An Evening in the Tube

The Cane & Silk & The Gill of the Night

Spent the evening in my waterborne recliner.  Lost track of fish. as can often happen with Bluegill.  Only two 1 1/2lb bass on the night. They were on and feeding on top enough to make me look good despite sloppy casting. 

Few Fish along the  edges, with most fish coming from deeper water lily pad clusters. 

Most productive flies were the Gurgling Frog early, and switching to a light Foam Butt Caddis as the light dropped off.

I'll take it.

The Father's Day Fish

The Father's Day Fish

With a 2 hour window at the end of an otherwise great day, I was able to make a run for water. 

Only one fish on the day....but a memorable one for sure.

Hooked the fish in full daylight

The Cane and Silk 7 1/2' 5wt fought well.

After fishing through my entire box, the only fish on the day took a McFlyfoam Egg (Apricot / Steelhead Orange dot)

I need a bigger net

A 26" Hen

Light was nearly gone when it finally came to hand

The last Gift of the day?....sharing the moment!

Pics courtesy of my youngest daughter Becka.

Glass That's Always Half Full

An Old Friend

Lamiglass 7' 3wt With Ross Colorado "0"

This morning I had the opportunity to fish with an old friend. This little 3wt glass rod is the first and only rod build I have accomplished over the years. I believe it was built in 1995, and had it's faults. Sloppy wrapping, and a poorly glued cork that eventually began to squeak near the reel seat. I had nearly given up on the rod as a learning experience, when a good friend of mine "BassBug" offered to rebuild and fix my earlier errors. The result is the rod in the title pic.  Along the way I also sold the little Ross Colorado "0" with a custom Winston 3wt rod I had built. 

However, this past winter I was offered the opportunity to regain that reel, which was welcomed home.  The result....an old friend was put back together.

The original Lamiglass build on it's first journey to water. The first fish caught was a native Cutthroat from the coastal waters of the Clearwater River on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State.

On today's trip to the "Tully" (Tulpehocken Creek in Central Pa) the fishing was tough. Low water sight fishing with fish rising and actively feeding. Just not on anything I had. Typical Tully. I was still able to salvage 2 fish on the day though. The first was a brown that took a #16  Sulfur LTD.

The LTD

The 2nd fish was a Rainbow, that took a #16 BWO  Nymph under an indicator. 

The BWO Nymph

The highlight of the morning either way was playing both fish and spending time on the water with a good friend....the Lamiglass rod. 

Tying The Pond Leech

Pond Leech

The Pond Leech is tied like all Mohair/Marabou leeches, with the only distinction being it is the most effective color combination I have found for still-water.  Over the years it has replaced the wooly-buggers and other leech patterns in my pond boxes almost completely.

Pond Leech Recipe

Hook:  #6 - #4 3XLong Streamer Hook 

Thread:  Black

Bead:  Black Tungsten

Under-body:  .015 Lead substitute wire

Tail:  Marabou Black/Purple/Black

Abdomen:  Mohair Yarn Purple/Black

Bulls on Top

The Bulls were looking up!

After a few days of cool weather and rain, I knew the bass would be "iffy" and the water would be a bit cloudy. 

I was right. 

BUT....

In the clear water along the edges the big bull gills were on the hunt. Caught one hen of decent size on the night. The rest were all bulls.  Only a dozen or so fish over the course of 3 hours. But aside from that one hen, they were all big, bright and ready to slam a Wog.

Nisqually Sunset (Modified)

Nisqually Sunset (Modified)

The Nisqually Sunset is a low-water salmon pattern given to me by a fisherman I would bump into while fishing for sea-run Cutthroat along the gravel beaches in the Nisqually River basin, in the early 90's.  After going without a fish through an entire afternoon as I watched him land fish after fish, he was generous enough to offer up a sample for me to take home.  I am assuming it was a personal pattern of his since I have never found the pattern elsewhere.

    Originally tied on a low-water salmon hook with Grizzly wings and Jungle Cock eyes, I have modified it slightly over the years to fit my on-hand materials, while eventually tying it as a trout streamer in Rangeley fashion. Tied with both Cree or Grizzly winging to adjust light or dark and Starling shoulder for the eyes, the result has been a solid streamer for eastern trout. 

The Recipe

Hook:  #10 - #6 Daiichi 2370 7X Long

Thread:  Black

Body:  Orange Uni-Floss

Rib:  Gold Oval Tinsel

Under-wing:  Rootbeer Bucktail

Wing:  Cree or Grizzly Hackle 2-each side

Cheek:  Partridge

Eye:  Starling

A Sunny Break In The Rain

A "Sunny" Start

With the previous week bringing rain and cooler weather, this mornings calm winds and sun felt like the chance to shed the shack-nasties. 

Finding the lake clear but cool and water high on the banks, I knew it may be a slow morning. After the first 30 minutes and not even a short rise, my fears became reality. 

With fish found in isolated pockets along the shore, though it took some searching, persistence paid off eventually.

After 3 hours of hard hunting, a few really nice fish came to hand (like the big hen above), but no double-digits would be had.

The highlight  of the day however, was the largest Pumpkinseed of the year so far that stole the show. 

Love the colors!