Bass Slayer

Winter Trout

2011-12-11T10:15:00.006-05:00

I am convinced the best winter trout fishing in the Pikes Peak region is the Arkansas River tailwater below Pueblo Reservoir. I hit a couple of holes early yesterday morning and was very pleased. With temps in the teens, It was tough, but I battled through it and managed to get a bite going with a deep nymph rig. My winning combo was a Hare's Ear dropped off a worm pattern with the indicator pegged at about eight feet off the point fly. This seamed to work best drifted just off the bottom on deep holes.

I read somewhere that a nymph rig works best when you add just enough weight to get all the way off the bottom without hanging up every cast. When it comes to river fishing I am definitely all about nymph tactics. When it's 15 degrees, you have no choice.

NC Bassin' With My Dad

2011-10-13T08:03:00.002-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

Just got home after visiting my Dad in NC. My trips to see my Dad come with the challenge of cracking the code on Lake James - a very challenging highland lake. We started off targeting smallmouth with each of us getting on the board with smaller fish. I got mine on a fly rod which is really fun. I also found a mid day pattern to pound bream with a fly rod - also very fun.

At some point we found our largemouth pattern: green Zoom Dead Ringers tossed between timber. This is a seasonal thing as Lake James has lots of deep water structure. At 71 degrees the water was perfect for pounding the bank eastern NC style. You have to work for your bass bites on Lake James, but Dad and I both broke through in a big way. I got a solid three pound fish and Dad got a five pounder.

I learned some important points this week: largemouth fishing on Lake James is very doable; Dead Ringers are still the best plastic worms; and my Dad is one of the best fishermen I know.

Will The Real Bass Slayer Please Stand Up

2011-10-11T21:43:00.001-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

My Dad is an awesome bass fisherman. We fished Lake James last night at sunet. He landed a five pound bass as the sun sank over the horizon. Just when I think I know how to catch bass my Dad schools me on how to haul in a trophy with a simple texas rigged worm. Way to go Dad!

Float Tube Heaven

2011-09-11T12:02:00.002-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

I spent some time on a previous post discussing my preferred popper strategies. My approach is simple but it definitely works at Brush Hollow - the local mecca for bass fishing from a float tube.

I broke in a new fly rod today - a Redington Red.Fly2 , 7wt, 9' 6". I lined my new rod with SA's Floating Cell for Bass. This outfit served me well casting poppers from my tube and winching this 16" pig out of the weeds - awesome!

Zach's First Bass

2011-08-11T10:24:00.001-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

Catching your first bass in this family is a critical milestone. Zach has arrived! A trout magnet under a bubble gave Zach the critical edge to land this little largemouth - plenty exciting when you are four and fishing with an ultra-lite.

Way to go Zach!

Poppers

2011-08-05T12:11:00.003-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

It's worth elaborating on popper tactics that have been really good for me over the last few years. My basic premise is that poppers are good during certain windows: sunrise, the secondary morning bite window, the mid-evening bite, and sunset. There are other times when conditions point to poppers such as off color water, and in some cases , windy conditions.

My color selection is dictated by light conditions. I go dark on dark and bright on bright. If it's cloudy or the light is low I go for a dark, usually a solid black popper. If the sun is high and bright I start with neon yellow (aka chartreuse) and may shift to white or softer light colors. Water clarity should also be accounted for. Clear water requires a natural presentation such as an olive green frog pattern. If the water is dingy an obnoxious bright color or solid black works. Calm conditions may require more subtle approaches employing smaller poppers or sliders. Good popper targets are weeds, brush piles, and rocks.

Poppers do not yield bites all of the time. They are often called a 10% solution and applied at the wrong time they are inferior to streamers and other sub-surface flies. I have found that sound popper tactics applied at the right time,place, and conditions are hard to beat.

South Park Lakes

2011-08-03T09:44:00.002-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

In my view, the best trout fishing in the area is found in South Park's lakes. Spinney, and Antero Reservoirs are awesome fisheries where every hook-up could be a trophy. The size limit at Spinney is over 20"!

I had the opportunity to hit both reservoirs on Sunday morning. I started at Spinney fishing a streamer trailed by a damsel nymph from my float tube. This was worth a solid 17" rainbow that fought unbelievably hard. Needing a break from the tube, I loaded up and hit Antero for a couple of hours. I had two lost hook-ups -- one was a genuine monster.

In all, I got what I came for. I just want to land one trout when I hit these lakes --anything you can net will likely be huge. Trout in the 3-5 pound range are consistently caught at Spinney. Antero produces a disproportionate number of 5-10 pound trout. Your chances are always better if you stop in at Angler's Covey or Ghillies and get word on the flies the guides are using. I take a couple hot flies and focus on changing depth until I find the right range. I found that a dropper four feet off the point fly gets the fly down in the zone. I talked to anglers who were going with 20' leaders with an indicator over using a sink tip. Next time I will try a sink tip, but adding droppers and shot to extend the leader seems to work.

Bassin' at Brush Hollow

2011-07-30T14:07:00.003-04:00

iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

Brush Hollow is my top pick for bass in the Pikes Peak Region. This is not a part of the country known for great bass fishing, but Brush Hollow is a good refuge for a bass junkie like me. This morning was great. I got four really descent bass putting around in my float tube.

Largemouth bass on a fly rod - what a blast!

Monument Lake - First Day Out

2011-05-27T22:54:00.005-04:00

iphone_pic by ...olson family...">
iphone_pic, a photo by ...olson family... on Flickr.

Today was my first day on the water this year. I have good excuses for my tardiness: Iraq, surgery, and a nagging sense of responsibility. I hit Monument Lake at dawn. I got off to a fast start with several bites before hooking this bow.

I then set my sights on structure near a beaver dam. This is when the tide turned. I snagged a sunken branch and yanked hard enough to trigger a full intruder alert from the beavers. The first beaver swimming toward me in a confrontational manner didn't phase me. Three of them at once was a different story. At some point I decided that I needed to break off my line. That is when my rod snapped. It was my 5 weight - the one I catch trout with. Six months into 2011 and I have one trout and a broken rod under my belt. I am sure the next thirty minutes on the water will be better.

Brownie on the Wooly Bugger

2010-09-07T23:13:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I was very happy to hook this brown trout this weekend in Estes Park. This was not a fishing weekend and I had less than an hour to fish early sunday morning. I chose to change flies over moving and covering water. I was down to my final few casts and I tied the old standby: the BH Wooly Bugger (black, size #6).

Landing this nice fish reminded me of a few things: I love brown trout, I love streamers, and I love catching a fish on my last cast.

Georgia

2010-07-29T15:49:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My family and I were in Georgia this past week visiting friends. I took this opportunity to get back to my roots fishing for bass and bream. Dad came down from North Carolina and we made a trip to Callaway Gardens. The bream fishing was outstanding. I dialed in some quality action with my fly rod using poppers and dropper flies. Dad was fishing a spinning rod and went through his entire tackle box before finding the right beetle spin to take bream. Once Dad made the adjustments he was matching my action and life was good.

Unfortunately, the bass fishing at Callaway was a bit disappointing. The boat house is only open from 7:00 am to 6:30PM – this eliminates the sunrise and sunset bite so critical to mid-summer bass fishing. Once we went solely for bream we were able to truly enjoy the experience and pick up some quality lessons. Dad’s beetle spin was a great adjustment, and one of the guides at the fly shop turned me onto a fly known as a Rubber Legged Dragon which helped me catch the larger bream more consistently. Overall, our experience at Callaway was made well worth it with some great action and great accommodations.

Bass action came as we moved up to Tyrone, GA and fished the sunset with my son at a small public lake in town. The popper bite was great. In two casts I got quality largemouth that devoured my fly before burrowing in the weeds. My 1X leader was put to good use winching these bass out of the salad. On our last day in Georgia I returned to try the morning bite at the same spot. A dark popper was the ticket to yet another bass fix.

This trip was a great opportunity to continue my pursuit for quality warm water fly fishing. As always, I was very happy to share the experience with my Dad.

Brush Hollow

2010-07-19T08:38:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I have been hitting Brush Hollow for my bass and bream fix this summer. This Reservoir near Penrose, CO is the perfect place for warmwater fly fishing from a float tube. It's relatively small and accessible -- the entire lake is a "no wake zone." There is lots of vegetation on the northeast side that holds some real nice largemouth. The view of the surrounding mountains is spectacular. Most importantly, there are none of the water critters that often dissuade me from launching a float tube in typical "warmwater" fisheries in other parts of the country.

My best of three morning outings this year got me a 16" bass, a 16" rainbow (it's Colorado), and assorted smaller fish. Each morning has given descent action between smaller bass (11-13") and bream. Big or small, I find warmwater fish a blast on a fly rod and totally underrated by the fly fishing community.

Quail Lake

2010-06-09T17:58:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I have had a good time this spring hitting Quail Lake on my float tube in the early morning. The local lakes have been the beneficiaries of brood stocks this year. These larger hatchery trout offer a nice change of pace from the standard “catchable” trout that are predominant in this area. On several occasions this spring I have landed a limit of smaller trout then opted for a streamer that takes one of these 16”-18” rainbows. Olive and Brown wooly buggers seem to be the ticket for the larger brood stock. A size #18 Adams often yields a quick limit of smaller fish when fish are active on the surface.

I hope to get up into the mountains to tackle some legitimate wild trout soon -- but as the run-off rages I am content with the action in the local lakes on my float tube.

Fishing With Dad

2010-04-21T01:11:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I visited my Dad in North Carolina the week leading up to Easter. We had hoped to get a jump on some good pre-spawn smallie action. However, my expectations for fishing Lake James are tempered by the lake’s technical nature and past experiences working all day for one or two quality fish.

Within the first hour and a half on the water we found a school of smallies. My Dad hooked three quality smallmouth landing two that both exceeded 15 inches. We were sure our pre-spawn smallie-fest was on. Unfortunately, the bite abruptly stopped and the electronics on Dad's boat completely fried -- a real killer on a cold, deep mountain lake. We ultimately settled for about twenty minutes of smallie glory. We later went to Cherokee and each caught trout on the Oconaluftee. This river is so beautiful you can honestly view the hook ups as a bonus. Even though we never really dialed in the trout bite, it was a needed break from fishing for lock-jaw smallies on Lake James.

Looking back on the trip I am most happy to have spent some real quality time with my Dad and I am proud to have been there to net two of his prized Lake James smallmouths. Fishing always seems to teach valuable life lessons. In this case I was left with the thought that all things are fleeting, so enjoy the moment. But as I reflect on the trip I can’t wait to start planning the next one.

Ice Fishing

2010-02-28T12:40:00.001-05:00

Cell Phone Pics Dec 09 024
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I had a great time yesterday ice fishing for the first time at Eleven-mile Reservoir. This remains a great location even when you are reliant on a hole drilled trough 36” of ice. My new fishing buddy Anthony showed me the ropes. I had success applying the drop shot technique to a trout magnet. Anthony had success with a jigging spoon. Together we totaled nine trout comprised mainly of rainbows with a few cutbows mixed in. The highlight was a football sized rainbow I was lucky to manage.

Many thanks to Anthony for showing me a new part of the sport, and for plunging his hands into ice cold water to salvage the chunkster rainbow I nearly broke off with my sloppy landing technique

The Lower Ark

2009-12-20T10:04:00.005-05:00

I hit the tail water of the Arkansas River below Pueblo Reservoir yesterday morning. This section of “The Ark” is some of the best winter fly fishing in the area as water temps remain in the forties when other spots begin to ice over. I went with a worm pattern with an egg and nymph dropper. This approach yielded six rainbows in the first hour.

This was lots of fun, and surprisingly scenic given the proximity to Pueblo. I will go back tomorrow morning to repeat my success with the feisty little rainbows that smash just about anything, and to take a swing at the trophy brown trout that allegedly lurk in this tail water.

The Blue

2009-09-04T09:49:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Now that I have dampened expectations in my prior post on the finicky nature of brown trout, I can report that my Dad and I got some real quality time on The Blue River. The highlight of the trip was Dad’s cutthroat that was easily over 15 inches. We had marginal success at the more traditional public access points to the stream to include the inlet where The Blue dumps into Dillon Reservoir, a very scenic spot about five miles below Silverthorne, and the infamous tail water section lined with fly fishermen just outside the Silverthorne outlet malls. In the end we found the most fish in the town of Breckenridge. My first descent hook up was right by the pool at the resort where Dad was staying. It was less than ideal but I was willing to take it. We were really digging deep when we defaulted to the large hole surrounding the fake river boat restaurant.

I always hear fly fishermen talk of seeking total isolation deep in the wilderness to feel at one with nature. In my mind this is the euphoria that precedes the mountain lion attack. So we were happy to take the nine brown and one cutthroat trout we landed...even if the fake river boat lent somewhat of a Disneyland effect.

The Truth About Brown Trout

2009-09-03T14:53:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My dad and I fished The Blue River in Breckenridge over the last few days. We had a good time in spite of the temperamental nature of the brown trout that are predominant in the upper stretches of The Blue. Browns are very much akin to the high school cheerleader who flirts with boys only to enjoy the act of rejecting them. Brown trout are beautiful creatures that are never quite sure what they want. The perfect drift can entice them into action only to then turn away as if to sneer ‘I don’t think so.’ The fly that drew a five pound rainbow a month ago wasn’t quite good enough for our little Blue River browns.

I will post the details of our marginally successful expedition, but I felt the need to vent about my experiences with brown trout over the last few years. These little guys have ruined more family trips than a drunk uncle.

God Bless Texas!

2009-08-24T09:56:00.006-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Landing a 5LB+ largemouth bass on a fly rod makes me want to move back to Texas. This was the highlight of my short trip to the Lone Star State. The amazing thing about this catch is that it happened after about ten minutes on the bank of Stillhouse Hollow Lake applying the tactics I describe below in my entry on bass poppers. My stand by yellow popper was indeed the right selection. In fact, I fished this popper almost exclusively for the hour or so I put in each day of my visit. This was worth five bass to include a 20, 17 and 15” bass, although I should note the 17” fish was on a dropper fly.

Sometimes these things just happen. I was not particularly prepared to fish; I brought one of my cheaper bass rods and a couple boxes of flies. By the time I was wheels up I had landed about twelve pounds of fish.

It’s hard to beat Texas when it comes to warm water fly fishing!

Wooly Worm Bass

2009-08-23T14:34:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

While I was in Texas I hit the bank of Stillhouse Hollow Lake with my fly rod. I found the purple wooly worm turned out to be the perfect fly to drop off my popper when the top water bite slowed. I usually go for a dropper fly to target other species. I have experimented with using streamers as droppers before with limited success, but I usually revert to a wet fly to entice bluegill, sunfish, and crappie. In this case I started with a wet fly and switched to a purple wooly worm. I thought this fly was the perfect compromise between a wet fly and a streamer. Purple seemed to be a good fit for the slightly discolored, choppy water. The approach was worth a 17” bass which was toward the limit of what I could handle on the 4X tippet I used for my dropper.

Bass Poppin'

2009-08-22T16:18:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Before I spill the beans on the rest of my success during my short trip to Texas, I thought I would reflect on a few lessons I have learned fly fishing with bass poppers. First, neon yellow is by far the most effective color on a blue bird day. Cloudy weather calls for a dark popper, preferably black. Second, windy conditions favor a traditional popper over a slider. The calmer the water, the more subtle the presentation unless there is evidence of aggressive top water feeding. Third, a double haul with an open loop is the best way to cast a popper. This works best with a 7/8 weight system, and a 1X leader. Last, when casting a popper in breazy conditions, cast with the wind to get good distance along the shoreline. The heavy current turns on the bite and adds to the action of the popper. This fly works best close to the bank where amphibians and mice often draw the attention of hungry bass. Overall, this is a great technique for catching big largemouth.

Damon's Honey Hole

2009-08-21T08:11:00.010-04:00

I spent the last couple of days at a conference in Texas. After I got off the plane I linked up with my friend Damon. As is often the case in Texas, he has a pond across from his house loaded with big bass. We went over just before sunset. He had a baitcaster with a spinner bait tied on. I had a fly rod and a box full of poppers and streamers. Within a few minutes Damon caught a monster green sunfish that was easily over a pound. I later got on the board with a small bass. As the sun set the popper bite turned on. Suddenly a 15” bass engulfed my popper and put up a heroic fight before I winched him out of the weeds. Holding this pig and high fiving Damon made the trip well worth it for me. Many thanks to Damon for showing me a good time and helping me land this fish.

I thought this was the highlight of my Texas bass excursion, but there was more to come.

Gold Medal Trout Fishing

2009-07-25T21:37:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Today marked my first day of fishing in the mountains since I ran into a couple of true fly fishing experts from North Georgia. I was heading back from a conference earlier this week when met a guide and an outdoor photographer at the airport in Atlanta. We exchanged pictures and thoughts on fly fishing. When I got home I tried to recall how much I learned from these gentlemen, but I was mainly amazed by the fact that they consistently net trophy trout…in Georgia! As I journeyed this morning to Eleven Mile, and Spinney Mountain Reservoirs armed with a fly rod and a float tube, I reminded myself that I live in Colorado now and I should catch at least an occasional trout over 20”.

Today was my day. After one good hook up at Eleven Mile, I switched to Spinney Mountain Reservoir and made a commitment to my bead head leach streamer pattern. Spinney is designated as a “Gold Medal” trout fishery, which basically means the fish are huge. I fished it like fish for bass. I was just looking for one big bite on my streamer. This strategy paid off: I got what I estimate to be a 20” Rainbow, declared victory, and decided to head back to my home in Colorado Springs. As I pulled my float tube from the water I paused for a moment and soaked up the snow packed peaks on the horizon and thought: this is Colorado!

Willow Springs Ponds

2009-07-13T09:59:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I was hesitant to try Willow Springs Fishing Ponds yesterday morning because of the history of contamination. Word is that these ponds in Fountain were the local hotspot until the discovery of percloroethylene (PCE) shut the ponds down from 1997 to 2007. The ponds have been sufficiently rehabilitated to be reopened with a fish consumption advisory. Unless I later develop some type of PCE induced disease or ailment, I would rate the morning as a success. I got a 14” rainbow trout in addition to a half dozen bluegill. I hooked and lost one small bass. My use of a wet fly dropper under a bass popper has now proved effective for trout as well as bass and bluegill.

Skaguay

2009-06-16T10:27:00.001-04:00

Skaguay Rainbow
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I hit the jackpot on Saturday at Skaguay Reservoir near Cripple Creak. Fresh from the wounds inflicted by the monster trout at Antero, I headed to Skaguay in search of a lake more manageable from a float tube. This lake is perfect. It doesn’t have the wind associated with South Park, and there are large numbers of smaller fish that are easier to land in a float tube. My selection paid off; within a few hours on the water I had landed six rainbow trout, and four small pike.

I fished the creek below the spillway on the way out. I put in about fifteen minutes before the weather turned bad and I got three brown trout. Overall, this was my best afternoon ever! I have had good runs in the morning and evening, but this time a landed thirteen fish in the middle of the afternoon through early evening.

I have made a few adjustments to my fly fishing. I am back on wooly bugger and leach patterns, and I have switched from homemade leaders to a knotless tapered 2X. If my streamer patterns don’t work I can always add lighter tippet on the end to go to a nymph or dry fly. I feel that my day on Skagway proves that my dedication to streamer fishing doesn’t just deliver occasional big bites; it can deliver good quantities of trout as well.

Another Monster Eludes Me

2009-06-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

My family was away over the weekend. I attempted Lake Antero in my float tube on Friday, which turned out to be an unexpected day off. The lake is located in South Park. This makes for windy conditions and it is packed with boats, tubes, and pontoons. Within an hour I discovered why so many people were fishing this lake. I was trolling a leach pattern when my line took off. I went tight on a monster rainbow. He jumped and my heart stopped. This was the biggest trout I have ever seen -- easily ten pounds. I did the best I could with my 5 weight rod and 3X tippet. The tackle held up, but after about a ten minute fight and four jumps he spit the hook. The experience was somewhat heart breaking but exhilarating and rewarding at the same time. I later got another bite which resulted in an instant line break. After a few hours on the water a storm drove me and everyone else off the lake. I rebounded the following day. I found a place called Skaguay -- details and pictures are forthcoming.

Beyond Streamers

2009-06-11T16:00:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I have evolved over the last few years into a fly fisherman who specializes in streamers, and poppers, which are the ticket for bass. Now that I live in Colorado it’s time to expand my horizons. My go to fly, the wooly bugger, is the best fly for sheer versatility and luring big fish, to include trout. However, my home lake is really a dry fly lake. While the water is clear enough for sight fishing, the most reliable way to locate trout in Quail Lake is by following insects, swirls, and rises. Matching the hatch will take time, but so far I seem to have found luck chucking caddis flies. I am currently out of parachute adams, but that fly is next in the rotation.

More Float Tube Trout And The Other One That Got Away

2009-06-01T08:59:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Yesterday morning proved the value of being close to your fishing spot. I hit Quail Lake on my float tube at sunrise and quickly landed a “pan fryer” rainbow trout, as my cousin BJ calls them. On my next cast I noticed that I had wrapped my line around my leg while I was stripping the fish in – a small technical difficulty. After I sorted out my fly line I went tight on another fish. I set the hook and immediately gave up all my slack line to this fish. I started to apply drag as I quickly ran out of fly line. Once the fish got in my backing I went for the brakes before I got spooled. Applying minimal pressure, the loop connector between my fly line and backing snapped – a major technical difficulty. So not only did I lose another monster, I lacked a replacement fly line making my system completely inoperable. I paddled off the water, went home to pick up a new fly rod (had time to pick up milk for my two year old), and got back on the water with enough time to get another rainbow before I had to get on with the rest of my day.

Lessons of the day: fish near home, have extra fly line handy, and NEVER use a store bought loop connector when fishing for Colorado trout. Ironically, I had tied my own triple nail knot loop for my line to leader connection because I distrusted the loop connectors that came attached to this line. I had forgotten about the one attaching the fly line to the backing…Doh!

The Trout Lake Next Door

2009-05-29T23:01:00.001-04:00

Colorado Trout
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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.

Catfish...On The Fly Rod?

2009-05-29T22:53:00.001-04:00

Fly Cat
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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

2009-05-29T22:40:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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.

Dad's Monster Smallie

2009-05-16T14:04:00.001-04:00

Dad's Monster Smallie
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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

Weekend With Dad

2009-05-05T06:09:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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.

Drop Shot Bassin'

2009-05-04T06:20:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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.

Poor Man's Striper

2009-05-02T05:37:00.001-04:00

White Bass
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

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!

Love Them Browns

2009-04-20T15:50:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

There are a few things in life that can turn around a dreary Sunday, tangling with some chunky brown trout while fishing with your son is one of them. We hit Accotink Creek yesterday in recognition of my ongoing bass slump. My misfortunes are not shared by David who has been bagging bass with regularity over the last few weekends. However, Accotink is a pretty sure thing for brown trout right now so we went there. We got four trout, to include two descent browns, a couple small rainbows, and we lost count how many bluegill, and sunfish we caught. David landed all the fish himself but hooked and caught the small rainbow completely unassisted – good times!

Accotink Browns

2009-04-12T08:55:00.002-04:00

brown trout
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

About a year or so ago I posted an entry advocating stocking more brown trout in our Fairfax County delayed harvest streams. The idea is based on the brown’s greater resilience in warmer climates compared to other trout species. Fortunately, the last two spring stocks in Accotink and Holmes Run have been comprised primarily of brown trout. If browns are not viable in this suburban DC environment, they are at least a great change of pace. Although they are finicky and tend to soft strike, a 12” fish can really put up a good fight on light tackle. I got a couple nice ones this morning on a wooly bugger before my Easter Bunny duties called.

David's Latest Bass

2009-04-10T19:51:00.001-04:00

David's Bass
Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Our little fly fishing prodigy has scored again. Today's bass is David's second on a fly rod in six days. He is starting to expect this success and becomes visibly agitated when he doesn’t deliver Mr. Bigmouth. I try to remind him that he is only four, but he’ll hear none of it.

David's Rally

2009-04-04T21:09:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I had a rough start today at Lake Mercer. We were heading to the truck conceding defeat when David proposed a few last casts at the spillway. After we located some feeding fish, David quickly took control of the fly rod and began hauling them in. He started by hooking up with his first bass on a fly. He followed with a bluegill, and a white perch. Way to go little man!

Father Son Bassin'

2009-03-29T17:57:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I hit Woodglenn and cracked into the first bass of the spring. While these little guys were small, a fly rod makes a non-keeper bass much more sporty. Today's winning presentation was a neon green BH wooly bugger pulled against a wind current. The stained water called for the obnoxious color. Once again, the wooly bugger delivers!

Mom Scores!

2009-03-27T21:50:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Way to go Mom. You have now been initiated into the order of fly fishing Olsons. It is a very prestigious distinction which, until tonight, was exclusive to David and myself. That leaves Zach as the odd man out. We'll take being 21 months old as an excuse for not landing a fish on a fly rod...for now. As for Mom's bluegill, these little guys are gateway fish that lead to more powerful and addictive species.

David Weighs In On World's Best Fishermen

2009-03-23T17:24:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Before David and I took part in another non-bass catching bluegill fest, David weighed in on the three best fishermen in the world. His picks are: “Roland Martin, Kevin Van Dam, and Mr. Duane.”

Way to go Duane, you rank with the best!

The One That Got Away...From the Camera

2009-03-14T08:48:00.003-04:00

I fished Accotink Creek briefly this morning and landed a nice rainbow trout, which looked to be about 11" long. Unfortunately, my little finned friend made an untimely dash to freedom during the photographic documentation phase of victory. As I watched him disappear into open water I noted that he could have been 13" or more. Next time I land a 15" rainbow trout I will make sure I get a picture immediately, and I will save it even if it's a little blurry. A 17" rainbow is hard to come by, too bad I couldn't post a picture of a 19" trout this morning -- I was so close.

Early Spring Bluegills

2009-03-10T21:19:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I hit Lake Royal over the weekend in hopes of getting a jump on pre-spawn bass. I opted for my popper/wet fly dropper rig. This approach allows you to pick off bluegills while you wait for the bass bite. The bass appear to be a week or so off, but the bluegills are moving shallow into the creek arms to feed. The bass will soon follow.

Accotink Quick Fix

2009-02-15T08:26:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I had about an hour to devote to my beloved sport this morning. I am longing for the days when I can get after largemouth bass with my float tube. Unfortunately, it was just below freezing this morning, so I opted for my "go to" hole in Accotink Creek. I got three rainbows on a white wooly bugger but I had the bites to put together a limit.

A key to this morning’s session was opting for hip boots over chest waders for a faster stream entry. I made it home before Zach stirred making my clandestine trout outing a complete success.

Holmes Run

2009-01-20T10:30:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Yesterday morning I hit Holmes Run briefly and immediately landed a rainbow trout. The bite slowed, but I hooked one more trout that popped off on an ice sheet. I think it is worth noting that Holmes Run is a very good stocked trout stream with lots of riffles and boulders creating very suitable habitat for trout. There is also a trail that weaves through the stream in a series of fords that create excellent opportunities for fly-fishing.

I thought I would note this short outing to emphasize that the numbers of fish taken are descent considering that these fish were stocked in October. Also, while the trout are small, they continue to be brightly colored and seem remarkably healthy. I now find myself blogging the most colorful, most beautiful fish as opposed to the biggest fish.

Ice Trout

2009-01-18T18:50:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Today I continued to hone the very specialized skill of extracting trout from a stream that is nearly frozen over. This is kind of cross between fly fishing and ice fishing. My strategy is simple: float a wooly bugger into the current and get as far under the ice as possible. Stripping the fly back up the current seam usually elicits a strike if there are fish in the hole. This approach was worth two rainbows at Accotink today.

I later stopped by Holmes Run which, being tail water, wasn’t nearly as frozen as Accotink. Throwing my trusty wooly bugger scored me another two rainbows. That’s four for the day, which I am happy with given the freezing temperature.

UK Fly Fishing

2009-01-04T03:42:00.003-05:00

I am visiting my mother in England. Upon arrival, I immediately regretted my decision to leave my fly tackle at home. As it turns out, there is a stream three and a half miles from here that holds brown trout: the River Lee (depicted in this 19th century oil painting). I am awaiting a 5-weight fly rod my mother ordered for me for my birthday. I have managed to put together a small box of flies and secured a pair of wading boots from a local tackle shop. Most importantly, I have found publicly accessible water on the River Lee just below Wheathamstead, which is one of the villages near by. I don't know if this stretch holds decent numbers of browns. According to the net it holds "chub, dace, and barbel" which are all similar to both our North American fallfish and carp. I know that the River Lee is generally known to hold browns and I know trout fishermen are prone to hold secrets. The rod should come tomorrow which leave me about four days to fish. Wish me luck.

So Much For Online Reports

2008-12-20T11:33:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I was reading a web report on Accotink creek yesterday, which supposedly rates as a "poor” fishery with few positive testimonials. Chalk this morning up as one of the “few.” While I didn’t get any true quality rainbows, I did get five small ones on a wooly bugger. Going on two months since these fish were stocked the creek seams to be holding good numbers of trout for Fairfax County.

Fat Rainbow

2008-11-29T11:59:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I hit accotink creek yesterday in light of the steadily declining bass bite. There comes a point where the colder temparatures causes the water to turn over; oxygen sinks to the bottom; bass find deep holes to ride out the winter; and fly-fishing for bass becomes impractical. Trout will now be my primary quarry until early spring. Yesterday morning’s short session was worth three trout: two small ones, and this fat rainbow that demonstrates the ample forage in accotink creek.

Float Tube Adventure

2008-11-16T08:42:00.005-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I ignored the beaver that seamed to be circling me as if I was invading his territory; but when one of my flippers popped off and sank I really began to question the rationale of bobbing for bass in ice-cold water. Propelled disproportionately to the left by my remaining fin, I headed for the closest spot to land my tube. I saw a nice drop off that looked like a good point to probe for bass with the Murray’s Strymph I had on. I managed one accurate cast, albeit an anomoly, when a largemouth smashed my fly, bowed my rod, and completely changed my morning. After an extensive fight I landed the 16 ½”pig.

Bass fishing is different from trout fishing (I know this because I do both as much as I can). Trout fishing brings a sense of calm, relaxation, and appreciation for the habitat; bass fishing is pure adrenaline. Landing a 2lb + bass on a fly rod only magnifies the rush.

Fall Float Tube Bassin'

2008-11-09T09:13:00.001-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Bobbing in 50-degree water is more than a hypothermia risk; with the right waders it is also a great way to catch bass on a fly rod. There is a sense of urgency to make a last stand before winter kills bass fishing, football, and many other reasons to live. This morning started strong with continued bream action on my popper wet fly dropper combo. As action slowed I switched to a clauser. No dice. I then went for my trusty wooly bugger and scored a 12” largemouth suspended off a concrete boat ramp. A small, hard fighting bass is a blast on a fly rod.

More Kudos to the Pop-n-Drop

2008-11-08T09:19:00.002-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

When you have a short time to get on fish, you can't beat a bass popper with a wet fly dropped off the hook bend. Conventional bass tactics produced zero bites this morning. After trying my trusty white tube and spinner bait, I put down the spinning rod and went exclusively to my 6wt fly rod. In the next hour I got two small bass and about a dozen bream in between. Hunting big bass will have to wait -- this is too much fun!

Accotink

2008-11-02T11:37:00.003-05:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My second morning on Accotink Creek since the fall trout stocking was worth four rainbows. After fishing this creek after several seasonal stockings I note that the rainbows tend to hold in very specific spots. Since this is my home water, I will not elaborate, but the rainbows usually gravitate to cut banks and holes that satisfy the basic trout needs: cover, current, and food supply. Also, the word is out that the trout are in the creek. The pressure is definitely picking up, and not everyone is playing by the rules. Holes with good numbers of rainbows no longer give up easy bites. The party’s over -- back to bass fishing.

More Fall Rainbows

2008-10-25T11:19:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

The Pentagon is an excruciating hell hole. That's what makes a morning like this so special. I hit Accotink Creek at sunrise and hooked a limit of rainbow trout. I fished a wooly bugger with a wet fly dropper based on a steelhead fishing tip in this month’s edition of Field and Stream. Thank you Field and Stream for the tip; and thank you Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries for putting quality rainbows in our local trout stream.

New York Rainbows Save the Day

2008-10-12T06:50:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We were ready to pack it in and declare victory after catching our one pickerel. We suddenly spotted some trout. After the first cast it was clear the trout were going for the black wooly bugger I had on. I hooked the first rainbow and David started squealing. We managed five trout in about twenty minutes. This was the experience we were hoping for.

Of all the states I have fished in my life it is hard to beat the empire state for freshwater fishing. From largemouth bass to lake trout and muskie, you can catch just about everything in New York.

Don't Bite Me!

2008-10-12T06:34:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We are finishing up our family vacation near Lake George, NY. We found a park near by suitable for kid fly fishing. Within the first few casts we hooked a pickerel on a wet fly. This junior member of the pike family sports some pretty nasty chompers: hence the steady apprehension in David’s eyes. Shortly after I snapped this picture our little pickerel started snapping wildly. He was released without incident.

Later in life I will introduce David to pike, and muskie fishing. But first he has to grow big enough to knock one out with an oar. Anyone who has ever put one in the boat knows what I am talking about.

Vemont Panfishin'

2008-10-10T05:54:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We are on the board in New England. We would have preferred trout or smallmouth, but our first scores were perch. We are in Rutland, Vermont and asked locals about a lake suitable for father son fishing. That usually means panfish, and up here panfish usually means perch. Chalk up another species to the wooly bugger.

Walden Pond

2008-10-10T05:46:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We are on vacation in New England to see fall colors, ride trains, and of course: fish. Our first stop with a rod and reel in hand was Concord, Massachusetts. David and I went to Walden Pond (of Henry David Thoreau fame) for assured public access; it was the closest green blotch on the map. It only occurred to me afterwards that Thoreau was a fly fisherman. Finding a spot to fly fish was tough. Much of the bank was closed for restoration and back casting without hooking a tree or a literature enthusiast was challenging.

There are descent numbers of trout, bass, and panfish in Walden Pond. Early on we saw a beautiful rainbow trout rising, but could not get to him. After much searching we found a good spot and got a fly in front of a couple largemouth bass. After about forty minutes of fishing we came up empty, but the “pond” was beautiful and we avoided hooking an English major.

Braddock Chunksters

2008-09-29T05:37:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My Mom recently wanted to know what a chunkster is. Since the dictionary has yet to account for words I make up, I thought my answer is worthy of illustration. I have better, bigger bream pics, but this one from yesterday provides a grandson illustration – always a bonus. In the Deep South big bluegills (aka bream) are known as "T-bream", but that is probably not one you want to cover with your mom.

Thanks to Lake Braddock bream, my popper/dropper combo is still producing.

New Fly Rod

2008-09-27T10:11:00.004-04:00

I have a new fly rod off the discount shelf at Walmart. For just under $20 I have a 6/7 weight that really meets my needs for warmwater fly fishing. My 8 weight is a bit heavy handed given the number of panfish I catch in between bass; my 5 weight may be insufficient for a bigin'. I have yet to hook into a bass with my new rod less the two toddler largemouth I caught this morning.

So far the fall transition has me a bit flummoxed. My popper and wet fly dropper combo is no longer producing the non-stop action of earlier months. I mixed in my spinning rod to my approach this morning, but I had no luck on my normally reliable smoke white tube. I suppose the fishing is picking up later in the day but given family responsibilities I only have early weekend mornings to fish. With the later sunrise subtracting fishing time, and the abatement of the summer morning bite, I may be looking at many more mornings like today: two crappie, two baby bass, and one missed (adult) bass bite. Back to the drawing board, but I like my new rod, and did I mention I only paid about $20 for it?

More Fly Fishing

2008-09-14T10:21:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My spinning and casting rods have not gotten a lot of use lately. I guess I have the warm water fly fishing bug. I hit Lake Braddock in my float tube this morning and threw the same popper/ wet fly dropper rig I had tied on from my last excursion to Lake Braddock. I got one largemouth on the first couple casts -- not a big one but good fun on a fly rod. A good reason to fly fish Lake Braddock is the bream population, which occasionally delivers chunksters upwards of nine inches. I got a couple big bream this morning, a bunch of small ones, and the one bass; I have done better but this was fun. As the fall transition approaches I may have to revert back to traditional bass tactics. But for now, I am happy with my fly rod and my float tube.

Goose Creek

2008-08-31T11:22:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I tried Goose Creek this morning. This is a tributary of the Upper Potomac that has one of the more accessible smallmouth bass fisheries in the area; smallmouth have an almost mythical status with Virginia fly fishermen. I accessed the river at Keep Loudon Beautiful Park just above the VA 7 bridge near Leesburg. This was a gamble as I have good largemouth water in my neighborhood, and this place is about thirty miles away. The distance, later sunrise, and assorted family responsibilities translated into just a couple of hours on the water. I would say I broke even. I did not get any smallmouth, but got on a school of chunky crappie -- great fun on a fly rod. I also hooked one descent largemouth that jumped off. This limited success was found with my standard wooly bugger and popper patterns.

West Virginia

2008-08-24T20:48:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We had some good clean family fun in West Virginia this weekend. We did a lot of fun stuff of which we will elaborate on the family blog. Our fishing expectations were high because we had reservations Friday night in a cabin on a private trout stream. While the stream was worth several large fallfish, the trout fishing was a bit slow. We checked out of our cabin yesterday morning having failed to land a trout. We headed south for train rides and other family fun.

Enter the Bighorn Trout Ponds. Jennie presented the idea this morning based on a brochure. David and I said we were game. We ate breakfast and checked out of our motel and headed for trophy rainbow trout scrimmage. This place charges by the inch, and harvesting your catch is mandatory. It took us a couple of hours to land three trout which measured a collective 52 inches. This is not real trout fishing. But landing a 20” rainbow on a 4 wt fly rod is good training, and we are having trout for dinner. Where else can you get six pounds of fresh rainbow trout for ten bucks?

Dad's Smallie

2008-08-20T18:39:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Having struggled alongside Dad on Lake James before, I know how sweet it is to pull a descent smallie out of that lake. Dad got this one on a Carolina rigged green plastic worm. We have an unspoken rule for selecting plastic worm colors. It must be a color that was fashionable in the 1970s (green, brown, pumpkin, etc).
Way to go!

Pesky Bass on the Fly

2008-08-17T09:15:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

This one might not look like much but he smashed my popper and fought as hard as a smallmouth. My float tube has gotten me onto some sweet spots on Lake Royal. I got this one at the precise location I scored the 15” bass yesterday. The pattern seems to be bushes overhanging the bank near a main lake drop off. The presentation was a yellow popper stripped from the bank over the drop off. The hardest thing about fly-fishing this way is casting large flies sitting low in the water, but it is still a blast.

Float Tube Bassin'

2008-08-16T09:37:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Now that I have gotten the peace with nature sentiment out of my system in my previously post, I will now focus on what is really important: landing keeper bass. I had a 15" largemouth inhale my popper just about the time I was completely lost in my inflatable serenity. I later got another standard 10” Lake Royal bass. I was happy landing two bass having put in a little over an hour on the water. This was really fun -- must do this again soon.

Bobbing in Lake Royal

2008-08-16T09:20:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

This is was the view of Lake Royal this morning from my float tube. I have broken out the tube to get after bass more efficiently with my fly rod. The great thing about fishing this way is that short of parking your recliner on the bank, it is the most comfortable way to fish. What is really nice is getting lost in your surroundings which is much harder to do when gas engines are involved.

Many Thanks to Mr. Duane

2008-08-14T17:58:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Mr. Duane, as David calls him, is solely responsible for getting me into fly fishing. I got talking to him by chance one day on the bus; he told me about a recent trout stocking in our local stream, Accotink Creek. We met up many more times and exchanged fish stories. Duane’s stories and in depth knowledge of fly fishing for trout and salmon prompted me to buy my first fly rod.

Duane is active in the local chapter of Trout Unlimited. He also founded accotink.org, which is committed to the defense of our local watershed. He spends far less time fishing than he does on volunteer work such as stream restoration, and watershed issue advocacy.

This picture shows one of Duane’s better days on the Conewago Creek in Adams County, PA. Thanks Duane, for all the great help over the last couple years. Now go catch some more trout!

Lake Royal Update

2008-08-12T00:11:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

This is an example of the undersized bass we have been catching at Lake Royal recently. David and I have fished our neighborhood lake three or four times since we got home from our vacation. We have managed a handful of small bass, and a dozen or so bream per visit. We have been doing a lot of fly fishing with poppers rigged with a wet fly dropper. While we are still due a descent bass, this simple presentation is a lot of fun and produces consistent results.

Ely's Ford II

2008-08-09T16:24:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I took another shot at Ely's Ford this morning. I wanted to take advantage of the low water conditions to wade into spots that were too dangerous when the river was high. Unfortunately, the slow current did not support the bass activity I witnessed in June. I tried to locate fishable structure above the bridge. While I did get on top of some rock bass holding in vegetation in the main channel, I saw no evidence of the smallmouth bass I was targeting. I landed a couple rock bass and headed downstream to the river bend in search of current more suitable for a summer smallmouth pattern. I located large boulders and steady current just beyond the river bend. I changed flies from a slider with a hellgrammite dropper in favor of a wooly bugger. This immediately drew strikes from redbreast sunfish, but failed to lure any smallmouth. I had run out of time when I encountered a trophy smallmouth holding just above an eddy on the river bend. I made a few erratic casts before the fish disappeared into the shadows.

In a couple of hours of wading the Rapidan I only landed four fish (two rock bass, and two sunfish); but the experience was well worth it. The river is incredibly peaceful and beautiful in the morning. The river's width requires long casts that justify the 9' 8 wt rod I was using. I will have to wait another day to score a monster bronzeback on a fly rod, but I still had a great morning. Casting a tight loop into the morning mist on the Rapidan takes you to a place you can’t get to inside the beltway.

Thoughts On Fly Fishing

2008-08-06T15:30:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

It has been a little over a year since I took up fly fishing. I feel that my background has helped me make the transition. At about age nine I was introduced to bass and walleye fishing while visiting my uncle’s farm in NW Pennsylvania. We moved to North Carolina when I was ten and I have since had many good times with my Dad chasing largemouth bass with a spinning rod. I also gained some insights into trout tromping through streams in Colorado with an ultra light and handful of spinners. When I bought my first fly rod last summer I didn’t feel I was learning a new sport, just a new technique.

One of the problems with fly fishing is that it is too often treated as an elitist pursuit elevated above other, supposedly less dignified, ways to catch fish. I believe that successful fly fishermen understand that fly fishing is an effective technique, but is merely a subset of the broader art of angling.

This sport is about fish, not expensive equipment, status, or anything else. Successful fishermen respond to the patterns of fish, not the latest fad, or marketing campaign. I have learned that fish eat aquatic insects so frequently that mastering fly fishing allows you to consistently catch large numbers of fish. I also remain committed to my spinning and casting rods to deliver big fish, particularly largemouth bass. While even billfish are caught on fly, the most effective techniques for getting bites from big fish usually require a spinning or casting rod. I often fish with a fly rod, a spinning rod, and a casting rod to take advantage of whatever I discover about how the fish are feeding at a given time.

I also believe that knowledge of a given technique will compliment other techniques. For example, bass fishing teaches an angler to vary presentation depth to locate fish and their feeding zone. This lesson is important to fly fishermen who are often obsessed with matching a surface hatch while ignoring the predominance of subsurface feeding. Nymphing, on the other hand, is a solid general angling skill attained from fly fishing. The skill needed to float a pheasant tail, or BH prince in front of a trout in a creek channel can be applied to deadly techniques such as floating a curly tailed grub in a river current to a smallmouth. These are a couple examples of what I hope to gain from learning differing techniques and applying the lessons broadly.

I was in a fly shop a few months ago and watched an aspiring fly fishermen drop about $600 on what he was convinced was needed to get started. I learned with a $30 combo and about $15 worth of flies from Wal-mart.

West Texas Panfishin'

2008-08-04T19:04:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I went a little redneck while fishing in Amarillo last Thursday. We found a creek arm loaded with green sunfish at Thompson Park. The dry, mid-day heat was only partially mitigated by the panhandle breeze, so we took our shirts off and wore our fly vests like a couple of good ole boys. We had a blast! We lost count after a couple dozen greens. I only got David to leave by asking him if he wanted to go to Wonderland (Amarillo's amusement park).

David Scores Again!

2008-07-29T21:17:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David has found success fly fishing in Albuquerque, NM. We fished a place called Tingley Park this morning. David connected with an 11" Rainbow on a 4wt fly rod. Good job bud!

Sunset Largemouth

2008-07-11T21:36:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

What an awesome day! Maybe I enjoyed work today because I caught a bass this morning. The good vibes must have carried over to tonight because David and I hit Woodglenn at the last minute and scored. The sun was setting and this beautiful largemouth smashed the same popper that elicited this morning’s strike. I have learned that a rapid retrieve with a popper can really turn on the bass bite.

Early Morning Fly Fishing

2008-07-11T08:20:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I started the day off right this morning; snuck out to Lake Royal, scored about a dozen bream and a bass and still made it to work on time. Twenty minutes in I had only a bluegill and a nice sunrise to show for my efforts. Then the bluegill bite came on and I decided that I would make a few final casts near a weed bed to see if I could hook a bass. It worked. While I missed the initial roll on my popper my dropper turned out to be true “insurance fly.”

Lake Mercer

2008-07-07T17:01:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Catching a two-pound bass becomes an emotional event after you have been out done by a four year old. I hit Lake Mercer this morning fresh from David's taunts for having not caught a bass yesterday (reminded repeatedly that he caught one). After a slow start, I got a small bass with the old reliable green plastic worm. I later connected with a two-pounder with my other reliable bass bait, the 3 1/2" white tube, as the clock was winding down. I think I have a new fishing spot.

David's First Bass

2008-07-06T15:13:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David has arrived early to the world of bass fishing by landing 12" largemouth on a small crankbait less than a month past his fourth birthday. He has also taken to the world of smack talking by force by reminding me that I did not catch a bass today. For every bluegill I pulled in David had to mention that he caught a bass. He also caught a couple bluegill on a fly rod. Way to go bud!

Bluegill Slayers

2008-07-05T22:06:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I hit Woodglenn tonight and traumatized a generation of bluegills with our fly rods. While bass are always the ultimate goal, a bluegill on nearly every cast is hard to beat. Once we found the beds we got em’ by the dozen. Good times!

Father Son Fishing

2008-06-22T08:42:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I hit Lake Royal yesterday evening. Catching bass is a lot of fun. Catching bass with a fly rod is even more fun. But catching bass on a fly rod with your son is about as good as it gets.

The water in Lake Royal is very stained which can really slow things down, especially when coupled with hot weather. This morning the water was un-fishable after evening rains. But last night I was able to score two bass in short order thanks to my neon yellow slider. I later switched to a spinning rod and David scored a bluegill on the fly rod.

I have learned that one of the simplest ways to consistently catch bass is fly fishing with a large popper or slider. If you tailor your presentations to the conditions, "bass bugs" are as consistent as plastic worms for catching largemouth bass. I drop a wet fly off the hook bend of my popper or slider, which often allows me to catch lots of bream in between bass bites. David’s bream was a product of this approach.

Father's Day Rally

2008-06-15T08:13:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Fittingly, I am back. It took until Father's Day morning to recover from my setback on the Rapidan. In keeping with the civil war theme; I have found success in Pennsylvania that has eluded me in Virginia. It is a bit of a stretch to compare catching a few bass in pond at a campground to the defense of Little Round Top, but it is Father's Day. I feel that my promotion of this sport via this blog with a readership pushing four, if you count my brother in law, and the fact that my son's chest is often a billboard for Bass Pro Shops, gives me some license to rejoice in the unremarkable. I got two descent bass (and a few bream) on a 5 wt fly rod. Both bass were keepers, and I have pictures this time to prove it, which is the real accomplishment here. Winning fly: large neon yellow slider.

Ely's Ford

2008-06-09T15:38:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Dad and I hit historic Ely's Ford today. This was the site in which the hapless union forces under Joe Hooker crossed the Rapidan before being routed in the Battle of Chancellorsville in 1863. Today it was the site for a couple hapless bass fishermen to get in touch with the limits of their gene pool. The day started great; I landed a nice largemouth on chartreuse grub. I released this fine specimen after my father assured me that he had captured “at least three” cell pics of me triumphantly holding my catch. I later checked out the picture only to find an image of my son dressed as Batman. My catch was followed by Dad attempting to set the hook on at least five bites. We now know that there was nothing wrong with Dad's technique. He was missing the tip of his hook, which is never a recipe for a successful hook set. Later in the morning I switched to my fly rod and caught a couple small ones on a chartreuse wooly bugger. I later set the hook on a trophy smallmouth. In keeping with family tradition, this struggle culminated with a broken leader. We saw him jump to spit the fly and he was clearly over 20". Doh!

In summary, we got a keeper largemouth, two smallmouths, a bluegill, a rock bass, and I gave a trophy smallie a sore mouth. I assessed early that bright chartreuse was the right color for today's sunny, stained water conditions. This was the one thing I got right today.

Dad Hooks a Big One

2008-06-08T10:08:00.003-04:00

Dad is here for David and Zach's birthday. We fished Lake Royal early this morning long enough for Dad to hook one very noteworthy fish. Initially we thought it was an average to large bass, but after several runs that nearly spooled Dad we suspected it was a 10 lb+ catfish. He came up a few times and we saw what looked like a large cat’s dorsal fin. The fight lasted over twenty minutes. Once Dad realized he was about to get spooled he started to put the brakes on and the behemoth popped off. Dad fought the fish skillfully only applying pressure as a last resort. The bait was a white curly tail grub on a jig; a lure that occasionally elicits a catfish strike. Tomorrow is the big day for fishing. We are hitting the Rapidan for smallmouth so long as the weather holds. I pray for clear water and big smallies.

Bass Confusion

2008-06-01T19:16:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

This weekend of limited fishing was good for reminding us of the confused identity of the white perch. A member of the bass family, and closely related to the white bass, the white perch shares the perch name with the yellow perch; an unrelated species for which it bears no resemblance. There are other abnormalities in the popular names of North American fish. Our beloved largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass are actually members of the sunfish family. The brook trout is actually a char. The walleye, often referred to as the walleyed pike, is not a member of the pike family but rather the perch family. I believe that this phenomenon results from drunken red necks with fishing poles outnumbering trained biologists. Looks like a purch ta me man!

Big Bass on a Little Fly Rod

2008-05-27T00:21:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My challenges landing quality bass on fly tackle were somewhat alleviated this weekend. Our Memorial Day plans took us to a campsite in Pennsylvania with a fishing pond billed as an overfished, under stocked bluegill hole. Armed with a 4 weight fly rod, I quickly discovered that bass were the dominant predator in this water outside of the tattooed, PBR drinkin' worm dunkers that lined the bank. Avoiding the social pressures of hob nobbing with the Lancaster County RV crowd, I got my fishing fix at sunrise and had the pond to myself. This approach was worth two quality bass: one 17" and one 16". Both took small surface flies: a white foam spider, and a white panfish popper. Landing 2-3 pounders on a 4 wt fly rod was the bass on a fly rod experience I have been after. This was made possible by using a non-tapered 8 lb test spider wire leader.

Braddock Crappie

2008-05-18T09:45:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My quest for a big bass on a fly rod continues. To date 3lb+ bass have alluded me on fly tackle. This morning's short visit to lake Braddock was no different. I had a couple bass strikes on a large neon yellow popper, but either I missed the fish or the fish missed the fly. One 12 1/2" fish did manage a solid strike on my popper. I have always thought that the crappie's status at the top of the panfish class was tarnished by a questionable fighting ability. I learned today that when crappies get past a foot in length they bend an #8 wt fly rod like a bass.

Lake Braddock: come for the bass, stay for the crappie.

Thoughts on Spring Bass

2008-05-16T21:34:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

After spending the entire winter plotting my moves for the impending spring bass explosion, it is finally here. Except that it hasn't really been an explosion, more like a reality check. Spring bass fishing is tough for a couple reasons you forget during the months you expect to struggle. First, the transition period before the spawn is tough to track. The pre-spawn feeding frenzy you see on the Saturday morning shows can come and go before you know it. Suddenly the fish are on their beds; its great sight fishing but they are sluggish. Then comes the post spawn. Once again they can be sluggish. Erratic weather conditions present another complicating factor throughout the season. After a few weeks of intense heat the water column inverts and the bass head for deep water.

There are windows of opportunity to be exploited. But spring bass fishing is still bass fishing. If you want a lot of strikes go for panfish, or stocked trout. If you want to catch one fish that will make your week go for bass. My goal: one solid largemouth bass on a fly rod. My follow on goal is to fix my boat and become a true bass slayer, which is tough to do from the bank.

David's Rainbow

2008-05-08T20:52:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Wow! He's not even four yet and he's pulling fish out of the water like a little pro. We went to Accotink Creek tonight for a quick shot at our favorite stocked trout fishery. David picked out his own lure: a marabou jig spinnerbait. Action was initially slow and we contemplated moving. Suddenly David set the hook on a nice rainbow. His pole bent over, and the fish jumped two or three times before David was able to swing his catch on the bank. David had no assistance on this one. He made a perfect cast, got a solid hook set and landed the fish entirely on his own.

A Big Day For The Olsons

2008-05-07T21:58:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

In my last post I addressed my Dad's smallie conquest this morning down in in NC. Tonight the VA wing of the family got in on the action. David caught two bream on a fly rod, and jennie got a small bass (that snuck back in the water before we could get a picture). Just as it looked like I was bringing down the team I managed a fourteen inch largemouth. The winning presentation was a TX rigged white tube. This has become my 'go to' largemouth bait on a spinning rod, even though it is billed as a smallmouth bait. Go figure.

Pop Pop Scores Again!

2008-05-07T21:48:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

My Dad has held to his guns on smallmouth fishing. I insist that you fish for them differently than largemouth. Yet Dad remains loyal to the plastic worm even though I am always stearing him towards a tube, a drop shot or some other ESPN annointed smallie tactic. Way to go Dad! This one was 17" and well over three pounds.

Next Generation Fly Fisherman

2008-04-30T19:20:00.005-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

They grow up fast. David has joined the elite ranks of fly fishermen. Mom called me at work today and said David was "dying to go fishing." I came home on the early bus and grabbed a spinning rod for David and a fly rod for me. Trouble was he wasn't interested in the spinning rod this evening. I pleaded with him to use it to no avail; he had to get a fish on the fly. He has developed an unorthodox, but effective back cast. Within a few minutes he had hooked a nice little bluegill. Way to go buddy!

Still Waiting

2008-04-26T12:04:00.007-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I guess last weekend was my opportunity to get a big bass on a fly rod. This morning was my only shot this weekend. I caught a bunch of chunky bluegills, and two small bass. Although this was only bank fishing, I am still unsatisfied.

I really want to score a big bass on a fly rod, but I will have to wait for at least another week. I will retool; lay off the wooly buggers, poppers, and wet flies and buy some clausers and deceivers. I believe that a large streamer pattern may be the ticket for largemouth. The action should be hard for them to resist and they don’t see the patterns often.

Dad Scores!

2008-04-21T20:27:00.004-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Way to go Dad! What a great western NC smallmouth caught eastern NC style: plastic worm pitched into heavy cover. We'll call this Lake James bronzeback at two pounds. Having recently hooked smallmouth and largemouth I can say the smallie fights twice as hard pound for pound. Dad says that electro fishing shows smallmouth in lake James up to twelve pounds. That is world record material; good luck Dad.

Lake Braddock

2008-04-20T10:59:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

I hit Lake Braddock the last two mornings. This is an excellent fishery with large bream, crappie, and bass. Yesterday I hooked a bass on a yellow slider that looked to be about three pounds. He popped off in about four inches of water. This morning I had an absolute monster roll on my large black popper. He looked like one of the stripers they pull out of the Chesapeake: absolutely huge! The bluegill action is non-stop on a wet fly. These are real chunkers that fight like palm sized smallmouths. I caught about fifteen bluegill each morning, plus a handful of small bass, and some very chunky crappie. The big one awaits. Great fishery!

Not To Be Outdone

2008-04-14T22:50:00.001-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We got back to Virginia, and David wanted to fish at our lake. We managed about a dozen bluegill and a crappie in about forty minutes. There is no place like home. David managed to score a nice gill on a crankbait. Not bad for a three and a half year old.

Boys Weekend Wrap Up

2008-04-14T07:29:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

We had a fun weekend even if the fishing challenged us. Lake James is tough to fish, and fishing with a 3 1/2 year old requires short bursts of fishing separated by hours of Spongebob and Power Rangers. David did great. He was patient in the boat and listened to his Dad and Pop-Pop. Unfortunately, the weather socked us in for a while, when we got on the water it was too windy, and Dad's electronics are fried. On Lake James, no trons: no fish. That is unless you can inexplicably pull smallies off the dock with a fly rod.

While the bite was slow, the smallies were fun to catch, and the few bream we got were huge. The bite producing baits this trip were my Dad's TX rigged plastic worm, and his white curly grub. I had one strike on a blue tube, and a yellow popper (off the dock); but the only bait that hooked smallmouth was, of course, the wooly bugger (green, and brown). Good memories; we'll do it again some time next fall.

Another Smallie Off The Dock

2008-04-13T20:34:00.003-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Once again, boating a Lake James smallmouth bass eluded us. We docked, once again, windblown and biteless ; I tied a wooly bugger and caught another day saving smallie. I got out the tape on this one: 12"...on a fly rod. Wooh hooh!

Boys Weekend: Day 1

2008-04-12T07:10:00.007-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

David and I arrived at my Dad's house in western North Carolina yesterday afternoon. We got in a few hours on the lake. We returned to the dock wind blown and biteless. At this point I had tried just about every style of bass bait in my tackle box: jigs, craws, tubes, spinnerbaits, and swimbaits--nothing.

We tied off to the boat dock and I grabbed my fly rod and tied my confidence bait: the wooly bugger. Hooked a 12" smallmouth...great fun on a 6 wt fly rod.

We still have 2 1/2 days to fish. Lake James is a very tough mountain lake; it is cold and deep. But it holds smallmouth, largemouth, walleyes, a few Bodies (local vernacular for hybrid striped bass), and tiger muskies. Even with slower action, fishing with your Dad and your son is always a great time.

Accotink Triple

2008-04-05T10:26:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Scoring at least one rainbow, brown and brook trout in the same outing may not be much to some. Landing a triple within the limits of Fairfax County is up there with a no hitter in my book. Well, maybe if the VDGIF hadn't stocked our stream this week it would be like bowling 300; but I will savor this small accomplishment even if the odds are seriously stacked in favor of the angler this week.

As it turns out, the new trout have the same weakness for the wooly bugger as their winter stock brethren. Surprisingly, even the normally stingy brown trout are strung out on streamers lately. I wish them a slow recovery until the bass hit their spring beds.

Final tally: 4 browns, 2 rainbows, and a brookie...in an hour and a half

Love Them Bass Too!

2008-03-23T09:19:00.002-04:00

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Originally uploaded by ...olson family...

Since I elected to identify myself as a bass fishermen in the name of this blog, whenever I blog about trout I always feel compelled to even the score with a bass entry. This morning I risked the label of the jackass Dad who fished on Easter Sunday. Thanks to some help from a few extra ounces of formula little zachy slept long enough for Dad to score at the neighborhood lake and get home before the family awoke.

I almost folded while sitting on two bluegills. After the Rainbow yesterday this seemed lame. But thanks to help from my handy dandy yellow popper I was able to land a trademark Lake Royal Bass: small, but fly worthy. I had exhausted use of an olive BH wooly bugger, and went for a small popper in a bright color because the water was moderately clear and the sun was out. If it were cloudy I would have gone for a dark popper. Stained water: big popper. It's that simple. Rock On!