Sitting at 44 Bowfin on fly for the year, I thought 50 was a good number to shoot for. I just needed 6 more, after the past 2 trips yielded 8 and 15 bowfin landed. Well... Perhaps I burned the spots out from all the fish the past few weeks. I didn't get it done. I only landed two, for a year-total of 46. I had enough strikes and hook-ups to get to 50, but lost too many. So...disappointed for not reaching that landmark of 50. But in reality, it has been a GREAT year for Bowfin. I went from ZERO, ever....to 46! And 45 of those were in the span of 6 weeks / 8 trips. Incredible! Very happy with this! I learned a lot...and still more to learn.
Bro! 46 bowfin on flies in a couple months is awesome! The number of people to have landed 1 bowfin on fly is already a very exclusive club! I wouldn't have believed it was possible if someone had told me last Spring. And there's still so much more to learn. I once saw what I thought was a bowfin guarding a little school of hatchlings, but I've never really seen one nesting and don't know much about their spawning behavior at all. You've seen some water level fluctuation in the time you've been catching them, does it seem like they are moving at all in relation to changing levels? That one I caught surprised me because it was in a log jam just off current, but the lack of lotus in the Lake Odessa inlet surprised me even more.
ReplyDeleteThe lotus here was above the waterline this Fall. I didn't visit this place until late August, so it was already pretty dry, and water levels dropped even more over the month-and-a-half. In looking at Google Earth images over time, there is usually much more water at this spot. And if there is enough water, I'd expect the bowfin to be spread out considerably, and much more difficult to find/access amongst the lotus. I may have hit it at the perfect (and atypical) time when they are bunched up due to the low water levels. There were spots where I caught bowfin a time or two, then those spots didn't produce again...like the fish left the shallow bowl areas and made their way to deeper areas? Also, when they spawn in the Spring, it sounds like they are often in shallows near shore, spread out. And they do follow their young around until they reach 3"-4" in length, during which time I've heard they don't eat, so fishing after the spawn may be difficult for a time. Yes, I'm still learning and need to experience a full season to see what is happening.
DeleteI think you're right, if water levels return to normal next year, you will find them spread out in heavier cover, which might make the Spawn and the early summer before the lotus fully emerges the best time. But if the winter is relatively dry and Spring begins with low water levels, the lotus may not germinate in its usual abundance regardless of what happens later. Either way, worrying too much about the weeds and trying to design weedless flies just lead to me losing fish in the past. The flies you're using now seem to hook these fish as well as can be expected and that's probably the most important thing.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of "exclusive clubs"...we are both members now! The "secret handshake" is a mime of a powerful strip-set followed by a bass pro "tournament hookset"! ;o) And when we sip our iced tea, we must hold our little finger out.
ReplyDeleteWithout being too specific to give anything away... I'm expecting high waters here come Spring, regardless of rainfall and river levels.