Fishing Forum

Found a little spot last week that's only 15 min away from work. Perfect for those days when I need to take a long lunch and clear my head. The fish there seem to be constantly rising and I'd thrown everything in my box at them but... nope.

Yesterday evening I was doing pretty decent nymphing, had 3-4 after an hour, when a guy started fishing the same hole. Everytime I looked over it seemed he was unhooking a surprisingly decent-sized fish for the spot. He came over after a while and talked to me, asking if I'd tried dries. I told him of my lack of success with them in this spot. So he gave me a few from his box that he'd tied himself.

Dangit if I didn't get a fish on my first cast with one of them. AND on the second! The fish would not leave this fly alone. I was having a ball, bringing them in left and right. But then... I lost the fly. And the fish wanted nothing more to do with me [:/]

I grabbed a couple supplies from Sportsman's on my way home and went about trying to tie my own from memory. I've only been tying for about a month and have had a heck of a time figuring out any dries that I'd liked. But I managed a few that I thought were good enough for testing.

Despite the forecast for rain and wind today, Kota and I loaded up and went to the spot. The sun came out, and between windy spells the fish were a-rising. And guess what... my dry flies worked! A couple of my experimental midge larva patterns also got good results as droppers.

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Fished 4 hours today and ended up landing 30+ browns and rainbows. Most were only 6-8 inches but a few were good size. And such mighty fighters, all of them. What a great day.

I am convinced, there are few things as satisfing as watching a fish rise to a homemade dry. If I wasn't "hooked" before, I definitely am now.

Thanks, random dude who gave me those flies, wherever you are!
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So, what does the fly look like?[cool]
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Cool! Great way to blow the winter blahs away. I love fishing dries on a small stream or river. Nothing beats the rush of seeing a nice fish rise to the fly you tied.

Congrates on your tying. You have passed the fish approval test! [cool]
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Sounds like a fantastic and satisfying day. It's always nice to catch fish on something you have just created.
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That's a great report! Thanks "random dude"!
I love your dog! She/he sure looks ready to "help" land you catches! Got a net for her?

And I fully agree - there is a whole different level of satisfaction in hooking up and landing a fish on something YOU created! Nothing beats that satisfaction!

I know of a guy - who will go TO a water, read conditions, see what's up, then right then and there tie up what's needed to match the hatch, and games on.
I spend enough time tying on hooks and jigs after breakoffs! But it impresses the tar out of me that there are people that can and do - do that!

Maybe you'll have to get in on the next fly-swap!

Now - see - I hear of folks going fishing on a lunch break! I don't dare - I'd never go back to work!!!
[center]Just "one more"!
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I probably fish on my lunch break 10 times a month. I haven't gone back to work once. Ever.

And I wonder why I'm poor.
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Awesome story!

I also had a fella when I was on the lower Weber walked up to much as I was fishing a hole. (Guessing he was wanting to fish it) came up to me and threw me a rainbow scud saying he's been doing really good with it that day. Soon as I threw it on, BAM! Right as he was watching! Thanked him again as I was putting the fish back into the water!

Seriously can't wait till I can return the favor to others out on the rivers!
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Kota is a fantastic fishing buddy. She'll just stand right in front of me and watch my line/strike indicator - very very intently - for hours. She gets excited any time I reel in our cast out. I think she thinks it's a game of "extreme fetch" or something (she is an awesome and dedicated fetcher, being half border collie). Curiously she doesn't seem to care that much about the fish. She just knows the line is comin' in fast. Woo-hoo!

The fly was a grey midge pattern, but it was big, size 16-18. My double and griffith's gnat-ish versions were ineffective so I don't think they were taking it as a cluster. Is this perhaps the mighty Buffalo Midge I've heard tell of?
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(I don't know if I just broke some sort of unwritten law by describing the gift fly, but it's really been bothering the heck out of me that I don't know why it worked so well)
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