Recent outings.

So, I have been out twice in search of trout. Once was back to the previous spot where I took my first fish. This time I managed to hook several, but land one.

I will tell you this know...............not liking the river fishing bit. Just to finicky and annoying. My back starts giving me grief quick. Pontooning is so much easier.

I have to go back to that water prepared a little better. By that, I mean be set up for nymphing. The guy we got the tip from was a 'dry fly only' sorta guy, by his own admission. Those that have been reading my tripe for long enough will be aware of my affinity for such. So thats how I went rigged. Immediately upon viewing the water I thought........classic nymph water. I should have been setup as such on my second visit.

So far up here, I have seen shit oads of caddis, and few mayflies. The fish I hooked where all on caddis.

I also went out on another day, looking for more water. I found a real nice stretch, but could not interest the fish in a dozen of so casts. You know, I am so damn spoiled I expect immediate results. I really have to get over that. I can't blame my move up here and my other fishing exploits here for that though. That comes from fishing for trout in S.O. I really need to adjust my expectations.

Fish n' Chips. Fresh fish, gluten free.

I was back on Horne tonight for the first time in  a long while. Was hunting perch meat. Caught lots of those. Also caught a good number of bass. I broke off a huge one. You know those overhand knots that appear in our leaders, often via tailing loops? Thats where it broke me off. I have on 20lb tippet material. I was rather surprised. Tells you how much a simple knot like that can affect the integrity of the line.

I fished a few different flies today. All were successful. The Rabbabou Clouser and an Olive Wooly Bugger produced most frequently, and it was the bugger that hooked the mega-bass.

Been awhile.

So, as I mentioned, a tip lead to some water on the White River. Since it came to me through a tip from a local, I`m not going to say to much about its exact location. From what I know, the water holds Bows, Specks, and Whitefish.

The Little White from earlier this year.

Even after checking out the location the other day, it still took some searching around to find the exact spot that had been related to us. When I did find it, I was impressed. I didn`t get enough time to really fish it hard, and it was mid-day, with little surface activity from fish. A number of caddis were egg laying, and I saw a mayfly which I didn`t identify on the water a couple of times.

I did however spy a fish smack a one of the small tan caddis that were flitting on the surface. My determination based solely on aerial observation was that a tan-tan caddis in a size 16 aught to be appropriate. I managed to put a cast over top of it and hooked my first trout since moving here. A bow of 10`` or so. It was highly acrobatic. Highly. I was impressed with its vertical. I managed to rise a couple of others.

A guy who lives not to far away stopped by on his ATV. He confirmed that indeed, its a good section for trout. Nice to know. I`ll be heading back soon enough at a more appropriate hour.

Oh, and I have come to  a decision. I despise furled leaders. Just my opinion. Don`t get upset by it. I find I can do far more, with ease, with a hand knotted leader. One of my major peeves is that lays out to0 straight. It does this exceedingly well. Thing is, I almost never want that when I`m throwing dry`s. I want slack S`s. Serpentine. I did  not find it responded well to my attempts to rectify this with mends, casting or otherwise. As a result, I have just finished tying up and swapping out for a trusty old hand-knotted leader.

On the ride home I was contemplating that I had a new river to once again figure out the bugs on. I enjoy that. Somewhat. I mean, its always good when we are in tune with the rivers happenings. Not so fun on the nights when fish key in on something you have never seen before, and subsequently have no pattern the fish will respond to.

Day off.

I should be taking off more. My body is becoming progressively more sore from my activities pursuing fish. So, no water time.

I did partake in some fishing related activities though. Took a drive to have a look at the White River again. A lot of the accesses had folks camping on them. As I mentioned yesterday, there are much more folks in these parts with cottagers, tourists, campers, and the like. There is also the 'Uranium Heritage Days' festival this weekend, with a concert tonight headlined by Finger 11.

.............Yellow and Red popper raring to go.

Anyways, access is not so easy as I thought. With the underbrush grown in, I found scant few places I'd want to enter thee water at. Given it was mid afternoon, I really didn't want to prospect long. I did make a few casts and brought what I took to be a rainbow of about 12" to the surface. Not sure how much I will want to be fishing the river. I'll go back when the folks aren't camping and see whats up, but I'm thinking its just going to be to much effort, and effort always turns to pain for me.

I was hoping to get out tonight. Even loaded up the 'toon and drove down to the lake. As soon as I saw the chop, I turned around. See above for 'effort'. I had really wanted to get out and see if I could nail something with the newest popper to come out of my shop. The finish was dry, I added the hardware, and even tied it on the rod in anticipation of the event.

...........bleeding throat.

I was recently asked if I work from patterns for my lures. The short answer is no. But I mean, come on, there are some colour combinations many of us know to be killer. Yellow and Red & Red and White are always the two that come immediately to mind for me, and to I incorporate into many of my lures and flies. Green and white is another favourite of mine. But we have all seen so many lures, incorporating the same basic shapes and colours, that coming up with something that will trigger fish should be second nature. One thing I like to add to the white underbellies of my poppers, is a slight bleeding throat as a trigger.

Hatch Charts.

I've noticed a fair amount of traffic comes this way via searches for hatch charts for both the Grand and Upper Credit Rivers. Lets talk about charts for a second.

First off, for those new to the sport, charts can only be so accurate. Bugs don't use a calendar. Probably the most accurate method would be phenology. Years like this, where spring weather conditions were accelerated, the bugs were too. Some years they get pushed back. What they are good for is giving you a general idea what should or could be on the water, and what should be coming up. The internet is also a good resource. Many shops have river reports online and will clue you in to the currently producing hatches. Blogs such as this one can also tell you what others are finding successful.............though, buyer beware..........anyone can write a blog. Some are excellent anglers. Others are not, like the hack who writes this blog. The well known fly fishing author John Gierach once said something along the lines of 'there are good anglers, and there are good writers. Seldom are they one in the same.'

Of course, the easiest way to find out what the fish and the bugs are doing is to get out there and look.

Grand River.
http://420flyfishing.blogspot.ca/2012/05/grand-river-hatch-chart.html

Upper Credit River.
http://420flyfishing.blogspot.ca/2012/04/credit-river-hatch-chart.html