10-05-2010, 08:23 PM
I have been itching to get out and cast the fly rod on some favorite lakes off of Skyline Drive. I meant to take last Tuesday off but it didn't work out with the family schedule. Consequently, I took yesterday (Monday) off.
I left the house at 4 am and pulled up to the first lake about 7am. I decided to try the Chronomids out, as suggested by some members of this forum. I went to Cabelas and bought the Jackie Chan, I mean Brian Chan assortment (No time to tie any flies). I rigged up a woolly bugger with a chronomid dropper and started stripping really slow. I only got a couple of bumps and finally caught a 4 inch minnow. I could tell the chronomid wasn't getting the right action for the fish so I switched to an attractor and dropped the chronomid 3 feet below. I was using a Chernobyl ant, mainly because it was visible as a strike indicator, secretly hoping the fish were still taking attractor patterns this late in the fall. I started casting near the shore and dead drifting flies. I would count to ten and start kicking back in my pontoon. Sure enough that was the ticket and the tigers started taking the chronomid.
I caught 15 by noon and missed at least that many. Most of the fish were between 13 and 16 inches. I caught 3 on the Chernobyl and the rest on the chronomid. It seemed to work really well when there was a little bit of a breeze. The largest that I caught, about 19 inches, was caught in a hail storm. As soon as the rain came on the action picked up a little bit and I missed several fish. When the hail started coming I casted out I saw a golden flash as the fish belly rolled the Chernobly. I pulled a little too hard and the Chernobly came out of his mouth. Luckily, the chronomid foul hooked him in the butt. Then the fight was really on. Several minutes later I landed the 19 inch tiger. I have never fought a fish in a pounding hail storm. It was the coolest thing ever, mainly because I had waders and a waterproof jacket on. It was like the fish never expected an artificial presentation during the storm.
I only fished until about noon as the rain got too much to endure with the wind that came up. I decided to have lunch and headed to a different lake. When I got out I could tell I had a slow leak in my back tire so I packed up and went home. Great day. I hope to get out again but not likely as my wife is expecting in a few days.
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I left the house at 4 am and pulled up to the first lake about 7am. I decided to try the Chronomids out, as suggested by some members of this forum. I went to Cabelas and bought the Jackie Chan, I mean Brian Chan assortment (No time to tie any flies). I rigged up a woolly bugger with a chronomid dropper and started stripping really slow. I only got a couple of bumps and finally caught a 4 inch minnow. I could tell the chronomid wasn't getting the right action for the fish so I switched to an attractor and dropped the chronomid 3 feet below. I was using a Chernobyl ant, mainly because it was visible as a strike indicator, secretly hoping the fish were still taking attractor patterns this late in the fall. I started casting near the shore and dead drifting flies. I would count to ten and start kicking back in my pontoon. Sure enough that was the ticket and the tigers started taking the chronomid.
I caught 15 by noon and missed at least that many. Most of the fish were between 13 and 16 inches. I caught 3 on the Chernobyl and the rest on the chronomid. It seemed to work really well when there was a little bit of a breeze. The largest that I caught, about 19 inches, was caught in a hail storm. As soon as the rain came on the action picked up a little bit and I missed several fish. When the hail started coming I casted out I saw a golden flash as the fish belly rolled the Chernobly. I pulled a little too hard and the Chernobly came out of his mouth. Luckily, the chronomid foul hooked him in the butt. Then the fight was really on. Several minutes later I landed the 19 inch tiger. I have never fought a fish in a pounding hail storm. It was the coolest thing ever, mainly because I had waders and a waterproof jacket on. It was like the fish never expected an artificial presentation during the storm.
I only fished until about noon as the rain got too much to endure with the wind that came up. I decided to have lunch and headed to a different lake. When I got out I could tell I had a slow leak in my back tire so I packed up and went home. Great day. I hope to get out again but not likely as my wife is expecting in a few days.
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