Reminiscing of Autumns Past

(1/30/2018- This post contains examples of very poor fish handling. Use it as an example of what not to do. Thank you, 
R.M. Lytle)

This fall is unfortunately dry, and I can't help remember my good success last fall. New England got hit by Superstorm Sandy, and the resulting rain lead to some of the best small stream nymphing all year. Run off washed a slough of caddis and mayfly nymphs downstream. 40+ wild browns in one day is pretty darn good, I would say!

Best Bass of the Year

On Tuesday I took advantage of good fishing conditions and went out to spin-fish for bass, pickerel, and walleye in a good pond I know. I planned to throw a spinner bait first and then jigs into the deep water for walleye. I put on the biggest honkin' spinner bait I own and lobbed it to good structure. I pitched it so it would pass a fallen tree and hooked my first fish, a scrappy largemouth. The next spot was by a concrete culvert, no luck there. On a whim I chucked it over the sunken tree so that it bounced over the log on the retrieve. I felt this and then a solid hit. As I drove the hook home I assumed that it was a pickerel, until a big bass propelled it's fat body into the air. It was clearly quite big. I landed it and then realized the absolute magnificence of this fish. It had evidently just devoured a bird, as she had a huge lump in her stomach and feathers in her throat. I snapped some pics and allowed her to return to her log home. I had no luck the rest of the day. I wish I could have hooked her on the fly, it would have been some fight, but I only fish the long rod there from a kayak.

 First bass of the day. Not bad, but there are big ones in that pond.

Fall Brown Trout

This time of year, wild trout are in an aggressive mood as the move into spawning grounds. They often chase streamers, making for exciting fishing. Today I had fun throwing the Edson Tiger to grumpy wild browns. I even hooked (and broke off) the largest fish I have ever hooked in a river. It could have been a salmon or anadromous brown trout, I would never suspect a fish in such a small stream to almost entirely strip my reel!

 This colorful male and his little girly friend both took the streamer in the same run. She actually launched clean out of the water on the take.

A nice little hole. I love the beautiful leaves. They help to set the scene, but the vicious takes by the trout are by no means the calm sips of rising fish one expects in such a pretty stream.

Fall Time Bassin'

During the fall, bass can sometimes get lethargic, and other times be very active, so when the water's warm it's time to fish! I headed out on my kayak early in the week and threw streamers and big bass bugs to weedy areas. I had some success with the LMBs.

Big Fish

I spent the last week hunting a loner carp in a small mill pond. It escaped me time after time, spooked or  was simply unwilling to eat my flies. I have feed the fish corn, dog food, and bread. I was concerned that I had finely found my match. I'd never had a singular fish allude me for so long. Today I decided to chum corn again and fish both a spinning rod with a corn fly I tied using flexament and yellow chenille. I crept up to the pool in full camouflage and quietly pursued the tailing fish. Watched as it slowly edged closer to my fly. As it appeared to get to the right spot,  The rippling of its tail suddenly stopped, and I set the hook. The big fish heaved its fat body and plowed away at speed. I slowly eased it in. A two and a half foot carp on 3x tippet is not to be messed with or horsed in. After avoiding multiple obstacles that the carp could have tangled in, I glided the beast to shore.