March 19, 2017

Its like February and March switched places this year.  February was unseasonably warm, and ice melted off the local ponds about 3-4 weeks earlier than usual.  March has been a roller coaster....warm days and cold days....more snow than December-February combined.  The local ponds actually refroze for a few days, before melting away once again.  Then, Monday was really nice...windy, but temperatures in the upper 60's F.  And today the temps are around 40, and it was just snowing an hour ago...around 11:30am.

Fortunately, I was able to get out and do some flyfishing locally on Sunday afternoon.  It was really windy.

I caught a fish on my first cast!  And on my last cast!  And on some casts in-between!  ;o)

Tried to keep the wind at my back or side for much of the time.  But fishing slowed, and I decided to try the downwind side of the pond...and attempt to cast into that brutal wind.  Well...the fish were definitely there, and in better numbers and more aggressive than on the upwind side of the pond.

I ended up landing/releasing 2 Largemouth Bass, 1 Hybrid Sunfish (Pumpkinseed x Bluegill), 4-5 Crappies, and well over 20 Bluegills.  It was a very enjoyable afternoon.  Although I tried for Largemouth Bass with a larger fly for awhile, I didn't have any strikes on it.  Everything was caught on a chartreuse microjig about 18" below a strike indicator.