Rock Wall Fishing with the Boogle Bug Popper

In the hot summer months with the heavy humidity and soaring heat is not the time to be on the lake for me. Saying that statement makes sense to me but when you are a fishing enthusiast like I am you will go if the forecast is 100 and the heat index 107. That is what I did yesterday. I do have enough sense to know when to leave and I think that comes with age, and knowing when the bite is over. Summers in the south and southwest can be brutal. I never fish during the day in the hot summer beyond 9 AM, and I never fish in the sun. Those are two golden rules I have when it comes to combating the heat. As always for this time of year I was on the water and making my first cast by 5:30. I have a fishing window with the 5:30 start of about 40 minutes and if you don’t catch your quota by then it is pretty much over. Once the sun hits the rock wall you can leave that area. In the first 30 minutes of fishing the wall yesterday with the #6 black Boggle Bug I had landed 10 nice bull gills, and to round out the 40 minutes on the wall I added a decent spot.  I knew the minute the sun peeked through the trees that wall was history, and I would have to look for an east wall with shade. At 8:15 in a shaded area under a rock ledge I landed a 15" largemouth with the bug, and that was the end of the hit for the day. I did hang around for half hour more but it was no good, no more fish to be had.
I was fishing today an area I had never fished on Ryan Creek, so I really didn’t know what to expect, other than the steep walls and deep drop offs of 30 to 40ft. down. In the hot summer months the fish are always deep during the day and only feed close to the top at daybreak after the water has had time to cool a bit over night. Even the late afternoons will not produce as well as the daybreak because the surface temps are still warm late in the afternoon.
Fishing the popper can be a heart throbbing experience especially when the hits are the smacking kind, and today I got some of those hits. You just got to love this kind of stuff to know what I am talking about, and there are a lot of you guys and gals out there that are in the know.

The end result of the trip. I threw numerous smaller gills and two bass back to fight another day.

Last fish of the day, sorry for just one live shot of the fish, but I was so pressed for time that I completely forgot at times to take shots of what I was landing. I was in such a hurry to cover as much water as I could while the bite was hot.

To warm water fish in a place like this is special. This is one beautiful lake. The fish are always right at the wall. To get the hit you have to bonce the popper off the wall and let it fall to the surface in a natural way. The Boogle is perfect for this type casting against the rock wall because of the epoxy finish the popper has. This is one tough popper. One will usually last me all season, if I don't get a break off.



Fishing The Zebra Midge With an Indicator

I made a quick trip to the Sipsey River today. I had a couple of hours to fish so I started right at the walk-in area created by Alabama Power. I thought there would be some top water action, but that was not the case so after fishing an hour with a dry, I went to a size 16 Zebra Midge. I am still having trouble detecting a hit unless the indicator goes under, and lucky for me today that was the case. I managed to land one nice 12” with the indicator going south big time, awesome take. I landed two more bows less than the 12. The water was a cool 52 and with shorts on under my waders it can get cool really quick. I can’t say enough about what Alabama Power has done with this place, especially the constant flow. Our club is still working with the Power Company to add more access points and to upgrade the alarm system, so everyone will have time to leave the water when generation begins. I have learned things just don't happen overnight when working with large corporations, especially when it comes to conservation. We are trying here to get the power company to see the advantage of having a cold water fishery in Alabama.
I did talk to one fisherman today who told me he landed an 18” at daybreak on an Adams last week. He said it was in excellent shape with bright red color down it side. I am still in search mode for that size trout.  

Right after the release, and he swim off to fight another day

The 3 wt here is perfect to land this size trout. Of course I welcome a 16" or better to fight the 3wt.

I am getting better with the new camera, notice the ripples at the end of slow flow.

My Goals for Leading a Healthy Life

The older I get the more I realize how important it is to try and stay healthy. I have always been somewhat aware of foods that are not good for you and I have always known that exercise can improve one’s health. This realization really hit home after I had two brothers to have heart attacks. I knew at that time that I needed to make some changes as far as my health was concerned that would help me not only feel better but improve my quality of life in the future. I also knew if I wanted to keep fishing two and three days a week I needed to stay fit to the point where I could last the better part of a day on a stream wading or sitting in a boat casting most of the day. So I decided four years ago to accomplish a number of goals each day.

The first thing I did was to set up an exercise routine. This is something I do three times a week, usually 1 ½ hour, of cardio and light weights at our local gym. This not only helps me stay fit but it also gives me a chance to converse with some of the locals. Most of the time the conversations centers around football or fishing which of course I love to talk about.
I try to eat three healthy meals a day, especially at breakfast. I have read that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Lunch and dinner consist of low cal foods with a heavy portion of veggies. Substitute fruits for sweets and no carbonated drinks. When I say “no” I do break the rule once in a while, but not often. My wife and I stay away from heavy fat foods and eat very little red meat. In other words, this would be a boring buffet for some.
Keep stress levels to a minimum. Try not to let certain things bother you to the point you lay awake at night and dwell on it. Use exercise to relieve stress, and another way to relieve stress for me is to go fishing. I do know when I am on the water nothing else matters but landing that fish.
Stay in touch with your body, in other words, know your blood pressure and cholesterol, have it checked at least every three months if you are on medication. For all of us guys know your PSA reading to combat prostate cancer. I had a brother to die of Colin Cancer, some years ago so I make it a point to have a colonoscopy once every five years. Take a baby aspirin once a day, because this can help prevent a heart attack and stroke.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Some individuals don’t require as much sleep as others, for me 8 hours is plenty to keep me going strong the next day.
As I told you my wife and I break the rules sometimes when we are eating out and on a trip. I know that living healthy is harder to do if your wife and you as a husband are not willing to follow a healthy lifestyle.  My wife has been a big reason I have stuck to this plan because she cooks healthy meals and we both go to the gym together. In other words, we have each other as a support person. I guess I could say I have been blessed with a great lady, who is not only my wife but my best friend. Feel free to add your own suggestions for living healthy.