuoKpjh-EjJX6S3aJhTTotdGgn4M8wqgxyJShzDUr6TgJW2fFw_7qq7zocEiW-8nJua501iZe9NF9ui_91_MTDpg8w8F_w2YhCBU0PiFPDZmNnsjIvKt_mjO8tFPRGqiKiMowe-BN5wNvNqWTfhMqwSIrdu4Nkn-JPac/s2048/78CFAD47-706C-4706-BE9C-6791A48BCD03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaJithr0ntb90wCB8G8T2FRmgvuoKpjh-EjJX6S3aJhTTotdGgn4M8wqgxyJShzDUr6TgJW2fFw_7qq7zocEiW-8nJua501iZe9NF9ui_91_MTDpg8w8F_w2YhCBU0PiFPDZmNnsjIvKt_mjO8tFPRGqiKiMowe-BN5wNvNqWTfhMqwSIrdu4Nkn-JPac/w640-h640/78CFAD47-706C-4706-BE9C-6791A48BCD03.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphZuFzSxjgnCkiG-fagBYtF4LwTIlBtRO85opVY_U_HSRbVe0vkWZoincDsZHxYI62pOYBJ1oUpTzj1-DQL-yr_gN4noXcNWsu78r0AHwE84R7gsmgsYj23txhjLA8KBVv5-oOXGt2-w1/s1280/DM_PRS_CC_27in_9-8-2011h.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1280" height="446" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhphZuFzSxjgnCkiG-fagBYtF4LwTIlBtRO85opVY_U_HSRbVe0vkWZoincDsZHxYI62pOYBJ1oUpTzj1-DQL-yr_gN4noXcNWsu78r0AHwE84R7gsmgsYj23txhjLA8KBVv5-oOXGt2-w1/w640-h446/DM_PRS_CC_27in_9-8-2011h.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Channel Catfish on a nymph.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBKMDT29bgfkVYjHeXik0mUzxMeUCagJ-0QJIYk7w8IIZMe0muAMUMmqjhNeXbwGpnGBAEJP4KhRKi5NccOeRuhq4GQbMliwqbEye6oaGJnK7O59hyphenhypheno46DwaUqOywuDKnf1wmmLdukOhF/s799/DM_31inCC_HeadB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="799" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJBKMDT29bgfkVYjHeXik0mUzxMeUCagJ-0QJIYk7w8IIZMe0muAMUMmqjhNeXbwGpnGBAEJP4KhRKi5NccOeRuhq4GQbMliwqbEye6oaGJnK7O59hyphenhypheno46DwaUqOywuDKnf1wmmLdukOhF/w640-h476/DM_31inCC_HeadB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYvMmQECMY7mTvR6_yRVTscOi89GTHQ5Hw5z6OhdqCjimIDrQp623wvwtPJG4D2kwa9Cz69fdvOwbrObyt1Ai2eEwZ-WBe6L9sM_nyeVBBy4g4cG_h2zljCczcUoGkUtYayf0U8Gbrqbq/s798/DM_31inCC_C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="798" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYvMmQECMY7mTvR6_yRVTscOi89GTHQ5Hw5z6OhdqCjimIDrQp623wvwtPJG4D2kwa9Cz69fdvOwbrObyt1Ai2eEwZ-WBe6L9sM_nyeVBBy4g4cG_h2zljCczcUoGkUtYayf0U8Gbrqbq/w640-h276/DM_31inCC_C.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">31" Channel Catfish... approx. 12 lbs, caught on a small fly during my lunch hour.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-90247062126394074792024-01-21T11:14:00.000-08:002024-01-23T07:57:29.692-08:00Longear Sunfish on Fly<div class="separator"><br /></div><p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Longear Sunfish.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU8Y0kfrcYYsc55koVSpZz6QehT3cuhfDZtlCvY4uM6tplLG00OEFeOOQiLfnK_Fm5286EVqtK1NnuqOSlX4B-tMbWIL68hAhPtFM2gAMzdZOGZ1ZG7wPOfS_A7KuMBqzrRiQJzJq2Y77iTcsO3q1JKAUP6F655JNSeo7dbQtp9yalI0qc0vxEXIHsKM/s3139/IMG_7872.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2304" data-original-width="3139" height="470" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvU8Y0kfrcYYsc55koVSpZz6QehT3cuhfDZtlCvY4uM6tplLG00OEFeOOQiLfnK_Fm5286EVqtK1NnuqOSlX4B-tMbWIL68hAhPtFM2gAMzdZOGZ1ZG7wPOfS_A7KuMBqzrRiQJzJq2Y77iTcsO3q1JKAUP6F655JNSeo7dbQtp9yalI0qc0vxEXIHsKM/w640-h470/IMG_7872.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longear Sunfish on fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Longear Sunfish have been, or are being, broken out into several species and subspecies. You are welcome to look up information on that if interested. I'm just going to group them together under "Longear Sunfish".</div><div><br /></div><div>Longear Sunfish inhabit much of the east-central U.S. west of the Appalachians, from the Great Lakes region, Ohio River system, and lower Mississippi River system (south of Iowa), plus southern states from Texas to Alabama.</div><div><br /></div><div>They most often seem to prefer reasonably clear rocky streams and creeks. </div><div><br /></div><div>They will eat terrestrial bugs that fall onto the water, aquatic nymphs, worms, small fish, and small crustaceans. So, they will eat from the surface to the bottom. Its fun to catch them on topwater. They are really aggressive fish and will strike larger flies and lures, but their mouths are sort of small, so its probably best to use a hook size of #8 or smaller, and a #10 or #12 might be best.</div><div><br /></div><div>I catch them most often during the warmer months, from mid-Spring to mid-Fall. Outside of their spawning season, they can be somewhat drab colored, but during the spawn...they are definitely one of the most beautifully colored of the sunfishes.</div><div><br /></div><div>They seem to like a gravelly bottom, and they can often be found out in the open over a flat bottom in a medium current, or near structures such as rocks and wood.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you can see them, you can often put a fly close enough to them to elicit a strike, but they can certainly be caught by fan-casting or blind casting an area.</div><div><br /></div><div>Again, foam topwater bugs are a fun way to catch them, but if they don't want to eat on top, you can usually coax them to eat subsurface. If your fly is the right size, and looks alive, they will hit it.</div><div><br /></div><div>Dapping a small microjig in likely areas or to specific visible fish is a consistently successful technique. The microjigs I use most for them are from 1/100th oz to 1/64th oz, #10 hook. Color doesn't seem to matter at all. </div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_1U3nUEazFM-YHWcoPJ_Bd7p5yE3kMChYyyv7FxlozLg4mX039g5IEY_84Aryx-chX15cVg4h9FywcXaiZskgdYvdc-HvUmDGvDvfWGvl9x_8C675uDzQTJchRiegnT6MtD4H7X2BL_4Y_8Btf9zT3m0KpOeZAD281lcSCdK3SHEJ12HzJge-43YRMU/s2172/IMG_0635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="2172" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr_1U3nUEazFM-YHWcoPJ_Bd7p5yE3kMChYyyv7FxlozLg4mX039g5IEY_84Aryx-chX15cVg4h9FywcXaiZskgdYvdc-HvUmDGvDvfWGvl9x_8C675uDzQTJchRiegnT6MtD4H7X2BL_4Y_8Btf9zT3m0KpOeZAD281lcSCdK3SHEJ12HzJge-43YRMU/w640-h342/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These microjigs are tied on #12 or #14 custom jigheads, and have caught plenty of Longear Sunfish for me.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>They don't get particularly big, usually, and they fight well enough for their size. Longear Sunfish can be enjoyed on 3wt-5wt fly rods. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 2lb-8lb Fluorocarbon. </p><p>Wading creeks or medium- to small- streams during the summer is a GREAT way to spend time in nature and catch these gorgeous sunfish.</p><p>Longear Sunfish are very beautiful, aggressive, and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </p><div><p>Here's some pics of Longear Sunfish I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Lyz3m9Tr8Z7ovQt-5DzaCuKLgWpTJVIjfCxJIUBpfeiKZt_N06e9UjESDCTvy77ShjQeJ9KeD-e9RNSYJPDwOhyfcdj3LfQEUOlgh3ocgr4vXd-mQtSEjFmDOWhVhbHgJMpl2e4AzivEdffrIVYsS_MPMTQi92c4S5toi-X1rrb3-uSyKZ7a39zfr4/s2601/IMG_8152.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1625" data-original-width="2601" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj02Lyz3m9Tr8Z7ovQt-5DzaCuKLgWpTJVIjfCxJIUBpfeiKZt_N06e9UjESDCTvy77ShjQeJ9KeD-e9RNSYJPDwOhyfcdj3LfQEUOlgh3ocgr4vXd-mQtSEjFmDOWhVhbHgJMpl2e4AzivEdffrIVYsS_MPMTQi92c4S5toi-X1rrb3-uSyKZ7a39zfr4/w640-h400/IMG_8152.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn_2Lv035IH48l1jXm1y8mIciTFAl7DNtCbkCGMKSP4jEGd8K_2hXyy1DHkWCaMM0mDLqQ1tmhZjYgpuZJGlURp9rVoNze3YOB24t2z6SUyD0SnUW2XPvrioWG2dtPUK5a6oNEDLLs5QWBAv_zDwzJiMsdEwuy-tsEWUIMPhcF8_AUm4qrxSmqOEwqqU/s2819/IMG_7721.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2155" data-original-width="2819" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn_2Lv035IH48l1jXm1y8mIciTFAl7DNtCbkCGMKSP4jEGd8K_2hXyy1DHkWCaMM0mDLqQ1tmhZjYgpuZJGlURp9rVoNze3YOB24t2z6SUyD0SnUW2XPvrioWG2dtPUK5a6oNEDLLs5QWBAv_zDwzJiMsdEwuy-tsEWUIMPhcF8_AUm4qrxSmqOEwqqU/w640-h490/IMG_7721.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ejYSunj3GWfV0wxpW06iAAJHuPctxZLMtaEVXWwNONY7B8Jm0ofyUhWMl7n9j3t3oxnzocpH-rIK0SRMHEB4UpXJCu9vDGp7Op5SW56BTwDnXYiyeaqmqgR2X_nqRpI4ZyGEKU-05YnAwPt-R3UDgsXzZP-emMJTkIzPL-fD4V-OFa3uci4dMW3oxVQ/s2564/IMG_7875.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1857" data-original-width="2564" height="464" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ejYSunj3GWfV0wxpW06iAAJHuPctxZLMtaEVXWwNONY7B8Jm0ofyUhWMl7n9j3t3oxnzocpH-rIK0SRMHEB4UpXJCu9vDGp7Op5SW56BTwDnXYiyeaqmqgR2X_nqRpI4ZyGEKU-05YnAwPt-R3UDgsXzZP-emMJTkIzPL-fD4V-OFa3uci4dMW3oxVQ/w640-h464/IMG_7875.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PM-wWjhyphenhyphenSXlqYDPPJPuRVJJcx8tYt1CmGPVpEPG4_VcmuKspuXl2sigJGrKeBEVkOemTVEE6-cB9EalgcCoGPOgV-9cXEzvLJBVlF7vjEF8OmDwhlOSvrzug8F2H5NpkdqjR_arX4xsWzBAFQyBuVplPr9aQXxPMetnpSWScsXaMR6WnrWI42rurxJc/s2843/IMG_7726.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1942" data-original-width="2843" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4PM-wWjhyphenhyphenSXlqYDPPJPuRVJJcx8tYt1CmGPVpEPG4_VcmuKspuXl2sigJGrKeBEVkOemTVEE6-cB9EalgcCoGPOgV-9cXEzvLJBVlF7vjEF8OmDwhlOSvrzug8F2H5NpkdqjR_arX4xsWzBAFQyBuVplPr9aQXxPMetnpSWScsXaMR6WnrWI42rurxJc/w640-h438/IMG_7726.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyxCTBvaf_odUA57fzml4JQ7alYe9JOznw4hOizJ1ELat4UWV_FQD0K5dq-PxOtDMMYdkDLgR0092Q5QK1KYlt14W0TCwYAvWbPjxQqkMrONKE5QN0RniG4d9YH2PBz3FsZllq9He9omxWbD56RmeLxLtIrEPawFOnvqEMgf-2yEIrPXBOZzKjKPXjBg/s2680/IMG_7725.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="2680" height="452" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJyxCTBvaf_odUA57fzml4JQ7alYe9JOznw4hOizJ1ELat4UWV_FQD0K5dq-PxOtDMMYdkDLgR0092Q5QK1KYlt14W0TCwYAvWbPjxQqkMrONKE5QN0RniG4d9YH2PBz3FsZllq9He9omxWbD56RmeLxLtIrEPawFOnvqEMgf-2yEIrPXBOZzKjKPXjBg/w640-h452/IMG_7725.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5B0h8H_7Xg_AAcuaHjyD_7UqetH3pkzQEaRd7PIWnHX6eUTpj7BkCzNOmhYQeyuKD7SLwAk0zwwkT03-e8rtNWoidLjhJa7nb21x1hbG9qA2mmUesXrmy1tuglYX9sCEDpH4SizaufkqriUoxZ28NgeYvA7UvZz_wB78V8PpRMbCI7nwWkny6Ipsd6E8/s2819/IMG_7721.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2155" data-original-width="2819" height="490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5B0h8H_7Xg_AAcuaHjyD_7UqetH3pkzQEaRd7PIWnHX6eUTpj7BkCzNOmhYQeyuKD7SLwAk0zwwkT03-e8rtNWoidLjhJa7nb21x1hbG9qA2mmUesXrmy1tuglYX9sCEDpH4SizaufkqriUoxZ28NgeYvA7UvZz_wB78V8PpRMbCI7nwWkny6Ipsd6E8/w640-h490/IMG_7721.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqBRH25TaQdlKZBq8cyX4kyURQPKNy02SO91OINZoKonG3wwC9Tw2EqhfpQkFG-bXbFi3pggRsM4tQPRqv-OGNdfkWE1D5A3wCJa2btC4Gkjxedh8GRIjAhruHEsawKaFLn42k49junvcDuRmZB72ZLIfD9bISaCGSVnl7WGTEyQlncPpkD7tgFg46cw/s1440/C784A3EC-0362-46F1-A16A-2DCF90E2EB06.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="932" data-original-width="1440" height="414" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQqBRH25TaQdlKZBq8cyX4kyURQPKNy02SO91OINZoKonG3wwC9Tw2EqhfpQkFG-bXbFi3pggRsM4tQPRqv-OGNdfkWE1D5A3wCJa2btC4Gkjxedh8GRIjAhruHEsawKaFLn42k49junvcDuRmZB72ZLIfD9bISaCGSVnl7WGTEyQlncPpkD7tgFg46cw/w640-h414/C784A3EC-0362-46F1-A16A-2DCF90E2EB06.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-53850365689580433792024-01-19T16:03:00.000-08:002024-01-23T08:17:35.261-08:00Grass Carp on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Grass Carp.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIin2Ty8wsFO3BXfcura7hovoAv2Q8T6KNJr0cSW45cowqIoCrLabespyDbvrLg8vJlTs6CbGL7QY3nChA1wn_A_KQDofXvE6ae1MoO1qHHls3lLHwpjeu0c-UOnd2iQQauEnbWwsYBeVW6d0JYa0fM_OktVwYL7Ht6rQmxK-WHizN71bm9-4EyCjQaVc/s1586/IMG_6662.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1586" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIin2Ty8wsFO3BXfcura7hovoAv2Q8T6KNJr0cSW45cowqIoCrLabespyDbvrLg8vJlTs6CbGL7QY3nChA1wn_A_KQDofXvE6ae1MoO1qHHls3lLHwpjeu0c-UOnd2iQQauEnbWwsYBeVW6d0JYa0fM_OktVwYL7Ht6rQmxK-WHizN71bm9-4EyCjQaVc/w640-h334/IMG_6662.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass Carp on Fly<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Grass Carp are not native to the United States, but they have been stocked widely, and in some cases have escaped the closed systems and have established breeding populations, especially throughout the Mississippi River and Missouri River drainages.</div><div><br /></div><div>They are reasonably common in most rivers within this range, as well as in reservoirs and lakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Near my area of St Louis, MO, I tend to catch them during the warmest months of the year. They seem to feed less and "disappear" once the water temps drop to 55-60F or below. During the middle of the hot summer is a great time to pursue them with a fly rod.</div><div><br /></div><div>In my opinion, there is a BIG difference between the triploid stocked Grass Carp in lakes and ponds, and the naturally producing ones in creeks and rivers. I struggled for YEARS trying the catch the stocked fish on flies...managing about 5 in 10 years of trying. I had plenty more Grass Carp on the line, but it seemed like they would capitalize on any weakness in my gear or some strange situation would prevent me from landing them. But even more often, they would not eat anything I cast their way, or they'd spook way before I even saw them. Frustrating!</div><div><br /></div><div>Then I moved from central Iowa to Saint Louis, Missouri. In the creeks around the area, I found naturally reproducing Grass Carp that were very in tune with their surroundings, and very hungry. I discovered that if they were around, a fly hitting the water with a splat would make them turn and APPROACH the fly to see if it was something edible. And they'd often hit it! In 2021, I got after the Grass Carp a fair bit with the fly rod, and caught 167 in one year! Most in one day was 18, and I caught double-digit numbers during 7 of the outings that year. To date (January 2024), I've caught a total of over 250 Grass Carp on fly. Crazy fun!</div><p>I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But I've caught them in muddier waters, especially if I know they SHOULD be around. I find them in and just below rapids, as well as near deeper pools. Often they will be along shore feeding, but ESPECIALLY under overhanging trees. That's where they will wait for food to drop into the water. When mulberries are ripe, if you can find trees next to the water dropping fruit in, Grass Carp love that, as do Common Carp and even catfish.</p><p>I've caught some on topwater flies, but I've caught most on subsurface flies such as small woolly buggers and nymphs. But BY FAR the most consistent technique I've tried is to use a 1/64th oz microjig with a #8 or #6 hook (I prefer Waspi Super Jig Heads, because they have a strong hook), tied with greenish Chartreuse chenille bodies with chartreuse marabou tails. And I change depth as needed, but often fish these about 20" below a Fish Pimp brand Original size strike indicator. The combination of the jig and the indicator hitting the water, many of the Grass Carp want to see if something good to eat just landed in the water. I cast near, but not right on top of, visible Grassies, if possible.</p><p>I've heard folks claim that Grass Carp don't fight. That has NOT been my experience at all. They will fight as hard as I do....meaning, if I try to horse them in, they fight harder. If I try to ease them in, the are more calm...until they get too close to shore! Then they freak again! So, in my experience, Grass Carp are very good fighters...you'll LOVE 'em! I've caught them on 5wt to 9wt rods. In fact, my biggest one yet was on a 5wt. That lighter rod probably helped protect my bad tippet. I've had my butt handed to me using a 6wt... where I was putting as much pressure as I thought I could on the fish without potentially breaking my tippet, but the fish eventually just sort of quite fighting and sat in one spot in the current. Humiliating! I kept at it and DID eventually land that fish. And it happened again where I felt totally undergunned, so I feel a 7wt or even an 8wt is probably the best wt rod for these Grass Carp. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 12 lb Fluorocarbon. You can go lighter if the fish seem to be leader shy. Sometimes they are, sometimes they aren't. I VERY MUCH recommend using a landing net for Grass Carp, it can shorten a battle considerably.</p><p>Its not often a fly angler can pursue fish that frequently exceed 10 lbs (28"-30", as seen in the table below), and I feel learning how to fight and land big fish is a very useful skill when pursuing these and other bigger gamefish. Practice it! :) </p><div>Grass Carp are very challenging and fun, a decent-sized one will impress you with it's strength! I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </div><div><br /></div><div>When you catch some, if you want to know what they should weigh, based on length and whether its a lake or stream fish.... here's a handy spreadsheet I created. The formula for the lake fish (typically heavier) is shown at the top. If you catch a Grass Carp longer than 42", you can use that formula to calculate the estimated weight.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s11.gifyu.com/images/Sukhn.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="706" height="484" src="https://s11.gifyu.com/images/Sukhn.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><p>Here's some pics of Grass Carp I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQKsovGNrYgACHTDsMfH0D2DW5xAEAxc49SX1RSWJupTWhZBdoKtWQG-IT9Wp12HuKd52dVfLcydBFgYiODiAkrawK8HdLvdsplWeqngN5ySwO1pFMIQuMUT_7p-HR7vU-M5x0LukWRCHGRAfAb08J7z4nMTwsOggMDxYnixLNor1v22aJQFy0XrWr4I/s1521/IMG_0993.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1521" height="348" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQKsovGNrYgACHTDsMfH0D2DW5xAEAxc49SX1RSWJupTWhZBdoKtWQG-IT9Wp12HuKd52dVfLcydBFgYiODiAkrawK8HdLvdsplWeqngN5ySwO1pFMIQuMUT_7p-HR7vU-M5x0LukWRCHGRAfAb08J7z4nMTwsOggMDxYnixLNor1v22aJQFy0XrWr4I/w640-h348/IMG_0993.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8jEMm6oCv21VRr9E0mOP5iyIKsnO874rUvB_qzPtPLEG2ndKwPTJ_nVjXhzjVo5OD2YDoTpz0YVEj_j0ZJSetXPKCPIlNrWp3FZWDIYy-bBTMJND_JwJd7kBt1RJPjMsJlh10iBtBIE0C3lCYtqOo9LMtKmwI5mcMIsJ9TpnqzZqjhHimuFq6beuxAWs/w640-h640/IMG_0552.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My biggest Grass Carp to date... 41.5", calc'd weight of 35 lbs. On a 5wt with scuffed up 8 lb mono tippet!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA69NTtZCf9Rk3JhYgukFW9nUky1IvN1zn7Ys1xoSiCtFhnzqUpX1ty58GChxCsgZVSzqc1e4kRztTuKgJrqEjJhN6yJ6dNNhKHoUB-hXjdMIVf7UkOBH9csElsNC-BttZHL2Ag26Cer0M8xY4_SZkPILF5Cdgn5-eDW3oHyhrHZzIbwatZsVEADSZuOc/s1660/IMG_8685.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="814" data-original-width="1660" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA69NTtZCf9Rk3JhYgukFW9nUky1IvN1zn7Ys1xoSiCtFhnzqUpX1ty58GChxCsgZVSzqc1e4kRztTuKgJrqEjJhN6yJ6dNNhKHoUB-hXjdMIVf7UkOBH9csElsNC-BttZHL2Ag26Cer0M8xY4_SZkPILF5Cdgn5-eDW3oHyhrHZzIbwatZsVEADSZuOc/w640-h314/IMG_8685.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSo1M6qYdJza28e6nDXP90YiPGeOqZjN1IhYiwrwD1kMN3qv_uV4NBaE-z_fTYuFmm3SOH6Qof6bmcX5TrbWUzZZMbYUok7BD1b2wctYsyTcK2JYIO76mPnyWbLhXSkmz1DSuOk1H2nmv00di9iiXOdd_Ejg8nQr-D_Yh4oQqnPYmK9-z62MrLT8Jmbw/s4032/IMG_8681.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2052" data-original-width="4032" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWSo1M6qYdJza28e6nDXP90YiPGeOqZjN1IhYiwrwD1kMN3qv_uV4NBaE-z_fTYuFmm3SOH6Qof6bmcX5TrbWUzZZMbYUok7BD1b2wctYsyTcK2JYIO76mPnyWbLhXSkmz1DSuOk1H2nmv00di9iiXOdd_Ejg8nQr-D_Yh4oQqnPYmK9-z62MrLT8Jmbw/w640-h326/IMG_8681.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wvqTizs5bh2kBRd2OVYQgacUFSPTLXtnZckjKCj7cpefh2RDqyD5uYia_pbmasImAZHcSGJIL8OKAE3je5yQoQj_KqkwP7ziPObAgH3S7EjP3XG_YH_JoQk6gS3gsE9DKU6NI8KXohPszxumjR0PrpElil5Nh84qD3QgYFc6c6quH8F4K9xEIwGesmk/s1628/IMG_0612.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1628" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2wvqTizs5bh2kBRd2OVYQgacUFSPTLXtnZckjKCj7cpefh2RDqyD5uYia_pbmasImAZHcSGJIL8OKAE3je5yQoQj_KqkwP7ziPObAgH3S7EjP3XG_YH_JoQk6gS3gsE9DKU6NI8KXohPszxumjR0PrpElil5Nh84qD3QgYFc6c6quH8F4K9xEIwGesmk/w640-h326/IMG_0612.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdMK1s8B3UGfv2cigPtgJNuag8mMrKTij5uwDhFgz19SfbN1aLQkRQ3B9IHvjCm8WNKFMn312SVagekQMS29X83tN0sD3ddPB6QX3FWSb_kp7G2XtI20UIYjuHo_vAx8FerubWLvoeylOocaKFdrBh65CMlF9T0VI19n-8V9vLNskFniJd332YU4wc0o/s1792/IMG_0830.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1792" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQdMK1s8B3UGfv2cigPtgJNuag8mMrKTij5uwDhFgz19SfbN1aLQkRQ3B9IHvjCm8WNKFMn312SVagekQMS29X83tN0sD3ddPB6QX3FWSb_kp7G2XtI20UIYjuHo_vAx8FerubWLvoeylOocaKFdrBh65CMlF9T0VI19n-8V9vLNskFniJd332YU4wc0o/w640-h296/IMG_0830.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The sour-puss face is due to a very hot day and overheating.</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-72661873579718546742024-01-19T14:43:00.000-08:002024-01-19T14:43:34.117-08:00Bullhead on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Bullhead.</u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiwRud6NblZ-WYBCq4DxZ9zxTR6AB9fBuLI08g5Loampzsxz0HKeU-NCPGoq__rmSEqfNMMMs-zX9ky74y_JXcW7nZwsoqz1WL2GFPTjOGn0ur0fLq2gWeQzd-y0XrKTwUumUIJMiOchq9AB0zOP0WcsJbQNGhiTNCT2sxhZlDoVpKOx0w0ZGwdBNcG0/s2999/IMG_7797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2999" data-original-width="1582" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyiwRud6NblZ-WYBCq4DxZ9zxTR6AB9fBuLI08g5Loampzsxz0HKeU-NCPGoq__rmSEqfNMMMs-zX9ky74y_JXcW7nZwsoqz1WL2GFPTjOGn0ur0fLq2gWeQzd-y0XrKTwUumUIJMiOchq9AB0zOP0WcsJbQNGhiTNCT2sxhZlDoVpKOx0w0ZGwdBNcG0/w338-h640/IMG_7797.JPG" width="338" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bullhead on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b></div><div>Bullhead are comprised of a number of species, the 4 most common perhaps being Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, and White Catfish. The full range of these encompasses much of the eastern 2/3 of the U.S.</div><div><br /></div><div>Of these 4, I've only caught Black Bullhead and Yellow Bullhead, as far as I can tell.</div><div><br /></div><div>They can be found in rivers, lakes, and ponds.</div><div><br /></div><div>They are largely omnivorous like a common carp, but likely eating more aquatic larvae and worms, and even small fish. They do have a very large mouth for their size, so they will eat whatever they can fit in.</div><div><br /></div><div>Where I fish, I catch Bullhead most often during the warmest months of the year. I don't know what they do when it gets colder, but I just don't see or catch them then.</div><div><br /></div><div>As you might expect, I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But most often I'm fishing stained water, sometimes churned up by the bullhead themselves as they search for food. </div><div><br /></div><div>They do seem to like feeding along rocky shorelines. They will feed just under the surface at times, but most often are feeding near the bottom.</div><div><br /></div><div>Although I've caught a number of them by blind casting, if I can see them, I will present a fly directly to them. I will cast beyond them, then swim the fly back close to them. Sometimes they will detect it and lunge for it, other times if you can just put it in front of them, they will eat first and figure it out later.</div><div><br /></div><div>I've caught them on GameChanger flies and other patterns, but by far my best technique has been to suspend a microjig under an indicator, and cast parallel to a shoreline, and retrieve it very slowly, with long pauses between strips. They will take the indicator down!</div><p>The microjigs I use most for them are from 1/80th oz ot 1/64th oz, #8 hook. Color doesn't seem to matter at all. The indicator I prefer is the Original size Fish Pimp brand strike indicator.</p><p>They don't get particularly big, usually, and they aren't particularly strong fighters. Bullhead can be enjoyed on 3wt-5wt fly rods. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 4lb-8lb Fluorocarbon. </p><p>Handle Bullheads with care, as the spines in there dorsal and pectoral fins can poke you. It stings, but they are not poisonous. Also, don't lip them like a bass. They have very rough tooth pads on their jaws, and a VERY strong bite force. They WILL clamp down on your finger! </p><p>Bullhead are very challenging, interesting, and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </p><div><p>Here's some pics of Black Bullhead and Yellow Bullhead I've caught while flyfishing:</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0uiBk4Mn2dJMBhPV8dF00mtl_KH7crdCEqFgVjk9HFvp7dYhbCjOsDdAcMsGakzn1JyPD7KHQGCK_18almeUSpkzmaKFH03ZYJhZuMBVjgmiQLGQxtRLpQfE7UxEBJ1ZyygtLMMheojpDgKjP5-73JO-9Abs93QxDX47gy4Nq9lgYt9KP8ni-3o6IYk/s2048/1DF6B989-C6BD-4659-8C30-C2F3426EF2E4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc0uiBk4Mn2dJMBhPV8dF00mtl_KH7crdCEqFgVjk9HFvp7dYhbCjOsDdAcMsGakzn1JyPD7KHQGCK_18almeUSpkzmaKFH03ZYJhZuMBVjgmiQLGQxtRLpQfE7UxEBJ1ZyygtLMMheojpDgKjP5-73JO-9Abs93QxDX47gy4Nq9lgYt9KP8ni-3o6IYk/w640-h640/1DF6B989-C6BD-4659-8C30-C2F3426EF2E4.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh1WqozuDpGqQREHT5mBqTM5nB8XnZQpOx4QjlSLm0zrnxe89T3LWGE_TAYe82WQP950EyBV-rslPf4ZR3Y3Odjxpd_dULA21AiG9auXxqdcnN7WElZoJ_3oTh6eWKjCAqZi6CJh1MztMEwu__FCRotjKtgF0jEM75vFbGLoUQULD6FpWwe3jtiVDq3U/s2723/IMG_5470.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2723" data-original-width="1598" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVh1WqozuDpGqQREHT5mBqTM5nB8XnZQpOx4QjlSLm0zrnxe89T3LWGE_TAYe82WQP950EyBV-rslPf4ZR3Y3Odjxpd_dULA21AiG9auXxqdcnN7WElZoJ_3oTh6eWKjCAqZi6CJh1MztMEwu__FCRotjKtgF0jEM75vFbGLoUQULD6FpWwe3jtiVDq3U/w376-h640/IMG_5470.JPG" width="376" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92BLqcNQ1vLc84OqfLoyIUWUdS_f14BAuXKo9uSLTZQSFJgCeO8aoNiCg65XvUh38qNZZ0lMIi2F8aZqlXRu53KajuAStgPQTde723MrWzyrHkVfl1Xo2Onyp-9iYdAGJ0M9mrfEP29iH-foHVt1O801ixfJy_0P125LP7wgwNUR4HnD4tNfJROUbrvM/s800/image045.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="415" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi92BLqcNQ1vLc84OqfLoyIUWUdS_f14BAuXKo9uSLTZQSFJgCeO8aoNiCg65XvUh38qNZZ0lMIi2F8aZqlXRu53KajuAStgPQTde723MrWzyrHkVfl1Xo2Onyp-9iYdAGJ0M9mrfEP29iH-foHVt1O801ixfJy_0P125LP7wgwNUR4HnD4tNfJROUbrvM/w332-h640/image045.jpg" width="332" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYS_VZCLH_AXmRIoOxBydYy2fCOIRDL3NsM6gWNrrCImLhW8s31Uil2QX5HNhTHVMK9laQhE3Fk2mN-Rd-tjiBZs2ceHHQSg1to7hRXriRk9J9yjxtoJiMAbyBUk9ZcnVohUWmsLY0TI4daPn5yrf3yCIC8yLGLmLqd7PbOJjAXdric0ARLo1YdyCzhI/w640-h640/38E4652D-FC73-4981-B535-2A56EE22D633.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-44061635640460857262024-01-17T15:46:00.000-08:002024-01-19T15:56:29.482-08:00Freshwater Drum on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Freshwater Drum.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwGwrBh-5T7tRiIJhL9Vyo2grpvZzYztcBM7e8i7edw8yajXfpcQJc_MMpthehv44gCdOndRaGfBLTOvxtRv8YPcQg_8-5ckfe7fn1vt26Zwluy1Q1j7B9Q6jKiKVD2uFLSc1b_4Fzi8CEDv-Q85tuUC2eX32XIT5BlsI8iT9KoFCqB42BFXYWGfZHSE/s3475/IMG_3866.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2270" data-original-width="3475" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBwGwrBh-5T7tRiIJhL9Vyo2grpvZzYztcBM7e8i7edw8yajXfpcQJc_MMpthehv44gCdOndRaGfBLTOvxtRv8YPcQg_8-5ckfe7fn1vt26Zwluy1Q1j7B9Q6jKiKVD2uFLSc1b_4Fzi8CEDv-Q85tuUC2eX32XIT5BlsI8iT9KoFCqB42BFXYWGfZHSE/w640-h418/IMG_3866.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshwater Drum on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Freshwater Drum inhabit a fair chunk of the U.S....from the west side of the Appalachian Mountains, and west through upper reaches of the Mississippi River and Missouri River drainages.</div><div><br /></div><div>They are reasonably common in most rivers within this range, as well as in reservoirs and lakes.</div><div><br /></div><div>Near my area of St Louis, MO, I've caught them in most months except middle of winter. They seem to really get active, possible spawning or prespawn, around the middle of April. That's when I seem to catch more and larger drum.</div><p>I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But most often I'm fishing stained water, likely churned up by the drum themselves, since I've cast towards mud clouds and caught drum. They must root amongst the bottom at times. </p><p>As their favorite food seems to be crayfish, in most locations they can be found near chunk rock and rip rap. They also feast on minnows and shad when available, so check along drop-offs along the edge of flats. I've done well casting parallel to shoreline rock rip rap in decent-sized creeks in the Spring.</p><p>The flies I typically use for Freshwater are medium to large in size, and heavy enough to sink quickly to the bottom. I like crayfish, shad, or sculpin-looking flies. Hammerhead Sculpins have caught plenty of fish for me. Black color has been my favorite. A Gamakatsu B10S hook in a size 4 is a great choice to start tying your flies on. I've also caught some, usually smaller drum, by vertically jigging microjigs near rocks or culverts. Another great fly for Freshwater Drum is Stu Thompson's DDH Leech.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/E03AC4CE-2EAE-46E3-8ADB-4A570D402247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="800" height="421" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/E03AC4CE-2EAE-46E3-8ADB-4A570D402247.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are some Hammerhead Sculpins on the left side of this photo.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_36537c937d85f5c7b397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="713" height="640" src="https://gifyu.com/images/IMG_36537c937d85f5c7b397.jpg" width="570" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DDH Leeches</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Freshwater Drum are very good fighters...you'll LOVE 'em! I've caught them on 6wt to 9wt rods...6wt or 7wt is probably the best wt rod for these Drum. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be 12 lb Fluorocarbon. On the crayfish and sculpin-type fly patterns, the drum typically just gulp them in and run! They typically fight hard, but not for long. Once you've gotten through the first or 2nd strong run, they usually start to give up.</p><div>Freshwater Drum are very challenging and fun, a decent-sized one will impress you with it's strength! I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated and protected. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's some pics of Freshwater Drum I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlLNgvC-q6ngDs266QpULaySSCaAOb5Bb43doom_cfsaAK1rJQSG22wqearhyG2SLKFs-MSBf0_0V930JqHi8dXGNJM5FJvtz1-Ry2q81le6cQzFySdkdgr9HXlhE6RX7zZQ-aOGfqa7KunfDrLspR0tNgwlJRrFN7Jew-DBJy5BAuSa8l9vkWtCQSPE/s3387/IMG_3492.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2057" data-original-width="3387" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLlLNgvC-q6ngDs266QpULaySSCaAOb5Bb43doom_cfsaAK1rJQSG22wqearhyG2SLKFs-MSBf0_0V930JqHi8dXGNJM5FJvtz1-Ry2q81le6cQzFySdkdgr9HXlhE6RX7zZQ-aOGfqa7KunfDrLspR0tNgwlJRrFN7Jew-DBJy5BAuSa8l9vkWtCQSPE/w640-h388/IMG_3492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hx-RJdKlkBS43yS2hLxrFIxATgPQi7dEyxQOcNp4m5vYHdXL9yOJ71F-05IrylFrD2ga1ELOh-0L0qKFX2QOSB0mq-QE_vavpMaQoj3EmzwOvB8EgNN81YqCBS_KBMWnaOTFaNJ2maHti9jJQiIEXQmgmd4MSiyqhZJ_D1jcj5KjgfzVUfqkdpm_IdY/s1342/IMG_3504.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1342" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hx-RJdKlkBS43yS2hLxrFIxATgPQi7dEyxQOcNp4m5vYHdXL9yOJ71F-05IrylFrD2ga1ELOh-0L0qKFX2QOSB0mq-QE_vavpMaQoj3EmzwOvB8EgNN81YqCBS_KBMWnaOTFaNJ2maHti9jJQiIEXQmgmd4MSiyqhZJ_D1jcj5KjgfzVUfqkdpm_IdY/w640-h394/IMG_3504.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj76UzYo-SNKJ_RigQ4M8liPwU4yDn99WFJeX6u8xhASEeoGeFBNXtE6lq2G5Vco-SD_Om_KDcN50O2b6teoVbSgVMQqP6VTMSSq1QTZRk-oXJyCNYC3d1oI8eXJezZnFbiUiRrfjiy5Emmg2swzPEhQXiK1Q466J5Pj8nbYaRAem7KrZlYtjHqu0N5Q/s1145/IMG_3676.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="777" data-original-width="1145" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirj76UzYo-SNKJ_RigQ4M8liPwU4yDn99WFJeX6u8xhASEeoGeFBNXtE6lq2G5Vco-SD_Om_KDcN50O2b6teoVbSgVMQqP6VTMSSq1QTZRk-oXJyCNYC3d1oI8eXJezZnFbiUiRrfjiy5Emmg2swzPEhQXiK1Q466J5Pj8nbYaRAem7KrZlYtjHqu0N5Q/w640-h434/IMG_3676.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2017" data-original-width="3531" height="366" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXy9Oqq9o_SqsywkN4BZ3Hv4Uw3ZDvbJQtXI69qP9QrgcQWodcvrLmY7MNZyRGAKjVbeSwrlg-GnrS79zcKjVl9diszv57-NkCs2inLUEaUpWFfvX6IoTTdz9l-JT2alMCtDZnkE1YCRgQakoSaQZLBn45lykTKO__KS5ylVWg8zogqhDPggGOA5kjCDg/w640-h366/IMG_3645.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vrtoTFqV6hmri5se5ZoIIr6vtR0zj1BNCMWVc1ZntCtQ6IW6u0l75IW6ITCBKz4pkqW_cMVmcVK_6M8QNV0k33PLQXBkP_4WGszDiAJ3jjLSIBvEEaqLTgPWhwym7XBsMci5FtEmUjscUgo44Is3dW9WHPUkt_MONLqA_2AG0se9yWCUFZM7EEk4NGk/s2507/IMG_3635.JPG"><img border="0" data-original-height="2188" data-original-width="2507" height="558" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-vrtoTFqV6hmri5se5ZoIIr6vtR0zj1BNCMWVc1ZntCtQ6IW6u0l75IW6ITCBKz4pkqW_cMVmcVK_6M8QNV0k33PLQXBkP_4WGszDiAJ3jjLSIBvEEaqLTgPWhwym7XBsMci5FtEmUjscUgo44Is3dW9WHPUkt_MONLqA_2AG0se9yWCUFZM7EEk4NGk/w640-h558/IMG_3635.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2340" data-original-width="3470" height="432" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJpGEfnB2BjeT6BwJnvvHhPG4Xp5ZNcG47GYzD9bu4zhhvu21gOBc0Q_FpKWXHRyrJ0hKy1U9O-KsXBpmHBafV6ehmYbzN6Vr6VxHmOboWRrtlLEydWupF51KIGbtr6we3Uo4e1qxONS1_1XnTDNES7a84eZ-wZeI0KtIRN8o9LAyDHjo9czumoS-rYfM/w640-h432/IMG_4326.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7JNVfi19Y2S9r-DY_4es3rCQXoBz4BPYeMQGDcD5Ck2zS9qD7ja866NZX7EaA6McbM1_whiYnfXTVfVWRE6OY0gVZQQ7gQsrChje4JWh2x1iXx5pXkhyphenhyphenK46Trde4ZIOESrDCBPABxsnKRcAElu-A3m5XiBB1MrWsUz9DZV7IQqRPnQlSn-4L6zqeoj0/s3870/IMG_8621.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2246" data-original-width="3870" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs7JNVfi19Y2S9r-DY_4es3rCQXoBz4BPYeMQGDcD5Ck2zS9qD7ja866NZX7EaA6McbM1_whiYnfXTVfVWRE6OY0gVZQQ7gQsrChje4JWh2x1iXx5pXkhyphenhyphenK46Trde4ZIOESrDCBPABxsnKRcAElu-A3m5XiBB1MrWsUz9DZV7IQqRPnQlSn-4L6zqeoj0/w640-h372/IMG_8621.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx7N7kQ-R_45yFJc7FKxsAYDi__zZ33Uea4wZi4O2v1KJB9H_EHzUeflP7VPF99F3OYUWKqT-6ErHkxtItlpk-bbqxzNUnAc8btV1XHGXIHNeP-hZQf0wNsp5UTBXq4KX_Q3Bv7DYbeIyVVr-yu-eFZPDftYmRaVAIk8qve6bghcXfg-uXPRVFNnDrgo/s3674/IMG_8613.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2216" data-original-width="3674" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlx7N7kQ-R_45yFJc7FKxsAYDi__zZ33Uea4wZi4O2v1KJB9H_EHzUeflP7VPF99F3OYUWKqT-6ErHkxtItlpk-bbqxzNUnAc8btV1XHGXIHNeP-hZQf0wNsp5UTBXq4KX_Q3Bv7DYbeIyVVr-yu-eFZPDftYmRaVAIk8qve6bghcXfg-uXPRVFNnDrgo/w640-h386/IMG_8613.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfbWnawaWk_YJ3xdJpeukZoIFA8AfFrQD8jcrqKVW0kbc2Hcj6aaEwyhd_MbS7bZv8IYFzVHUvWucO7nOGGEmAgFp6J9fNrgd2TGoAIr4RbV7ilXCaPmlkuFqsUu_r6kUmOHFw3nhHXx3Fp-OI5RyqoUV4tCiPx2YwoVlohjJ7snOXuGWfhdKVb3fh84/s3429/IMG_0363.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2084" data-original-width="3429" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfbWnawaWk_YJ3xdJpeukZoIFA8AfFrQD8jcrqKVW0kbc2Hcj6aaEwyhd_MbS7bZv8IYFzVHUvWucO7nOGGEmAgFp6J9fNrgd2TGoAIr4RbV7ilXCaPmlkuFqsUu_r6kUmOHFw3nhHXx3Fp-OI5RyqoUV4tCiPx2YwoVlohjJ7snOXuGWfhdKVb3fh84/w640-h388/IMG_0363.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIeF-VAGKBTGflNQpzFWd59ipBcX9YuMo-KnMJ2J1DCVEYoo-lnKbATQ023EELaOjl4zCiIHfvWVXEst7LzEky8Ar_sXyAYtHHXcUc2iAK0OI5_gM_TyDMAM9dPAsAktcICT3E_OxQqPB1q2GZHIH5qyPwkEymxpEv3Rdz679hYdOa5jEP2yHH945tU8/s3444/IMG_6398.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2086" data-original-width="3444" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGIeF-VAGKBTGflNQpzFWd59ipBcX9YuMo-KnMJ2J1DCVEYoo-lnKbATQ023EELaOjl4zCiIHfvWVXEst7LzEky8Ar_sXyAYtHHXcUc2iAK0OI5_gM_TyDMAM9dPAsAktcICT3E_OxQqPB1q2GZHIH5qyPwkEymxpEv3Rdz679hYdOa5jEP2yHH945tU8/w640-h388/IMG_6398.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66JkVM9j1ujSYHoJrYkAvWe3GDx1EmVVYVQUo2_K_IkhkU3lCJR2kNDiOBoXquifHlVMSWJBgce8pN6IW4lfdGk-qTCuJ3nqaBZHpdWyjxCoVEK15x2c9Hi7hPMQBS-sJ5jomYo0nsSyeUBKcLR1LAeLHysCbJoSfncEAtE2KC_bs79Y0GQ0WDyPFs_o/s3576/IMG_8424.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1993" data-original-width="3576" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh66JkVM9j1ujSYHoJrYkAvWe3GDx1EmVVYVQUo2_K_IkhkU3lCJR2kNDiOBoXquifHlVMSWJBgce8pN6IW4lfdGk-qTCuJ3nqaBZHpdWyjxCoVEK15x2c9Hi7hPMQBS-sJ5jomYo0nsSyeUBKcLR1LAeLHysCbJoSfncEAtE2KC_bs79Y0GQ0WDyPFs_o/w640-h356/IMG_8424.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yANOSHJG62fisE2vbF3FmpPumQ-6JDImWbwYY0h_iXah2MMZP2HD9jUqW66dnM92YXCBSG4wgTtDh5AaJ2o7c3n7EZSsO57Xxz4sLMrGlohH3cQRUPTuIe2kvQT7P8U41jwC_b7gqrrS0y_iix-6qLbDRnoWlZEI0YhsZ_EPuvJXpq6dpWPN3Ik-JeY/s3262/IMG_8530.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1927" data-original-width="3262" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_yANOSHJG62fisE2vbF3FmpPumQ-6JDImWbwYY0h_iXah2MMZP2HD9jUqW66dnM92YXCBSG4wgTtDh5AaJ2o7c3n7EZSsO57Xxz4sLMrGlohH3cQRUPTuIe2kvQT7P8U41jwC_b7gqrrS0y_iix-6qLbDRnoWlZEI0YhsZ_EPuvJXpq6dpWPN3Ik-JeY/w640-h378/IMG_8530.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They aren't always big!</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s6.gifyu.com/images/S4ARn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="800" height="344" src="https://s6.gifyu.com/images/S4ARn.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freshwater Drum on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><b><br style="text-align: center;" /></b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-45797943366415308842024-01-16T10:06:00.000-08:002024-01-16T10:06:30.555-08:00Warmouth on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Warmouth.</u></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMLq7eUFzMbiqczV3hvb-bREqPk0EG40sdzRj75TcfeBFNRhZfhhVrEPhdCp2d1ZM_4Sz3d1iDPO6sFXFPmtbbn2ssMR53P_o1zDAGlpevTaQV19UMfo3lyPSmKLzWYKiawv2J2twg9oeGBk9nZxyNauEsKGUB1vi4wJ3q4DUZFh35GU0hsJR-e2G6wk/s3070/IMG_7776.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="3070" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMLq7eUFzMbiqczV3hvb-bREqPk0EG40sdzRj75TcfeBFNRhZfhhVrEPhdCp2d1ZM_4Sz3d1iDPO6sFXFPmtbbn2ssMR53P_o1zDAGlpevTaQV19UMfo3lyPSmKLzWYKiawv2J2twg9oeGBk9nZxyNauEsKGUB1vi4wJ3q4DUZFh35GU0hsJR-e2G6wk/w640-h418/IMG_7776.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warmouth on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Warmouth are sometimes found in slow creeks, swamps, small lakes, and canals. I've caught them in Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Florida.</p><p>They are nearly always found near some sort of structure...whether that is large rocks, timber, or weeds. </p><p>Warmouth, in my experience, are more commonly caught in warmer weather, Spring thru Fall.</p><p>They have large mouths, so you can usually catch Warmouth on flies in the #14 to #4 fly hook size range. I've caught most of my Warmouth subsurface, I've had good results with small woolly buggers and medium- to small-sized nymphs. Microjigs in various sizes and colors have caught most of my Warmouth, and sometimes you need that sort of weight to get a fly down in between rocks or wood where they often like to inhabit. That extra weight can help especially on windy days. Black works well, as does silver, gold, and even chartreuse. You can use an indicator to suspend your fly or microjig, or you can use a slow retrieve, or simply fish vertically amongst shoreline cover.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDsHtIbJtC2_3wL_ka7gg9W86woHlDRjOZSD_pR2GtPBdDtUGoOdnBpcfMDJcL2-ggm4Zl7zShRy8PsRNNIxhVwTPk4Kr60YoFglD61ojlsX39eUKfG0Vpuy4QzMf2t_J1BboEAMUE66NQPSCMC1lTr2tboXgpgVjL5N3pk35TqCbgVOdayY4tNt1lyA/s800/DM_Gold_SpringbrookWunder.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="800" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXDsHtIbJtC2_3wL_ka7gg9W86woHlDRjOZSD_pR2GtPBdDtUGoOdnBpcfMDJcL2-ggm4Zl7zShRy8PsRNNIxhVwTPk4Kr60YoFglD61ojlsX39eUKfG0Vpuy4QzMf2t_J1BboEAMUE66NQPSCMC1lTr2tboXgpgVjL5N3pk35TqCbgVOdayY4tNt1lyA/w640-h372/DM_Gold_SpringbrookWunder.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWcEg-ahwOxSogQBHGqMubSfaY-ubJOFthrF8OBxO5VunbqWpzqoa1w0sZyo1EEcQAbAvSwm2B07qfb0cPEZ08VHWjxdoyXzSWZfKHaYQXv6x-IKFsRU4esPBuiel-zzWcDDrBpaurF_3JBY7ZV23-jHWvydHrvXDFk_hWp1yWr9LCdtVrCudgP6Ddl0/s2172/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="2172" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicWcEg-ahwOxSogQBHGqMubSfaY-ubJOFthrF8OBxO5VunbqWpzqoa1w0sZyo1EEcQAbAvSwm2B07qfb0cPEZ08VHWjxdoyXzSWZfKHaYQXv6x-IKFsRU4esPBuiel-zzWcDDrBpaurF_3JBY7ZV23-jHWvydHrvXDFk_hWp1yWr9LCdtVrCudgP6Ddl0/w640-h342/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><p>For gear, a 3wt or 5 wt fly rod is more than sufficient. 4-6 lb fluorocarbon tippet is perfect. They aren't super-strong fighters.</p><div>Warmouth are such a cool fish! They are challenging and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </div><div><p>Here's some pics of Warmouth I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/7E15D630-1601-4CDC-95A9-247F8E6D0DB2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="449" height="640" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/7E15D630-1601-4CDC-95A9-247F8E6D0DB2.jpg" width="359" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKJ3GGUVyl6hDcGedtbRIJJhcB53wLh5qzSYuyBplzISghae-oFpHYRs7Goche6hYuNb7-2EluABWywT4Ij30CzQsyLyksqkOrWULy1j-5hegFDos5PpMTlWZUtZbXydEROAStOfDC6xsdvdB5E0xIpa3jZSYu3_pSkGoJOsIlHBQJjkghSqCjjSLqhI/s3165/IMG_9153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1899" data-original-width="3165" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNKJ3GGUVyl6hDcGedtbRIJJhcB53wLh5qzSYuyBplzISghae-oFpHYRs7Goche6hYuNb7-2EluABWywT4Ij30CzQsyLyksqkOrWULy1j-5hegFDos5PpMTlWZUtZbXydEROAStOfDC6xsdvdB5E0xIpa3jZSYu3_pSkGoJOsIlHBQJjkghSqCjjSLqhI/w640-h384/IMG_9153.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqeJo7NUEbZ6FtpKcUqvKcj3HylxcXxqDvautBq9GorkRp0AUQUZr40ONrxtBFSkP3xpIUKCMg1ek7tq3SMNBjBW8NRKTqLBGzAGfTZDrffVsfGAK6tLSk1Sj-T39ATHa0Rc_CuQ7vaHATx0gjJDElpe8Xl7-Mf-0V2ES2HzDd3qQMd3is0nuVYbn_ho/s2797/IMG_8926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2797" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIqeJo7NUEbZ6FtpKcUqvKcj3HylxcXxqDvautBq9GorkRp0AUQUZr40ONrxtBFSkP3xpIUKCMg1ek7tq3SMNBjBW8NRKTqLBGzAGfTZDrffVsfGAK6tLSk1Sj-T39ATHa0Rc_CuQ7vaHATx0gjJDElpe8Xl7-Mf-0V2ES2HzDd3qQMd3is0nuVYbn_ho/w640-h352/IMG_8926.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4rEjoyxW2cdoVA2cHLR9SpzUUQFEtQN5lex3IGF49r0p1U-6bUi9KHw5M124VUeyWzMJ8-ZtoB6bEdUfjLKsZ3QZjiHu8flZ0IIgRKT3TU4OHAbSm6oDZ442JNagRClwoPKPDymhczeJCk7d6Dtk-D25KcNaQ1FLZJwEkdiUvniBcoIqoz9Z3F02ItU/s2681/IMG_8817.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1632" data-original-width="2681" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY4rEjoyxW2cdoVA2cHLR9SpzUUQFEtQN5lex3IGF49r0p1U-6bUi9KHw5M124VUeyWzMJ8-ZtoB6bEdUfjLKsZ3QZjiHu8flZ0IIgRKT3TU4OHAbSm6oDZ442JNagRClwoPKPDymhczeJCk7d6Dtk-D25KcNaQ1FLZJwEkdiUvniBcoIqoz9Z3F02ItU/w640-h390/IMG_8817.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOqxR5UwKpIFmk2WomBSyiToQh0xtw4HUrs8PAUQnKRhFO2LW6H6v28h7ONlLiQbZ49TpFJhv3oz4JY7g3pqqqvQN8y6VK9MT3MEMDGsZvPs0BmE8vsLrWNsgpaNprOYO1YCuxqGBme_ul0xtSZ5k5ngo6RfAXOqfhAg2le1ZbLSKU0MFclW2K9MA28w/s3096/IMG_8575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1940" data-original-width="3096" height="402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDOqxR5UwKpIFmk2WomBSyiToQh0xtw4HUrs8PAUQnKRhFO2LW6H6v28h7ONlLiQbZ49TpFJhv3oz4JY7g3pqqqvQN8y6VK9MT3MEMDGsZvPs0BmE8vsLrWNsgpaNprOYO1YCuxqGBme_ul0xtSZ5k5ngo6RfAXOqfhAg2le1ZbLSKU0MFclW2K9MA28w/w640-h402/IMG_8575.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1994" data-original-width="3284" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMxQqq0YtcvukdH8-nqtp2f8aWZbP_YoN2r5OhAOWUN5kAJLK4dONC_p40axdJSCGAjsf7Q_8shqPKzEh_8J0D1Lh1dzhqxBTf8vDYwZmmfSAO0bgqWbp6c3Vk4mCZt4SqJ_wxG6KutZojrGRJnO4SEFq-994tmOb1Q8sbb_azUZ9l9qxVvGw1OHAk4HU/w640-h388/IMG_7260.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOxrLIsA_qUoMErZfTtmCQqZeHNWXNiPLMMZATOxaLHOeAFkn9L7o5IdPjZVOaTz2ADFBbGbCT9mO74iqkfhCTHcOhnQH6kH8XOt-Mej-MRvIqIVEX6djHBJuFhhg-_x_bs-RtgdMS5CAPR8AS17OPFpoWJU8o28eLQV5vr0M3CMtU5RtAsQDovkLIwc/s2973/IMG_7251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1805" data-original-width="2973" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNOxrLIsA_qUoMErZfTtmCQqZeHNWXNiPLMMZATOxaLHOeAFkn9L7o5IdPjZVOaTz2ADFBbGbCT9mO74iqkfhCTHcOhnQH6kH8XOt-Mej-MRvIqIVEX6djHBJuFhhg-_x_bs-RtgdMS5CAPR8AS17OPFpoWJU8o28eLQV5vr0M3CMtU5RtAsQDovkLIwc/w640-h388/IMG_7251.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjHa0d3VHE3qGpn9v1Yv5HALaE98LCVBiexRKDDCkvaEjbr5jpVZGVthvajt8Adz7NcCJfvqRi_gxPxobc8GZxzDUwce46SV7L1H0LTCcWdyM2aD2qJP56SAhfN1ttsf06ChQsj6T3lEFTMTOyr9M-0PzMZDMPUT5-p8tFUu80KhAJVgosa3aJ12uP_Q/s2048/E03FF396-9721-462F-A6BB-1A7B921A3311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjHa0d3VHE3qGpn9v1Yv5HALaE98LCVBiexRKDDCkvaEjbr5jpVZGVthvajt8Adz7NcCJfvqRi_gxPxobc8GZxzDUwce46SV7L1H0LTCcWdyM2aD2qJP56SAhfN1ttsf06ChQsj6T3lEFTMTOyr9M-0PzMZDMPUT5-p8tFUu80KhAJVgosa3aJ12uP_Q/w640-h640/E03FF396-9721-462F-A6BB-1A7B921A3311.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-10468379808373205802024-01-15T12:19:00.000-08:002024-01-15T12:19:15.695-08:00Gar on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Gar.</u></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWeXcKmGvLImC47Z0EdyKA-RiEiqbc87DSq9LsWXoj8aSpGRomdAksRSaZTVjfSM57JUGH1FMo3lEMdgOs1QbFaDGUuKHwIKlY87n70f-Mm4xltOPAK8SRGL9Mg9jcopg_p9TZ-aAPKP2dYqNBawfz9fEr-JcDoITbUvPwmawt-Lggw9thoApw6M9WMY/s1535/IMG_5080.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1535" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWeXcKmGvLImC47Z0EdyKA-RiEiqbc87DSq9LsWXoj8aSpGRomdAksRSaZTVjfSM57JUGH1FMo3lEMdgOs1QbFaDGUuKHwIKlY87n70f-Mm4xltOPAK8SRGL9Mg9jcopg_p9TZ-aAPKP2dYqNBawfz9fEr-JcDoITbUvPwmawt-Lggw9thoApw6M9WMY/w640-h346/IMG_5080.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gar on Fly (here, a 29" Shortnose Gar)</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">There are 7 species of Gar, 5 of which are located in the United States. These 5 are Alligator Gar, Longnose Gar, Florida Gar, Spotted Gar, and Shortnose Gar. I hope to catch Alligator Gar on fly later this year (2024). This blog post will cover the remaining 4, which I have caught on flies.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Best time of year is definitely during the warmer months. Once the water temp in my area drops below about 60, the gar seem to completely disappear.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Gar can be found in creeks, streams, rivers, canals, swamps, ponds, lakes, and reservoirs. They can be in current areas and in stagnant areas. Gar can breath air, and are often seen gulping air at the surface of the water.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAcuU6Ft_El4LV3meyqk9HV34lAPtJZfH5sMKGfWu0rhByi7MgMuNIU-pRuoIl7PumDHxflOIYrVCOx3TVBf1E5qezqK5MKDuPkauK7lkmh0rRCqNPUZHnf8OMlIeDy2tR73D6WMAbAsJke23-BEQWcjDJETHpQ98dHmj-cSC8mqk6STqLXX9Eqjs3LU/s737/IMG_6804.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="469" data-original-width="737" height="408" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisAcuU6Ft_El4LV3meyqk9HV34lAPtJZfH5sMKGfWu0rhByi7MgMuNIU-pRuoIl7PumDHxflOIYrVCOx3TVBf1E5qezqK5MKDuPkauK7lkmh0rRCqNPUZHnf8OMlIeDy2tR73D6WMAbAsJke23-BEQWcjDJETHpQ98dHmj-cSC8mqk6STqLXX9Eqjs3LU/w640-h408/IMG_6804.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Like for most flyfishing, good water clarity can help in locating and targeting individual fish. Below spillways, gar may be in open water areas, but definitely try any current seams and slower eddies.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Gar will feed in the entire water column...from the surface to the bottom. I like getting them with flies just below the surface...something that sinks very slowly. If you see fish hanging out at a certain depth, get the fly to that level, or just above. I have dropped flies past suspended gar, and they will dive down and follow the fly. They might lose track of a fast-sinking fly, but a slower sinker might get eaten.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once you've spotted a gar, cast your fly beyond it, then swim the fly near or over the gar's nose/bill/beak. Once they spot the fly, they will usually follow it and strike it. When the fly is inside their mouth, strip-set hard. It's always a challenge to get the hook point to catch on something in a gar's bony, toothy mouth. A smaller sharper hook generally has a better chance of catching on something.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwThDAmuSND7LvfQjK9xdLpH9UmB4CBiZFc9V04fvC4XkUsitNAPdiimmquN8_ZHqj_YcU6M6RCqCMmFLRI7mMFruBkoA2z4Y4S5Rx5CwiebEtuTA_GgiEu7k7fT62GIQ9EkCgro3ezNbdkRIZmV_abjUgmdfh9YCz8syc8l93-AOnUjgTAZ0mFLw_Ipc/s4026/IMG_9239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1762" data-original-width="4026" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwThDAmuSND7LvfQjK9xdLpH9UmB4CBiZFc9V04fvC4XkUsitNAPdiimmquN8_ZHqj_YcU6M6RCqCMmFLRI7mMFruBkoA2z4Y4S5Rx5CwiebEtuTA_GgiEu7k7fT62GIQ9EkCgro3ezNbdkRIZmV_abjUgmdfh9YCz8syc8l93-AOnUjgTAZ0mFLw_Ipc/w640-h280/IMG_9239.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Half of a Gar's lower jaw that I found along a river.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Because of the bony mouth, you will miss or lose many of the gar that strike. Some folks have experimented with a treble-hook trailer to the fly, and have expressed better success with that setup.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There are also plenty of articles and videos about using rope-flies for gar, the fibers of which tangle in the gar's teeth. You can certainly give them a shot. I've tried rope flies for gar, and have caught gar on them. My personal feeling was I didn't enjoy casting that fly, it's been likened to casting a wet sock, which I agree with. And overall, I just didn't like using rope flies, so I quit using them. Opponents have discussed the difficulty in removing the fly from a gar's teeth. And if some other fish species comes along and tries to eat your fly, you're unlikely to catch that fish without a hook.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In my experience, Shortnose Gar seem to be the most willing to strike flies. As long as you don't spook the fish, they will often strike multiple times, even after missed hooksets. Although they will hit larger flies, I find I get more hookups with smaller flies / smaller hooks. A size 10 woolly bugger is a great fly and size for most Shortnose Gar. Small minnow and aquatic nymph flies also work very well. Certainly these gar can be caught on larger flies, but it really helps if the gar can get the entire fly inside its mouth on the first gulp or grab. Then that small hook has a better chance of hooking the fish.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/5F741C90-C332-431D-8E1A-04CB9F7CB4AE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/5F741C90-C332-431D-8E1A-04CB9F7CB4AE.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar on a Woolly Bugger</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ra_U0JK0Lx97NsvjfOFJtdMWUP1-IzU8dWLEYOQdSh3CIYIawxxkqwEnxtXpkZt541t26LB0OEDa4aW5qtTlsvzsefEmyPwNqY0iYbAlVFEegNtZ2V6arSQBIVpPhD1vKVxDVBRuF94i7GwCOZhxL9JX8rP2Z85FgfNakf0eq-DR1II1t5h8BShKIO0/s2048/CB164D7A-BFE4-423E-AE37-5B0D563E58EA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Ra_U0JK0Lx97NsvjfOFJtdMWUP1-IzU8dWLEYOQdSh3CIYIawxxkqwEnxtXpkZt541t26LB0OEDa4aW5qtTlsvzsefEmyPwNqY0iYbAlVFEegNtZ2V6arSQBIVpPhD1vKVxDVBRuF94i7GwCOZhxL9JX8rP2Z85FgfNakf0eq-DR1II1t5h8BShKIO0/w640-h640/CB164D7A-BFE4-423E-AE37-5B0D563E58EA.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've only landed a couple Spotted Gar, and lost maybe a half-dozen others. I feel they behave similarly, and will hit similar flies as a Shortnose.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmedRfbsYZk4h75jqaZigRInYIRPncrVu_EqOtXJTjzeZ5ulcEm_bgH307r7qvdd9cyVo03B05Glyj-NoxM9Ao3sK61f4hi7EzY7LgKXVYL5K-xAK6iqjDjepkXWrMja8jyOdzIuXU3sj0bVuxpnj4IC3YhLkU6SgUe6nrW_Ostdc0HkiaMijBIpXmRvU/s2048/0A228BEE-1E74-4BFF-8C52-FC0E1C344AC4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmedRfbsYZk4h75jqaZigRInYIRPncrVu_EqOtXJTjzeZ5ulcEm_bgH307r7qvdd9cyVo03B05Glyj-NoxM9Ao3sK61f4hi7EzY7LgKXVYL5K-xAK6iqjDjepkXWrMja8jyOdzIuXU3sj0bVuxpnj4IC3YhLkU6SgUe6nrW_Ostdc0HkiaMijBIpXmRvU/w640-h640/0A228BEE-1E74-4BFF-8C52-FC0E1C344AC4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spotted Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">Florida Gar...at least the ones I've caught, seem to be heavier-bodied and stronger fighting as compared to a Shortnose, but their snouts are pretty much identical to Spotted and Shortnose Gar. They did seem less willing to strike during the day, but hit tarpon flies worked just below the surface at dusk.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDcdvSFc9q4u0Ok7hmLsZ5aoeR_l9FjpYoZQF_Shhx01z7tZ3WaqzPbMD7lRl72v5HEudJkxTRtEIWIVzqnwh35uMrOfmTpwXEjBxNJoy5Q_ICg5QkPh4RhutBeVSh6ozLwoCV1_dsleu_Nkb4xqpAGn6badcJYW_4JjsUSwJn6_FdEcx__c-mo4oBJs/s3625/IMG_5879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1892" data-original-width="3625" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkDcdvSFc9q4u0Ok7hmLsZ5aoeR_l9FjpYoZQF_Shhx01z7tZ3WaqzPbMD7lRl72v5HEudJkxTRtEIWIVzqnwh35uMrOfmTpwXEjBxNJoy5Q_ICg5QkPh4RhutBeVSh6ozLwoCV1_dsleu_Nkb4xqpAGn6badcJYW_4JjsUSwJn6_FdEcx__c-mo4oBJs/w640-h334/IMG_5879.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florida Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Longnose Gar will usually strike the same size flies as Shortnose, but like Florida Gar, there are many times when they just don't seem interested. For bigger Longnose, I tied up a pattern I'd seen recommended online, that is an articulated fly with 2 super-sharp Gamakatsu B10S hooks... a #4 at the front, a #6 at the rear. Overall fly length is about 4.5". I tried it once late in the season this past year, and caught my biggest Longnose so far...a 47.5" beauty, approximate weight of over 10 lbs.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s3X8bk-VHox8JaKvnqQrV7BOvVNA9vu-7yhcbP6J7CcAXWFSPeBjjag8RgmTwum2yrnaohiLTX8QbAj1NlEAwnWlWVaa-BjO-3ssisTOyvPhGRxG2qsT5KJKXdRJGpS2w96Rlsc8zosQxD-0ViVc0zWTD7o4uVWEMPn8U4sUMlfGV3-5qoSZHYXse94/s1674/IMG_9330.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1674" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7s3X8bk-VHox8JaKvnqQrV7BOvVNA9vu-7yhcbP6J7CcAXWFSPeBjjag8RgmTwum2yrnaohiLTX8QbAj1NlEAwnWlWVaa-BjO-3ssisTOyvPhGRxG2qsT5KJKXdRJGpS2w96Rlsc8zosQxD-0ViVc0zWTD7o4uVWEMPn8U4sUMlfGV3-5qoSZHYXse94/w640-h368/IMG_9330.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv51XWJnI4AmxFe1BZGr2SDxkly_eP4YtG8pwFBcjKD8DgKIdVZJkgUY3UIh6iJIBeQX56vMOwsrbcAsy_PHeo-qV54QC9R-1iDrur-x0Uz8pez5oGUmlgumwC29Rb88ibyWzo9qvlMfLoai_BqhAMY4O5vB_xEVjXLn4Swm6hX1LI7AiX3Vi0UysWHs/s1641/IMG_9329.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1641" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZv51XWJnI4AmxFe1BZGr2SDxkly_eP4YtG8pwFBcjKD8DgKIdVZJkgUY3UIh6iJIBeQX56vMOwsrbcAsy_PHeo-qV54QC9R-1iDrur-x0Uz8pez5oGUmlgumwC29Rb88ibyWzo9qvlMfLoai_BqhAMY4O5vB_xEVjXLn4Swm6hX1LI7AiX3Vi0UysWHs/w640-h374/IMG_9329.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">I prefer a 6wt fly rod for most Gar fishing, but will go to an 8wt or 9wt for bigger Longnose. Those bigger Longnose do fight really well, and also the articulated flies cast easier with the heavier fly rods. I use a weight forward floating line. You want a strong tippet to help drive the hook home, so 8-12 lb Fluorocarbon tippet is generally good. You could go a bit heavier for the bigger Longnose. Although Gar have a serious set of teeth, they are round teeth with points (like a walleye or bowfin), rather than flat-sided blade teeth like a pike. You do NOT need steel leaders when flyfishing for these 4 species of Gar.</span></div></span><p style="text-align: left;">So, keep your hands and fingers as far away as possible from a Gar's mouth. Use pliers or forceps to remove hooks. Never "lip" a gar to hold it like a bass. </p><div style="text-align: left;">Gar are very challenging and fun, and they are an extremely interesting and ancient-looking fish! I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated and protected. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Gars I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s1.gifyu.com/images/6197C09D-A412-42E8-8ABB-DEF635F08BE4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="445" data-original-width="800" height="356" src="https://s1.gifyu.com/images/6197C09D-A412-42E8-8ABB-DEF635F08BE4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/5493D95F-2C22-4D1B-A755-4E4A8706E0A6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/5493D95F-2C22-4D1B-A755-4E4A8706E0A6.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s8.gifyu.com/images/9C9B9731-B2ED-45BC-B976-7B9032DD099E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="454" height="640" src="https://s8.gifyu.com/images/9C9B9731-B2ED-45BC-B976-7B9032DD099E.jpg" width="363" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSIwp_Js8rApLOQdQ6Ivb3vdlfpWic00HYgHOsSXWwNwuHJB20oSIWvPq0ru-dmQR5-alKVkG8qlhmg_PpaHs-ry1zzlfpXwec5SvlBuOUXm1HfcHpPwlQ8GfoMWw4_0hk1OCnGxDvJ4ZAxE0kHlDNKdTN-FKXeah6U4UCP72_W256o-_RQM3saknczA/s4026/IMG_9305.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2751" data-original-width="4026" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSIwp_Js8rApLOQdQ6Ivb3vdlfpWic00HYgHOsSXWwNwuHJB20oSIWvPq0ru-dmQR5-alKVkG8qlhmg_PpaHs-ry1zzlfpXwec5SvlBuOUXm1HfcHpPwlQ8GfoMWw4_0hk1OCnGxDvJ4ZAxE0kHlDNKdTN-FKXeah6U4UCP72_W256o-_RQM3saknczA/w640-h438/IMG_9305.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmINv8dRoAIXL1vOm9hId3z95V_rPIAwOnIPMTZDODPbF6ExJjyWtqclMnTC8OK-QU6gBhPTW4MMeq7_G7mezvNspBx5Z-75VDNpmn8EpxP_A8l3MaqXIDr967HQFZJzOcyT10e5bwMn8esmCg-bBL5nDZRu63MCkWSIip2l_LsflbXPFOOcf5p7DZvg/s3182/IMG_9297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1485" data-original-width="3182" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGmINv8dRoAIXL1vOm9hId3z95V_rPIAwOnIPMTZDODPbF6ExJjyWtqclMnTC8OK-QU6gBhPTW4MMeq7_G7mezvNspBx5Z-75VDNpmn8EpxP_A8l3MaqXIDr967HQFZJzOcyT10e5bwMn8esmCg-bBL5nDZRu63MCkWSIip2l_LsflbXPFOOcf5p7DZvg/w640-h298/IMG_9297.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNSpXzCktzSw8qeuFF6-L7p7nZ-H0y2sBtDplm0tRH0Ve-k3PUaSwE1KCivuzW-r4hePZMqLRXVRu1LVpBqZWOOpftdnwwRUy-ykdZOONiRHuhtvx22HLG-bUVG-1EuW34mJuUdzi7Un6K6jLVf0VtzlpKeVl9VFai7pYekDOP70s9D5R6467H9SvtHM/s1728/IMG_9215.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1728" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVNSpXzCktzSw8qeuFF6-L7p7nZ-H0y2sBtDplm0tRH0Ve-k3PUaSwE1KCivuzW-r4hePZMqLRXVRu1LVpBqZWOOpftdnwwRUy-ykdZOONiRHuhtvx22HLG-bUVG-1EuW34mJuUdzi7Un6K6jLVf0VtzlpKeVl9VFai7pYekDOP70s9D5R6467H9SvtHM/w640-h356/IMG_9215.PNG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkYaW1_hAdXcw9BvSNJFCX6iHmFVQAZgQf2LDyP2RINYcXnb4fnbOjzIISZhJoMB7oGmRPh9eNQLb2RFE1ic5zid4xbs8bnBUHmXiHA0kndldzo4tjJfMW7puVFpreno99Bn-s7ISQ5mXYLNBW1XshyLHRAlCw4dTCc9Zb-SnzzYYih20I62aKlM5HRI/s3490/IMG_8535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1966" data-original-width="3490" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJkYaW1_hAdXcw9BvSNJFCX6iHmFVQAZgQf2LDyP2RINYcXnb4fnbOjzIISZhJoMB7oGmRPh9eNQLb2RFE1ic5zid4xbs8bnBUHmXiHA0kndldzo4tjJfMW7puVFpreno99Bn-s7ISQ5mXYLNBW1XshyLHRAlCw4dTCc9Zb-SnzzYYih20I62aKlM5HRI/w640-h360/IMG_8535.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii576oXsLEiUVtRPJZMSFzybm3Rc6iVgPqvREQUNFttzq5uyUTOjL_xs8-V7xNllacw-n7Fd7se4pc5TaUHfUCag6w_nVn-ALk7aPAn17d_mOww2vyAIrxvqZvdGDxGnJyc1YI8PmpYP_H2rUS7FzCJMYZiItUmIY45f1wXyO4DEDLGMA565ymkZ0NAYE/s2048/851084B4-DBAC-4176-91C6-CBA89A3FDE77.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii576oXsLEiUVtRPJZMSFzybm3Rc6iVgPqvREQUNFttzq5uyUTOjL_xs8-V7xNllacw-n7Fd7se4pc5TaUHfUCag6w_nVn-ALk7aPAn17d_mOww2vyAIrxvqZvdGDxGnJyc1YI8PmpYP_H2rUS7FzCJMYZiItUmIY45f1wXyO4DEDLGMA565ymkZ0NAYE/w640-h640/851084B4-DBAC-4176-91C6-CBA89A3FDE77.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Longnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A30OBkeU_XEOfdGGwhyphenhyphenlqobkGY-cLPK-t_bFRQODKyn4AuwP5euIoKWWgQLBjUFGGqGeszKhVbRlimFv-_9JYrg3PNyZmdKxCc90CRCT9hFZhZsgKn68jz6MyXssYL0jcaftEBGymUT5l4VnEG5gt68MbOQ9CdvU3fUpaPZXT1KN8jTu-0pFB4NId_k/s2048/BF72050D-82F3-4AEF-A2AB-3AEE6F6CE529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4A30OBkeU_XEOfdGGwhyphenhyphenlqobkGY-cLPK-t_bFRQODKyn4AuwP5euIoKWWgQLBjUFGGqGeszKhVbRlimFv-_9JYrg3PNyZmdKxCc90CRCT9hFZhZsgKn68jz6MyXssYL0jcaftEBGymUT5l4VnEG5gt68MbOQ9CdvU3fUpaPZXT1KN8jTu-0pFB4NId_k/w640-h640/BF72050D-82F3-4AEF-A2AB-3AEE6F6CE529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURo3Cc7eoz9o3C3N3yjDMBv7a9hs1CBNcvl3BjoUxyfKG_LE-FDyXO_e3v9cIbPA4a9gtoTDEb6mzcXNNqBp0YiTGKEH6_7WDKgW_mguoPwyUxRpI4JseCeLyVk-LXzl6HHKm2kjthAJMw-thYD5HsjUpk3s1EQikYf4a4EAtJVTr5-mc8X5Os_KDhFE/s2048/89A0F985-8D16-4DE5-96F7-261D38F937D1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhURo3Cc7eoz9o3C3N3yjDMBv7a9hs1CBNcvl3BjoUxyfKG_LE-FDyXO_e3v9cIbPA4a9gtoTDEb6mzcXNNqBp0YiTGKEH6_7WDKgW_mguoPwyUxRpI4JseCeLyVk-LXzl6HHKm2kjthAJMw-thYD5HsjUpk3s1EQikYf4a4EAtJVTr5-mc8X5Os_KDhFE/w640-h640/89A0F985-8D16-4DE5-96F7-261D38F937D1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tnVLWHAGdjNFyhrCA198GF8Edw8fIKZbiqiOrOEozoupeZXs57zkZMdcR5BbrMjYmPKRuudikBDN6RV6JMwTvX4fPmxcssgDLAS9m2KqXQafFMyLgncjlHysCTHrWa-IMjdeFit_3_WOXzRoNMsxAagsKeOEhZraSNB_9PxprAvyguw3Vxz-4X8OoYs/s2048/D70B7B9D-E2CC-4912-A5C4-7E8069557E9A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tnVLWHAGdjNFyhrCA198GF8Edw8fIKZbiqiOrOEozoupeZXs57zkZMdcR5BbrMjYmPKRuudikBDN6RV6JMwTvX4fPmxcssgDLAS9m2KqXQafFMyLgncjlHysCTHrWa-IMjdeFit_3_WOXzRoNMsxAagsKeOEhZraSNB_9PxprAvyguw3Vxz-4X8OoYs/w640-h640/D70B7B9D-E2CC-4912-A5C4-7E8069557E9A.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79sfV3iDchkhx6gK9CxvJbYgbfOPoM1M3nK7y5x6yyY23yphnTiYSq0LFjtiimtm7oEIaOQeWR1io0cZG0uq_Ebb7ZBK9nkMCQr60nJ2aIPwI7fhgZni3GN1n1alp1gDZ7QrOVvbR99bDJWzV2j5GP4M1uwVUq_vnGSPfhU_5Ac8NLMyp4DvR25q20Ko/s3921/IMG_7862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3921" data-original-width="1827" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh79sfV3iDchkhx6gK9CxvJbYgbfOPoM1M3nK7y5x6yyY23yphnTiYSq0LFjtiimtm7oEIaOQeWR1io0cZG0uq_Ebb7ZBK9nkMCQr60nJ2aIPwI7fhgZni3GN1n1alp1gDZ7QrOVvbR99bDJWzV2j5GP4M1uwVUq_vnGSPfhU_5Ac8NLMyp4DvR25q20Ko/w298-h640/IMG_7862.JPG" width="298" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">29.5" Shortnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnXgcgASmfp0pqEVOvDMfYsrUt7PINNzcMxrvK4TWEgG8y7OJBzN0WqSewQex3mBiKgMxjxT4Uq_2SQ946IjAdOVcWn-XA0sHTXIDudI4g8LP4DjeSep2OPT7stHlhhmdwEHylJEgK2DVbDqsxGMEra05yt9-Bqs0WberZwIl_qWnrLTEkqDbKZZUjLE/s2048/E4C695BE-5B96-4C6C-B54A-7DE84D6189C4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHnXgcgASmfp0pqEVOvDMfYsrUt7PINNzcMxrvK4TWEgG8y7OJBzN0WqSewQex3mBiKgMxjxT4Uq_2SQ946IjAdOVcWn-XA0sHTXIDudI4g8LP4DjeSep2OPT7stHlhhmdwEHylJEgK2DVbDqsxGMEra05yt9-Bqs0WberZwIl_qWnrLTEkqDbKZZUjLE/w640-h640/E4C695BE-5B96-4C6C-B54A-7DE84D6189C4.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30.5" Spotted Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ppqxLj3mS6v0uDrvBv8RuHkiIq3w_u_wV_D0R2TcXwu5kEYTsz8lmPbPXpX0DeACHXYhLHWxfjIhLG3tRDvGF6yDwTaBAwRRxGYBpJ279O2LBky110OEdpiO99Ks2r0dmwGmtV4ETCzWE0DoN4THsYEXBSDzhRrgzrZh3uNr60hL3pBBPfJtm8yA1h4/s2048/482A3944-C7D7-4C03-B45B-45663786BDE7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ppqxLj3mS6v0uDrvBv8RuHkiIq3w_u_wV_D0R2TcXwu5kEYTsz8lmPbPXpX0DeACHXYhLHWxfjIhLG3tRDvGF6yDwTaBAwRRxGYBpJ279O2LBky110OEdpiO99Ks2r0dmwGmtV4ETCzWE0DoN4THsYEXBSDzhRrgzrZh3uNr60hL3pBBPfJtm8yA1h4/w640-h640/482A3944-C7D7-4C03-B45B-45663786BDE7.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shortnose Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94pgcsXpd6JwlqdytXgVbTmiFwKPiINhlslBLY296MSx0QRtAQ9FlDgmGKGyrvY61QiKpGPn71L_PAtnOoQPQ3uvHVVGNYIthSNnIK1HMUy-ZMIYQLeUlBg563SuGBjfcRFvGdrAi89x5_TDQqszXwTySpWfPoFxypKzRXd0aojbE98taRet5pSGkMNc/s3679/IMG_5910.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1837" data-original-width="3679" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94pgcsXpd6JwlqdytXgVbTmiFwKPiINhlslBLY296MSx0QRtAQ9FlDgmGKGyrvY61QiKpGPn71L_PAtnOoQPQ3uvHVVGNYIthSNnIK1HMUy-ZMIYQLeUlBg563SuGBjfcRFvGdrAi89x5_TDQqszXwTySpWfPoFxypKzRXd0aojbE98taRet5pSGkMNc/w640-h320/IMG_5910.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florida Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0zTmU97-38KN3pTX0IvIxYD7G3PS2p3hFHEHeWDBcf_KjHn9-4c-T0N2ZjThWBssZbV36GQPLpDhoGKuBetZaEubu8MZzhKPaDaUbI6XjU5dJ4nxlvAzDGosCyMmMR3gI-UKrrWelS4MSHd87UQ_5vp313fYY_Y_mvg0UluyHn8nzuCz3DzYUer6djI/s3526/IMG_5911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1808" data-original-width="3526" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS0zTmU97-38KN3pTX0IvIxYD7G3PS2p3hFHEHeWDBcf_KjHn9-4c-T0N2ZjThWBssZbV36GQPLpDhoGKuBetZaEubu8MZzhKPaDaUbI6XjU5dJ4nxlvAzDGosCyMmMR3gI-UKrrWelS4MSHd87UQ_5vp313fYY_Y_mvg0UluyHn8nzuCz3DzYUer6djI/w640-h328/IMG_5911.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Florida Gar</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><b><br /></b></div><div><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-75762950847989333542024-01-14T14:23:00.000-08:002024-01-15T09:36:09.282-08:00Bowfin on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Bowfin.</u></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimH0qIXJW3Bx7uDEC0hRNJNZF4XipmIfdN0TjBxkHe6pUKNqgJx6DvirG1siU3FFbuaYKwRpQSm3Dl-lo09uhR2K2q6fSX34Cppq8L8vHk0VcKufszMdcsSxDO4t8GkvTw9Q0EVX3WO6A6IbePqBzPUa9sfGmNSW3n77w7Qcs3pr9BG-yyo2jE7AQYjGU/s1440/5116EB2E-F57D-41C2-8F47-9C699FFD6A5E.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="753" data-original-width="1440" height="334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimH0qIXJW3Bx7uDEC0hRNJNZF4XipmIfdN0TjBxkHe6pUKNqgJx6DvirG1siU3FFbuaYKwRpQSm3Dl-lo09uhR2K2q6fSX34Cppq8L8vHk0VcKufszMdcsSxDO4t8GkvTw9Q0EVX3WO6A6IbePqBzPUa9sfGmNSW3n77w7Qcs3pr9BG-yyo2jE7AQYjGU/w640-h334/5116EB2E-F57D-41C2-8F47-9C699FFD6A5E.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bowfin on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div>Bowfin are an ancient fish considered a relict. They belong to a group that has been around for 250 Million years, and their closest relatives are Gar. Like Gar, they can breath air and often give their presence and location away by doing so. Look at a Bowfin tail and a Gar tail, and you can see how very similar they are.</div><div><br /></div>There are now 2 species of Bowfin...the Eyetail Bowfin (Amia ocellicauda), and the Ruddy Bowfin (Amia calva). In very general terms, the Eyetail Bowfin is in the Mississippi River drainage and Great Lakes drainage, while the Ruddy Bowfin is mainly East Coast and Florida. I've caught both on fly. During the spawning season, males of the Eyespot Bowfin, in particular, get beautiful greenish/chartreuse coloration to their fins and bellies, blueish pigment inside their mouths, and the eyespot on their tail often becomes more pronounced. Females lose their tail eyespot at a very young age.<p></p><p>Both species are very similar in the types of habitat they prefer...which is generally lakes, canals, and swampy lowland areas. I've read that Bowfin are common, but not in high numbers anywhere. Backwater areas close to and (at least sometimes) connected to the Mississippi River are great spots, if you live in the Midwest. They seem to like feeding in and around the edges of shorelines and weedy areas. In areas without weeds, look for woody structure such as downed trees.</p><p>In my area of St Louis, MO, I've caught Bowfin as early as mid-March. I've caught them as late as mid-October, but they were still biting good then....I just wasn't able to fish for them after that.</p><p>I feel it helps immensely if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. But most often I'm fishing very muddy water, likely churned up by the bowfin themselves, since I've cast towards mud clouds and caught bowfin. They must root amongst the bottom at times. Because of the extremely muddy water I'm usually fishing for bowfin, I've experimented with adding fishing scents to flies, hoping to help the fish locate the fly. At times I think it really helps, other times not so much. I've caught plenty of Bowfin with and without scent, so do whatever suits you.</p><p>The flies I typically use for Bowfin are large and heavy, plus you want a strong rod and line to help drive the hook home, AND you want to keep Bowfin away from snags in the water. Bowfin are very strong fighters...you'll LOVE 'em! I've caught them on 6wt to 9wt rods...8wt is probably the best wt rod Bowfin. I use a weight forward floating line, and tippet should be a MINIMUM of 12 lb Fluorocarbon. I've caught a bunch of them on that, with surprisingly few break-offs. Although Bowfin have a serious set of teeth hidden amongst their fleshy gums, they seem to be round teeth with points (like a walleye or gar), rather than flat-sided blade teeth like a pike. You do NOT need steel leaders when flyfishing for Bowfin.</p><p>Bowfin have large mouths, and will eat topwater flies, such as frog patterns, as well as baitfish patterns, sculpin patterns, and crayfish patterns. I've also caught them on larger nymph-type patterns, such as dragonfly nymph imitations. Some of my favorite flies for Bowfin include Conehead Zuddlers and similar flies, Conehead Bow River Bugger, and the Bass Master fly (the one sold by Big Y Fly Co). Hook size of #2 has been excellent. Overall fly length of about 3" has been a great size. Black has been a great producer in the extremely muddy waters I usually fish, as well as crayfish colors, yellow, and white. A stout, but narrow gauge hook that is super sharp and super strong is EXTREMELY important when targeting Bowfin on flies. The inside of their mouths is nearly solid bone, without much skin that a hook can catch on...so you want to be able to drive that hook into solid bone if possible. It takes good gear and stout line. My favorite hook for Bowfin flies is a Gamakatsu B10S, in about a size 2.</p><p>I've also caught Bowfin on silver or gold microjigs that I was using while trying for other species.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBVxwzhFnOGWx0VFxt0YDZw0CxxnQP5lZtXZ0WFK8Vh-xQpEPZyphbFjdo2YNn54BekMjeyvNPlhi967UsF_uonsgAL1TeOakVqwMnL5o2wpsTZuoVMuXVyGJgYJj2nsHKQLPf7MJWPxp9N4vTHBC_tRoURKl9BIWBGdWeeOdF9op5mjUp8KFZsh2qIM/s2327/IMG_1368.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1161" data-original-width="2327" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIBVxwzhFnOGWx0VFxt0YDZw0CxxnQP5lZtXZ0WFK8Vh-xQpEPZyphbFjdo2YNn54BekMjeyvNPlhi967UsF_uonsgAL1TeOakVqwMnL5o2wpsTZuoVMuXVyGJgYJj2nsHKQLPf7MJWPxp9N4vTHBC_tRoURKl9BIWBGdWeeOdF9op5mjUp8KFZsh2qIM/w640-h320/IMG_1368.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of a number of good flies for Bowfin. Note the length.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Much of my fishing for Bowfin is done by making reasonably long casts, and hop-and-pause the fly back to me. But I fish some ditches and canals, where Bowfin often congregate near culverts, so I also often catch them by vertically jigging flies around those culvert areas. Sometimes a Bowfin grab the fly and runs. Most often, there will be weight on the line, and then the line slowly moves as the fish swims around with the fly in its mouth. They will hold onto a fly for a surprising length of time, but don't wait too long to STRIP-SET the hook. Don't trout set, because the fly rod will flex enough that it will likely prevent the hook from penetrating adequately.</p><p>Also, keep your hands and fingers as far away as possible from a Bowfin's mouth. Use pliers or forceps to remove hooks. Never "lip" a bowfin to hold it like a bass. You may not see its teeth at first, but they have so many teeth and a strong bite-force. I haven't had this issue, but have heard plenty of stories of anglers catching bowfin on lures, and the lure and stout hook get totally crushed by a bowfin's jaws.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2jfnN_Q8cU0UEKw1xiJ5HyvyogpzvUI8sftu9QwskbtFB-y_VMTRsToPogeKhSwpDDVMrdYQSywMnpysmRs4-JNaSWKdPs9TpUqDZJSVyypDfv39iRUzv7BQZMHe4rNNbJyL5Gt6hEF_zpRiWAPu34z9q_3AJDX7H7TAluyp6qVTpJF7ZniGgZ3U0yg/s2048/016352A0-2603-4495-9C24-A4880FCF1101.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO2jfnN_Q8cU0UEKw1xiJ5HyvyogpzvUI8sftu9QwskbtFB-y_VMTRsToPogeKhSwpDDVMrdYQSywMnpysmRs4-JNaSWKdPs9TpUqDZJSVyypDfv39iRUzv7BQZMHe4rNNbJyL5Gt6hEF_zpRiWAPu34z9q_3AJDX7H7TAluyp6qVTpJF7ZniGgZ3U0yg/w640-h640/016352A0-2603-4495-9C24-A4880FCF1101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the upper part of a Bowfin's head bones that I found. Don't mess with their teeth!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Bowfin are very challenging and fun, and they are an extremely interesting and ancient fish! I really enjoy catching them on flies. They are a native fish that needs to be appreciated and protected. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Bowfins I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVmmH-I0fQlQhVP4niIC7LJkEh4MyycoVwXHg8KulbqRhF5wwgmbpAs8QxUa0RS7acPNvhGoCxkL77OrAf4HDfnp0u8JQmcsZVeMQuy693_DQVpRC7q5aRONj1pyurKAhocU9ARDSDjtpsB62niyKkWSKCWx7i_7TMEgpdprzfelwXogWB9RQEnwClgE/s1800/IMG_9598.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1800" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRVmmH-I0fQlQhVP4niIC7LJkEh4MyycoVwXHg8KulbqRhF5wwgmbpAs8QxUa0RS7acPNvhGoCxkL77OrAf4HDfnp0u8JQmcsZVeMQuy693_DQVpRC7q5aRONj1pyurKAhocU9ARDSDjtpsB62niyKkWSKCWx7i_7TMEgpdprzfelwXogWB9RQEnwClgE/w640-h342/IMG_9598.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S5UywmjvgPBeofRQg-HKkDO1cqRct4sijKdz9s46eJWK3G5AS8FKIOv6BUkC41MrjtJTdCK0O92Zsxxf8BO3oeM4GErUQY-EOINWtmAOrt1egju0Ye0MiuvW-IHfSLEUp1cT80epnxgiCSHgkp1pH08efkjd7eKM0ft1Nw6wmy_Xk3ZmDZWvhx1mNR0/s1886/IMG_9594.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1886" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3S5UywmjvgPBeofRQg-HKkDO1cqRct4sijKdz9s46eJWK3G5AS8FKIOv6BUkC41MrjtJTdCK0O92Zsxxf8BO3oeM4GErUQY-EOINWtmAOrt1egju0Ye0MiuvW-IHfSLEUp1cT80epnxgiCSHgkp1pH08efkjd7eKM0ft1Nw6wmy_Xk3ZmDZWvhx1mNR0/w640-h326/IMG_9594.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTfNIkf_e2PMQMpMRih-7E99PZ_fuodWMmvOAfKfNKHxR7yKSdybWCyZIbCJu-bgNjNAkXocK2xGwvMW8R5Ta3CPo7_Css-fGpTjvWFFwGe75JSHdQjmuQTriocjf_R_5BKk_CU78OMiEXbUByqiUnYPiL4RS7_zweqcBgFL_3Kub0WLbZh9cFxruVtM/s1767/IMG_9589.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1767" data-original-width="1503" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTfNIkf_e2PMQMpMRih-7E99PZ_fuodWMmvOAfKfNKHxR7yKSdybWCyZIbCJu-bgNjNAkXocK2xGwvMW8R5Ta3CPo7_Css-fGpTjvWFFwGe75JSHdQjmuQTriocjf_R_5BKk_CU78OMiEXbUByqiUnYPiL4RS7_zweqcBgFL_3Kub0WLbZh9cFxruVtM/w544-h640/IMG_9589.JPG" width="544" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8psDwteqZL6vQCDL0rfHffDYNs3U73AznMosfmxivEvuRsXo4yKNQKspuUqRhBQowVMemTsS4hPyWPV9xPqMQ-nrwtn7bQMGf7GDytToFafmaMZOrtcCmoS40uUSeB3NSUezoQnMYpa6PTuhvya0UukUfpdw2dKpYOz4b21pChg3AesmWggDDNz1_NHs/s3419/IMG_9408.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1983" data-original-width="3419" height="372" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8psDwteqZL6vQCDL0rfHffDYNs3U73AznMosfmxivEvuRsXo4yKNQKspuUqRhBQowVMemTsS4hPyWPV9xPqMQ-nrwtn7bQMGf7GDytToFafmaMZOrtcCmoS40uUSeB3NSUezoQnMYpa6PTuhvya0UukUfpdw2dKpYOz4b21pChg3AesmWggDDNz1_NHs/w640-h372/IMG_9408.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rTD8cVzroHUT5ER2_4ganCBnrXcSqai7BOpq8i2frL1_nUQcfTchBgDWVJCUfsDunlrnenFGWXWXf424pksdqQs6LAFrYAV_tOFKcbLOAGkE5ZUgTQ9fIY-BRbBUjekznLtcgfPbqhK_0BZau-El2c7v1Gv7TF6dMM4RLBZbEZYW5J0cLvfYUYPDqEw/s2029/IMG_9397.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1864" data-original-width="2029" height="588" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9rTD8cVzroHUT5ER2_4ganCBnrXcSqai7BOpq8i2frL1_nUQcfTchBgDWVJCUfsDunlrnenFGWXWXf424pksdqQs6LAFrYAV_tOFKcbLOAGkE5ZUgTQ9fIY-BRbBUjekznLtcgfPbqhK_0BZau-El2c7v1Gv7TF6dMM4RLBZbEZYW5J0cLvfYUYPDqEw/w640-h588/IMG_9397.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYGZFsTNt2urc9RkFAARvIRNzc8hvJtpQlT61oI2hyphenhyphen_ZZrmQ2ZBPFluQchgo2o2DunX-ofB4-dodQU8mrzJf25ucLGjOHt7mxGCN-4_-1YXUNuqSL1R0MbAdRJxA3N0vKQ95flWrRxNHjQACdDPuaObANE06bGCRZUc4R5haogpPuJCBbvKYMY-wY0os/s1640/IMG_8597.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1475" data-original-width="1640" height="576" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPYGZFsTNt2urc9RkFAARvIRNzc8hvJtpQlT61oI2hyphenhyphen_ZZrmQ2ZBPFluQchgo2o2DunX-ofB4-dodQU8mrzJf25ucLGjOHt7mxGCN-4_-1YXUNuqSL1R0MbAdRJxA3N0vKQ95flWrRxNHjQACdDPuaObANE06bGCRZUc4R5haogpPuJCBbvKYMY-wY0os/w640-h576/IMG_8597.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0O-3JF2eHZVvq5uznyxCQ2qLZDsOyouDR4o78jl7_UGzlSXjmWpYn2AG2C9dNDzJFlUok8dQj4tmgp-hpXoleoQGZk5wYoKvffztVVj3Eg32sXblbVS5uIcwhYRTdMFNwEjeiwReOArgSdIabvFctF27-WzDeSBebn1AqYdKf1ZZI7ZUlu-DZ4QnMS6c/s3070/IMG_5869.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2395" data-original-width="3070" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0O-3JF2eHZVvq5uznyxCQ2qLZDsOyouDR4o78jl7_UGzlSXjmWpYn2AG2C9dNDzJFlUok8dQj4tmgp-hpXoleoQGZk5wYoKvffztVVj3Eg32sXblbVS5uIcwhYRTdMFNwEjeiwReOArgSdIabvFctF27-WzDeSBebn1AqYdKf1ZZI7ZUlu-DZ4QnMS6c/w640-h500/IMG_5869.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The one above is a Ruddy Bowfin from Florida.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFeOD1k1JTOe-qoYhWo9Vs-yyEzabEoT-7zYETgzALY2GsHoVMzesDIpcUhYG7EiC2ju9q9YuyBFLaMaz6FHm6-m_8uvOHxRFxYw-ZiuH_8FL6AP4dQRTbyQE4ccwqhYTUVklIFcM1dkZGfNlN7JRKqeKWGgbTs2VeMlIlue61U9iosE9PoXS_uRzs2k/s2048/25E6E8FC-21CD-4EB8-987A-11E49E4A191C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDFeOD1k1JTOe-qoYhWo9Vs-yyEzabEoT-7zYETgzALY2GsHoVMzesDIpcUhYG7EiC2ju9q9YuyBFLaMaz6FHm6-m_8uvOHxRFxYw-ZiuH_8FL6AP4dQRTbyQE4ccwqhYTUVklIFcM1dkZGfNlN7JRKqeKWGgbTs2VeMlIlue61U9iosE9PoXS_uRzs2k/w640-h640/25E6E8FC-21CD-4EB8-987A-11E49E4A191C.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93vn7wyLH5eRPrg5oUGFoj4br9Z9EHnwT3D5pKMPWZAMuU1-B764FM63uhwrvNBRPOcxkej67WsfhHdTh-1zqdRUiT6hGY4QJG-Ko2lQsSpA8_M7lUBdvd99unSJR2LT63Yq1-rBqTxdYrPB-LbuOpRXY5r_Tm9oYMS2-0Gx1wqoO7ldU2P_bRSCVufQ/s2981/IMG_5491.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4APH5BOaghFMRt1uJmsIWsbSbMLb99z7FRkLKNvGPtKeHjkogG0dWWyq5ROscqFqz6f4nYbHcbb3Hdg7TNMia0YKBoeRobmzJmUWx2sKm66eskKqnoORYI6jA4SRT_EXig7550xUn1BrCf-yjT-JvDpJFXGVzOvs6-Op5Qs4FcE5j5XQGPgYPsvJy2FI/w640-h640/DE3CA543-4A0D-4FDC-86F9-24618665DB6E.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-8719618732783502692024-01-14T10:24:00.000-08:002024-01-14T13:10:00.315-08:00Golden Shiner on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Golden Shiner.</u></b></p><p><b></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/BC4D3A61-BB87-4A6E-ABEA-C55B3142BDDB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/BC4D3A61-BB87-4A6E-ABEA-C55B3142BDDB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden Shiner on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>OK, take this post with a grain of salt. I've caught a fair number of Golden Shiners on flies. They have been from just a couple of adjacent locations, and have been mostly exceptionally LARGE individuals (8"-11"+). So, I'll give my experience with those. For smaller fish, go with even smaller hooks/flies. <p></p><p>I've been catching these from public lakes where live bait is forbidden...and yet I think these must have gotten into these man-made lakes in the first place by bait-bucket releases. Just my guess. Could they have been intentionally stocked as a food source for bass? Maybe.</p><p>I catch the most Golden Shiners very early in the year (like right after ice-out), and late in the year. A cast about 20-50' from shore often finds the fish in these cold-water seasons. Golden Shiners may spawn 4-5 times/year from May to August, where they just broadcast spawn their adhesive eggs onto weeds or the bottom. They do not build nests. As I seem to have the best success very early in the year, they must be feasting in a pre-spawn manner. Or perhaps as the water hints that it is going to be warming up, midges and other aquatic nymphs start to hatch or become more active and available as well.</p><p>I've also caught them in the middle of the summer, however. Weed/algae growth is fairly severe in the middle of summer, so its tough to get to these fish, but they can be in any openings or channels found through these weed/algae beds. And sometimes a long cast into deeper water will find where these fish are during summer. </p><p>3 wt to 5 wt 9' fly rods will work fine for these larger specimens of Golden Shiners, as they actually fight pretty good, about the same as a Largemouth Bass of the same size. Don't horse them in, or your hook could pull out. 2 lb to 6 lb Fluorocarbon tippet is plenty strong for these fish.</p><p>Golden Shiners will feed on the surface, and pretty much down to the bottom. They probably won't pick a fly up off the bottom, however, so keep it suspended. Hook sizes for these big ones tops out at about a #10. #12-#14 would probably be even better. Any small nymph or midge can catch them. I catch most of mine on small 1/80th oz microjigs with a #10 hook. Keep the tail material short, and best colors for me have been grizzly marabou tail with silver or gold metallic mylar chenille body. I keep these microjigs suspended with an Original size Fish Pimp Strike Indicator.</p><p>If they are around, it usually doesn't take long to get a strike. The strikes are quick and often subtle... if you've experienced very small bluegills hitting your fly, its kind of like that. You have to either hook them right away, or hope they hold onto the fly long enough or take it deep enough in their mouth to pull the indicator below the surface. Aggressive takes like that aren't typical. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAEDWhlKfWZVMebIg50JipF4_86Gv4_l90hkmcq6UW2RjtKJbkgvUly3RLsYgHzbSQ7hQ4H20Un4E1SX_ve5ePHmfgBgJV8QuvqgW3CZxMGOEpW784BilkENBUOG2fKKbWuv8oxLQ6ub73Kq-gB-3xrQirqtSRW5SXR978P1S6B5Gd4dUVwxgRUsLbI/s2172/IMG_0635.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="2172" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAEDWhlKfWZVMebIg50JipF4_86Gv4_l90hkmcq6UW2RjtKJbkgvUly3RLsYgHzbSQ7hQ4H20Un4E1SX_ve5ePHmfgBgJV8QuvqgW3CZxMGOEpW784BilkENBUOG2fKKbWuv8oxLQ6ub73Kq-gB-3xrQirqtSRW5SXR978P1S6B5Gd4dUVwxgRUsLbI/w640-h342/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Size 12 or 14 Microjigs, tied on custom-made heads </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Again, cast into open water, open pockets, or along weed edges for your best chance at finding these fish. They seem to hang in small groups, but the groups do seem to move around. So you might catch one or two from a spot, then have to start casting to either side of that spot to figure out which way the group might be heading.</p><p>Golden Shiners are challenging and fun, and they are such an interesting fish! I really enjoy catching them on flies. Find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </p><div><p>Here's some pics of Golden Shiners I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/D84B78DE-B062-4219-BDF0-008719837C3D.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/D84B78DE-B062-4219-BDF0-008719837C3D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s6.gifyu.com/images/8D7FB57E-7580-444A-AE1A-038C0DF87521.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="398" height="640" src="https://s6.gifyu.com/images/8D7FB57E-7580-444A-AE1A-038C0DF87521.jpg" width="318" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/F767DD4D-F485-41EF-A0FA-D4AE56917518.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/F767DD4D-F485-41EF-A0FA-D4AE56917518.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/2CA01A4C-B36D-4D64-AAD7-FD7186ABD95C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/2CA01A4C-B36D-4D64-AAD7-FD7186ABD95C.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/26CEB22E-F76F-4B9C-B1CE-CAEC422875CD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/26CEB22E-F76F-4B9C-B1CE-CAEC422875CD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/D0D44FA1-DB35-4767-8EA1-72F90E74E391.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="410" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/D0D44FA1-DB35-4767-8EA1-72F90E74E391.jpg" width="328" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/3ED71083-3180-4FDC-9DD6-EDA60B5DA772.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/3ED71083-3180-4FDC-9DD6-EDA60B5DA772.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/82BB02DD-D566-4F3C-A487-D080469323E6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/82BB02DD-D566-4F3C-A487-D080469323E6.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/A6C7F480-350A-4006-A8E5-B9836A4F6807.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s7.gifyu.com/images/A6C7F480-350A-4006-A8E5-B9836A4F6807.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-24740371654080281132024-01-13T16:13:00.000-08:002024-01-13T16:13:53.081-08:00Redear Sunfish on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">This blog post is about Redear Sunfish.</u></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAevAfPng9qY6FUrvnpCv9w4d8aMMrv4LUtM90BLt-FjZPhiyfhQjHyH1GWuYf-QN18Z-f1qYiXUFP3NCQFQ5ixeshURUW7Pqn9sEI7mhbgCF9Vnea1G5_ZjEbVieZksc5JCkPrMQ5WFPkJdu95BA0TS38VFQ1RrxMzBCK5Hoj4xEiiDgT6y0aewSZjho/s1608/IMG_0627.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1101" data-original-width="1608" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAevAfPng9qY6FUrvnpCv9w4d8aMMrv4LUtM90BLt-FjZPhiyfhQjHyH1GWuYf-QN18Z-f1qYiXUFP3NCQFQ5ixeshURUW7Pqn9sEI7mhbgCF9Vnea1G5_ZjEbVieZksc5JCkPrMQ5WFPkJdu95BA0TS38VFQ1RrxMzBCK5Hoj4xEiiDgT6y0aewSZjho/w640-h438/IMG_0627.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Redear Sunfish</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/DM_12inRedear_Willow_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="519" data-original-width="800" height="415" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/DM_12inRedear_Willow_b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">12" Redear Sunfish on Fly<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>I've caught Redear Sunfish from ponds, lakes, and streams. The ones from streams have been surprise fish, so I can't say I've got those figured out. We'll focus on the Redears in ponds and lakes.</p><p>I've not done well during the middle of winter for Redears, but you can catch them fairly late and early in the season. Spring seems best, with Summer a close second. Snails typically like rocky, gravelly, and weedy areas, so look for Redears in areas that contain one or more of these features. Shallow areas are usually good, unless they get too hot that it makes the fish or their food uncomfortable. Sometimes I find them scattered over sandy flats, and also in areas with muddy bottoms. I suppose the muddy bottoms contain burrowing nymphs and worm-type creatures that the Redears like to eat.</p><p>Redear Sunfish are specialized in eating shellfish such as tiny mollusks, clams, and especially snails. They will also readily eat aquatic nymphs, tiny fish, and even terrestrial insects that might land on the water.</p><p><span>They can be caught on dry flies and bluegill poppers, but mot of the ones I catch (by far) are caught subsurface. You can cast and retrieve flies, like beadhead and unweighted Woolly Buggers, nymph patterns such as damselfly and dragonfly nymphs. My most consistently producing technique is a microjig under a strike indicator, with gold seeming to be one of the better colors for me. Microjigs in the 1/124 oz to 1/64th oz seem best, with a hook size of #10-#8. </span>I like the Fish Pimp Original size football-style strike indicators. I usually begin setting it at about 20" above the microjig, and then adjust from there based on water depth or where the fish may be located. A fly that is black is also a solid choice. One other fly pattern I've had good success with is called a Briminator, tied with various parts of a pheasant.</p><p>Although I feel they do fight even better than bluegill, a 3wt to 5 wt fly rod will work great, with 2 lb to 8 lb fluorocarbon tippet.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_e8DcSp1Tlsxl8hzHh5XS0flpJqR7GNUVHw3zHSW2ogFhFz35vUx1y8Mg5MCEsIXUYFcjzclco8q4b9h6aClfE8pxYrsmy0NqM5M7xryzVipI2DZPewZO7_s6y-vpsq7twDLL_Z9pu0-c_0WreFJ-VSnrm88Xt_gt9wjlqJ0QKRRoB2E0TDARSjDRus/s1000/DM_IceFlies4MA5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="712" data-original-width="1000" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP_e8DcSp1Tlsxl8hzHh5XS0flpJqR7GNUVHw3zHSW2ogFhFz35vUx1y8Mg5MCEsIXUYFcjzclco8q4b9h6aClfE8pxYrsmy0NqM5M7xryzVipI2DZPewZO7_s6y-vpsq7twDLL_Z9pu0-c_0WreFJ-VSnrm88Xt_gt9wjlqJ0QKRRoB2E0TDARSjDRus/w640-h456/DM_IceFlies4MA5.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some flies that would work well for Redear Sunfish.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Here's a few pics of Redear Sunfish I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/DM_12inRedear_Willow_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="456" data-original-width="800" height="365" src="https://s4.gifyu.com/images/DM_12inRedear_Willow_a.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/FE1188B1-D45F-4EC8-BB19-4EDB6EE1494E_zpsjdpvxbmj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="525" height="640" src="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/FE1188B1-D45F-4EC8-BB19-4EDB6EE1494E_zpsjdpvxbmj.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/DM_SHP_Redear_6-18-2015c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="606" height="640" src="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/DM_SHP_Redear_6-18-2015c.jpg" width="485" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTC5oDCiREHCDZAYb9zortq0-cK-Cn9PWjLKleBUUtTdIWfU2OlEarPRNWp2MQPrcYCVMqU7-Mp_JDbQaQGVWBZOrCoXFaj8btk4XznMdik-GEHufMUPCkgsA2ssMiA0-vQq-M5F5H77IraBXcNIp1huf0n87Rx1TSwI9Ogxsyyk3l1tUBzNQ47seHKQ/s2048/44F9169D-1CDD-40D0-B00D-E295EAE9EEB9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifTC5oDCiREHCDZAYb9zortq0-cK-Cn9PWjLKleBUUtTdIWfU2OlEarPRNWp2MQPrcYCVMqU7-Mp_JDbQaQGVWBZOrCoXFaj8btk4XznMdik-GEHufMUPCkgsA2ssMiA0-vQq-M5F5H77IraBXcNIp1huf0n87Rx1TSwI9Ogxsyyk3l1tUBzNQ47seHKQ/w640-h640/44F9169D-1CDD-40D0-B00D-E295EAE9EEB9.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdAMsiuHIpEAXkeBw_vwx7Yp4GuBxia45MPcHA6oFxwW6ihTtd-n91rqKcvthYPG3ObUu4F874aN2iC6TQEqfWP8myludKv8x-UiFpDK9pPFZtZSFhnzIQscGcRYdPM39zFuEMGh2ra3GehyQAyUkkXrUirZ0ToO6gq85KsrO6pstDq3Udz2czF6dNjE/s3587/IMG_1392.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3587" data-original-width="1980" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCdAMsiuHIpEAXkeBw_vwx7Yp4GuBxia45MPcHA6oFxwW6ihTtd-n91rqKcvthYPG3ObUu4F874aN2iC6TQEqfWP8myludKv8x-UiFpDK9pPFZtZSFhnzIQscGcRYdPM39zFuEMGh2ra3GehyQAyUkkXrUirZ0ToO6gq85KsrO6pstDq3Udz2czF6dNjE/w354-h640/IMG_1392.JPG" width="354" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjAII9Djso_29pUJ0eMDopAV5wZSvmgfozmdpQ-fTEEvQGrI399HEVY4L2613dd2iXNLOOoKXMp1rCBAK3SLRKpcyQ1GrHcmk_TunsXzanyz8dtai6m4LEGcSWW-4rIcjyghCK4qGJTCmeEXUtA-QGhfgf5djpatlxYoKsVsqz4kYGvXqEyKuD0jkULw/s3255/IMG_6969.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3255" data-original-width="2054" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjAII9Djso_29pUJ0eMDopAV5wZSvmgfozmdpQ-fTEEvQGrI399HEVY4L2613dd2iXNLOOoKXMp1rCBAK3SLRKpcyQ1GrHcmk_TunsXzanyz8dtai6m4LEGcSWW-4rIcjyghCK4qGJTCmeEXUtA-QGhfgf5djpatlxYoKsVsqz4kYGvXqEyKuD0jkULw/w404-h640/IMG_6969.JPG" width="404" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2265" data-original-width="3680" height="394" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir7DeT1hUWb9qNsCc6Hxy8dehZtFGMO9JqmVrV4ESf8-UO2AZUYQ-r3t4KFPqRwJ3MIgINXnKwagRffiKI-OeQ-jbFlES8NOiBxWYefOuVQwH_2uqE4gp3KmdmAAG5_LNe0p9eaVj-tEnVteDl-grUiaUq4viz-hWon2eElM0mzEv9dFmm6XGNhoLyKOU/w640-h394/IMG_9466.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-53013079024880899572024-01-13T15:06:00.000-08:002024-01-13T15:42:55.448-08:00Smallmouth Bass on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught. This info is geared towards beginners.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Smallmouth Bass.</u></b></p><p><b><u><br /></u></b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs65LRnUyyna5zL1efGJKREUzqL_4CMRMx_1iqRdtlXxJPpEGSGz3JGKtN-mwGV5dsjocejnAzIvymzm2QodpTSq8f8Lnn_Rh0p2bQjA2GiHmpA_OdmTMtbcwUFta35Zh7BfuaB-4-D71nGqLGFqheEd0IiJ2CgnvU7NwNOEHXiYvKj4xaFSdrwYoDlMQ/s1280/DM_SR_SMB_2b.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="911" data-original-width="1280" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs65LRnUyyna5zL1efGJKREUzqL_4CMRMx_1iqRdtlXxJPpEGSGz3JGKtN-mwGV5dsjocejnAzIvymzm2QodpTSq8f8Lnn_Rh0p2bQjA2GiHmpA_OdmTMtbcwUFta35Zh7BfuaB-4-D71nGqLGFqheEd0IiJ2CgnvU7NwNOEHXiYvKj4xaFSdrwYoDlMQ/w640-h456/DM_SR_SMB_2b.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smallmouth Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table></p><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJge1dLblbKw1R0ukXFivyQ7oyHaHeT1pj4Bb6h9AzJpdHm3bIlsU5m5biez8Yk49f1qisSzDnJTQsucNbNzIsqUJi0O5lPD7tDhPMUYRYMi_6tdJztaAjU2GjzC7NlUfBIuGSI43QCzuGjVcN64ODzyLPQaUgHi8R9yjQXTnhPCc3sAKkQTz4wHuwWbs/s3047/IMG_8090.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3047" data-original-width="1399" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJge1dLblbKw1R0ukXFivyQ7oyHaHeT1pj4Bb6h9AzJpdHm3bIlsU5m5biez8Yk49f1qisSzDnJTQsucNbNzIsqUJi0O5lPD7tDhPMUYRYMi_6tdJztaAjU2GjzC7NlUfBIuGSI43QCzuGjVcN64ODzyLPQaUgHi8R9yjQXTnhPCc3sAKkQTz4wHuwWbs/w294-h640/IMG_8090.JPG" width="294" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smallmouth Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5h2wjE2buP-Gsv8z5bwuZqmJdu0mc40ibndMw7aJ4itdQQDl7OAzBUKhTtdXklEPX2kylzMIsxgBBPPJOUEHrwHwqS4bWswdopS3595FUUdEJ5aAngB1wa_pjLtJ1Ls2ppmTEt_WwUIq3Iu7CsYfHZwZeRI8x4C_4sBUBmr4EaOglPO303WTlZzzIWs/s1128/image003.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="633" data-original-width="1128" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5h2wjE2buP-Gsv8z5bwuZqmJdu0mc40ibndMw7aJ4itdQQDl7OAzBUKhTtdXklEPX2kylzMIsxgBBPPJOUEHrwHwqS4bWswdopS3595FUUdEJ5aAngB1wa_pjLtJ1Ls2ppmTEt_WwUIq3Iu7CsYfHZwZeRI8x4C_4sBUBmr4EaOglPO303WTlZzzIWs/w640-h360/image003.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smallmouth Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Smallmouth Bass are typically found in rocky streams with relatively cool, clear water. They also may be found in larger rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. As the lake smallies are often found in water depths that would require specialized flyfishing equipment to reach, I will focus on the stream fish in this blog post.</p><p>In the streams, Smallmouth Bass may be found in a number of locations. One is rocky areas with some depth, especially if there is current. If there is a rocky point, the smallmouth might be right on the point in the fastest current. They can be in shallower rocky areas, especially in summer when the riffles provide additional oxygenation. At other times, they may hang out in the slower deeper water (not stagnant) areas, such as an eddy adjacent to current. And they can also often be found near large rocks, root wads, and fallen trees. Check anywhere. I've had times when I couldn't locate Smallmouth Bass in likely-looking areas, and then would be surprised to find them in seemingly random and innocuous-looking areas. </p><p>Smallmouth Bass can be caught pretty much year-round, depending on where you are. In warmwater streams, the warmer months seem best, and I've struggled to find and catch Smallmouth once the water temps dropped below around 50 degrees. In spring-fed streams such as those found in the Ozarks of southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, Smallmouth often move closer to the spring source during the winter, and remain fairly active.</p><p>They have large mouths, so you can usually catch Smallmouth Bass on flies in the #8 to #2 hook size range, and even up to 2/0. I've caught some nice ones on surface flies...like Blockhead Poppers, Howitzer Head poppers, and large foam hopper / stonefly patterns. Subsurface, I've had good results with crayfish / sculpin patterns, large nymphs, smaller (size 2 or less) GameChangers, Clouser Deep Minnows, Lefty's Deceivers, Conehead Zuddlers, and Stu Thompson's DDH Leech. Most any color of fly will take Smallmouth Bass, but one that seems to outshine all others, for me, is YELLOW!</p><p>Blockhead Poppers is probably my favorite fly to catch Smallmouth Bass on. When using subsurface flies, try a variety of retrieves until the fish react the way you want. Sometimes that's letting the fly drift downstream as it slowly sinks. Other times its really giving the fly an extremely erratic action that gets them excited. Try it all!</p><p>For gear, a 5 wt or 6 wt fly rod is more than sufficient. I typically use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod, mainly because there may be larger smallmouth bass in the areas I'm fishing, and I will likely be casting larger or heavier flies. 8-12 lb fluorocarbon tippet is perfect. They are super-strong fighters, and I've learned in enough situations, that a 5wt just wasn't enough when I start catching 16"-18" Smallmouth. So, you can use a 5 wt if you don't have a 6...if you DO have a 6, USE IT. :) </p><div>Smallmouth Bass are such a cool fish! They are challenging, fun, and such strong fighters! I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </div><div><p>Here's a few pics of Smallmouth Bass I've caught while flyfishing:</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpwHsglm5dgQQ2I81Q-554LRVuB__VaX3UOvjcZyCPmGxpkJDpi2bd0q_zhsuDqLzW6Y0K5msj7aJbpBEqHW4hIMlhDLsgHMlB0HrLm6WNEp3iJnM7s_GgA0S5O0BMGX4qbEUFwn14qgbL1gCNwoTv4x7JuTrVruYPqeq5Cr86g4yC30La-XLaps05qY/s2048/651C8341-511B-43F5-8971-2A38305CB154.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpwHsglm5dgQQ2I81Q-554LRVuB__VaX3UOvjcZyCPmGxpkJDpi2bd0q_zhsuDqLzW6Y0K5msj7aJbpBEqHW4hIMlhDLsgHMlB0HrLm6WNEp3iJnM7s_GgA0S5O0BMGX4qbEUFwn14qgbL1gCNwoTv4x7JuTrVruYPqeq5Cr86g4yC30La-XLaps05qY/w640-h640/651C8341-511B-43F5-8971-2A38305CB154.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb4-PuwDIAsAuLLUD-X3VNykPYvZ1s2_B9mWE4XUMMaOyMrGUtTS2CnFtIzUfQbGvJLLHL3d4bDgFNqMa2BP6agC-AFEsiHnkA0qfE3q_6byhiN7p4Yz0nLsVkfanXOnXV2ImRljfha8RtHerDknlt-Dd_ro8Kya6gvE-ldjqI_vUiRjISNUqpmfEIIg/s2048/59195179-4524-408F-B445-3E5165B1F9CF.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkb4-PuwDIAsAuLLUD-X3VNykPYvZ1s2_B9mWE4XUMMaOyMrGUtTS2CnFtIzUfQbGvJLLHL3d4bDgFNqMa2BP6agC-AFEsiHnkA0qfE3q_6byhiN7p4Yz0nLsVkfanXOnXV2ImRljfha8RtHerDknlt-Dd_ro8Kya6gvE-ldjqI_vUiRjISNUqpmfEIIg/w640-h640/59195179-4524-408F-B445-3E5165B1F9CF.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzs1D4qGX0pQKuacVauHQt7PmbO3Fufwz3aOdUBJE2ZOvmIMwjdVrkFKlhm4OqgR-YfTywBZ_kxiSNNVqR1zUo9riZoGcv5kNmduz1NcAUJhyBHGuwpZJAff-y03lYLCSCFm3ADoLHeaAOmU9__DoYe1JJscqzvLHP0uLDwF3LRDWOiINIKH801KCeyw/s3740/IMG_2105.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3740" data-original-width="1888" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFzs1D4qGX0pQKuacVauHQt7PmbO3Fufwz3aOdUBJE2ZOvmIMwjdVrkFKlhm4OqgR-YfTywBZ_kxiSNNVqR1zUo9riZoGcv5kNmduz1NcAUJhyBHGuwpZJAff-y03lYLCSCFm3ADoLHeaAOmU9__DoYe1JJscqzvLHP0uLDwF3LRDWOiINIKH801KCeyw/w324-h640/IMG_2105.JPG" width="324" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1999" data-original-width="2005" height="638" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXM7u5x4ewjpKl-dsZ2WJjcBbQ0yRaaKq17VeO4CBy3TL7Fs7AI0rfd9lsoXvUoGaoa8jgDoLvb63E0PXjjushdsvVtKRYfOrFBdbqIdPxP7oNZoX4B8QRk74Fxz0AsodD2OOeuXTTwxuAgP_g_sWZhyphenhyphen-ucGoaqbuMiCnY95vCpqNhj_kRok4lkM6Dj0c/w640-h638/IMG_4468.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p></p></div></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-33476826332931888592024-01-11T07:42:00.000-08:002024-01-12T11:06:22.171-08:00Rock Bass on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Rock Bass.</u></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_GWOEK7WQbCZin0DsFG8L-YGT54vHMNl58wkavfqHamNtTyhht7miXp6_52jfTfIaHENODOMut99l1FxZE4m-FpBoxuITEAntVbei3m0aEWZhFWxHupQGxUNXTyYja0IVk0hg2nxhEuYhebZUZifTagbOwVCGDHQaj6fpSAU2qL1mm0kNuSSD26tfqo/s2985/IMG_4350.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2985" data-original-width="2166" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv_GWOEK7WQbCZin0DsFG8L-YGT54vHMNl58wkavfqHamNtTyhht7miXp6_52jfTfIaHENODOMut99l1FxZE4m-FpBoxuITEAntVbei3m0aEWZhFWxHupQGxUNXTyYja0IVk0hg2nxhEuYhebZUZifTagbOwVCGDHQaj6fpSAU2qL1mm0kNuSSD26tfqo/w464-h640/IMG_4350.JPG" width="464" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Bass on Fly<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br />Rock Bass are typically found in rocky streams with relatively cool, clear water. I did catch one in a Canadian lake once, but most of mine have been caught in streams. Some were trout streams, some were smallmouth bass streams. A few surprise fish came from warm water below a midwestern reservoir! That's not typical.</p><p>In the streams, Rock Bass typically prefer to hang out in the slower water (not stagnant) areas, often near large rocks, root wads, and fallen trees.</p><p>Rock Bass can be caught pretty much year-round. For some reason, the cooler seasons seem best. In some waters I've fished, anglers have commented that the Rock Bass seem to disappear during the summer. But in other waters they can be caught in the summer, so I could only speculate on the behavior of Rock Bass in those waters. In winter, I've caught them closer to springs in spring-fed streams. In warmwater streams during winter, I've found them in deeper holes, especially those with rocky or steep rip-rap banks, where they were tucked in tight to those rocks...and when caught, they would often spit up significant quantities of large dragonfly nymphs.</p><p>They have large mouths, so you can usually catch Rock Bass on flies in the #8 to #2 hook size range. I've caught some nice ones on surface flies...like smallmouth bass-sized blockhead poppers and large foam hopper / stonefly patterns. Subsurface, I've had good results with small crayfish / sculpin patterns, and large nymphs. Microjigs in various sizes and colors also work well, and sometimes you need that sort of weight to get a fly down into the deeper holes they often like to inhabit. Black and other natural colors seem to work best, in my experience, although I've had some good takes on chartreuse at times as well.</p><p>For gear, a 4wt or 5 wt fly rod is more than sufficient. I use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod, mainly because there may be large smallmouth bass in the areas I'm fishing. 4-6 lb fluorocarbon tippet is perfect. They aren't super-strong fighters.</p><div>Rock Bass are such a cool fish! They are challenging and fun. I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! </div><div><p>Here's a few pics of Rock Bass I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBb_NLhu4W6IBOlSD2lhJsVABytIH-Fr6Ykz730TeXSzLA2JCRnLffsMcD7pnyuEH7-cNePrEcQKPJBUfGF3MMMA1pWzG12_q1cb6_DgOAnv6RcFq6XYHPeKPODKdieDJLchZgC4naVMFLM9GUjspQu4WDDBvtM32BeATY7bMNE49IfNyQCnV21UrCF1c/s2048/91A81E24-DDB7-4C36-A11C-557DE38FE743.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBb_NLhu4W6IBOlSD2lhJsVABytIH-Fr6Ykz730TeXSzLA2JCRnLffsMcD7pnyuEH7-cNePrEcQKPJBUfGF3MMMA1pWzG12_q1cb6_DgOAnv6RcFq6XYHPeKPODKdieDJLchZgC4naVMFLM9GUjspQu4WDDBvtM32BeATY7bMNE49IfNyQCnV21UrCF1c/w640-h640/91A81E24-DDB7-4C36-A11C-557DE38FE743.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Bass from southern Missouri</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s10.gifyu.com/images/70E4768D-D06B-4F3E-8A29-B0F445A3BFAB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="576" height="640" src="https://s10.gifyu.com/images/70E4768D-D06B-4F3E-8A29-B0F445A3BFAB.jpg" width="461" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Bass from Missouri</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/581EEC0F-F441-45AC-9655-9381E18CCBD2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/581EEC0F-F441-45AC-9655-9381E18CCBD2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Bass from NE Iowa<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s0.gifyu.com/images/IMG_3001d9f46.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="427" height="640" src="https://s0.gifyu.com/images/IMG_3001d9f46.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="342" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rock Bass from Iowa on a Blockhead Popper</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><a href="https://s0.gifyu.com/images/IMG_3001d9f46.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s0.gifyu.com/images/IMG_305705ce6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="445" height="640" src="https://s0.gifyu.com/images/IMG_305705ce6.jpg" width="356" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh9dsB0HP9rQTgWFA64zpzrqVgAj1-cwtdfzVDaHGJvfW2UylYK_PtOt0nlweFjUwMtU1agEhDqTXccJr67D3dwQkW5BhLCmEL3BNQ8ZSCpyvx-knSl6t2aeLQeslpmJIdx5abEiPsV8Pw9nTZ-a9T5Ksep4b_70NBlPiOzJZchTOov36JjiqlWXIcpY/s2048/8EEA36F2-79FF-4B05-B89A-9F7B4085EE50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwh9dsB0HP9rQTgWFA64zpzrqVgAj1-cwtdfzVDaHGJvfW2UylYK_PtOt0nlweFjUwMtU1agEhDqTXccJr67D3dwQkW5BhLCmEL3BNQ8ZSCpyvx-knSl6t2aeLQeslpmJIdx5abEiPsV8Pw9nTZ-a9T5Ksep4b_70NBlPiOzJZchTOov36JjiqlWXIcpY/w640-h640/8EEA36F2-79FF-4B05-B89A-9F7B4085EE50.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_yGWHu-uIFv_pcmy9SqOgiOgq7C18YAoUjiAp-_5eZpSDE7NhIeq2mWvEoTFH5jrTXzMiTlb8fAJgVENVhTfJqvYf2JILO-h4MVL06lbuOMf7KbSYamLEmczYM_Vmmmb_H_AGa0nXL-MgGdRv4GevtYJNVWr05NMe0wu10v5NWfjlI5lWtIPFHN5bYw/s2048/2C395FFB-0A45-4F3F-913B-AA884942A13E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_yGWHu-uIFv_pcmy9SqOgiOgq7C18YAoUjiAp-_5eZpSDE7NhIeq2mWvEoTFH5jrTXzMiTlb8fAJgVENVhTfJqvYf2JILO-h4MVL06lbuOMf7KbSYamLEmczYM_Vmmmb_H_AGa0nXL-MgGdRv4GevtYJNVWr05NMe0wu10v5NWfjlI5lWtIPFHN5bYw/w640-h640/2C395FFB-0A45-4F3F-913B-AA884942A13E.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-74015384326940480522024-01-09T14:20:00.000-08:002024-01-09T14:20:59.648-08:00Sculpin on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Sculpin.</u></b></p><p><b><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKgh7RMSMUkM1oZcBKH5iNpFD1WNnMQ3ql0Kr4jLsFfiw7pA-1h53qiEywFonQk1tIeffc1Xl8WvS2HvX1ZEQ9zuH_zlAyh5KV7k_X3Erf03Dxp9ubrYnPY5wgOI4XmqN9dpjpx2fv0C3WjWomxx7ZPdr4OEx4EzGgCcR2wyJFP7k2TWaElwNgRlug6M/s2517/IMG_0355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1535" data-original-width="2517" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXKgh7RMSMUkM1oZcBKH5iNpFD1WNnMQ3ql0Kr4jLsFfiw7pA-1h53qiEywFonQk1tIeffc1Xl8WvS2HvX1ZEQ9zuH_zlAyh5KV7k_X3Erf03Dxp9ubrYnPY5wgOI4XmqN9dpjpx2fv0C3WjWomxx7ZPdr4OEx4EzGgCcR2wyJFP7k2TWaElwNgRlug6M/w640-h390/IMG_0355.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sculpin on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisw819nT6mr2nVwow5ZLH7lVo34ZwjTAKxAUCY72CK7yx23FM6p0TYDdtW-QFj8pTQLzv3QmQ_jsQ2T70azPX26TmNvChQ4cUzTDQvVcdk43zL0K8jeQ_v5-MW2vWYnQU7ldj9X89EBfUrWVsPUAKLRcIupRlJZV10RVmmM0SBsGkOnqKzPgMBSacVzXI/s2266/IMG_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="2266" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisw819nT6mr2nVwow5ZLH7lVo34ZwjTAKxAUCY72CK7yx23FM6p0TYDdtW-QFj8pTQLzv3QmQ_jsQ2T70azPX26TmNvChQ4cUzTDQvVcdk43zL0K8jeQ_v5-MW2vWYnQU7ldj9X89EBfUrWVsPUAKLRcIupRlJZV10RVmmM0SBsGkOnqKzPgMBSacVzXI/w640-h416/IMG_0366.JPG" width="640" /></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div>There are a number of different species of Sculpin. Most live in cool, clear, spring-fed streams. Think "trout streams". Some Sculpin prefer to be in the faster current, others prefer to tuck beneath rocks with less current. They all feed on the bottom, although I've coaxed some to follow a fly up away from the bottom at times.<p></p><p>To date, I've caught 3 species, with similar preferences... Ozark Sculpin, Knobfin Sculpin, and Mottled Sculpin. They like being under rocks or next to rocks, with only mild current flowing by. You can often fish these rocks from shore.</p><p>It definitely helps if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can present the fly to an individual fish or spot, and see how they react. I've caught fish that I didn't see first, but the visible fish are your best and easiest targets.</p><p>Since they are often found in spring-fed streams, as long as the stream isn't frozen over in Winter, you can probably catch these fish every month of the year.</p><p>As Sculpin are often in trout stream-type environments, you can use light trout gear... such as a 5 wt or lighter fly rods, and 2 lb - 4 lb Fluorocarbon tippet is sufficient...probably overkill. </p><p>Larger sculpin have big mouths, but smaller ones obviously do not. Size your fly appropriately. I typically use a #10 for the larger sculpins, and a #14 for the smaller ones. I like weighted flies, such as a microjig or other bead-head fly, that will help you get to the bottom to probe between and around larger rocks that Sculpin like to hand around and under. Keep the tail material short, so if the fish tries to eat the fly, it can fit the hook into its mouth. Tiny weighted egg flies could also work. Fly color is less important, but I prefer to use colors that I can see fairly well... such as chartreuse, orange, yellow, pink, white, or even a flashy metallic in gold or silver.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAEDWhlKfWZVMebIg50JipF4_86Gv4_l90hkmcq6UW2RjtKJbkgvUly3RLsYgHzbSQ7hQ4H20Un4E1SX_ve5ePHmfgBgJV8QuvqgW3CZxMGOEpW784BilkENBUOG2fKKbWuv8oxLQ6ub73Kq-gB-3xrQirqtSRW5SXR978P1S6B5Gd4dUVwxgRUsLbI/s2172/IMG_0635.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1159" data-original-width="2172" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsDAEDWhlKfWZVMebIg50JipF4_86Gv4_l90hkmcq6UW2RjtKJbkgvUly3RLsYgHzbSQ7hQ4H20Un4E1SX_ve5ePHmfgBgJV8QuvqgW3CZxMGOEpW784BilkENBUOG2fKKbWuv8oxLQ6ub73Kq-gB-3xrQirqtSRW5SXR978P1S6B5Gd4dUVwxgRUsLbI/w640-h342/IMG_0635.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Size 12 or 14 Microjigs, tied on custom-made heads </td></tr></tbody></table><p>Most fishing for Sculpin is done vertically... straight below your rod tip. Work your fly of choice around the base of the larger rocks. Frequently "bang" the fly on the bottom. This seems to help attract the nearby sculpins to your fly. Sculpins blend in really well with the bottom, so look for any movement near your fly that might be a sculpin turning on it or following it. When your fly disappears, simply lift the sculpin from the water. There's really no opportunity to let the fish fight. It is what it is. </p><div>Sculpins are challenging and fun, and they are such an interesting fish! I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Sculpins I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIliqhfasY4cGe6JyOtJXCkL8-Sgtb0fkOzapz0nSS80y8cxICoDiie9LTxK_8-yjnXa_1CXZ-RjVbqD_JDSuMYe8Zk4_TCGv8M7bDWYecgmjRA2wfi9PQwdRYg3UqVI4-XtZVbxXF6zx-4ADJmhSd_lG02-WHgilxf5kmeihryD5nDS77WhM7Fqh50zM/s2048/35F4179A-9318-49F7-961C-7CA031F47B6B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIliqhfasY4cGe6JyOtJXCkL8-Sgtb0fkOzapz0nSS80y8cxICoDiie9LTxK_8-yjnXa_1CXZ-RjVbqD_JDSuMYe8Zk4_TCGv8M7bDWYecgmjRA2wfi9PQwdRYg3UqVI4-XtZVbxXF6zx-4ADJmhSd_lG02-WHgilxf5kmeihryD5nDS77WhM7Fqh50zM/w640-h640/35F4179A-9318-49F7-961C-7CA031F47B6B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt0PWmAPFXpd5FTGpQXNPvkRAvBFcgMWTf-a9qUz1zl-hFeNP4tMRuC38dlqmZECrzYVvMOTawAOqXwepG68EFJtPZpK8Ty4A50nLChlggDqOeS1xnSrsKDt4kxT7y2FoNy24GQRwfXsdAl2WsucSFCTp2X8PNp9ejzYCNmyVNRnD_Khc_oxJ-pITCEQ/s2048/A7493266-EFC4-410D-9138-7166602F5B64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizt0PWmAPFXpd5FTGpQXNPvkRAvBFcgMWTf-a9qUz1zl-hFeNP4tMRuC38dlqmZECrzYVvMOTawAOqXwepG68EFJtPZpK8Ty4A50nLChlggDqOeS1xnSrsKDt4kxT7y2FoNy24GQRwfXsdAl2WsucSFCTp2X8PNp9ejzYCNmyVNRnD_Khc_oxJ-pITCEQ/w640-h640/A7493266-EFC4-410D-9138-7166602F5B64.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L9fuynzz1cQek8U7dCv4JVqTgQoU-i-myvbHWdpCv8Wlc9pa5pvPPVSd7410u1Lgdcv9dHqZF8ZIehFVAv6uzhpqQIN0ueq9wigmIyQEG0o8n89YyCV-OfmPpufgF44WFnMnIJnOLdiW4pC-Wy1XSh5T8MrSZZ5SKqI5kQDqYefqU1u73MZFTMFtCVA/s2048/1D5572E6-A8EC-43F2-9B87-E337AD11A2DB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1L9fuynzz1cQek8U7dCv4JVqTgQoU-i-myvbHWdpCv8Wlc9pa5pvPPVSd7410u1Lgdcv9dHqZF8ZIehFVAv6uzhpqQIN0ueq9wigmIyQEG0o8n89YyCV-OfmPpufgF44WFnMnIJnOLdiW4pC-Wy1XSh5T8MrSZZ5SKqI5kQDqYefqU1u73MZFTMFtCVA/w640-h640/1D5572E6-A8EC-43F2-9B87-E337AD11A2DB.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSPSkNwTT3DHb79nKHK0d_ykw2AHyl6zVXxfmp18qoZ6QnJNjNzt0S_NV4Ol9K84mMQxkUh55QSxKFxld5ZsdTfdF85iiYzmw0nDNFCa0bEUV37FZ6RffMrI3xP7LfbCQ2vk48gde1qaMMwwVhEDU_fjH9TqqqweKjgRsdVie7YWGMH1avAanjkaclMhE/w640-h640/646DEB92-4BFA-4D43-83FC-1F3163F89DCD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE0vY1KtEHd3plOf1B9v4CFECEnIl86KYz-DgUcyhl-vlw1BbwiuW-2Y05rnhNE133Cr8kTxOPVQwSTXSVi6rsNLry-adWG9wU2Ba16Iu7ogKkWlxAcAjm7x2HdZyqj-8YDa9he2N0R3CRHM7osOQKINseJefJk-wNccPLRsN4lU2aqrbfooD3C4bIK4/s2866/IMG_4304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1567" data-original-width="2866" height="350" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghE0vY1KtEHd3plOf1B9v4CFECEnIl86KYz-DgUcyhl-vlw1BbwiuW-2Y05rnhNE133Cr8kTxOPVQwSTXSVi6rsNLry-adWG9wU2Ba16Iu7ogKkWlxAcAjm7x2HdZyqj-8YDa9he2N0R3CRHM7osOQKINseJefJk-wNccPLRsN4lU2aqrbfooD3C4bIK4/w640-h350/IMG_4304.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-933825625453541602024-01-08T13:16:00.000-08:002024-01-18T07:04:28.222-08:00Common Carp on Fly<p> <i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Common Carp.</u></b></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehgtyGlgzW2dlHyRNqnUFp30Pb_99lgUZp-ZZwL5Npqf2ZWDk__QHX3lyiV6ycj4JfhtjpaXGsyQkcQwoI2iL2Nyqq6TOqArsX9Q0n1AuwZ1XbTJUaJlb8FpfcGJVzKy7vRbqoeuy5tv23t6xw-ULoFzzPoIxzQABplyW8pAwqJl3DBnVLAMDTSKggqo/s2048/8338B2CD-A542-4C8E-B161-643A9C5184DB.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehgtyGlgzW2dlHyRNqnUFp30Pb_99lgUZp-ZZwL5Npqf2ZWDk__QHX3lyiV6ycj4JfhtjpaXGsyQkcQwoI2iL2Nyqq6TOqArsX9Q0n1AuwZ1XbTJUaJlb8FpfcGJVzKy7vRbqoeuy5tv23t6xw-ULoFzzPoIxzQABplyW8pAwqJl3DBnVLAMDTSKggqo/w640-h640/8338B2CD-A542-4C8E-B161-643A9C5184DB.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">35" Common Carp on Fly<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">Common Carp are found in many of the waters across the USA, from creeks and rivers, to ponds and lakes. Carp are omnivores, if you can put a fly near them that they think is food, they will eat it, and you can catch them.</span></div><p></p><p>It definitely helps tremendously if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can cast toward an individual or group of fish, and see how they react. I've caught fish that I didn't see first, but the visible fish are your best and easiest targets.</p><p>Common Carp are typically more active in warmer water, but folks catch them during the winter as well, sometimes even under the ice.</p><p>Sometimes Carp seem to rest. Just sitting on the bottom not moving. In such a situation, they are unlikely to eat a fly, so move on. When they are actively feeding, an not just swimming from one place to another, that's when you can catch them.</p><p>The best place to look for them are in shallow waters near shore, where they will come in to feed. If you don't spot them right away, also look for mud trails in the water that show a carp may be feeding there, and sometimes they also produce a stream of bubbles when they are feeding. Look for any and all signs.</p><p>I use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod most of the time. I've also had my butt handed to me by some larger carp, where a 7wt or 8wt would certainly have helped land the fish more quickly. These fish are very strong. They are also smart, so I prefer to use 6 lb or 8 lb test Fluorocarbon tippet.</p><p>For fly patterns, beadchain eye nymph-like patterns, such as a John Montana's Hybrid Carp Fly in a size #10 to #6, have been my most consistent producers. I've caught them other ways as well... from microjigs under an indicator, to woolly buggers. On occasion a fly moving steadily will take a carp, but the highest percentage game is to use the "drag and drop" technique (cast beyond the fish, then swim the fly shallow in the water until it is nearly over the head of the carp, then let the fly drop down to the bottom, within a foot or so of the fish's mouth). Carp are used to picking food up off the bottom, so let them.</p><p>In cloudy, muddier water, sometimes a fly with a body of a shiny, flashy material, can help the carp spot the fly. Otherwise, flies of dark, natural colors often work best, although I've caught some on chartreuse as well.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s1.gifyu.com/images/17A7D07A-D9FD-423A-AE4C-1FBE3754CD4B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="743" data-original-width="800" height="594" src="https://s1.gifyu.com/images/17A7D07A-D9FD-423A-AE4C-1FBE3754CD4B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p>I would guess that egg patterns could also work well. </p><div>Common Carp are challenging, fun, and strong fighters. I really enjoy catching them on flies. Find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Common Carp I've caught while flyfishing:</p></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zO054LUTCYwT8Ap972Vnr6zMfd65xqE6ec9jQGnk0eohtMYtDYYQAFlM1N2g-EyDtF1kVuVbTfzLRuJXPM9JFIom5NC45CGLlcNc3VAZe1dSUy0fljp7I4tUBpGaww5HJzbcq_jwJyx5dc2byMMrOGx7X9QfEbfXd9AEen6lQr0hbMvlTK1svpXnln0/s2838/IMG_0981.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="2838" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1zO054LUTCYwT8Ap972Vnr6zMfd65xqE6ec9jQGnk0eohtMYtDYYQAFlM1N2g-EyDtF1kVuVbTfzLRuJXPM9JFIom5NC45CGLlcNc3VAZe1dSUy0fljp7I4tUBpGaww5HJzbcq_jwJyx5dc2byMMrOGx7X9QfEbfXd9AEen6lQr0hbMvlTK1svpXnln0/w640-h352/IMG_0981.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAJGRR-hyiA0VI-tNGeiSa7j2lD0aPy7RbRCtU7cymbjlDubJuatR2s4WrH5JCKxm_AOiGuNj2Ahj-_PnjreXLeNVo9jUQRAzju2k8oRVxSKt9QhPwG1Ty36oo9PpLkhZQLw3aB_JauOiRpMMLbpPrkEp2BVCNaEUNNaMRlGY6zVE9RZiMbfDojKQyX8/s3517/IMG_1032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1659" data-original-width="3517" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdAJGRR-hyiA0VI-tNGeiSa7j2lD0aPy7RbRCtU7cymbjlDubJuatR2s4WrH5JCKxm_AOiGuNj2Ahj-_PnjreXLeNVo9jUQRAzju2k8oRVxSKt9QhPwG1Ty36oo9PpLkhZQLw3aB_JauOiRpMMLbpPrkEp2BVCNaEUNNaMRlGY6zVE9RZiMbfDojKQyX8/w640-h302/IMG_1032.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aqkN4hRseKDaBum2Pk_3FhDTDK7ucOvoM_ga1hkJ6waYf52AB6HQ6PbYfWyzXoLTfpvjFgQzklyKBe2veBt3TgL7DKu_TZeFBInClrJl0bXXamvYdpJzWmHYe8-OPhbZSoSkJ7x6765oIm3FH_dvI7dS49nlGdxfg3vzAg8Na4VyXzZeUoegK-Z9CFA/s2048/7383B64F-49AD-48AF-859A-A765AD9F94B3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7aqkN4hRseKDaBum2Pk_3FhDTDK7ucOvoM_ga1hkJ6waYf52AB6HQ6PbYfWyzXoLTfpvjFgQzklyKBe2veBt3TgL7DKu_TZeFBInClrJl0bXXamvYdpJzWmHYe8-OPhbZSoSkJ7x6765oIm3FH_dvI7dS49nlGdxfg3vzAg8Na4VyXzZeUoegK-Z9CFA/w640-h640/7383B64F-49AD-48AF-859A-A765AD9F94B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcOO9sixUavCiTB9iLW-MHbQvA5QTuE5zoYQ2djS39U_O981pXdtTrqXirKTuw_7tQf6_JJgpx12T8Xw1D_fLBLk6qm1IAOFfTV3ymElzbITynR46mk8IjVYu82AG31gb2wxbKaD0bOvwCKjNkhoyRbNaIaT5y8NyvO37LMdnQsU58Mnli6aSMwYvXjU/s3324/IMG_8663.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1780" data-original-width="3324" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTcOO9sixUavCiTB9iLW-MHbQvA5QTuE5zoYQ2djS39U_O981pXdtTrqXirKTuw_7tQf6_JJgpx12T8Xw1D_fLBLk6qm1IAOFfTV3ymElzbITynR46mk8IjVYu82AG31gb2wxbKaD0bOvwCKjNkhoyRbNaIaT5y8NyvO37LMdnQsU58Mnli6aSMwYvXjU/w640-h342/IMG_8663.JPG" width="640" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s2.gifyu.com/images/1CD2B4F0-FD76-4EBD-8451-D2EDE499E63F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="800" height="372" src="https://s2.gifyu.com/images/1CD2B4F0-FD76-4EBD-8451-D2EDE499E63F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/C5A58034-C45F-4D19-85F4-A14BF37DDB03.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="503" data-original-width="800" height="402" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/C5A58034-C45F-4D19-85F4-A14BF37DDB03.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/B12F5128-7464-4169-8F5C-B23A7445058F.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="721" data-original-width="800" height="577" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/B12F5128-7464-4169-8F5C-B23A7445058F.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/1BA59C10-7F0C-4645-9B42-448855C2B376.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/1BA59C10-7F0C-4645-9B42-448855C2B376.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full-Scale Carp</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/58D1E036-76DB-4DFD-BF21-015F4CD42CC5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="800" height="328" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/58D1E036-76DB-4DFD-BF21-015F4CD42CC5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt2pfF9hgQx09iViAJlUsRuLtzUS0HwSmITMGiLVCHrsBIiWuW1SfSjn11g6rvv3mbhAYcdd_Gz2TWIGnHhglZvespBpmZBgrrWQ9BDSjt4QesJqnZLnIgYw08jIQq3x5TLgfveG-yN4lP2NWD6EmfG36Pa1ZHi4QcbzbTIGXNOYOBiwTjdmits4tC04/s1280/DM_MarinaCarp1b_9lb10oz_25in.JPG.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="874" data-original-width="1280" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwt2pfF9hgQx09iViAJlUsRuLtzUS0HwSmITMGiLVCHrsBIiWuW1SfSjn11g6rvv3mbhAYcdd_Gz2TWIGnHhglZvespBpmZBgrrWQ9BDSjt4QesJqnZLnIgYw08jIQq3x5TLgfveG-yN4lP2NWD6EmfG36Pa1ZHi4QcbzbTIGXNOYOBiwTjdmits4tC04/w640-h438/DM_MarinaCarp1b_9lb10oz_25in.JPG.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyrFhCaicfEvjeWDE8CRixLszty5z7qg2gKThbxKov8bj8bEYTbz7RVO-YakX98U6bSpWVBmVNVF6G7zWwn3CDIEdut1tqWPoHQjKo8w23VE8bI6Zt_9Bf_LsKd7pUR-qmqAmU-FwjPCvGvXCowG4Jz9fKY7-u-Vk1oYbXUq7pfTXmidPP5LcenuZkPU/s3621/IMG_1697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3621" data-original-width="1627" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyrFhCaicfEvjeWDE8CRixLszty5z7qg2gKThbxKov8bj8bEYTbz7RVO-YakX98U6bSpWVBmVNVF6G7zWwn3CDIEdut1tqWPoHQjKo8w23VE8bI6Zt_9Bf_LsKd7pUR-qmqAmU-FwjPCvGvXCowG4Jz9fKY7-u-Vk1oYbXUq7pfTXmidPP5LcenuZkPU/w288-h640/IMG_1697.JPG" width="288" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2111" data-original-width="2679" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-qEdUWDpIOu52SDfQCM0vgfrGfD1wDjxKR_7Kb_x5suzROoqXgAl-XXlBZx4oz1meRsKQT3tJtHDR0tqrxvI5G73Rrxf4QBsCqELTNcYZQtlJq7KizixOwXiXsHGJr-Mi_proWq6lqnOhdXIz-QMV3VNArFwLI0C8EYv4pLSLm8XK4OisTi8gjXPF2SA/w640-h504/IMG_4850.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07hZDZl6zLwfvUxSnLQuD6Imiqdor2U09j8ciP2rlwbRTZfiTaCHPs01KP1pe33f9AaEpcSDEquOlDnmeaefifmguNlwVG-YseGSmMNpMYxCgg7ZIe24ltcPTjnD13ye-YvrVODr0XNmLCQSj63GDFowsXp7mXR8FGLX1YA6XEYEB15uFkIToMr0rUeI/s2932/IMG_5270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1409" data-original-width="2932" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi07hZDZl6zLwfvUxSnLQuD6Imiqdor2U09j8ciP2rlwbRTZfiTaCHPs01KP1pe33f9AaEpcSDEquOlDnmeaefifmguNlwVG-YseGSmMNpMYxCgg7ZIe24ltcPTjnD13ye-YvrVODr0XNmLCQSj63GDFowsXp7mXR8FGLX1YA6XEYEB15uFkIToMr0rUeI/w640-h308/IMG_5270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xXgZjVoMtpj8F6-oQTsiynCiLxZhkeGpw_Jc_Dx7mqzabzbGNBJzgULaxrM_Gv9zsa4ea8WPs4dbKM0yeWLh6ASviW_RQVJev9eUFMx89nrG32WL2mUvYjrcy1D-Xo3mOmQKLejU7hn2JRWL996AzyNl4o_U2evlyx1P1UhSA_v_uIWSozEqUDaR-ng/s2048/50C55FE5-8E0D-4751-9E01-49EBF207BA38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0xXgZjVoMtpj8F6-oQTsiynCiLxZhkeGpw_Jc_Dx7mqzabzbGNBJzgULaxrM_Gv9zsa4ea8WPs4dbKM0yeWLh6ASviW_RQVJev9eUFMx89nrG32WL2mUvYjrcy1D-Xo3mOmQKLejU7hn2JRWL996AzyNl4o_U2evlyx1P1UhSA_v_uIWSozEqUDaR-ng/w640-h640/50C55FE5-8E0D-4751-9E01-49EBF207BA38.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKrnBfiyza8Uy2WQM0wHlyUXwARDid9n-rTmgRrlSVOZL5-cGUbSHNyp0eC8WJXFdlPi3eFsESfAXLzZsyKicsk1Rpmr0gub3oB5eXJOrx9F21Jt0z7jtZKosOPMcPhxXFOviBHBKric0FefAL6ugaIkspLa2rBv89KqUXG1IFVli7GfWgEWabL6GbUw/s2815/IMG_1264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2083" data-original-width="2815" height="474" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzKrnBfiyza8Uy2WQM0wHlyUXwARDid9n-rTmgRrlSVOZL5-cGUbSHNyp0eC8WJXFdlPi3eFsESfAXLzZsyKicsk1Rpmr0gub3oB5eXJOrx9F21Jt0z7jtZKosOPMcPhxXFOviBHBKric0FefAL6ugaIkspLa2rBv89KqUXG1IFVli7GfWgEWabL6GbUw/w640-h474/IMG_1264.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9G9nGDOiLmouMCbwFaAxTmCl_mkTQqkMMqQDi2WN2iThHLI8x8C4z-Uff7TLyo_OzeOELFXESZW92PWnjAJ1ph4Gv-phH0o4E8CAha5mSqAl595edVNXXu6kuWcaNYsIXKEt7AOC919-nPz6Rh3X9m6NkEQnrSD1FRKcW5F5f33cY9tppOSS2yYVT-s/s2455/IMG_5241.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2455" data-original-width="2211" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO9G9nGDOiLmouMCbwFaAxTmCl_mkTQqkMMqQDi2WN2iThHLI8x8C4z-Uff7TLyo_OzeOELFXESZW92PWnjAJ1ph4Gv-phH0o4E8CAha5mSqAl595edVNXXu6kuWcaNYsIXKEt7AOC919-nPz6Rh3X9m6NkEQnrSD1FRKcW5F5f33cY9tppOSS2yYVT-s/w576-h640/IMG_5241.JPG" width="576" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyPhC81sxHKW8nPpcQe-lteq9QH8n78q5n1_MteHZgt1y1ImyAmS7iE-eH3jqby6klig5jQb5XZAuOj-PAymrXvmXzu3tc3O9ioHkhNPNQOVUxXQq4qhKVtY5JdSz7j5KmwdeVr15djnpXn2FJnD_w_Uw1waFWH5CUA8kPaUCPzuXJyjdNcbVYmpMnec/s2048/12F75D38-3F69-4E2E-A939-568A18BD9317.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXyPhC81sxHKW8nPpcQe-lteq9QH8n78q5n1_MteHZgt1y1ImyAmS7iE-eH3jqby6klig5jQb5XZAuOj-PAymrXvmXzu3tc3O9ioHkhNPNQOVUxXQq4qhKVtY5JdSz7j5KmwdeVr15djnpXn2FJnD_w_Uw1waFWH5CUA8kPaUCPzuXJyjdNcbVYmpMnec/w640-h640/12F75D38-3F69-4E2E-A939-568A18BD9317.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVJi0qJdlkjdvTdCXe7UhmXZJDsYkI8GDgnb9hmiSL-cafislT1EpGWEC8VlfowCy_Z7pl5I0WncMoYmXTz02E4b44tsIqNI5z035V0LmaJd7VOFSWv0Bfwac3nL41Z34LhjADIjJc8M_l17o4mbi3sYAjfUscTkqRLFOUyYHeIntMYCT0DBe6xk2Ck/s2048/7383B64F-49AD-48AF-859A-A765AD9F94B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRVJi0qJdlkjdvTdCXe7UhmXZJDsYkI8GDgnb9hmiSL-cafislT1EpGWEC8VlfowCy_Z7pl5I0WncMoYmXTz02E4b44tsIqNI5z035V0LmaJd7VOFSWv0Bfwac3nL41Z34LhjADIjJc8M_l17o4mbi3sYAjfUscTkqRLFOUyYHeIntMYCT0DBe6xk2Ck/w640-h640/7383B64F-49AD-48AF-859A-A765AD9F94B3.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-33808512437672059882024-01-07T15:45:00.000-08:002024-01-12T11:02:58.946-08:00Largemouth Bass on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">This blog post is about Largemouth Bass.</u> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEaYLz-suhBY6Lq6eV1mvVNiPC2AMvlgEwnjDBPoyfrHfVW1FCdqEC82NkgK5bRhy66oDiMMLjqY6ngPOs9xC7hnyrjPcQqXGOEKPrzlOMUwskYxZjDb8f8AyP2jRaQaWz99Br_JoSSOKis4xge0n9cqPE4sExLjW3UMl_HQqiMfnP-Uy-hWo6NmZrh4/s1600/DM_PLN_21dot75in_LMB_4-11-2015c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEaYLz-suhBY6Lq6eV1mvVNiPC2AMvlgEwnjDBPoyfrHfVW1FCdqEC82NkgK5bRhy66oDiMMLjqY6ngPOs9xC7hnyrjPcQqXGOEKPrzlOMUwskYxZjDb8f8AyP2jRaQaWz99Br_JoSSOKis4xge0n9cqPE4sExLjW3UMl_HQqiMfnP-Uy-hWo6NmZrh4/w640-h480/DM_PLN_21dot75in_LMB_4-11-2015c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Largemouth Bass on Fly<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/BC5CC922-39EC-451C-8E8C-DFB84D609C70.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="522" data-original-width="800" height="418" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/BC5CC922-39EC-451C-8E8C-DFB84D609C70.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Largemouth Bass on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p>While I've caught Largemouth Bass on by flyfishing in lakes, ponds, creeks and rivers, targeting them in still water has been by far the most productive for both numbers and especially good sizes of bass. That's what I'll focus on here.</p><p>For the sizes of flies I typically use for Largemouth Bass, I prefer 9' fly rods in 6wt-8wt. An aggressive weight-forward fly line helps cast the heavier/wind resistant bass flies. I like Airflo 40 Plus, but many others will work. I've had enough broken tippets to have learned that 12 lb Fluorocarbon tippet is what I like to use for Largemouth Bass.</p><p>Most folks flyfishing for bass will be starting out on smaller public or private waters, like detention ponds in public parks, for example. Bass in such waters will strike a wide variety of fly patterns. Some of the best ones I've used include:</p><p>- Blayne Chocklett's GameChanger baitfish patterns, with overall lengths of 2.5"-4" being excellent producers,</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/8620BBD4-9798-4F93-A9EB-74FAA46CD04B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="561" data-original-width="800" height="449" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/8620BBD4-9798-4F93-A9EB-74FAA46CD04B.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>- Flymen's <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Surface Seducer® Howitzer Articulated Baitfish Popper,</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Blockhead Poppers</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">- Microjigs under a strike indicator are EXCELLENT producers of even BIG bass, especially through the Fall. Think "Float-n-Fly". Extremely effective!</span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">Other solid fly patterns include Woolly Buggers in a variety of sizes, weights, colors, and lengths, as well as other baitfish patterns. I've not experimented much with crayfish patterns for Largemouth Bass, but they could be a good option.<br /></span></span></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: times;">(Check out this blog entry of mine regarding one of the best years I had for Largemouth Bass over 18" on fly: </span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;"><a href="https://fishndave.blogspot.com/2019/12/2019-iowa-flyfishing-summary.html">https://fishndave.blogspot.com/2019/12/2019-iowa-flyfishing-summary.html</a> )</span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: times;">Cast along shorelines, weed pockets, and weed edges for best results. In waters lacking weed cover, target woody structure or rocks.</span></p><p>Here's some Largemouth Bass on fly pics:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/BDB5EFF8-6D0B-4CE6-8686-434B9B65A450.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/BDB5EFF8-6D0B-4CE6-8686-434B9B65A450.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/13D81FD5-A28D-4793-99BB-609737D47DFD.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/13D81FD5-A28D-4793-99BB-609737D47DFD.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/DA7E21C5-DCFA-4E0C-8A9B-84D2CC9E74BE.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s5.gifyu.com/images/DA7E21C5-DCFA-4E0C-8A9B-84D2CC9E74BE.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/37815D8A-78F8-48FD-A8F7-C34911D610B8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="342" height="640" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/37815D8A-78F8-48FD-A8F7-C34911D610B8.jpg" width="274" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s2.gifyu.com/images/DA112F8C-0448-4D33-A525-2498D8AA142C.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="386" height="640" src="https://s2.gifyu.com/images/DA112F8C-0448-4D33-A525-2498D8AA142C.jpg" width="309" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/456ABAC6-1003-4AA6-A3B4-D7CA4DB0DD16.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="640" src="https://s3.gifyu.com/images/456ABAC6-1003-4AA6-A3B4-D7CA4DB0DD16.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPqE37b5vRBEg_MmwrRkTdQ31NRvStcUVqVjrfkbgtHhPQJF8qz1WI2HTOXsA99jej3Smkf9xt2Dvoly46REKAXEQlGQEYkqJrCySWmaeUm8GqjS7k5RSFBjI0dhyc9UAtSNOEFSlIoBymEbfzbMAi9LtNwD5ZFU7e3689Hwxaq_bVKHyuczc6EYmZqQ/s1136/image001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1136" height="530" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdPqE37b5vRBEg_MmwrRkTdQ31NRvStcUVqVjrfkbgtHhPQJF8qz1WI2HTOXsA99jej3Smkf9xt2Dvoly46REKAXEQlGQEYkqJrCySWmaeUm8GqjS7k5RSFBjI0dhyc9UAtSNOEFSlIoBymEbfzbMAi9LtNwD5ZFU7e3689Hwxaq_bVKHyuczc6EYmZqQ/w640-h530/image001.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p><br /></p>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-45636236640310785912024-01-07T14:51:00.000-08:002024-01-13T15:38:14.757-08:00Crappie on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">This blog post is about Crappie.</u></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB7zSvgLRZONyfFsMfPPOFvMmtBHsfg0-pUjEA_XSZbEpx_Vf3oLu3Gvuo22BXw0zX0G_YGOLzCYMgyyz0vPZYVJQLBNI_S9BsEEznkyFHXhvMQ7mqPP__MYB3_j6AGmVhMiOdgFCc3YuAaG_vpnrocB5vUSfRZj4uQKyOOdOWnnCSSPllsySG6-xn1s/s3416/IMG_9314.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1921" data-original-width="3416" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjB7zSvgLRZONyfFsMfPPOFvMmtBHsfg0-pUjEA_XSZbEpx_Vf3oLu3Gvuo22BXw0zX0G_YGOLzCYMgyyz0vPZYVJQLBNI_S9BsEEznkyFHXhvMQ7mqPP__MYB3_j6AGmVhMiOdgFCc3YuAaG_vpnrocB5vUSfRZj4uQKyOOdOWnnCSSPllsySG6-xn1s/w640-h360/IMG_9314.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crappie on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>I've caught Black Crappie and White Crappie from ponds, lakes, and rivers. They behave pretty similarly everywhere I've fished for them. When current is available, they will be near current breaks, in eddies, and near structure (rock, wood, concrete, etc). In lakes and ponds, during the spawn you may find males guarding nests along shoreline drop-offs, near structure, amongst weedbeds, etc. The rest of the season, they may be relating to structures like submerged trees & brush, or they may be suspended in open water away from shore. They often move higher in the water column and closer to shore at night. During daytime, if shade is available with suitable water depth, certainly give that area a try.</p><p><span>You can cast and retrieve flies, like Crappie Candy and both beadhead and unweighted Woolly Buggers. If fish are close to shore and shallow, any super-slow sinking unweighted or suspending fly may get bit. I've even caught them on floating patterns like you might use for bluegills (foam poppers and beetles, for example, or large parachute dry flies).</span></p><p><span>But BY FAR the best technique I've learned (from friend Dale Sanders in Ankeny, Iowa) for catching crappies with flyfishing gear almost any time and anywhere, is to use a microjig under an indicator (tiny bobber). This allows you to put an appropriate-sized fly at almost any depth (based on tippet length under the strike indicator), and keep it in front of crappie until they decide to strike. Its exactly what crappie want MOST of the time.</span></p><p>I use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod. You can certainly go with a much lighter rod... like 3wt to 5 wt. The only reason I use a 6 wt is because I'm usually fishing in areas where there may be larger bass present, or catfish, etc....and I want to have a good chance to land them if they strike. For that same reason I prefer to use 6 lb or 8 lb test Fluorocarbon tippet, even though you can certainly catch them on 2lb or 4lb test tippet. </p><p>I like the Fish Pimp Original size football-style strike indicators. I usually begin setting it at about 20" above the microjig, and then adjust from there based on water depth or where the fish may be located. In summertime, fish may be 5' deep or more, based on thermocline depth in the body of water.</p><p>I like to tie my own patterns on Wapsi Super Jig Heads. They have stronger hooks than most other commercially available microjigs. I think 1/64th oz, 1/48th oz, or 1/32th oz with the #8 or #6 hook is about perfect for Crappie. I've tried different body materials and colors. Almost anything will work, with marabou tail and some sort of chenille body being standards. Chartreuse has by far been my best color in most locations. I've had certain places where olive mylar chenille body has been the best producer, and others where silver metallic chenille body has been excellent.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02Gx.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="715" height="640" src="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02Gx.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02GL.jpg"><img border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="800" height="467" src="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02GL.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02Gs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="795" height="640" src="https://s13.gifyu.com/images/S02Gs.jpg" width="636" /></a></div><br /><p>Here's a few more pics of crappies caught on flies:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-FBuEaEjhRiEwZ8o_zkoPWds-URY-BRUbDrg14zp0fzMAjFLiamkJg8k6rHUFOsSISnIr-pq-WZ3okqXOHPP4D5cJkFIyNxrf5pGbKEQDbI7MEC8RL6DBAGFUsO8jXqt3EfjjLlWpMJDSqkHf9XPK3GFTkPrjjV5UDL8HfDYqpo8UqzWvZH-L06iSG4/s1280/DM_CC_Crappie_10-23-2011_2b.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1012" data-original-width="1280" height="506" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7-FBuEaEjhRiEwZ8o_zkoPWds-URY-BRUbDrg14zp0fzMAjFLiamkJg8k6rHUFOsSISnIr-pq-WZ3okqXOHPP4D5cJkFIyNxrf5pGbKEQDbI7MEC8RL6DBAGFUsO8jXqt3EfjjLlWpMJDSqkHf9XPK3GFTkPrjjV5UDL8HfDYqpo8UqzWvZH-L06iSG4/w640-h506/DM_CC_Crappie_10-23-2011_2b.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOruMcI529RXceEfPE0VlofJ_qyIrz-s4evZK-r443VtMSHuT3aTKbdBfSJbOMvj2hKAdn3vCrYMTchgCilW-nY5dZ-wUDXwCgJGonFvgQRUuI6k5am6hbTFoLisiLYDqGvHzcfJXtXsqTHtpWVFH9fhBYzH5_3ch1u6Qu6GkzJ4jL3GYOFNmnsbY2rq0/s798/image013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="798" height="342" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOruMcI529RXceEfPE0VlofJ_qyIrz-s4evZK-r443VtMSHuT3aTKbdBfSJbOMvj2hKAdn3vCrYMTchgCilW-nY5dZ-wUDXwCgJGonFvgQRUuI6k5am6hbTFoLisiLYDqGvHzcfJXtXsqTHtpWVFH9fhBYzH5_3ch1u6Qu6GkzJ4jL3GYOFNmnsbY2rq0/w640-h342/image013.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2C169pzkh4u-SQxgZuv5c6kYL-EsK_x3lX1u-9K4qkdcVqDb5nG3stJs9jO1dHPR2YIQpPV7Gw7uJqbHO7vvv8tsJ00NkPzCrpgt4wD0TSq5kl2WH7j9xIaOB3XBlKJLWReQt8bV5LpxIlgvsEIGSheazrcPf1slkoOKJNY4gd7XM8aHM-10zBM5ghjQ/s2783/IMG_8796.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2783" data-original-width="2448" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2C169pzkh4u-SQxgZuv5c6kYL-EsK_x3lX1u-9K4qkdcVqDb5nG3stJs9jO1dHPR2YIQpPV7Gw7uJqbHO7vvv8tsJ00NkPzCrpgt4wD0TSq5kl2WH7j9xIaOB3XBlKJLWReQt8bV5LpxIlgvsEIGSheazrcPf1slkoOKJNY4gd7XM8aHM-10zBM5ghjQ/w562-h640/IMG_8796.JPG" width="562" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c7uIoTwL0dHEltvey2R_Gdg7BFnROw2yn-Uf9f82NWz_bNciLVOLKikmOwGVq00BK_fNcDc9O1Ebgb59DnNLxWv5y8kDUB7r-CVAUCPRtdzXX_iz2Dtx1nLQmy1JCDQF5W9rnShbltuXV8gs1Da6J5dcKIV03WD7Fv7DAbDRfd8zOuNSaGZn_cN2SeM/s3184/IMG_1733.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3184" data-original-width="1737" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4c7uIoTwL0dHEltvey2R_Gdg7BFnROw2yn-Uf9f82NWz_bNciLVOLKikmOwGVq00BK_fNcDc9O1Ebgb59DnNLxWv5y8kDUB7r-CVAUCPRtdzXX_iz2Dtx1nLQmy1JCDQF5W9rnShbltuXV8gs1Da6J5dcKIV03WD7Fv7DAbDRfd8zOuNSaGZn_cN2SeM/w350-h640/IMG_1733.JPG" width="350" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaUBKmr8bOiQTt3qxR_v-MVxiRWsSVgRApzL6D3gdnJSdZ1DQLjuKx5qiqM8PxCkSUIdg2Kv7OAhd33F7jzKUYNcC4zSAKehOpptArAXqJVGlfGTIGXpFZ6xhytZlGmrGBphOJNw_wi5YeNmVVtiU1AAJdmaOJuCXv_0vlpx2jhruAC6dLjj9fEKdA3U/s3093/IMG_8797.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3093" data-original-width="2366" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggaUBKmr8bOiQTt3qxR_v-MVxiRWsSVgRApzL6D3gdnJSdZ1DQLjuKx5qiqM8PxCkSUIdg2Kv7OAhd33F7jzKUYNcC4zSAKehOpptArAXqJVGlfGTIGXpFZ6xhytZlGmrGBphOJNw_wi5YeNmVVtiU1AAJdmaOJuCXv_0vlpx2jhruAC6dLjj9fEKdA3U/w490-h640/IMG_8797.JPG" width="490" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJQf6HWgp8y93T1LuykQyVyHHHWGTt6R65GBEwaosZZNtcMjXWyRSAXUycjzxvW9gl2aQhU22mQD8VVN5tG47j18P_342JtIKDd8qDwulQF7x729-NMjAT6Ki3wf2TCM_5LAk1YyW3qV7Z-6V4XYrMzlY2jj5JJjLf7jXgN3LR7BbkTYo2q-Jmp_erhI/s2998/IMG_8117.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1595" data-original-width="2998" height="340" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJQf6HWgp8y93T1LuykQyVyHHHWGTt6R65GBEwaosZZNtcMjXWyRSAXUycjzxvW9gl2aQhU22mQD8VVN5tG47j18P_342JtIKDd8qDwulQF7x729-NMjAT6Ki3wf2TCM_5LAk1YyW3qV7Z-6V4XYrMzlY2jj5JJjLf7jXgN3LR7BbkTYo2q-Jmp_erhI/w640-h340/IMG_8117.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG8dWyzf3BbL6SWsvrpkk0SusdO_xRTKK97RZzWongPPWdnmC6_B5ZkSGTyqKet9pREyb2insa-o_fNYK_XsYdB8FPPah2JFp7gm0GerTEVl-5G5iLY5egp04Eg1ZZCvEPFDfP0iK5Ukwe6RoRfMK91h_r2_ILO2G4AIoKYQMv3hQKXFLnCmKo7c921g/s3575/IMG_0011.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2165" data-original-width="3575" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKG8dWyzf3BbL6SWsvrpkk0SusdO_xRTKK97RZzWongPPWdnmC6_B5ZkSGTyqKet9pREyb2insa-o_fNYK_XsYdB8FPPah2JFp7gm0GerTEVl-5G5iLY5egp04Eg1ZZCvEPFDfP0iK5Ukwe6RoRfMK91h_r2_ILO2G4AIoKYQMv3hQKXFLnCmKo7c921g/w640-h388/IMG_0011.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8kGi5U-K1IIgA8xUBeKewe0PW67gLWZ95nK18Py1WLU-KoyF_dmoEQcbIgdKe-KF927lk2rhTxqvGvhkoiEBUz-tJzGSf0eFOptgMpl3gyoZIfbJHrS2yWZRtjjOCN07WucWEL8Bf3RJN_Xxuyx8-WU9yEuNCqfMqQ4_vqxs5d2nLVyfmoanYdbhZls/s3410/IMG_0013.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3410" data-original-width="1895" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8kGi5U-K1IIgA8xUBeKewe0PW67gLWZ95nK18Py1WLU-KoyF_dmoEQcbIgdKe-KF927lk2rhTxqvGvhkoiEBUz-tJzGSf0eFOptgMpl3gyoZIfbJHrS2yWZRtjjOCN07WucWEL8Bf3RJN_Xxuyx8-WU9yEuNCqfMqQ4_vqxs5d2nLVyfmoanYdbhZls/w356-h640/IMG_0013.JPG" width="356" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4iD2Cn7epO55V_QKkvB5Cmv0CHN3D7JZw30NtdKQ2ShboX8yAcafVE-LMUHtYvsoce_1Zwzx8SU5oeqASyfoSyhVBYnWy2zbX3YeBxxA9DWHRjJbtroXeATMlWqdEOzkFZpteSXCRR5WE3chXpG4CQwSJLLBWr7AoZII8_d1VvFCOJVXEAMIgWtG5RQ/s1280/DM_PRS_14inCrappie_4-11-2011b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="959" data-original-width="1280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL4iD2Cn7epO55V_QKkvB5Cmv0CHN3D7JZw30NtdKQ2ShboX8yAcafVE-LMUHtYvsoce_1Zwzx8SU5oeqASyfoSyhVBYnWy2zbX3YeBxxA9DWHRjJbtroXeATMlWqdEOzkFZpteSXCRR5WE3chXpG4CQwSJLLBWr7AoZII8_d1VvFCOJVXEAMIgWtG5RQ/w640-h480/DM_PRS_14inCrappie_4-11-2011b.jpg" width="640" /></a><br /><p><br /></p>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-91233672372544019612024-01-07T13:30:00.000-08:002024-01-08T08:52:09.689-08:00Goldfish on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><u style="font-weight: bold;">This blog post is about Goldfish.</u> (It's going to look very similar to my post on Koi.)</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hFQSJNZTBXHnLDuMRWtjeCt6NXXgSfQD_67gzi1zp1bVyZocwH1zX01psGLE92DBGGwZlIHKVvf9lv46j8mCeI9jJ7d5sqQNqXyUaSYkh5ulIYas6ef4tU_EeJJGYNj5w6PGPVu1rdrHzz_QN0RVJiwfCpoXhdS97IhKbUu3TXKK0xIvDJr8JML5EK0/s3541/IMG_0513.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="3541" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hFQSJNZTBXHnLDuMRWtjeCt6NXXgSfQD_67gzi1zp1bVyZocwH1zX01psGLE92DBGGwZlIHKVvf9lv46j8mCeI9jJ7d5sqQNqXyUaSYkh5ulIYas6ef4tU_EeJJGYNj5w6PGPVu1rdrHzz_QN0RVJiwfCpoXhdS97IhKbUu3TXKK0xIvDJr8JML5EK0/w640-h344/IMG_0513.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Goldfish on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The biggest challenge is finding a public (or private) water that allows fishing. I'm fortunate to have found such a place not far from where I live. I'm certain there are other places scattered around the U.S., most likely where folks who had Goldfish in an aquarium or outdoor decorative water feature may have decided to release the fish into local waters. They shouldn't do this, but it has happened.</span></div><p>My personal experience with Goldfish comes from ponds in public parks, where fishing is allowed.</p><p>It definitely helps if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can cast toward an individual or group of fish, and see how they react. I've caught fish that I didn't see first, but the visible fish are your best and easiest targets.</p><p>I've caught Goldfish during every month of the year. As long as the water isn't iced over, I've caught them on flyfishing gear/flies. They are more active in warmer water.</p><p>At times the fish can be lethargic, and I've witnessed many times when park users would stop to feed the fish or ducks, which would cause the Goldfish to start feeding more aggressively. So, now I occasionally take a small sandwich ziplock bag of cat food (we own a cat), and if the fish aren't cooperating, I can usually change that by tossing a few handfuls of cat food out into the water. Chumming like this certainly isn't required, but it can help. Do as you wish.</p><p>I use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod. It is absolutely overkill. You can use a MUCH lighter fly rod... the only instance the heavier fly rod helps is when needing to hoist a large (10"-14"+) Goldfish up over a handrail or other barrier. They are also smart, so I prefer to use 6 lb test Fluorocarbon tippet. You can absolutely go lighter... 2 lb or 4 lb Flouro. There are usually other species, like Koi or Grass Carp in the waters I fish for Goldfish, so that is why I go with 6 lb...or even 8lb tippet. For fly patterns, small microjigs set below a strike indicator has been my most consistent technique. I've caught them other ways as well. But the microjigs have caught many hundreds of Goldfish for me, so I will focus on that.</p><p>I like the Fish Pimp Original size football-style strike indicators. I like to tie my own patterns on Wapsi Super Jig Heads. They have stronger hooks than most other commercially available microjigs. I think 1/80th oz with the #10 hook is about perfect for Goldfish. You may need to go smaller if your local Goldfish are under 5" in length. I've tried different body materials. White chenille with a short white marabou tail works very well, but I've caught them on many other colors, including with a body of small or medium silver metallic chenille. A microjig pattern I've had success with lately, catching Goldfish along with Koi, has a short white marabou or rabbit fur tail, and Peach or Sockeye color Eggstacy chenille, by Flybox, palmered up the hookshank.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcsWbMB0Se2AH4ISTDIHDh99fyq4t_42rQIldw5Ci7rl7iv8oDlEMbFcelv19pM0YH-DYfQqjUEt5DIadOzEHQrmfpWumujphAmMngHCo_Bx-S2GgrHiqMUdHeV7kc1dUKZts0l_mHvxALfWYzrCOGflwA5-K_sx0vNlVBtyNyJRQsWSCYwBh8TsJHNk/s3057/IMG_0625.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3057" data-original-width="2057" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcsWbMB0Se2AH4ISTDIHDh99fyq4t_42rQIldw5Ci7rl7iv8oDlEMbFcelv19pM0YH-DYfQqjUEt5DIadOzEHQrmfpWumujphAmMngHCo_Bx-S2GgrHiqMUdHeV7kc1dUKZts0l_mHvxALfWYzrCOGflwA5-K_sx0vNlVBtyNyJRQsWSCYwBh8TsJHNk/w430-h640/IMG_0625.JPG" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div><p>Other small weighted egg patterns, like a Y2K, can also work very well.</p><div><br /></div><div>The depth I set the fly depends on where the fish are. If they are feeding off or just under the surface, setting it 6" deep might get the most strikes. Where I fish, 18"-24" is usually a good depth to start with if the fish are visible but hanging a bit deeper. Adjust your fly to where your fish are, or just above.</div><div>I've noticed Goldfish can get interested by watching a fly sink down to near their level, or even dropping below. Goldfish often take and spit the fly very quickly, so if they are approaching the fly from slightly below, that helps to get some sort of signal from the strike indicator that a take is occurring. </div><div><br /></div><div>Goldfish eat everywhere in the water column, from the surface, to rooting in the bottom. </div><div><br /></div><div>Goldfish are challenging, and colorful. They generally do NOT fight nearly as well as a similarly sized Koi... but I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Goldfish I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJcu2Lc_-Q4NFLh2prToXaC-hUQgEIXSCgTS8zvVGKCzcKzDd0jDJ-T7AXibf_lnL29WMaMpYc-agxXpMm5KRrDSuZWkutUjob7qf34hJveVdXlMUcL1GzYrvAjxZQroYDRigDpBh3J88Xdklw4A6hDWKEZJsY_JNSV3jec7lQ_jfbvyNrfczV6w8224/s3370/IMG_6341.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1783" data-original-width="3370" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJcu2Lc_-Q4NFLh2prToXaC-hUQgEIXSCgTS8zvVGKCzcKzDd0jDJ-T7AXibf_lnL29WMaMpYc-agxXpMm5KRrDSuZWkutUjob7qf34hJveVdXlMUcL1GzYrvAjxZQroYDRigDpBh3J88Xdklw4A6hDWKEZJsY_JNSV3jec7lQ_jfbvyNrfczV6w8224/w640-h338/IMG_6341.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRknaGBOQsbjTFiSG5qpyQIhGCFD2GV98MWRrSuiFmWGfayb-L7FgyJ0PtqqkhPBrrmFzIA0SyZQu0Sb0L1Nf76X1ncK7vOrVwkvCV20jwAqRT98FZnlX1gycjL3bFxOWIqxQw44EVWUWMIbAJfdJHaIolCRsxy5YfAwUNbM6j1jECpYPnTfEf5PWfd0Y/s2048/A15FE9F5-E58C-4C8E-BB4A-0425EC6F4620.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRknaGBOQsbjTFiSG5qpyQIhGCFD2GV98MWRrSuiFmWGfayb-L7FgyJ0PtqqkhPBrrmFzIA0SyZQu0Sb0L1Nf76X1ncK7vOrVwkvCV20jwAqRT98FZnlX1gycjL3bFxOWIqxQw44EVWUWMIbAJfdJHaIolCRsxy5YfAwUNbM6j1jECpYPnTfEf5PWfd0Y/w640-h640/A15FE9F5-E58C-4C8E-BB4A-0425EC6F4620.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIab4fjB1oBO89pvBIgjefVyhHBKDCUVF1nz2jXtKUFC1Oc-kMs1GdEgSmj9rc3bZ1LfpCulg4_YxmVZMHHp_KzCZmvqatDCRn1fCsLmK4OZ6a84jHdE9F4wodx-UlggVuyUZq2Kh_c0N6MpqXwB6qo7EnHchzyU1oShlu7PovfhCw2ap2Nl13CY6FM4/s1776/IMG_1201.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1776" data-original-width="1517" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIab4fjB1oBO89pvBIgjefVyhHBKDCUVF1nz2jXtKUFC1Oc-kMs1GdEgSmj9rc3bZ1LfpCulg4_YxmVZMHHp_KzCZmvqatDCRn1fCsLmK4OZ6a84jHdE9F4wodx-UlggVuyUZq2Kh_c0N6MpqXwB6qo7EnHchzyU1oShlu7PovfhCw2ap2Nl13CY6FM4/w546-h640/IMG_1201.JPG" width="546" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9ccEq9CG3Kg_N6YpdOphOQ5NlyTdXsjtNvZHtetmI2SV0dTZOMU_pSE9YQebCTbQA4NyD-eV2WKNRL2E5tJl8VtkiTZUISaLYMF1HnvFbT9_EADElUKXumZWs9FUkg6TqTOPv-kRGXTJqxm7datWnygIfiejVsD5TDiRduDQbBHfeD-ny1wnQwpdr4w/s2048/42BD8B9A-E921-4412-AC13-1F69A0264E28.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2048" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA9ccEq9CG3Kg_N6YpdOphOQ5NlyTdXsjtNvZHtetmI2SV0dTZOMU_pSE9YQebCTbQA4NyD-eV2WKNRL2E5tJl8VtkiTZUISaLYMF1HnvFbT9_EADElUKXumZWs9FUkg6TqTOPv-kRGXTJqxm7datWnygIfiejVsD5TDiRduDQbBHfeD-ny1wnQwpdr4w/w640-h640/42BD8B9A-E921-4412-AC13-1F69A0264E28.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroUfIT5u5L1Rsoqui5X37WSePvPF-iYvLTgcG71mdNnKKN3gTeHrp43tgwwRI8NHmif6-jxzQ6tygm5BhKeVs7Z2ZKvor2HXc9OvW0F3jpXSQPkAgumhs0qgaSFDF-gqVtm4a8XzQLkfISOFzxVIUVN1aKpfgStL_9os1VNqfw0Y2OxYxAxdfqpwJzPc/s3322/IMG_0779.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3322" data-original-width="1884" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhroUfIT5u5L1Rsoqui5X37WSePvPF-iYvLTgcG71mdNnKKN3gTeHrp43tgwwRI8NHmif6-jxzQ6tygm5BhKeVs7Z2ZKvor2HXc9OvW0F3jpXSQPkAgumhs0qgaSFDF-gqVtm4a8XzQLkfISOFzxVIUVN1aKpfgStL_9os1VNqfw0Y2OxYxAxdfqpwJzPc/w362-h640/IMG_0779.JPG" width="362" /></a></div><p><br /></p></div>FishnDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12224770232081356438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2280254602600282932.post-19643209892961718422024-01-07T12:53:00.000-08:002024-01-14T09:14:44.183-08:00Koi on Fly<p><i>***</i><i>I haven't shared much regarding techniques for quit a while, my recent posts being more about the fish with which I am so enamored. I'm going to start sharing more specifically what I've learned for the various species I've caught.</i></p><p><i>We all know fish in different waters can behave differently and have different preferences. But I think overall this will give folks who want to try for certain species more info that can hopefully get them started off on the right foot, rather than going blindly. We can all shorten our personal learning curve by first learning from the experience of others.***</i></p><p><b><u>This blog post is about Koi.</u></b></p><p><b><br /></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QZT3QCub-rNyPjYvYp11d8YF6aWlrvtAEPa5K-WxoNM7-slcVATk3UoZj8B5jG18EMqKX7gWCf9Pkxh8xffOI9WaZRO2Ocfly_V_b91nc8FDOuOtKlExDF0Bh_z2YEtpECLmmmnedODj2U_Z3B-3VSEawfFMxTJSJvdqR2bJfUi9TaM2G1rYGyspgcc/s3587/IMG_9012.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2280" data-original-width="3587" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1QZT3QCub-rNyPjYvYp11d8YF6aWlrvtAEPa5K-WxoNM7-slcVATk3UoZj8B5jG18EMqKX7gWCf9Pkxh8xffOI9WaZRO2Ocfly_V_b91nc8FDOuOtKlExDF0Bh_z2YEtpECLmmmnedODj2U_Z3B-3VSEawfFMxTJSJvdqR2bJfUi9TaM2G1rYGyspgcc/w640-h406/IMG_9012.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koi on Fly</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>The biggest challenge is finding a public (or private) water that allows fishing. I'm fortunate to have found such a place not far from where I live. I've seen guys post catches from other places as well, like...I think Michigan(?), and definitely from Arizona's Phoenix area. I'm certain there are other places scattered around the U.S., most likely where folks who had Koi in an aquarium or outdoor decorative water feature may have decided to release the fish into local waters. They shouldn't do this, but it has happened.</p><p>My personal experience with Koi comes from ponds in public parks, where fishing is allowed.</p><p>It definitely helps if the water is clear enough for sight-fishing....where you can cast toward an individual or group of fish, and see how they react. I've caught fish that I didn't see first, but the visible fish are your best and easiest targets.</p><p>I've caught Koi during every month of the year. As long as the water isn't iced over, I've caught them on flyfishing gear/flies. They are more active in warmer water, but I really like targeting them during the winter season when other fish aren't as willing to strike.</p><p>At times the fish can be lethargic, and I've witnessed many times when park users would stop to feed the fish or ducks, which would cause the Koi to start feeding more aggressively. So, now I occasionally take a small sandwich ziplock bag of cat food (we own a cat), and if the fish aren't cooperating, I can usually change that by tossing a few handfuls of cat food out into the water. Chumming like this certainly isn't required, but it can help. Do as you wish.</p><p>I use a 9' long 6 wt fly rod. These fish can be pretty strong. They are also smart, so I prefer to use 6 lb or 8 lb test Fluorocarbon tippet. For fly patterns, small microjigs set below a strike indicator has been my most consistent technique. I've caught them other ways as well... from small unweighted woolly buggers (especially white) to small floating flies...like foam beetles or pellet flies. But the microjigs have caught many hundreds of Koi for me, so I will focus on that.</p><p>I like the Fish Pimp Original size football-style strike indicators. I like to tie my own patterns on Wapsi Super Jig Heads. They have stronger hooks than most other commercially available microjigs. I think 1/64th oz with the #8 hook is about perfect for Koi. I've tried different body materials. White chenille with a short white marabou tail works very well, but I've caught them on many other colors. My current favorites sport either a short white marabou or rabbit fur tail, and Peach, Sockeye, Candy Pink, or UV White color Eggstacy chenille, by Flybox, palmered up the hookshank.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcsWbMB0Se2AH4ISTDIHDh99fyq4t_42rQIldw5Ci7rl7iv8oDlEMbFcelv19pM0YH-DYfQqjUEt5DIadOzEHQrmfpWumujphAmMngHCo_Bx-S2GgrHiqMUdHeV7kc1dUKZts0l_mHvxALfWYzrCOGflwA5-K_sx0vNlVBtyNyJRQsWSCYwBh8TsJHNk/s3057/IMG_0625.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3057" data-original-width="2057" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfcsWbMB0Se2AH4ISTDIHDh99fyq4t_42rQIldw5Ci7rl7iv8oDlEMbFcelv19pM0YH-DYfQqjUEt5DIadOzEHQrmfpWumujphAmMngHCo_Bx-S2GgrHiqMUdHeV7kc1dUKZts0l_mHvxALfWYzrCOGflwA5-K_sx0vNlVBtyNyJRQsWSCYwBh8TsJHNk/w430-h640/IMG_0625.JPG" width="430" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Other weighted egg patterns, like a Y2K, can also work very well.<div><br /></div><div>The depth I set the fly depends on where the fish are. If they are feeding off or just under the surface, setting it 6" deep might get the most strikes. Where I fish, 18"-24" is usually a good depth to start with if the fish are visible but hanging a bit deeper. Adjust your fly to where your fish are, or just above.</div><div>I've noticed Koi can get interested by watching a fly sink down to near their level, or even dropping below. Koi often take and spit the fly very quickly, so if they are approaching the fly from slightly below, that helps to get some sort of signal from the strike indicator that a take is occurring. </div><div><br /></div><div>Koi eat everywhere in the water column, from the surface, to rooting in the bottom. </div><div><br /></div><div>Koi are challenging and fun, and where I fish they are available in many colors and scale patterns. You never know what you might catch next! I really enjoy catching them on flies. Do some research, find some fish near you, and get after them! Good luck! <br /><p>Here's a few pics of Koi I've caught while flyfishing:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLFeCeV-IzTymiN4mzyJ4lAXOoAAeafv0y8Tnp01aI9PlSSvUX2tWSFASZa83z6gqLifVJ9GVGrMC0MzgUU_zKyaasBkDHlvP8FQQei21f13dpY4KqQVaiJkR-KZR51ldPL7ZH19ASMHOLYmw7h_pIL6ym3FBt_dIw4yv6uZ_VdPDsGh9-IRLM-v-lIs/s1439/IMG_0542.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1439" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLFeCeV-IzTymiN4mzyJ4lAXOoAAeafv0y8Tnp01aI9PlSSvUX2tWSFASZa83z6gqLifVJ9GVGrMC0MzgUU_zKyaasBkDHlvP8FQQei21f13dpY4KqQVaiJkR-KZR51ldPL7ZH19ASMHOLYmw7h_pIL6ym3FBt_dIw4yv6uZ_VdPDsGh9-IRLM-v-lIs/w640-h426/IMG_0542.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8Irl-xVJDsnFYcXLFk5423N8oiu07D6y-hMmWrULPU3P2hNBLcmyfXx7x6c3CX4KbVeYU909gD22z3qr2HGoiCGUbxZ4Fx9ZkMvts74yLbLikB2uJWgLQrP37A6pEBgLMxR6v4hiLQVb92nWzfm76AsUGIeerac_daC2oqTkjaf14yFieGviAi20tfA/s3338/IMG_0539.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1843" data-original-width="3338" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8Irl-xVJDsnFYcXLFk5423N8oiu07D6y-hMmWrULPU3P2hNBLcmyfXx7x6c3CX4KbVeYU909gD22z3qr2HGoiCGUbxZ4Fx9ZkMvts74yLbLikB2uJWgLQrP37A6pEBgLMxR6v4hiLQVb92nWzfm76AsUGIeerac_daC2oqTkjaf14yFieGviAi20tfA/w640-h354/IMG_0539.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdXNgXVKqkyvg0ymS58wJ181_1bB4tmU137mibTn4q8xbdHaNEz4d9CiM6bwDyIK60bzB_iv1caxdghIKY50SBxxvc5EBdrPmf_qhIgXm33sAAC7MPKCpcecy_10hNVbCD-pSfRlv2z16vqXrBRkNq-6EkzcRgKzKdpHzOdICKeEzTnFnUr7Ut9CGgB0/s1383/IMG_4157.PNG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="828" data-original-width="1383" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwdXNgXVKqkyvg0ymS58wJ181_1bB4tmU137mibTn4q8xbdHaNEz4d9CiM6bwDyIK60bzB_iv1caxdghIKY50SBxxvc5EBdrPmf_qhIgXm33sAAC7MPKCpcecy_10hNVbCD-pSfRlv2z16vqXrBRkNq-6EkzcRgKzKdpHzOdICKeEzTnFnUr7Ut9CGgB0/w640-h384/IMG_4157.PNG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; 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