August 21, 2024

Took Wednesday off work to go fishing.  I needed 6 Bowfin to get to 200 Lifetime Bowfin on Fly.  I think that's pretty cool, considering I caught my first one ever in 2022.  

I went to a location about twice as far away from home as my usual bowfin spot.  Wasn't sure I'd reach the goal today, but thought maybe I'd inch closer to it.  I got there, and water was lower than when I'd last been here in the Spring.  Some decent spots were dry or otherwise unfishable.

Short story...I reached my goal!  I caught exactly 6 Bowfin.  They were smaller that the ones I usually catch, but cute little buggers!

I also caught Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, White Crappie, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, and a BOATLOAD of Warmouth!

Warmouth

Warmouth

Green Sunfish

White Crappie

possible Hybrid Crappie

Black Crappie

Seen while fishing:

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail (some females are black, while others are yellow with black stripes like the males)

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

This Plain-bellied Water Snake was my buddy.  He came flying off the high bank into the water chasing frogs.  I was snagging sticks in the water...I'd unhook them and toss them onto the bank on my left.  The snake would chase the sticks and attack them as if they were another snake.  I'd pet him with my rod tip.  He never seemed to mind.  He finally came over and rested next to my shoe.

Plain-bellied Water Snake

April 14, 2024

Temps in the 80's, rather windy much of the time (like 15mph).  Went to two fishing spots, racked up well over 10,000 steps on the day, and caught a couple species to add to the 2024 Flyfishing Fish List.  Now at 33 species for the year on fly.

First spot, I managed to catch a Grass Carp.  I missed at least one other, and also missed a 3rd really good strike from something.  Tried a bit for some topminnows and mosquitofish with micro flies, but did not hook any that were biting the flies.

Next spot, I missed and lost a number of Bowfin and Shortnose Gar... but managed to catch 4 of the Bowfin and 3 Gar.  Also caught 2 Green Sunfish while trying unsuccessfully for Warmouth.

The gar above was the largest landed of the day, at 25" long.

March 30, 2024

 Nice warm day in the mid-70's.... kinda windy.  Had a good outing, lots of walking.... I need better shoes.

I caught 7 Bowfin, and lost a number of others.  I got to sight-fish some of them, which the water clarity doesn't usually permit.  It was interesting to learn that when the fish would hit and not get hooked, even if I tugged on them for a bit, they didn't go far once the fly escaped them.  The just pretty much settled back to the bottom, and I was able to get repeated strikes from several, and eventually caught a couple of those fish.

 The male Eyetail Bowfin (Amia ocellicauda) are already sporting good spawning colors, and a couple of the females had very interesting markings!

The gents:

The ladies:

I had tied a fly with a Cohen's CGH Swim Tail, size Small.  It didn't have the swim action I was looking for, nor vibration... (I'm sure it was because it was poorly tied by me...first time using these!), but the bowfin seem to really like it all the same.

I caught 3 Common Carp:

There were some large schools of Mosquitofish / Gambusia, so I switched to micro flies to try for them.  They'd hit, but couldn't even get hooked on the tiny Tanago fly!

I caught some Green Sunfish, tiny Bluegills, and a couple other fish, which I think are probably both Golden Shiners, which I've caught before..so they weren't something new.  I like new. :)

Some other things seen while out.... a Bald Eagle carrying a fish:

I rescued a Red-eared Slider turtle that got high-centered on a stick:

I saw a number of different kinds of ducks and geese...Wood Ducks, Canadian Geese, a Greater White-fronted Goose, Mallards, some other kind of duck...possibly Common Goldeneye(?).

Also saw a number of different kinds of snakes...pretty cool.  Turned over 2 rotted logs next to the creek, one had nothing under it, the other had a snake tucked up in it, which I coaxed out for a photo op.