Lots of Work, No Pike

In fact, I was the only one who caught anything today, out of the three of us out there. Both Dalton and Adam had hits, but they didn't land any fish.

Our intended destinations were the channels and back bays of a tidal river, the weedy backwaters that few boats are able to reach and don't often get fished. There's a reason for that...

On more than one occasion we had to stop, pull up the trolling motor, and pull or push the boat manually.

Dalton towing the boat.

 

Multi tasking.

We were spotting some reasonably sized fish moving but no big pike. I caught the first fish of the day, a chunky yellow perch.

Some more work and we made it up to a pool bellow a bridge that holds some fish. I hooked into a nice white perch right away and a giant largemouth chased it to the boat. That fish never showed again, but we saw some big suckers, a large catfish, and I caught a glimpse of a prehistoric looking creature that must have been a sturgeon. It was a startling sight, and a very rare privilege.

The way back downstream was far easier, because the tide was coming in. We were marking fish on the hummingbird, carp and baitfish were jumping with regularity, and the motor became temperamental so we didn't have time to stop and fish.

Lots of fun regardless of the lack of pike. I'd do it again tomorrow. 

River Smallmouth Hunting

I finally managed to find a new bike. It's not a men's bike, but that's OK. I always thought men's bikes were unfair. They make it rather easy to damage the family jewels if you hit a bump too hard. It's purple though, and I'm not into that so much so I'm paining it black as soon as I can. But it's a good bike and I got it at the price I was looking for, plus I was so desperately tired of having to walk in to streams and ponds that are much more easily reached by mountain bike.

To test the bike I took it on one of my favorite circus: down the valley and across the river, up the dirt access road to a stretch of river good for bass and white sucker in the summer. Then down to the tidal water and back up the other side.

The river was low and clear. No good for trout but it made for the perfect sight fishing, and I was into smallmouth, fallfish, and sunfish immediately.

Even a small smallmouth bass puts a crazy bend in a 3 weight.

Downstream in a pool with boulders and solid bedrock bottom, I spotted some sucker fish. I tied on an egg pattern and started meticulously presenting the fly to the biggest fish. Eventually it more or less ate. The fly floated under his face and his mouth extended out. Either the fly was an annoyance or he thought it was food.  I set the hook and the reel sang. I've caught big sucker on an 8 weight before and the fought plenty hard on that. This was a battle and a half!

The tidal water was not as kind to me as it was last time, but it still gave up some fish. I got caught by the incoming tide though and had to leave early.

On the way home I stopped to double check a stream that I was sure had to have brookies. I was wrong. I didn't find any last time, and I didn't find any this time. And to seal the deal the water was warm to the touch. I discovered why on a stroll up stream. I discovered a big weedy pond. Right smack in the middle of the woods. There were some big pickerel pummeling bait-fish and leaping around in the lily pads, but I was unable to reach them. I'll figure out how to fish this one soon.

It was good to kick up some dust on the dirt roads again, and plenty fun fishing for smallmouth. I might get a shot at pike tomorrow. If not, I'm going for brook trout. 

Catfish on Articulated Streamers

I went out last night hoping to target bass and walleye with big streamers after dark. I used big streamers but walleye and bass were hardly what I got! As the night settled in and the most wonderful cloud formations that were too beautiful to describe and too subtle to photograph floated over head, I began feeling bites that I typically associate with the whiskered species. Eventually I managed to hook one on a black circus peanut and was soon holding a croaking bullhead. A short time later I hooked a familiar face, a tailless fish from earlier in the year. As complete darkness fell two species of mayflies danced, one a size 12 light cahill look alike and the other a size 22  clear bodied three tailed fly. But the big carnivores didn't seem active, so I walked home under the cover of darkness.

Carp Haters R' Us

Kirk and I covered some millage today in search of the gamiest of bottom feeders. We started on my local water and ended up in Rocky Hill. The story is best told with pictures:

 It was still dark when I left home and just getting light when I got to the lake. Kirk and I walked shoreline and saw very little I got one shot at a tailing carp and missed the take.

 We went to try to find a carp pond I had heard rumors about. We found one, although probably not the same one. Whether it has carp or not is uncertain, but it does have bluegills.

 We left there and were on our way to Whethersfield Cove, but we stopped to take a look at a ditchy pond on the side of the highway. I saw a carp in there showing it's back, and there was plenty of life there. However there was little in the way of casting room and a ladder was the only way in or out.

We didn't see a darn thing in the cove. Minnows, a dead herring maybe, but that's all.

The final destination showed more promise!

But we got skunked there too. I had a few takes and we moved some fish but despite the hundreds cruising, tailing, shopping, and sun bathing we failed once again.

Kirk taking a shot at a mudding fish

So we have decided that we hate carp. They suck. I'm going trout fishing.