Early Morning & Fishing

You can probably recount the benefits of being in/on the water waiting for first light…I can only think of Salmon having that predilection for the pronounced early morning bite. Otherwise, I have a hard time anymore being the first on the water. 

For the trout fly fisher, so much is attached to hatches and when they hatch…thereby determining when you should be on the water for the greatest chance of success. But, I have to say, as much as I like to fish to rising fish (fish coming to the surface for the emerging insects), I often fish with out an evident hatch. Fishing deep (nymphing/dredging/trolling) has, for me, become equally satisfying and often productive.

That time, when the light of day (cloudy day or sunny day), is more dominant than the early morning darkness is magical to be on/in the water. Fish are cruising about, feeding, maybe looking up to emerging Chironomids or just moving horizontally, on the prowl. The fish take hard and run hard, waking you up and removing the morning chill and clearing your mind.

Morning fishing primes the day. Last light fishing, although often as productive, is disappointing with the abrupt ending…it makes me anxious for more…tomorrow morning.

 

Premature Ejaculation…Slippery When Wet

A reminder when handling fish, particularly bigger fish: always wet your hands prior to  handling the fish…handle the fish as little as possible when removing the barbless hook…whether immediately releasing or posing for a pic, keep the fish low to the  water so if, as above, the fish propels itself out of your slippery grasp, the fall is a short distance into the water and not on any hard surfaces. 

Depending upon the size of fish, your level of excitement and your experience level, a little mental planning is in order. While you are caught up in ‘the moment’ and having fun, also give thought to how and where you will handle the fish to have a positive, safe outcome for the fish and yourself.  

Fly Fishing: Summer Sky-Dark Patterns

Traditional dry fly patterns tend toward the lighter shades of brown, green and black into tan, olive, yellow or grey. Of course, those pattern colors work wonders but consider the darker color…black too. On bright skied days try darker silhouettes to get a rise.

The Entomology Below the Surface: Caddis +

THE FEAST BELOW @ AMERICAN ANGLER

Fly Tying: Starling and Pheasant Caddis Pupa

Pattern/Recipe: Size 16 nymph hook, Size 8/0 olive thread, 3/32 brass bead, olive rabbit dubbing for abdomen and thorax tapered, pheasant tail barb tips for antenna, 1-2 turns of Starling hackle for wing and small amount of dubbing around thread wrap area behind bead head.

Fly Fishing: Dry Fly Presentations

Here is some good, basic reminders for all fly fishers while presenting the dry fly…Stream Side Adventures: Dry Fly Presentation. 

Fly Tying: Green Rock Worm Larva

One of the more prevalent freshwater insects, that is a tasty morsel for trout, is the Green Rock Worm Caddis larva (Rhyacophila).

Fly Tying: Simple Wet Fly to Tie

In honor of and in response to…the early season mayflies and caddis: a simple wet/flymph (I don’t want to debate what a flymph is picky fly tiers!) here is a simple to tie fly pattern. 

The fly can be fished in the film (surface) or sunk for a straight or swung retrieve.

The ‘recipe’ or pattern for this very simple fly is as follows:

Size 14 heavy wire hook

Size 8/0 thread, black

Tail:  A half dozen strands of Zelon fibers to represent a trailing shuck

Abdomen: A simple thread body wound forward, back and forward over the  Zelon fibers up to the thorax area

Thorax: A spun collar of tan CDC fibers (Duck Butt feathers that float well)

Wing: One plus turns of a Starling feather so the tips of the feather reach back to the abdomen area.

Fishing: Hook Removal From Your Hide

Sooner or later, your ear, neck, fingers or someone elses skin is going to meet the point of a hook. Whether it meets a hook with the barb still in place will determine whether the removal process is simple or more painful may depend upon whether you took the time to use barbless hooks or crimp the barb down when tying the fly or crimping it streamside as you tie it on.

The simple process of removing the barb will hugely facilitate removing the hook from flesh or clothing (much more common spot for the hook to snag into).

Troutflyfishing.com

These links are similar to many others out there that suggest how to remove a hook with barb from flesh…it might be easier to use barbless hooks to start with or crimp the barb down. (Removal) or (Removal)

Netting Fish: Head first

Because most of us practice catch and release, more often than not, it is important to minimize trauma to the fish prior to release. Some would say don’t even net a fish. 

Because I fish from a slightly elevated platform when on a lake, I use a net for larger fish. When netting a fish try to guide the fish into the net head first rather than tail first, especially if the net has a shallow basket. The fish can easily use its powerful tail to fulcrum up and out of the net thus prolonging the fight or you will probably, instinctively, over react in keeping the fish inside the net and possibly complicate the release process. Head first, the fish loses some power (not all…they are p0werful side to side too) providing access to remove the fly (barbed de-barbed barbless hooks please), revive the fish and safely release it to the depths to figure out what happened.