April 1 2011 local pond
Posted: Sun Apr 03, 2011 9:42 am
Hit the local pond about 6:45 for a little flyrod action. FIshed until dark without a strike with bass poppers, buggers and streamers. There were several people about plugging with waaaay too big lures for the given pond. They all cleared out with the onset of darkness and noseeums. Finally, moved down to the end of the park area and cast towards the neighbors waterline figuring it had not seen to much pressure in the shallows anyway. Decent cast to the only place on the water I could see the fly in the reflecton from the houses's light pollution beyond. and a couple of blurps on the popper and a bigger blurp. Short strip strike and it was obvious this fish might be a "keeper". After an hour and a half I had my first hookup. It was a blast as she jumped, danced and ran. I debated whether to switch up and put her on the reel but she had run to me to start so I worried I would get wrapped up. It took a couple of minutes and she was on the bank. Probably the best bass that I have caught out of the pond. I took a few pictures and let her go. Checked the watch - it was 8:16.
The rest of the photos of the bass were darkness / operator challenged.
I cast a little further the same general area (being the only reachable area in the light still). One blurp and a slurp - again aerobatics ensued and again another nice sized bass. I am not sure if back-to-back cast but the watch said 8:17 after I had the fish under control. Again to the bank and pictures and relatively quick release.
Second bass on the shore.
Second bass along side of my size 16 measuring board.
Best attempt at a gullet shot - they don't work so well on flash after dark.
Headed back to the water.
Finally, no more fish interested in that general direction so I cast back along the shore in the other direction. I was stripping pretty much blind and I missed a take - or so I though but two strips later the fly shook back. Fish on. Not as strong as the first two but just as feisty. In the air at least five times. To the bank, snap a photo and a quick release. Check the watch it was 8:23.
Thinking that lightning might strike again, I hurriedly start casting that way again. About the third false cast it was apparent that the line is not working right. Break out my cell phone, turn on the flashlight app and spend fifteen minutes extracting the fly, tippet from the doubled twenty feet of main line coming out from between the top eye and guide number two. No more bites after that.
I think I need to work on my flytying though since the bass will only hit them in pitch black darkness
.
Went back for seconds Saturday night and only caught one bream on a dry fly. The fish are either on to me or were tired from the Saturday fishing pressure.
The rest of the photos of the bass were darkness / operator challenged.
I cast a little further the same general area (being the only reachable area in the light still). One blurp and a slurp - again aerobatics ensued and again another nice sized bass. I am not sure if back-to-back cast but the watch said 8:17 after I had the fish under control. Again to the bank and pictures and relatively quick release.
Second bass on the shore.
Second bass along side of my size 16 measuring board.
Best attempt at a gullet shot - they don't work so well on flash after dark.
Headed back to the water.
Finally, no more fish interested in that general direction so I cast back along the shore in the other direction. I was stripping pretty much blind and I missed a take - or so I though but two strips later the fly shook back. Fish on. Not as strong as the first two but just as feisty. In the air at least five times. To the bank, snap a photo and a quick release. Check the watch it was 8:23.
Thinking that lightning might strike again, I hurriedly start casting that way again. About the third false cast it was apparent that the line is not working right. Break out my cell phone, turn on the flashlight app and spend fifteen minutes extracting the fly, tippet from the doubled twenty feet of main line coming out from between the top eye and guide number two. No more bites after that.
I think I need to work on my flytying though since the bass will only hit them in pitch black darkness
.Went back for seconds Saturday night and only caught one bream on a dry fly. The fish are either on to me or were tired from the Saturday fishing pressure.