Bass on Glass

...and 5x.

I went back to catch the bass that gave me such a hard time the other day. I am working on getting the biggest possible bass on the three weight Wonder Rod and 5x, so I figured she would be good practice. A clouser went on, and after about fifteen minutes she was ticked off enough to start nipping it. A few minutes later she took it and took it well.

She fought strongly, taking plenty of line. Two long runs were made, as well as one jump and plenty of head shaking. As a final act of defiance she buried into the roots of a small bush. I walked over and she looked up at me frantically. I pulled her out and removed the hook. After being photographed the soon to be mother was returned, and I was pleased to see her go back to her nest. To top that off I got to sight cast to bluegills that are just making beds. There's nothing like a big ol' gill.

Good Time on a Small Stream

Dalton and I fished a stream near his home today. It is host to wild trout, stockers, chubs, bass, sunfish, and pickerel. There are probably some catfish in there, Dalton said he saw a channel cat of about five pounds once when the water was low. I got their first and cast my streamer. I got takes but no fish. Dalton came and got a brookie first cast with a Panther Martin Spinner. The bastard.
Anyway, we moved downstream and I managed chubs for a while but got some pulls from trout. Meanwhile Dalton got stocked browns to chase and slash at the spinner and got a pretty rough brooky.

Continuing down I finally got my trout, a descent brown. I would have preferred to get the wild ones, but they reside further in upstream. on the way back up, I spotted a turtle on the bottom of the stream, in a patch of sunlight. He was sitting calmly, minding his own business. Dalton went in a caught it. It was a nice grumpy wood turtle, and he was non to pleased about his capture. The turtle hissed and buried himself in his shell, so he was returned quickly and safely.

It Was Tough

Today my Dalton and I fished a local pond from kayaks. I spent several hours using various fly patterns. I had one obvious carp take on a dragonfly nymph, but jumped the gun. The only option was to switch to a spinning rod and use a Rapala original. I landed a pickerel shortly, than both Dalton and I lost a total of five very good fish without making any mistakes. Why? Who knows. Next time ought to be better. We both are going to try to make it out to Moodus Reservoir. Then maybe I will get my big fly rod bass.

Mediocre

The West Branch was in an interesting condition today. The Still River was blown out, and therefore all of the Farmington below the confluence. Above, however, was a fishable flow and color. The first trout was a rainbow who took a Zugbug. Even with a very early Hendrickson hatch, I went fishless for several hours. Going down to Riverton Self Storage,  I fished a buck tail in the riffle and received a strike. The fish safely avoided the hook. I caught on the Zugbug an brown, then a water snake by hand. The last fish of the day took a mono nymph and was the best of the three.

Multi-species at it's Finest

I went back to the lake today, this time with kayaks and my fishing partner, Dalton. We found a fairly and wavy water body, and went for shelter in the lee of an island. First cast with a Rapala Original floating minnow and a big walleye hit. I fumbled and missed. A few casts later and I caught little brother.

Nothing came for the next hour or two, so wen moved to where a pond connects to the lake and docked. Dalton used a wacky worm, and I switched to the fly rod and used a dragonfly nymph. I was rewarded with perch, and Dalton with a fine Pickerel.

After that we went to a marina good for bass. I went to a wacky worm, and boated a very light colored smallmouth and an equivalently sized largemouth. It was after that when we had to leave. The only species that was caught more than once was the yellow perch. That is quite an interesting afternoon of fishing!