After catching plenty of pollock on my 5wt rod in Acadia, I was pleased but not satisfied. See, I had my glass 1wt Geoff Klane kindly built for me, stowed in the 4Runner. These fish seemed the perfect ones to actually give this rod its first saltwater test, something I'd been intending to do for a while. I'd always intended to apply this new rod to smaller saltwater fish and these harbor pollock were just perfect.
As soon as the opportunity presented itself I was out on the rocks putting that gorgeous little rod to the test. It took more finesse to get a fly where I needed to, but that little stick has surprised me, as Geoff put it that rod's got some moves. I plied the water at a spot I'd never fished before, working a small Clouser along drops, through white wash, and past chutes. Eventually, a pollock came out and hammered the fly, and the game was on! The battle was an exceptional one; every bit as good as I thought I might be missing out with the 5wt.
I want to do a lot more saltwater fly fishing with the 1wt. I want to fish the entire east coast with a 1wt, and apply it to a huge variety of species. Then I'll probably write a book about it... or just a bunch of blog posts, who knows. I already know a lot of the species and situations I want to apply it to: tiny schoolie stripers in CT eating grass shrimp, tide pool rock gunnels, spot croaker in the Chesapeake Bay, juvenile snook in the Tamiami Canal. It's going to be a lot of fun. Stay tuned.
Until next time,
It seems like it would be a great new adventure to fish the east coast with the 1wt. And great to see that in book or blog form.
ReplyDeleteYes, a book would be great. That rod must have just the right action.
ReplyDeleteIt's a slow rod, which is to be expected. You just have to qork with it rather than against it.
DeleteFantastic little fish! I would really struggle to cast a clouser on a 1 wt.
ReplyDeleteTo be fair, it was a very small, very light clouser!
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