Sunday, September 22, 2013

Saturday Brookie Fishing

I admit I have not been brook trout fishing in what seems like forever.  Between my MBA and the new house, I haven't been able to enjoy this abnormally wet summer.  I hit a medium sized stream yesterday with a local guy.  Had a great time and the dry fly action was hot all morning and afternoon.  Surprised how many of the bigger guys were active considering how drizzly and crappy the weather was.  This finicky brookie stream tends to shut down in low light or rain, but was quite different today.  Was expecting some lock jawed trout, but they were very eager today.  Big fish of the day came on my first fish of the day.  Nailed my beetle pattern as soon as it hit the water and put a good fight on the 2 wt (second and third picture in the report).  I switched to a tungsten fly for about an hour just to see how they were feeding on the bottom, but quickly switched back to the dry after catching a few dinks and my friend still catching some chunkers on the dry.


Big brookie of the day.  Having a net on small streams is a must for me.  Keeps fish like this from getting away.

Another picture of the big brookie.

The stream.

Friend working a pool.


Cold pizza stream side lunch.


This stream has a ton of crawfish.  Must of seen at least a dozen or so.



Streamside scenery haha

It was a great way to spend a Saturday morning and afternoon.  Even though I have caught the musky bug, I still enjoy and prefer a morning casting dries to brook trout.

Thanks for reading.

Monday, September 9, 2013

Musky Float

Floated the James with a friend yesterday.  I chucked for musky in musky holes and rowed the guy in the smallie waters.  It was an all day float.  Was in the water around 7 am and we were pulling the boat out in the pitch black dark.  No musky were caught.  Had one good follow in the first 15 minutes of our float and towards the end I think I had a strike at a mouth of a creek.  Line went tight and I felt a head shake and that was the end.  Never saw the fish though.  I was honestly happy with the first follow though.  This section isn't really known for good smallies but we both caught a couple.  Nothing big but made for fun when we were out of the musky holes. My friend is also the king of riverside float grilling.
Gas prices are a whole lot better here in VA than it was in GA or NC last week.

McDonalds was calling my name that morning....it was a bad decision for my stomach.




Musky fly.


Friend ripping smallie streamers.


Some unrip pawpaws


Flock of kayaks means....


Time for a lunch break.


Bacon


Plus Hamburgers


Equals a darn good hamburger.


Top it off with campfire coffee.


Some Michgan karma.  (I was happy latter that day to watch Michigan put it to Notre Dame)






Friend with a better smallie for the day.




Annual Cicada

Wednesday, September 4, 2013