A quick fix

It was suppose to storm yesterday... So, I made plans to meet up with Johnny Hondo, look over some art he's having done for his business, and share a few PBR's.

It didn't storm... In fact, the weather was beautiful. Almost 80, slight breeze, a regular chamber of commerce day. And I was at work, with visions of caddis dancing on the water. I had a feeling the bite was on... Finally, I could no longer take it. I left work a little early (sorry Chris, just a lil early... Hope you're having fun in FLA), ran home, grabbed my gear and some clothes for dinner and headed for the river... It was 5:18.

I jumped out of the trout wagon, grabbed my pre-rigged rod, and headed to my first stop... It was 5:26. I had a simple plan to hit 5 different spots that I know hold fish... Ten to twenty casts in each, fish for an hour, change clothes and still make it to the bar by 7:00.

Third cast... BOOM.... Thirteen inch brown pounded my fly. The bite was on!! I drug my flies through the run and moved to the next stop quickly, ten casts, no luck... Reeled in and moved on. Next spot, a deep fast run... I tied on a new fly I had tied the night before and cast....BOOM...a nice health 10" brown. Three cast later, another... I glanced at my watch... It was 6:02.

I moved to the top of the run and drifted my fly inches I front of the log jam. The water was as clear has I've ever seen it. It looked like August, and felt like it too! I was sweating profusely and my glassed where getting completely fogged over. I was so impressed with my beautiful drift that when a fish darted out from under the log and grabbed my fly, I was taken by surprise and I missed it... The trout would have easily been the fish of the day.

The sun went behind the clouds of a front moving in, and the bite shut off. The next two spots produced no fish. I knew I was getting short on time and became distracted, casting from tree to bush to snag and back into the tree. I looked at my watch... 6:42!! Time to head in.

I quickly threw my gear into my ride, stripped down and took a quick "Amish bath" (deodorant and cologne), put on some jeans, t-shirt and flip flops and I was off! It was 6:50.

Needless to say, I was fashionably late... But Johnny Hondo was at the bar holding court, so he didn't seem to notice. The ice cold PBR'S couldn't have tasted better.



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Location:Catch and release water

22" inch club gets a new Member!!

Saturday saw a dank and dreary start. A cold front pushed through Amish country and left us with a grey sky. I had made plans with Jeff (RiverRat) Stanifer. Expert fly tyer, competition fly angler, and the best nymph fisherman I know.

We headed to the upper portion of the catch and release water. After rigging up, Jeff tied on two flies he had worked on this past winter. The water was VERY low and clear. Surprising considering the overnight rains. Jeff pulled out some line and made his first cast right into the branches above. I jumped in and pulled out two chubs as he rigged back up. Not what we were after.

Next cast for Jeff... Same result. Inches away from the previous rig! We worked for five minutes to retrieve his flies and decided it would be a good idea to head downstream to the deeper pools and open air. Jeff was fishing a Greys 10 ft 5 wt streamflex rod. These rods are designed for European style nymphing, perfect sections of the Amish water.

Most of the "spring" pools were gone. The water was so low, we could see to the bottom... I was disappointed , and nervous that I may not be able to put Jeff on some fish. I sent Jeff to down to Big Bow Bend and fished a shallow run 50 yards up stream. A few seconds later I heard Jeff, scream "Holy Balls!!!.... I need some help down here!!!"

I threw my rod on the bank jumped up and sprinted to Jeff, stripping off my vest and chucking my water bottle on the way. I grabbed Jeff's net, looked over his shoulder and saw what looked like a steelhead tight on his line. After a short battle Jeff raised the fishes head and I netted the beast. You would have thought we just won the Super Bowl. We jumped around like a couple of school girls, giggling and high-fiving. Jeff gave the fish a quick drink before pictures and the measurement... Just over 22".



The bite was tough the rest of the day. We both took some other nice fish, but nothing to compare to the big bow.

At the end of the day, we toasted the fish with some Jameson, still shaking our heads and laughing. It's a day I won't forget.

So, for the record, the 22" club now includes:

Mike Beachy (2x's)
Chris Miller
Jeff Stanifer

I gave up gunning for "The Big One" long ago... And I won't let the taunting of these few lure me into trying to join there fraternity.... But damn, I wanna catch a big fish!

Stay tuned.



FISHING REPORT:

River is at its June level. Low and clear. Fish are holding in the deep runs. The bite has been consistent and soft.

Buggers, small streamers, and caddis nymphs. Black and olive with a little flash on the buggers, don't be afraid to go light on the streamers. Nymphs in the 12 - 16 range. The fish are deep!

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Location:Catch & Release Water

First cast snag...

I admit that by nature, I am a superstitious fly fisher. Especially when it comes to my hat, shirt, boxes in the right pockets... You get the idea. All the planets must be in alignment or my fishing day will be a loss.
So, I have found, that my first cast is a precursor of how the day will go. And, I have on more than a few occasions found my first cast in the trees, snapped off my flies, reeled in and headed home.
So, yesterday afternoon, when my first cast caught the only Snag in the run, only to release and find the only little bush sticking up behind me, I was tempted to call it a day. But, yesterday was far to beautiful to give up after only one try. I continued on.
I was rewarded shortly after, when a 16" rainbow took my caddis nymph. A beautiful fish. I released her and moved up stream, stopping at each log jam and pool, looking for new spots created by the winter storms. The fish were spread out, but where they should be, deep in the back of the pools, waiting for dinner to float by. I missed a few strikes, and did manage to take a feisty 12" brown on a SH Bugger.




All in all, a wonderful day.
I did meet to gentlemen who came down from South Bend to fish. We spoke for 20 minutes or so. One of the gentlemen thought he saw a fish in the narrow run in front of him, so he decided to try and cast to it....only to put his fly firmly into the log jam. He snapped it off and I laughed and said "don't worry, my first cast today was into a snag as well!"
On my way home, I reflected on how lucky I am to have this fishery in my back yard!
FISHING REPORT:
Water levels are slightly up. Water is stained but fishable.
Lot of caddis and midges coming off throughout the day.
Flies: Caddis nymphs. Size 14-16. Nothing to flashy. An olive beadhead is a great choice.
Dark buggers and streamers... Black, olive with a little flash.
Fish them DEEP! If your not hitting the bottom you're not deep enough. The strike will come int the back or to the side of the run.
-ak




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Location:Hoover property- Little E