My new place in Colorado Springs is within two miles of a lake stocked with trout: Quail Lake. I first tried the lake fishing with my son the other night. Within ten minutes I hooked a monster rainbow trout that broke me off in about two feet of water. I returned this morning with my float tube. I got three rainbows chucking a wooly bugger. The one in the picture was the smallest, but had the best color. Bobbing in my float tube in the shadow of Pikes Peak is a true Rocky Mountain High.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Catfish...On The Fly Rod?
I was content with scoring a couple small bass at our friend’s place in Superior. I was fishing a Murray’s Strymph, which is a great all purpose fly for those situations when you are totally clueless. It turns out that this streamer/nymph combo is more versatile then I realized. Designed for Shenandoah River smallmouth bass, the Strymph was too much for an 18” catfish to resist. We returned to Superior on Memorial Day. Within fifteen minutes of chucking a Strymph a 19” cat took the offering. So you can catch catfish on a fly rod, provided you have a pocket full of smallmouth flies.
Colorado Fly Bass
We have moved to Colorado Springs, CO. On the day after the movers showed up we drove up to Superior to pick up our kids from a friend who was looking after them on move in day. Chucking a fly at a small lake behind our friend’s house was worth two bass in short order. They were small, but small bass are made for fly fishing.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Dad's Monster Smallie
My Dad is starting to establish himself as a monster smallmouth hunter. Each year he spends on Lake James he seems to log more and more over the coveted 16" range. The entry below details his recent victory over an 18" smallmouth. This week Dad topped that fish by boating a true monster, 21", five-pound North Carolina bronzeback. Once again, the winning tactic was Uncle Leroy's sunset spoon technique. Hats off to Dad for the bass of the year
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Weekend With Dad
Dad and I knew up front that Lame James is tough, but if it didn’t produce we would be spending quality time together. It took awhile to get our patterns established. I got a drop shot going through wood cover that hooked three largemouth bass; unfortunately I learned the importance of sharp hooks on the two best bass. When Dad had exhausted the trusty green plastic worm he would employ a spoon tactic we learned from Uncle Leroy who taught us both to fish and was surely watching every cast we made from above. We also each got a small taste of the crappie bite, which is on this time of year.
Sunday night provided the finale we will remember for a long time. The sun was setting and Dad wanted to throw a spoon in the low light just like Uncle Leroy used to. This tactic had produced a huge white bass on the first night. As the sunlight faded, Dad became frustrated with his inability to thread the line to complete the knot on his spoon. I offered to tie it. As I finished tying the knot I said “this is the least I can do -- consider this payback for all the knots you tied for me.” Dad made one cast and hooked an 18” smallmouth. A long fight ensued with a jump, a dart under the boat, and a dangerous lunge toward the trolling motor putting Dad’s six-pound line to the test. Finally we netted the pig and reflected on the victory. Dad had succeeded again using Uncle Leroy’s spoon tactic, but he was also using a spoon he had inherited from Uncle Leroy. It was almost like there were three of us in that boat.
Sunday night provided the finale we will remember for a long time. The sun was setting and Dad wanted to throw a spoon in the low light just like Uncle Leroy used to. This tactic had produced a huge white bass on the first night. As the sunlight faded, Dad became frustrated with his inability to thread the line to complete the knot on his spoon. I offered to tie it. As I finished tying the knot I said “this is the least I can do -- consider this payback for all the knots you tied for me.” Dad made one cast and hooked an 18” smallmouth. A long fight ensued with a jump, a dart under the boat, and a dangerous lunge toward the trolling motor putting Dad’s six-pound line to the test. Finally we netted the pig and reflected on the victory. Dad had succeeded again using Uncle Leroy’s spoon tactic, but he was also using a spoon he had inherited from Uncle Leroy. It was almost like there were three of us in that boat.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Drop Shot Bassin'
Fishing Lake James with my Dad over the last couple of days has allowed me to work on my drop shot technique. The depth of this lake really demands some type of deep water technique and the drop shot seems to be the ticket. I retract my earlier assertion about this lake lacking structure; there are several banks lined with downed trees. The ends of the trees often hang over a drop off providing excellent largemouth cover. I developed this pattern with a drop shot rigged finesse worm probed deep into the cover. I hooked and lost some real nice big fish. I changed to a sharper hook and finally got a bass in the boat. This lake doesn’t give up bass easily so you learn to appreciate success.
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Poor Man's Striper
Dad and I fished yesterday afternoon and evening after my furious seven hour drive to the mountains of western North Carolina. Lake James is a tough lake: crystal clear, limited structure, and very deep. This place is all about expectation management. Our primary target is smallmouth bass which don't always cooperate with your fishing plans. Dad hooked one early, but it popped off next to the boat. I later hooked a very nice largemouth that jumped and spit the hook. Just when hope was beginning to fade, Dad hooked up and said "what is this?" I saw the body and exclaimed "striper!" After further review, Dad's day saver turned out to be a white bass. As far as white bass goes this was a good one. The state record is five pounds. Way to go Dad!
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