Tuesday, March 4, 2014

FINALLY My First Fishing Trip for 2014

I have been waiting for that so called perfect day to kick off my 2014 fishing season. Well Sunday was close to perfect on the Sipsey Tailrace. The temperature couldn’t have been better at a warm 70 degrees with a slight breeze out of the northeast. The approaching cold front on Monday was an added bonus as well. We were expecting temperatures in the mid twenties Monday night. That is usually the case for early spring in the deep south this time of the year, warm one day and frigid cold the next day.
I had plenty of company from the pump station all the way up to the dam. Nine vehicles were in the parking lot which meant I would encounter a bunch of fly fishermen when I got to the water.
High dingy water was flowing from the dam with no trout rising at all which kind of dampened my spirits. All the usual hot spots were taken, so I settled for an area I had not fished in a couple of years.
 


My first trout of the 2014 season, which took a super nymph on an extremely slow, retrieve. I encounter numbers of short takes before I finally got a solid take from this trout. I was using my new Grey’s Hardy 9 ft. 3 wt. with my Gloomis free spool reel. I have found that the best weight fly rod for this tailrace is as 3 weight, anything above that would be over kill.
The Seal Leech was the prey for this nice bow that nailed the fly less than 7 ft. from me. I had fisherman to the right and to the left of me the couple hours I fished. There was no escaping the crowd today. I was really surprised I was landing trout with the amount of fishing pressure here today.
The renegade was the only dry that produced today.  The dry action was not explosive; but hey I will take this size trout all day on the 3 weight.
I ended the trip with this colorful rainbow which went airborne a couple of times. I feel good about today’s trip because it forced me to forego some of my usual hot spots for a couple of areas I seldom fish. So I guess I could say I have discovered some new water.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

30 comments:

  1. I hope I can hit the water this weekend. Your post has motivated me.

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  2. Looks like an "outstanding" first time out for 2014, Bill. Those are some nice 'Bows and on the 3wt. to boot. Guess, I don't know what a Super Nymph is? The Seal Leech is a very good pattern.

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  3. Very nice!! Congrats on the first of the year!

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  4. Mel
    Check out this link for info on the super nymph
    http://btrussell-fishingthroughlife.blogspot.com/2013/12/fishing-super-beadhead-nymph.html
    Thanks for the comment

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  5. Kevin
    Hope you make a connection this weekend, looking forward to the post. thanks for the comment

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  6. Rick
    Good to finally get to wet a fly, considering all the strange weather we been having. thanks for the comment

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  7. Nice job for the first day out.

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  8. What a great little getaway you had! Yay! Yes, I have been on a hiatus of sorts... but I'm back now and anxious to get caught up. New water is my "theme" this year. You can't really grow as a fisherman when you hit the same water time and time again in my opinion. New territory brings new strategies. It's fun!

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  9. Mark
    I surprise myself with all the fisherman on the water--thanks for the comment

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  10. Well Bill looks like the wait was worth it. Beautiful bows, and nice weather make for a great outing.
    Well done.

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  11. I'm ready to give it a try as soon as it quits snowing. I'd say you had a successful outing Bill! Nice looking rainbows.

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  12. A great start to the new season Bill. A lot of us have to fish elbow to elbow on opening day with little to show for our efforts so I'd say ya done good.

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  13. Emily
    One finds out how good of a fly fisherman you really are, when your usual honey holes are all taken. I counted 8 trout brought to hand, so I would say I did pretty good. thanks for the comment

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  14. Alan
    My best opening day I have ever had fishing for trout. Thanks for the comment

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  15. Howard
    The snow and cold has to stop soon--thanks for the comment

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  16. John
    Mississippi and Florida are the two states that border us that don't have trout fishing---making for additional fisherman from both of those states. Weekend are close quarters on the tailrace--thanks for the comment

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  17. on the board for 2014, pretty fish Bill

    this winter has been weird for alot of different areas

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  18. Blake
    Weird weather for sure, this is the latest I have started a season of fishing-thanks for the comment

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  19. Congrats on the first fish of 2014. Also I checked out those fly paterns you used on your site and will have to try a few of them for sure.

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  20. Al
    You can't go wrong with either pattern, I have landed a lot of trout on the tailrace with both patterns. My all time favorite is the Seal Leech. Thanks for the comment

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  21. Bill, you are fortunate to have some low water on your local tailwater. Every time Center Hill Lake gets close to being low enough to slow down the releases on the Caney Fork we get more rain. Right now I would be happy if I could know for sure that we would be able to fish in 2-3 weeks but that may be wishful thinking.

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  22. David
    I have been waiting for three weeks to get to fish without generation issues on the tailrace and Sunday was a brief window for me. In fact the generators were turned on about an hour after I left. Thanks for the comment

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  23. Good to get on the board in 2014. The 70's seem a long way off for us up north!

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  24. Mark
    I hope to get back on the tailrace next week, providing generation cooperates. Hope it warms up for you guys soon. thanks for the comment

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  25. Lester
    The Seal Leech has to be one of the best nymph patterns I have ever used. It will produce for me when nothing else will. I will have to try the small pattern as a dropper. thanks for the comment

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  26. Very nice..we are a longggg way away from 70 here..right now I'd settle for 30

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  27. Pen
    Maine is for sure a long way from Jasper when it comes to weather--I'll take everything else you guys have got but I will keep the weather in the south. thanks for the comment

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  28. I'd take that size fish all day on a three weight as well, Bill. Looked like a great time, and the super nymph got it done!

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  29. Luke
    I am headed back today to see if I can fish some of the areas I couldn't fish the other day when the crowds were heavy. Thanks for the comment

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  30. Bill Nice Pics! Love the trout coming out of the net! I can only wish for 70's here in Colorado. Still trying to get on the water for the first time; however, life is keeping me from it not the temperatures! Thanks for sharing and nice fish!

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