#glassisnotdead - Panfish fly rod

I receive a glass rod from Phillip Butterfield at Average Joe's Fishing Poles.  It's a three piece, 3/4 wgt. 6'3" rod with a cedar grip.  It's the first glass rod that I've casted in ages.  And I Iove it.  The sensitivity reminds me of my ultra light Ugly Stik but so much better.  

I figured fighting panfish would feel like a million bucks but I hadn't thought of catching smallmouth bass on it too.

The guides are also blue.  Upon request, Phillip is now offering rods made from Blue Halo blanks.

I'm glad to be a part of the new interest and grass roots movement in glass rods.  I'm now looking to either purchase a 5 wgt glass rod or have another built.  I would head out to the river but there are loads of people out.  This rod makes the fight much more intense.  The tugs and shakes blow my mind.  When I had a smallmouth take my streamer as I drifted along a log at about 15 feet away, the fight was just amazing.  He pulled and tugged and stayed in the riffles.  The sensitivity made me giddy. I figured he was a larger smallie than he was playing.

Now, I can brag that I have a glass rod and have been playing fat panfish and Ozark smallmouth.

Tight lines, Josh.

Smallmouth bass photos/pics.

These photos were taken a little over a year apart.  Both of them won photo of the week at a local news station.  I got two free travel mugs.  I've taken a lt of fishing pics and a lot have been rough looking.  Part of it is (and I just recently found this out) is that when I take Instagram photos through the app, the pic doesn't look near as nice as just using the regular camera on my phone. I use Aviary to fit photos within instagram or just editing in general.

They aren't all great but I love to share photos.  This year has been a bit tougher.  Last spring and fall, we had a pretty good flush.  Unfortunately, it's changed my streams from how they've been for about the past 4 years.  Every once in awhile, the streams change a bit.  I've had to do some more exploring and hit the streams further out than usual.

New book. Scouting new waters. Smallmouth bass fishing.

I've been scouting new water the past few days. It's been a totally different year than last.  Whereas, I was catching lots of nice bass all year, I've been catching a lot of 12 inch smallmouth bass.  And, it's okay with me because I've actually been enjoying myself.  I have talked with campers, fisherman and floaters.  I've also been catching smallmouth bass on new waters with a new glass rod.  I'd say it's been fun and successful.

I've been using my Shucker pattern, purple Crazy Dads and Lil Debils.  I'm still looking for the big ones.

Hey, I love creek and tributary fishing.  I just bought a new book.  With a 2013 publication, it's a fairly new title.

It's 99% smallmouth and spotted bass with some Guads and panfish thrown in.  I'm gonna do a review of this book soon.

Some folks are big about landing fat pigs but Most days, I'm glad to just have something tugging on the line.  My goal for each outing is to land at least one smallmouth bass.

I have been wading in portage shoes because I don't like exposed toes but rocks sure get jammed up under my feet.  Do sandals work better?  I used to wear canvas boots and shorts or tennis shoes but i. I'm interested in what y'all wear when wet wade fishing.

Wading for smallmouth bass today.

Man, were the floaters out today.  One of today's highlights was running into a kayak angler who was fly fishing for the first time.  He had one it those rigid 6 wgt outfits from Walmart and a pretty good selection of streamers from Cabela's jammed into a small Solo container.  He asked for some tips and if he had a good selection of flies.  Up to that point, I had caught all 10 or so smallmouth on a chartreuse Lil' Debil.  It's a small panfish fly made from soft plastic.  So, I told him to try a chartreuse streamer.

I took out my new fiberglass Panfish on the Fly rod in the hopes of christening it with some fat panfish.  And of course, I started catching smallmouth bass.  The rod is 6'3" 3/4 wgt and provided an amazing experience fighting those smallmouth bass in the riffles.  This is the first glass fly rod that I have casted in ages.

Today was a beautiful day in which I not only spoke with floaters and fisherman but was delighted to smell hot dogs and burgers being cooked at a nearby camp.  

Average Joe's Fishin Poles - Did some thinking too.

Back in 2011, I was catching fish in March.  Not a little but a lot of crappie and bluegills were caught.  The past two years, we've had a late winter followed by cold snaps and even flooding.  Not only the crappie fishing at this pond but also at several local lakes has been thrown off with the temperature not staying either warm nor cold for more than about 3 days at a time.

I caught these fish in several different outings which began in early March because we were having stable weather and things were warming up properly.  Now, it seems that we are moving from almost no spring and right into summer - temps being about 85 or higher the past few days and through next week.

The fish in these photos were caught in a manner that I call "hammering the water".  It's going out and casting over and over and stripping and stripping to  make things happen.  I actually dragged a brick on twine to slow my drift so that I could cast along the bank where the crappie where hanging out.  It was very windy on the morning I caught the most and biggest ones.  I was frustrated the kayak was being blown around and that the water was coming into my kayak and I was cold and wet - but I kept going.  My dad wants to go fishing with me and I always say that it's not going to be easy and we've got to hit the water hard and keep hammering away until something happens.  I was driven - really driven.  And now, I'm spoiled on several good years followed by an amazing year.

So, it comes down to learning this - I've got to spend more time on things that are more fruitful like the family.  I also spent time with the local club teaching kids how to cast a fly rod.  One boy really wanted to talk to his dad about buying him a fly rod.  That made my day.  I have caught tons of fish by hitting lakes and ponds and streams and creeks.  I've got tons of pictures too but at a point where you're not satisfied with your hobby, perhaps it's time to do something more fulfilling.  The high points of yesterday's outing was not just that I actually had an amazing fish on but that I spoke with some of the floaters and got to listen to two older women argue about where to hang a hammock.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and I ruined it by expecting a fish to place itself on my fly.  Spoiled.  Sure, I'm not landing trophies but at my age, I've got some maturing to do.

My Panfish on the Fly rod should arrive today!!  Phillip at Average Joe's Fishin Poles https://www.facebook.com/AverageJoesFishinPoles has me this wonderful rod that I just can't wait to cast.  I've got to find a proper reel with character to match with this glass rod.