I Have Gone High Tech on You Guys

Well I have finally gone High Tech on you guys. I am not talking about blogging; I am talking about my new Driod Razr Maxx smart phone by Motorola. I have been using the basic fold out version of the Samsung without all the bells and whistles for years and thought it was about time for me to move up and join the rest of the mad text scene. So now I am not only into the text mode, but into all the other features that comes with this incredible phone. You wonder how and what will be coming out next or better yet can the industry top what they already have; well I know they can and my Driod will be out dated in a couple of years. This may be old hat to most of you guys but this is a big step for me, especially when I told my wife a couple of years ago that texting was dumb, because I could dial a number and actually say what I needed to say in less time. As time has past I can see a need for texting, because on some days I can only reach my family or friends with a text message. The one great feature I really like about this phone is text talk, which keeps me from typing with my fat fingers. So now you all know that I have reached new heights in communication. I only hope I can keep up.

Getting Tougher to Reach my Goal of 100 Super Bluegills

I got back on the water this week for a couple of days. The lake has been falling and cool nights have put a damper on the catch ratio. There has been very little bass action on top or subsurface; but that is Smith Lake, deep, super clear and heavy fishing pressure. This lake has had three bass tournaments in the past month and that plays a big part in whether the bass is active. I have always heard that lakes that have a tremendous amount of pressure should be fished completely different from the way everybody else fishes the lake. I have taken that statement to heart some years ago when I started Micro Light fishing and Fly Fishing on the lake. These two methods of fishing are seldom used on Smith which has made it quite productive for me over the years, especially with the fly rod. I have only seen one other fisherman use the fly rod on this lake over the past ten years, and I hope that trend continues. I am still working on my goal every time I launch the boat here and today and Wednesday were no exception. Both days produced 20 to 25 bluegills with only a few big enough to count towards my goal. Wednesday was tough because the lake was falling and I had to go with subsurface flies such as the Upside Bream Killer and a size 12 Cream Nymph. I only landed a couple on top using the Humpy Green dry fly. Today was somewhat better but still limited surface action. The Muddler Minnow was the fly that got their attention today, but it only produced one good gill and a couple smaller ones. I used the Cream Nymph the rest of the morning to finish the trip. I can’t go to Smith this time of year without trying the Boogle Bug, but there was no action at all with the Spots and Largemouth bass. I thought I would never wish for hot humid weather but that is what it is going to take to bring back the top action. I am now 32 big bluegills away to reach my goal. It is getting tougher now that the spawn is winding down. I only have 2 to 3 weeks left.  Wish me luck!!!

Beautiful colored Bluegill right out of the water, this one counted

I counted two of these on Wednesday's trip, I landed numbers of smaller fish but they didn't make my count

All four of these counted towards the goal for Saturday's trip again I landed a lot of smaller fish but no count---Sorry no bass to report on.

I had to take a picture of this beauty, the colors on this sunfish are outstanding. I have never landed one any bigger than this guy.

The Beginner Package For The Fly Fisherman on a Budget

I know when you mention fly fishing to the average individual they either think expense or intimidating. I have had numbers of individuals tell me they would like to fly fish but they just don’t think they can afford the sport or it is too complicated to learn. One does not have to spend a pile of money to get into fly fishing. In fact you can purchase a fairly good combo at most outlet stores. Way before purchasing the equipment there has to be the desire to learn the sport and next learning how to cast. Some individuals may take fly casting lessons which can cost anywhere from 50.00 to 100.00.  To save money you can always get someone you may know to let you cast their fly rod for free. A suggestion here, don’t waste money on a fly rod and reel until you have had a chance to use one. I taught one of my buddies how to use one of my fly rods in last than hour last year on Smith Lake. In fact he landed his first small bass on that outing. Today he fly fishes with me all the time and absolutely loves the sport. After you have learned how to cast, you need a fly rod and reel. As stated earlier you can purchase a combo at an outlet store and the best for your bucks is Wal Mart. If you purchase the Crystal River combo, you get the 8 ft. 4/5 wt fly rod, reel with fly line, tapered leader, two sided fly box and the case to carry it all in for an unbelievable price online for 30.00. Now that you got your fly rod combo, you need to go out and land some fish. I would go to a local pond or small lake where you can get into some bass or bluegills. Landing warm water species with poppers will help you learn how to connect with your fly and learn how to play the fish.  You don’t have to spend loads of money on accessories to warm water fish. Again Wal Mart carries a variety of Betts Poppers, line stretchers, scissors, forceps, line dressing, floatant, tapered leaders, and tippets. All these accessories are the Fairplay Brand with leaders as low as 2.00, tippets 2.00, and the rest of the accessories under 5.00. Keep in mind you don’t have to buy all these items at one time; buy as the need arises. The Betts poppers are priced below 2.00 and will last numbers of trips. Wal-Mart carries a small fanny pack which is excellent to store all your accessories including your fly box. In fact I use a fanny pack to carry all my warm water accessories all the time, I just strap it around my waist and everything I need is right at my fingertips. Wal-mart not only carries all the Betts Poppers but a wide variety of flies for warm and cold water fishing. Everything I have mentioned will get you out on the water casting poppers and nymphs such as Wooly Buggers for less than 50.00. That’s not bad for the beginner fly fisherman who is looking to get into the sport and not go in debt to get started. Ricky over at Shotguns and Fishing Poles ask me to do a post on what it would take for a beginner to get into fly fishing. So this is my version, some of you guys might be able to do a better job and if I have left anything out please feel to add your comment.  

Irritation and Frustration Can Occur Even in Fishing

I know fishing trips can’t be perfect all the time and I realize that sometimes things just don’t go as planned. I did a post some time back on whether you consider yourself a perfectionist when it comes to fishing. Well, I guess you could put me in that category because everything has to be working to perfection for me when I am fishing. One might say why do you put yourself through all that pressure or stress?  No pressure or stress here for me because this is the way I have learned to fish, but after all these years there are some things that still get next to me such as----

Line tangle on fishing rods---I hate it when your line from one rod in the boat, Suv, or truck gets tangled into the line of other rods in the boat.  The best way to avoid this is to clip your fly or lure into your hook keeper on your fishing rod, then wrap the line around the rod using your guides on the rod to hold the line tight to the rod itself. There is no way for the line on the rods to get tangled that way. One of my buddies had two of his rods to get tangled with his fly rods the other day in the back of his SUV. He spent the better part of 4 to 5 minutes getting the line on the rods untangled, what a mess. 

Line bend---I am talking about the bent line in your leader after it has set in the guide for a while. Even the line stretcher can’t get this bend out at times. I really like my leader to be perfectly straight when I am fly fishing. If your leader is straight without bends then your presentation of your fly will land more realistic. One of the guys I fish with never uses a line stretcher, instead, he just removes the leader from the package and ties a fly on and starts casting. I have mentioned and even shown him the technique of how to secure a straight leader, but he says that is wasting time. He seems to think casting will get the leader in working order---everybody to his own!

The tip of your fly line sinking below the surface of the water; a good line dressing will keep your fly floating nicely on the surface. The sinking fly line can cause problems with pick up and can also hinder the cast itself.

Line twist at the tippet end of the leader is one thing I have been wrestling with and I think I have solved this problem. I switched to a larger tippet and flies with less hackle to help with this problem. Nothing more irritating than a twisted tippet when you are landing fish

A bad cast not only cuts down on fishing time, but it can also cause knots in your tippet or upwards to your leader. This is really true if you are using a dropper which extends the leader length. You will know when you have hit that sweet spot with your cast. It is that feel and the sight of fly rolling perfectly out on the surface of the water. I have never been a big fan of false casting a lot. My son does a lot of false casting which in turn causes knots in his leader at times. Don’t get me wrong there is a time and place for false casting but with me, I use less false casting than the average fly fisherman.

This last one is listed for those of us who use boats. There is nothing more frustrating than to have some of your equipment on your boat to go out after you have got on the water. This can really put a damper on what was supposed to be a good day. Well, there you have it some of my under the skin-irritating things that get next to me. Have I missed some, if so feel free to add your own?