Tuesday, August 31, 2010

What it may all be about.

I began this blog for folks who are learning to fly fish. Watching Anthony Bourdain right now. It reminds me of making trips out to new locations and trying new fly patterns. When I moved to the South from Canada, I was intrigued by bass bugs. Even more interesting were those little panfish.

The local fly shops only offered trout flies - with the occasional white bass and panfish selection. Eventually one of them moved into bass flies. I went to the internet to find my flies - grass roots research. I became involved in fly swaps. It was interesting to find out what types of custom fly patterns anglers were tying for their favorite warm water species.

I hit the message board and online groups to learn the techniques folks were using to land fish. I do consider myself untraditional. There are a lot of books out there about fly fishing for trout, salmon,etc.

Sure, there titles on warm water species but you won't find most of them at the Barnes & Nobles. Especially when your looking for panfish flies - even crappie flies; you just won't find but a couple of titles - heck, maybe just one specifically.

I seem to find myself to be of a rare sort of fly fisherman. Sure, I see the occasional fly angler, mostly during the white bass run. There are a few of us that hit local water such as streams behind grocery stores or those good locations wedged between two highways and a local golf course.

I never saw anyone doing what I was, fly fishing from a boat - except on Lake Swepco. Maybe it's just not common in Arkansas or the Ozarks. I am sure the Kings River and Clear Creek are fished quite often by fly fisherman. Heck, even the Elk River too.

But, I don't float these streams with groups nor network to find the best locations. I hunt. I go out and figure things out on my own. Most of the time.

I've kinda fallen of the intellectual and instructional aspects of this blog. I am trying to keep it simple and offer up patterns that I use. I'm one of these guys that will fish just about anywhere but that means having a diverse selection of flies - and I like to have custom flies - bluegill flies - flies for dirty water and tight, slippery, nasty places to fish.

After all, isn't part of the adventure just figuring out where to go and what to use??

Monday, August 30, 2010

Smallmouth Outing - Illinois River #2, 2010





Landed several smallmouth bass on a chartreuse and pink Clouser fly pattern. I only had two of those colored Clousers and lost them both. Landed a few more on chartreuse and white Clousers too. After the overcast skies disappeared, fishing died down. STOPPED.

Academy Sporting Goods had it's grand opening. I went and bought some new leaders and tippet. Excellent selection of flies - panfish and bass flies. I will be making a trip there soon. I lost 8 out of 10 Clousers today.

I drifted in swifter water than usual. I wanted larger fish - figured the bigger ones would be in a faster current or would chase food into a faster current. Didn't land anything very large but had fun anyway.

I began drifting along a fallen tree - a deep hole about 4 feet deep ran alongside. The fish were hitting the Clouser on the swing through - as I drifted the fly, I tried for a longer "tail out".

Fishing is still kinda slow - waiting for temps to drop. About 100 degrees again!!

I also fish a pool which spills into a strainer on the side and also continues to flow west. There are some stumps, logs, etc. in the bottom of this pool. I usually land bass just about anywhere in this pool - except the most swift portion at the top of the pool.

8 wgt. sinking line.


Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Sponge Pop - Bass Fly Pattern


I made this bass bug to displace water and make noise. I actually haven't landed anything with nit but have used it a few times. It's OK. Not as loud as I figured it would be but it's a frog pattern and I bet something will hit it one day.

Just joined Warm Water group on Facebook

This group seems to like bass, bluegills, crappie, etc. Seems like it could be fun and educational. Let's get this thing goin'! Seems like posts are really slow but it could be a great way to congregate and share info and photos.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Ozark Bass and strange bream findings.


Pictured is a Rock Bass. Very similar to an Ozark Bass. I have fished in many Ozark streams. The West Fork, Middle Fork, White River, Richland Creek, War Eagle, just to mention a few - was that a few?? Heck, I even fished that creek which flows under the I-540 bridge near the Target store and next to restaurant row. If that's not urban fishing, I don't know what is.

I have seen many different species of sunfish. I have also seen many different cross breeds. Cream colored bream with "Red-Eye" Stump Knocker markings. Or Pumpkinseed mixed with Warm Mouth. I guess you could name them; Redeye, Goggle-eye, Red-eyed Bream, Stump Knocker, Mudgapper, Mo-mouth, Morgan, Molly, Rock Bass, Open Mouth, Weed Bass, Wood Bass, Strawberry perch, Mud Bass, and Warmouth Bass.

Whatever - just as long as they fit in the pan. The most beautiful sunfish of all, is what I truly consider to be the Ozark Bass. Cream colored body with black gills with red tips. A large mouths and belly. Heftier than most sunfish.

I caught a few this year and last. The most consisting day I had was when my father and I went out to Lake Elmdale. We landed many of these wonderful cream colored creatures. Some had mouths large enough to take deer hair flies. The Middle Fork of the White River (below Lake Sequoyah) is a pretty good place to find them. I used to drift Elk Hair Caddis to land these puppies on a 3 wgt. rod. I took my father to the stream and blew him away. lol. Large Pumpkin Seed "gills were prevalent under rock ledges when using a Montana Nymph.

I have landed so many sunfish that I think of myself as a Panfish Pro. If I could only be a Bass Pro. Sniff, Sniff.



Monday, August 2, 2010

Oh bass bug, oh bass bug. Where art thou bass bug?

Somewhere out in Crystal Lake, a bass has my deer hair bass bug. My only bass of the day got away. Tough fishing. Although, I ran into a school of Ozark Bass http://www.agfc.com/species/Pages/SpeciesWildlifeDetails2.aspx?Title=Ozark%20Bass .

I want to be like these guys you know - those guys that go out and catch bass. I can find bream just about anytime I go out. Why? I'm good at it. If I can just hone my bass fishing skills, then maybe I can land more bass.

I used to say fly fishing for panfish was fun. And . . . it kind of is . . . or used to be. I've got my eye on the prize. It's time to start landing more bass. I love the big tugs on my fly rod. Especially when a big bass jumps out of the water. It's gonna take time out on the water again. Time to learn certain waters again. Time to find new waters too.

It's been a few years since I had a boat. Time to start picking up on things again. I do believe it's the dog days of summer. Fishing should pick up again in a bit.

Time to pull out my bass books again. Maybe it's time to hit my old haunts . . . .