09-11-2007, 06:41 AM
With apologies to Willie Nelson, I found myself singing "In the Tube Again" today. I has been nearly a year since I started chasing carp on the fly. That move drove me to the shore, stalking the shallows sans tube. So encompassing has it been that I've done little else - until today. I woke up this morning with a hankering for some trout/tube fishing. It didn't help that we had excessive heat warnings posted by the weather service for today, but I loaded up the tube and went anyway. Nothing going on at all when I arrived. I spent some time catching a few bluegills in the shallows with the three weight while I waited for evening. Then as the shadows began to lengthen, I aired up the Super Fat Cat, slipped into waders and fins, and pushed off.
[inline tube-1-r.jpg]
I had a new toy to play with. Last fall I purchased one of the new wider angle Buddy 4200 finder units. This wasn't the first time out with it, but it was the first time I actually caught some fish with it. This replaced my vintage Buddy II (which still works after many years, by the way.) I like the Buddy because of the side finder - which is very helpful for trout fishing in lakes.
[inline buddy-1-r.jpg]
Due to the hot weather the trout were a bit lethargic. Initial water temp was 72 degrees. Nothing was going on. I figured I'd stay till dark in the hope that the temp would drop a bit. It did, sliding down to a more tolerable 68 in the waning daylight. Fish became active and there were some nice ones cruising around. I landed only four before the darkness enveloped me. I had to use a flashlight to find the dock but I wasn't far from it. Fish ran from 16-18". Not bad. I found myself a bit rusty in the tubing department at first, but soon my efficency started to return. The last fish was hooked when I could barely make out the shoreline.
[inline trout-1-r.jpg]
[inline trout-2-r.jpg]
[inline trout-3-r.jpg]
[inline trout-4-r.jpg]
I look forward to reconnecting with you BFT guys. Feels like home.
zonker
[signature]
[inline tube-1-r.jpg]
I had a new toy to play with. Last fall I purchased one of the new wider angle Buddy 4200 finder units. This wasn't the first time out with it, but it was the first time I actually caught some fish with it. This replaced my vintage Buddy II (which still works after many years, by the way.) I like the Buddy because of the side finder - which is very helpful for trout fishing in lakes.
[inline buddy-1-r.jpg]
Due to the hot weather the trout were a bit lethargic. Initial water temp was 72 degrees. Nothing was going on. I figured I'd stay till dark in the hope that the temp would drop a bit. It did, sliding down to a more tolerable 68 in the waning daylight. Fish became active and there were some nice ones cruising around. I landed only four before the darkness enveloped me. I had to use a flashlight to find the dock but I wasn't far from it. Fish ran from 16-18". Not bad. I found myself a bit rusty in the tubing department at first, but soon my efficency started to return. The last fish was hooked when I could barely make out the shoreline.
[inline trout-1-r.jpg]
[inline trout-2-r.jpg]
[inline trout-3-r.jpg]
[inline trout-4-r.jpg]
I look forward to reconnecting with you BFT guys. Feels like home.
zonker
[signature]