Friday, September 24, 2010

Something I haven’t done in a While

Went out to the local lake the other morning and decided to leave the fly rod at home and just cast a top water plug. I was using a short 5 ½ ft. rod with a low profile Shimano casting reel. This is the set-up I use to tackle the small creeks way back when in Mississippi. It brought back memories of how it use to be with the casting rigs. When I retired my priorities sort of changed as far as fishing was concerned. I found myself fishing with guys retired too and most all of them either fly fished or ultra light fished. I had for year’s fished light tackle and that was one of my favorite ways to land quality fish and get the ultimate enjoyment out of the play. But while fishing with another one of my buddies who was very proficient with the fly rod -----well it really brought back memories. I had fished with the fly rod most all my life but on a very limited basis and it always took a back seat to my bait casting rigs. Little did I know that one day I would just about give up the bass rigs and totally devote most all my time back to the fly rod. That is what has happened with me at this point in my fishing life. The trip the other morning was enjoyable catching the spot on top with the cripple killer lure, but I found myself wishing and wondering how it would have been to land this 16” on the fly. My only regret through my years of fishing has been the fact that I totally let the bass rigs dominate my trips. I find myself wishing now that I had use my fly rod more, and I probably would not have missed out on some of the awesome fights I get with the it now. I will be making a trip to Mississippi to fish with my brother on Monday and you can bet the fly rod will be my main rig I carry. Hope all of you have great weekend fishing.

8 comments:

  1. Gasp! A casting rod?! I won't chide you too severely; I delve back into my old ways occasionally too and it does really bring back memories. Funny how we fishermen have our lives so tied to tackle. A casting rod always makes me remember fishing as a kid, even though I used those up until a few years ago.

    Glad you could get out again and fool some more fat bass. Good times!

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  2. Will
    This was the first time I had picked this rig up in over a year. Casting from the bank and just skipping it along on top----but like I said in the post it not fly fishing, I will probably pick the casting rig up a again in a couple of years, because the fly is my first love.

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  3. Fishing for enjoyment is what it's all about. Fly, casting, spinning, whatever...glad you had a good time with your "changeup."

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  4. Troutrageous
    As I get older I feel more comfortable with the fly or the jigger pole fishing for crappie. I was watching a John Wayne western the other night and one of the lady actors told him that he was comfortable, not sexy, not handsome, but just comfortable, I guess I am getting that way too. Thanks for the comment.

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  5. you could always toss a deer hair bug with the buggy whip....

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  6. Pat
    Most buggy whips are 8 to 9 weight--might as well be casting a 1/2 oz spinner-

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  7. Hey Bill. Being one that has fished with just about everything (sorry Mike, not Tenkara, yet), I think it's what you're in the mood for, at the time. Yesterday when I was up at Red Lake, there was surface feeding, but I just didn't feel like hauling out the fly rod. Probably would have been fun, but spinning was how I felt.

    Mark

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  8. Shoreman
    I was there to fish with the casting reel----but my mind was on the fly rod. Thanks for the comment

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