Fantastic day

[mark p]

As my friend and I were headed out to the stream I mentioned that I was kind of disappointed that it was sunny instead of cloudy like they had predicted. I really wasn't expecting to have great luck with the low clear water and bright sunshine. My friend was a little more optomistic and said the sun might help a hatch at this time of the year. He has been fly fishing much longer than I have and was obviously much smarter. When we got to the stream at noon there were fish rising everywhere.

There was a hatch of brown caddis going on and the fishing was fantastic. My friend and I fished drys all day and were still catching fish on top until we quit at 7:00, even though the hatch had stopped around 3:00. Not sure how many we caught, but I caught 20-25 out of the first pool I fished in less than 45 minutes. It certainly didn't continue at that same pace all day, but it was by far the best day of dry fly fishing I have had in my 1+ years of fly fishing.

While walking back to the car the fish started rising again. Whatever they were feeding on was too small to see. Probably some sort of midge?

[TSTEPHENS]

AWEOSOME MARK P. THOSE TYPE OF DAYS DON'T COME AROUND TOO OFTEN.
ONE THING TO REMEMBER YOUR FLY FISHING OUTINGS MAY NOT BE THAT GOOD EVERY TIME YOU GO OUT, BUT ITS JUST A LOT OF FUN BEING OUT THERE ANY TIME. COOL THAT WILL GIVE ME A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENCE DURING SUNNY DAYS.

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"ONLY THE BIG ONES"

[mark p]

The caddis I was using was a size 16 that had a dark brown body and dark brown wings (made from turkey feather?) so it was hard to see in more places than just fast water. I just watched an area around where I thought the fly was and set the hook if I saw one rise. I thought about using a strike indicator, but I was catching plenty of fish and didn't want to take the chance that the strike indicator would spook them.

As it got darker and the glare got worse to the point that my polarized glasses hardly helped, I put on a elk hair caddis (tan elk hair with a brown body) to use as a strike indicator with the brown caddis as a trailer. The elk hair caddis had been almost useless during the hatch, but worked just as well as the other during the evening.

Also, I know all days aren't like that even if there's a hatch on. I've been trout fishing for over 40 years and I've had good and bad days fishing with live bait, spinners, and flys. If it was too easy it would take the fun out of it. It is nice to have one of those days every now and then when it seems like you can do no wrong though. Heck, anyone who goes fishing with any regularity DESERVES it.

[This message has been edited by mark p (edited 05-02-2003).]

[smellzalilfishee]

MARK P using a attracting style of fly for an indicator is always a good bet. my favotite is a stimulator. i do not use strike puddy for indicators to often but in the times i have, i didn't seem to have any spooking issues. sometimes those crazy fish will come up and drill the indicator. i much prefer a fly for an indicator but sometimes even that is hard to follow, thats when i use something bright. my favorite set up is a high low using a dry that matches a hatch then i drop down 18 to 36 inches and tie an emerger {an emerging caddis is always good during a caddis hatch} or a pheasant tail or something like that. this setup has been deadly for me many times. good fishing.

[smellzalilfishee]

mark p-- have you used a hemmingway or goddard caddis?? these have worked awesome for me in the past...

[Jim W]

smellalilfishee,

Now we're talkin' eh? Thanks for the good info!!!!!

Jim W

[mark p]

Well, I don't know what a hemmingway or goddard caddis is. As a matter of fact, I don't know what the caddis I was using is called either. It was given to me by my sister-in-laws brother who ties. The fly is longer and skinnier than an elk hair caddis with the wings extending back past the hook.

I have just started to try and build up my fly selection a little this year. Last year I pretty much just used a BH prince nymph with a PT dropper almost every time out. I always caught fish so I wasn't forced to expand. Did some dry fly fishing with a caddis and trico, but that was pretty much my whole selection. I probably have about 8 or 9 diff dry flies now and about as many nymphs. Not a great selection, but a big step up from last year.

2 or 3 of the nymphs are more "creations" from the person who gave me the caddis. I haven't seen them anywhere else, including online. Don't know what I'll do when they're gone. I hate to just ask him for more, and not sure if he would be offended if I offered him money.

Unfortunately it might be June before I can get out again. Maybe it would have been better if the fishing was lousy. Then I might not feel so bad that I can't get out.

[smellzalilfishee]

Jim W, i have a pretty good feeling of how fellow fishermen view me on this site. I am o.k with this. The truth of the matter is i am not some elitist snobby fly fishermen. I evolved to flyfishing the same way most people did. I began fishing trout with bait, then for many years all i threw were rapalas. For the last 10 years or so i have fished mainly with flies for trout and i find it to be the most rewarding way of catching them. My point was never to offend anyone on this site {although i know i did} i am simply very concerned that the fishing pressure of today and the regs in place are going to weaken our trout streams. Fishing with bait for many years I have seen first hand the damage one can do to a fish. Selective harvest may not be an option when the fish has very little chance to survive, and lets face it no matter how much we try not to bury a hook it sometimes is just inevitable. I would be in favor of a lower legal number of fish that can be kept.This is just my opinion and i certainly don't know everything but i do have a right to voice my opinion right? Also to clarify one point- i have no problem with keeping a couple for the dinner table, but i do support c&r. My point here is not to fuel any old fires simply to clarify a point and put it to bed. I enjoy this site and hope to do so in the future. thank you smellz

[Renneberg]

Good stuff Mark P.

Keep them reports coming.

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"Study to be quite"

[smellzalilfishee]

MARK P, yes it was more than likely a midge hatch, you almost have to throw flies size 20 to 26 to have any luck and usually the bigger trout won't expend their energy on such a small meal- but you never know. sounds like it was a great day. If you find yourself fishing a sunny day with another good hatch fish riffles and any fast water and you will probably have some good success sometimes it is hard to follow a dry in fast water, i like to take a small amount of strike puddy, make a small ball and place it a few feet up from my first fly. good luck

[smellzalilfishee]

MARK P that sounds similar to a Hemmingway caddis. Cabalas has a decent fly assortment on their HSOforum, you can check out those variations there. the Goddard is the most effective pattern i have found for fishing the waters around here and i think you will like it.. good fishing

[Guest]

A very good material for tying "emerger patterns" is CDC! Works fer me!

Especially on small #18-22s tyes!

Good to hear it when someone has such a super day on the stream fishery!

I haven't had such a day since a few years ago on the Norfork River in northern Arkansas when I lost count of catching & releasing over 75 browns(at least) in approx 2-3 hours of FANTASTICALLY beautiful fly-fishing!!
And with this fishery once holding the World Record German Brown of over 40 lbs...well give it a try some day guys!! Be happy to "forum-guide" you there!

You will be impressed as well as rewarded!!

"LUND-MAN"

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"Leave NO Trace"

[smellzalilfishee]

LUND-MAN if i am not mistaken Rip caught that forty pounder right?? Is that not the record anymore??

[mark p]

Thanks for the advice on looking at Cabela's. Not sure why I hadn't thought of looking there since that is where I bought my fly rod.

[biff]

Arkansas trout fishing...40lb brown caught by Rip in the little red river...still the record. The norfork has produced several fish in the 30's. Norfork, little red, white...they are all great fisheries for numbers as well as a shot at a real monster. Nothing like floating the crystal clear water of the white river, looking down in a deep limestone bottom pool and seeing a 20 lb. brown swim by...beautiful river. A testiment to the browns wariness that they can get that big under the fishing pressure. Now they even have catch and release areas that are producing some big rainbows. Excellent place for a winter getaway. Definitely worth the trip sometime.