What's Your Time Limit For a Day's Fishing

You know we all learn something every time we venture out to one of our favorite streams or lakes. The learning curve has really increased for me over the last few of years; especially when it deals with the length of time I spend on the water. When I was younger it was a given for me to stay on the water all day regardless of the conditions, but as I get older that is not in my game plan anymore. A half day on the water is usually my trip. Research has shown that the most active feeding periods for most warm water species are early in the morning and late in the afternoon. Anything in between is an added bonus. The feeding periods for cold water species such as trout, can be somewhat different. A hatch on a given stream or tailrace could cause a feeding frenzy anytime of the day. I have seen trout feeding on mayflies at a frantic pace at 1 PM on our Sipsey Tailrace. This is why I love trout fishing so much, because I can make a two or three hour trip into something special anytime of the day. Being retired has afforded me the opportunity to tailor my fishing trips during the most active time of the day. When I was working five days a week I was only able to fish on weekends, with an occasional trip during the afternoon, holidays or summer months. Now if the barometer is high, with cloudless skies, wrong wind direction and extreme heat or cold I stay home. One thing I have learned about fishing over the years, one can’t make a fish hit if it’s not feeding. I know we all have different variables that determine how much time we spend on the water during a day’s fishing trip; is it the bite, weather conditions, time of day, or just the enjoyment of being outdoors?

The Orvis Battenkill I Large Arbor Reel Made in England

Guys I just wanted to share a couple of my finds as I replace my fly fishing equipment. I was lucky to find both of these Orvis reels for 75.00 bucks while scanning the net for the past couple of weeks.

The Battenkill BBS II is loaded with 4 wt. line and the Battenkill I Large Arbor is loaded with 5 wt. line. I bought the BBS II for 50.00 buck on a clearance sale. I couldn’t believe I got the Battenkill Large Arbor I for 25.00. This reel was used and had one tiny chip on the rim, but other than that it is in excellent condition. What really impressed me about the reel is the fact it was made in England. I sense from reading some of the fly fishing forums that this is really a quality reel. Do any of you guys know anything about the England made reels?

 

Blessed to Have Awesome Blogging Buddies

Alan at Small Stream Reflection sent me a care package today in the form of some awesome streamers, dries, and wet flies. Thanks to Alan my fly box is back to normal now and ready for some cold water fishing on the tailrace. I haven’t been able to get back on the water due to constant generation and not having fly fishing equipment to fish with.

Well as of today I can report that I have replaced most all the fly rods with the exception of one 7 ½ ft. Redington and one Gloomis fly reel. In fact I found most of the reels and rods cheaper than the original price. Even with that accomplishment, it stills leaves me with a sick feeling knowing the value of what I lost. I do have insurance now on all my fishing equipment and hopefully I will never have to use it. Thanks to Alan and the rest of my blogging buddies for all the positive comments and helping me restock my fly boxes. Now its time to hit the water.!!

Alan does an exceptional job at the tying bench. I can’t wait to get on the water and land some nice rainbows using these flies. I am especially anxious to use those streamers. The trout here seldom see these streamers patterns, so I am expecting some savage takes. I hope to have a report soon.