When I went to the river this morning I definitely went with a better attitude. It was a good thing I did because I was tested almost immediately (snags, thorns, etc.) but I really didn't get flustered.
So I was casting and doing nicely (thank you very much) and putting the Wooly Bugger all over the place. I wore my LL Bean boots (water proof but not designed for fly-fishing) and stood in the sandy bottom of the river.
This is where it gets comical......I am casting and retrieving when I get a hit. I try to pull in the line and my feet are stuck in the sand/mud. I fall and the line goes slack and the fish is off. Again this would have been great material for America's Funniest Videos. Instead of being mad I had a good laugh at my own expense because I couldn't of staged a better set up.
I don't know how much time went by but I was casting to where that guy caught the rainbow yesterday when the line goes tight. My bass fishing instincts kicked in and I believe I put way to much pressure on the line and off went my Wooly Bugger, tippet and leader. I was thrilled that a fish was on the end of my line and I was attempting to bring it to shore. Believe it or not I was not disappointed because all of those frustrating moments were in the past. I became a fly-fisherman at that moment.
Make no mistake about it that I will be bass fishing and striper fishing this summer but today I add fly-fisherman to the resume.
Fishing as with most everything in life is a test. It's your attitude about things that defines what is a success. Sounds like a successful outing to me and something you will always chuckle over.
ReplyDeleteHang in there, Ed, your fish will come. Just need to remember that Trout and Bass hook set ups are a little different. With Trout often just a quick lift of the rod tip will hook your fish. No jaw breaking required. Happy hook ups!
ReplyDeleteI'm going down to the Shawsheen tomorrow morning with my gym teacher, an experienced fly fisherman. Where did the guy catch the rainbow and you get your hit? I am desperate to catch a fish after spending four hours in that stretch yesterday. Also what size Wooly Bugger were you using?
ReplyDeleteHey Howard...I definitely will keep laughing about it but I think if people saw it they would have been laughing louder. Attitude is key no doubt.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mel. I just got back from LL Bean after buying some flurocarbon leader and tippet material. I was using nylon tippet material and I guess it isn't the best. The gentleman in the fly-fishing section gave me the same advice. He spent over 20 minutes talking to me about things I haven't considered (e.g. drag, barbless hooks, etc.). I but a few other things too.
Greer......remember where you saw me last week. There are rapids there and you want to cast into that area. I am sorry but I don't know what size the Wooly Bugger was. Best wishes for tomorrow and let me know how you make out.
Thanks, I was casting a bit downstream of there which may been part of mt problem. I'll be sure to let you know how I do!
ReplyDeleteTake it from all the people who have been doing this longer than us and have fun. I am glad to help.
ReplyDeleteHi Ed & Greer. I fish Wooly Buggers in size 6 to 12 depending on the situation. I also fish them with and without bead heads (regular & Tungsten), again depending on the situation. I also carry them in about 10 colors. Black & Olive seem to be the best and you might also try a fly called a Thinmint. It's kind of a Wooly Bugger, but covers black, olive, and rust in one fly. Works like magic in a lake. Have fun.
ReplyDeleteMark
Thanks Alan. I look forward to your posting.
ReplyDeleteMark...the black & olive is the one I used and I got two hits on them (both swim with the fishes). Thanks for the insight.
Ooo. I may need to find one of those quickly because tomorrow afternoon I'm going to a pond/lake where my friend caught 2 brookies and a rainbow in 3 casts with a spoon on his spinning rod. Hopefully the kids competition that was there today didn't fish the place dry!
ReplyDeleteGreer the fishing derby there always has some trout left over. Be careful if you decide to use your fly rod because of all the trees.
ReplyDeleteHey Mike...I am not sure why your post is not showing but that has happened to me before with other people.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the advice. The gentleman at the LL Bean store in Burlington really spent some time explaining when to use what type of fly to me. He has fished the Shawsheen and told me what he has used there (and when) successfully. I think I have to reread the Ames book to fill in the blanks.
Bring the rod to work because people are catching fish. Greer told me that someone he knows caught a broodstock in there. No one believed him until that person's friend caught one too. Maybe I'll see you along the banks.
Ed,
ReplyDeleteYou are almost there. I have a question though.how did you manage to break the leader? Did it come off at the flyline connection? I am not discounting that in someways fluorocarbon is better but you should have been fine with nylon.
Remember the hook set is just a gentle lift. My first trout hook set was very similar...except I was on a drift boat in montana...snapped off the whole tippet with a double nymph rig.
It did come off at the fly line Mike.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if this matters but that line is original (I bought the set up over four years ago and never used it) and sometimes the line would be in the trunk in hot and cold weather. Plus I was casting to an area that has some rocks too. Probably a combination of things.
I went to the river last night and thought I had another hit and I pulled the line I had in my non-casting hand to set the hook instead of yanking the rod. It turned out not to be a fish but the experience was a reminder of what not to do when that moment actually comes. Thanks for the feedback.