Took the family to Ada Hayden Lake yesterday just to get out
of the house. Took the kayak, didn’t bother bringing the
fishfinder. Took turns in the kayak. Fished from the dock when it
wasn’t my turn. Caught a couple nice bluegills on flies from the dock. Saw a
bunch of little ones. Also saw a small Drum, a couple decent bass, a carp
or buffalo that took looks at my fly but didn’t eat it, and something else I
couldn’t identify. It had a brown back, looked sort of shaped like a
trout or perch, but its hard to tell from above. It was pretty
good-sized.
There was also a couple big “blow-ups” a long cast out from
shore. It just looked like big schooled fish like buffalo or carp
spooking, rather than something eating. At one point I could see a few
“schools” of fish out there, and cast as well as I could. I briefly had
something on.
When it was my turn in the kayak, I took my fly rod along,
caught 2 smallish bass.
Last night I went to Georgetown Park hoping the cooler
weather would get the fish more active. There were large fish (grass carp
I think) in the shallow end. Presumably munching on vegetation.
Tossed a topwater deer (or elk) hair “pellet” fly for awhile. Had one of
those grass carp (?) on briefly, I set the hook (but apparently not hard enough
to bury the barb) and it ran right at me, and managed to shake the fly
loose. DANG!
I tossed some bread out and had one or more nice-sized
fish (catfish?) occasionally working it, but I wasn’t able to get any strikes
this time. I tossed back up the shallows where I suspected a grass carp
was, got a good hit that headed for deep water. Good fight that ended up
just being a bluegill. I think when it struck, it must have spooked a
grass carp, because there was a big splash when it took off out of the shallows!
I’m getting SO CLOSE to catching another grass carp…I
just can’t quite seal the deal or get a good visual strike.
Frustrating. I spend so much time trying to get these bigger fish (and
ignoring the bluegills, crappies and bass) that my fish/trip numbers have gotten horrendous.
Perseverance my friend is all I can say about those silly things. We have a pond with a boat concession, the people will go nuts as they pass over them in giant swans or paddle boats, but just let me raise a rod and they are gone, or at least totally aware of me. I too just say "now what the heck!" Sounds to me like you did hook several, too bad no true hook up!
ReplyDeleteGregg
They are so skittish, and there is NO COVER along the shorelines to hide behind. The shore even slopes down to the water, so I'd be visible to the fish even if I crawled on my belly!
ReplyDeleteFrustrating fish... Certainly worthy of the challenge and effort!