Wb - 1 ........... Me - 0

[marzrw]

Took off work today.

Fished with my self-tied bugger and a WB soft hackle.

Fishing in a nice run, kind of fast, slower run through middle of run, ends up with a small, stair step flume that empties into a big pool.

Started with 2 shot. Couldn't quite get the right drift. Added another, still not down enough. Added one more BB.

A few casts later the line stopped.... Not for long..... line started shaking.....fish on ....... fish stayed down..... must be a brown.

Felt decent.... not quite sure of size yet..... He didn't want to stay put....Luckily he didn't run down to that flume....but he crept down.... I followed.... Had 6X tippet on because trout weren't hitting 4x.... and 5x spool was empty....Ahggg, feel like Proto.
Got some glimpses....he looks decent maybe 14", 15"....
He knows his territory and keeps pulling downstream.... so I follow....what else could I do?.... Now I'm standing on the last rock above the flume....He's staying put for now.....He rolls at the surface.....He's not 14 or 15", he's about 18" or so and pretty good girth.... He rolls, goes deep and starts to pressure me into the flume...
Put more pressure on him or let him go and try to get down to the big pool if I can give him line without losing him??
Tried the latter.... Worked for a few seconds as he surfed down the flume......
Well, you guessed what happened by now I'm sure..... 6X just didn't handle him.

It was fun all in all. Guess which fly he took?

Sero said WB would outfish me without leaving home and he was right.
WB 1, Me 0.

[wildbrookies]

Rob,
Thats exactly what happened to me two years ago.I wanted to use 5x but decided ,because the water was very clear, to go w/6x.Same outcome as you .
Glad to hear you had a fish on .And it sounds like it was a dandy.E-mail me w/ more details.No, you guys who are getting out are ahead of me.Just the getting on those rivers puts you ahead of me.

Did he really hit your soft-hackle wet fly dropper?How was the water?Any hatches?How long did you fish and at what times?It was really nippy this morning.Fish probably hit better as the sun got higher this AM.

Having a fish like that on would make anybodies day!!

Now, go buy some 5x tippet,please. Need to see these beauties your hooking.Did you bring the net?How about the camera?


WB

[marzrw]

Well, I guess he took the soft hackle since that fly was gone and the bugger was still with the 6x tippet tied to the hook shank.
Fished from 9-3. Only one other hit.
Tons of flies hatching. Caddis, small flies - ? midges they were very small and very light with a green body? Also some large flies later which were either hendrickson's or red quills - some seemed mahogany colored.
As far as I'm concerned the net curse is over - yes I brought it but fish wasn't close enough or ready to use it, brought the camera but didn't have it out yet so that wasn't the jinx either - had them, but they were tucked away ready to go if the fish had tired enough for their use.
I'll tell you later where I hooked this one.

[wildbrookies]

We may need to hold a class in wet-fly tying.They are`nt that hard.Less steps than my infamous peacock woolly buggers.I have lots of spare supplies to send you home with for those little rascals.

WB

[serotonin]

6X huh...?

Maybe if you didn't make that crack about 'accident-prone-proto'...
Well... maybe the fish woulda still broke off, but then again, maybe you woulda had 5X!

Even still, sounds like you had an interesting battle.
Don't feel bad (i'm sure you don't feel *too* bad). Fighting a Good fish *in current* on 6X, is for highly experienced magicians only. Now pick up that magic wand, ...i mean, pick up some 5X!

Couple nights ago, i hooked into some Big Pigs; the first two snapped 4X in less than a second. Ping! Ping!
They made it seem so easy. They're gettin' stronger w/the warmer water temps.
Switched to 3X and managed three fish {13"-15"}. But i couldn't get those pissed-off Bigguns.
Sometimes they will hit again, immediately, probably out of aggravation. Of course it's impossible to offer them that first 'innocent' drift, twice in a row!

Oh well... i know where they live.


Glad to hear you're out there! :headbang:

[marzrw]

pick up some 5X!

the first two snapped 4X in less than a second. Ping! Ping!

Switched to 3X

Sounds like I don't need the 5x , sounds like 4x might not have been enough, 3x, never went that high. Am I dumb or what. As for a magician with a wand, not so much, maybe Chevy Chase bumbling around is more like it. Although I guess I might still have a bit of agility left. The new boots with felts helped a lot, don't ever get aqua stealth boots, they're like ice skates, especially on slippery, slate rocky bottomed streams.

Well, at least I got some more fiddle heads (recipe available if anyone is interested) . My wife enjoyed them, helps to keep the better half happy, then she doesn't mind me fishing a bit.

[serotonin]

4X woulda made a huge difference fighting that fish. You woulda had a good chance on 5X too. I used 4X all winter long, and although i lost a few good fish, it seemed right. Just Casting a woolyb on 6X is pretty tricky, not to mention added weight and dropper.

Lately, when fishing buggers and wets, i've been letting the flies swing a little faster. 4X has no problem w/the smaller fish on the swing, nor the larger ones on a dead drift or rise. But when those 5-7 pound slabs take 4X on a swing and turn on it... forget it. It's almost laughable how quickly they break it. I'm standing in the water wearing the grin of a moron, holding an empty line; my knees are trembling a little and i'm muttering something about big fish and power. Twice. That's why i switched to 3X.

*

Someone tried to talk me into getting aqua stealths. I guess i'm glad i stuck w/felt. I recently had to fill my hip waders w/water, rescuing the dog from a strainer (i let her struggle in it for a while, before plunging in. I think she learned a lesson). So while the waders were drying out, i used my brother's rubber-soled hippers. Wow. I forgot what skating was like. Almost busted myself bad a couple times.

*

Fiddleheads... i picked some yesterday, and earlier in the week. Would like to try your recipe. Glad to hear that your wife likes them. When you're out fishing again, take the time to pick some wildflowers for her. Bring home a little present each time you go fishing. You never know... maybe she'll begin insisting that you to go fishing...

[marzrw]

Someone tried to talk me into getting aqua stealths. I guess i'm glad i stuck w/felt.

*

When you're out fishing again, take the time to pick some wildflowers for her. Bring home a little present each time you go fishing.

Bought a pair of LL Bean Stealths 5 years ago for $89. Slip slided away for 5 years, thought I had lost my wading ability. It was the shoes. Don't know if the aquas w/studs are any better, but you won't get me to try them. Going back to the felts.

Thanks again for the wildflower idea, it helped today, WB spotted the nice yellow ones, he thought the lavender was pretty also. Hm, I wonder about him.

[wildbrookies]

And... you never knew I had a flare for flower arrangements and such.....

Man ,I did good hiding that side of me.....

Again,,,I had a great day today and hope you did too. The fish were bigger than I had expected. Especially my first of the year.I am no longer categorized in the UFA category....Harrayyyy!!!!!!! :drink:

[Ned Kipperson]

Your predicament actually brings up my question...

When a trout takes the fly, does it injure the fish? I lost a nice 14" rainbow and a blue fox because my line broke as I was trying to pull him out of the water. Now there's a trout with my lure in its mouth. Do they usually fall out? Anyway, pretty good day today, landed one of each. 9" brookie, 9" brown and the 14" rainbow.

[serotonin]

Ned said: "Now there's a trout with my lure in its mouth. Do they usually fall out?"


Usually not.
The best way of removing it, is to catch the fish again.
The fish will continue feeding normally, just like humans with lip-piercings.
Except we call it jewelry.
The fish will not die of it; although i sometimes wish that...

The biggest problem that fish face regarding hooks, is the Extraction.
(Poor and ignornant handling of the fish, is also a major downfall, not to mention the destruction of their habitat, and non-sensical introduction of stocked fish into their limited environment).

Ned, have you ever had a hook stuck in your lip? (i just pulled one out of my own, not two hours ago). Not kidding.

I'm not suggesting you try it, but if you did... you would find:
a) you can hardly feel it going in.
b) hurts like a bitch coming out.

Thus, barbless hooks.

c) if you get one in the gullet, 'cause you swallowed live or dead bait',
guess what dude... you'll probably be dead soon.

d) regarding spinners; they usually have treble hooks, and that's just more of a mess to extract. Some guys cut two hooks off, and fish 'em single-barbless. That helps alot.


Sorry for the rant. A hook in the lip, no problem. There are plenty of true stories about big fish that nobody could catch. Hook 'em, yes. Land them, no. When some magnificent wizard finally lands them, they've got 25 hooks in their mouth, and everybody can still recognize the flies they lost.

I just landed a small trout tonight, and was pleased to see that he was the one who took my magic fly away from me last week w/proto. He was still feeding aggressively. I took both flies out, and let him go. We are both happy.

Don't worry about that fish.
The next guy to catch him, will win an extra prize.
Cheers.



BTW, Congratulations on your Tri-fecta. Not many people can say they've done that. :headbang:

[marzrw]

Ned,
according to the experts, eventually the hook falls out either. Better than a worm and a hook down it's gullet. You're good to go.

[marzrw]

]Ned said: "Now there's a trout with my lure in its mouth. Do they usually fall out?"


Usually not.

Thus, barbless hooks.


Sorry for the rant. A hook in the lip, no problem. There are plenty of true stories about big fish that nobody could catch. Hook 'em, yes. Land them, no.

Yes, reminds me of Chuby from last week, she and her friends have not been cooperative at all since last week.

[serotonin]

Sounds like a trout that'll go down in history.
It's been said, that when they're almost ready to die...
some will allow themselves to be caught.

I don't necessarily believe that, but i bet it happens once in awhile.

Is this splendid shiny beast gonna show up in your dreams tonight?

[marzrw]

Don't dream like I used to, but you know , Never caught a steelhead, she was as close as I will ever get, I think, although maybe an old dog can get out to the Salmon River area or points west for big fish, although, just like drugs, was always afraid if I got hooked on real big fish, might not be happy with my little trouts. That's the way I like it, but a chubby now and then, yes it is nice. especially from a local stream. Easier with worms for sure, but a fly, that's special. Even though using worms I still released fish, it wasn't fulfilling, but a nice, big trout on a fly, dreams on, yes.