Trout Holiday - Fishing the Leftovers

Seeing how the Federal Gov. Was closed yesterday I had planned on taking a trout day and putting a few more in the freezer.  I wanted to go back to the larger Antietam creek where I could keep my limit of trout and get some more casting experience on a larger body of water.  My plans however were dashed as a series of severe storms put down probably 6 inches of rain over 3 days.  The big river was blown out again.  So back to the mountains I went, stopping first at the medium sized creek that is now catch and release for the leftovers.  The creek was also about 2 feet high, but the water was clear enough to fish with a bit of cloudiness.  My plan was to fish here for a few hours before looking for the put-and-take stream a little closer to the PA border in the mountains.  I figured there would be less action there and had no idea where to go.  I wanted some experience catching a few first.  

Getting there around 9:30 I fished until noon and caught 7 nice rainbows to about 14 inches.  Most were caught on a micro jigged streamer olive with a squirrel zonker tail size 12 long shank hook, or a cream-colored mop fly.  The streamer kinda looks like this with some flashabou though I don't have a specific photo of what I tied. 

Didn't catch any browns which kind of surprised me as they tend to have an affinity for the streamer and I know there are some in there.  The rainbows however where active.

I drove a lot of back mountain roads until I got to the next creek.  I stopped at a bridge with the first state put-and-take signage I came to.   Even with the rains the stream was very skinny and I saw no fish.  I hiked up and then down in this area and fished for about 30 minutes even after finding a deep stretch that looked like it should hold trout, but nothing but a creek chub hit my flies.

I drove a few miles downstream and passed a few smaller tributaries that added to the water flow.  Finally, I found a pull off with a deep pool and started fishing.  This stream was dotted with huge boulders with deep fast pools.  I had no luck for a while until a 13-inch rainbow popped out of a deep pool and grabbed my streamer jig.  Finally some lunch!  There was definitely less fish in this stream but there were a few hold outs.  

About a quarter mile downstream I found a very large deep pool after a set of long rock almost like a dam.  I was fishing this fairly well with no action when the sky started to get very dark.  The torrents of rain started not long after.  I was soaked in no time which didn't bother me; however I could watch the run off make the creek muddy within a period of 10 minutes.  I sloshed back to the truck.  Totally soaked, but enjoyed my fishing holiday.  I am now up to almost 60 fish this trout season, way more than I ever caught with spin gear or bait.

Saturday, I leave for a week at deep creek lake for more pike and bass action with the kayaks. My timing is impeccable, as a heat wave is due here for 3 days with temps near 100 and high humidity.  Temps out where I am heading should only be in the mid-eighties.   There are also a few good trout streams out that way, but my attention may be filled with fishing the lake and I may not want to drive around to explore.  Will see as I have a week, so I will bring both my 8wt and 3 wt rods.

I have not made my elk hunting arrows yet, but have a few prototypes and I have been trying to shoot at least one shot with a broadhead a day.  Really concentrating on that one first shot.  I am agreeing with the set up well and have some confidence building. 

I am making a case to transport my new vintage coleman model 228 and have set the October dates for fall deer camp.  I am using a white bucket with screw top lid as it is a little tall for other types of buckets and the shade is much wider than any commercial lantern nowadays.  The fuel tank and glass shade is also bigger, so I don't want to break it.  I am going to glue some foam board into the bottom of the bucket with a hole cut to fit around the fuel tank.  Together with the top nut fitting into the recess of the screw top lid this should be very secure.

 

Seneca Lake Fly Fishing

 

A parent at my son's school offered up a week stay at their renovated boat house (think tiny house) on Lake Seneca at the finger lakes in upstate NY.   We stayed there last fall but the weather was cold and rainy.  Now we would hit it in June and although the spring trout run is over, there should be some good trout still in the shallows with the cooler water.   

I purchased my 7 day nonresident fishing license for $28 and did a little homework.  

The first day I caught this guy from the dock not long before dinner on a yellow clouser.  They are not kept unfortunately this time if year, so I ate chicken for dinner.  

There was a boat trolling that I saw catch at least 3 that looked like trout.  

The owners son caught a nice brown off the dock last weekend.  Hopefully I get into to trout too.  

Tried my crayfish imitation some without much luck. 

The next morning, I got up at 5am and scampered outside as quietly and quickly as I could get up without coffee. 

The lake was like glass and crystal clear. That may have been my issue because I started seeing northern pike cruising by, but they would not hit.  Then what looked like a large rainbow trout about 3 pounds cruised by.  Then, a wolf pack group of 5 pike with a big guy following. I had my clouser fly right in front of the biggest one, but it only gave a passing glance. I fished for 3 hours with many fly changes and nothing. I was getting frustrated. I could see them!  Finally, I hooked up on a small smallmouth. 

Later I even tried my 3 wt nymphing rod. Nothing.  

We went to Watkins Glen and hiked and I stewed on what I could do differently.  Ate a fine lunch and had some wine.  Back at the house it was time for a family paddle in the canoe , but it was cut short by rain and a rumble of thunder. 

I caught another small smallmouth as I fished in the rain. 

Then I saw another cruiser that wanted nothing to do with my fly. This was getting ridicules. 

Then, finally saw a medium sized pike following my fly. I hesitated and let it sink with a twitch.  Then he hit. I set the hook!  It fought less than the smaller bass and was scooped up in my big landing net from the dock. 

Finally, something to eat!  He was 28 inches long. Probably 3 pounds. I put him on ice water in the cooler and bled him. Glad I watched a video on how to filet them earlier. 

The rain continued and I had another something that threw the hook form a miscued hookset. And another that I missed.  Finally darkness took over and I was cold. 

Tomorrow is another day and the rain is supposed to stop. 

The next day was a busy one.  I got up early again at first light and the water was a bit rougher with some light wind.  I had less visibility, but the water was still clear.  I could still see the occasional cruising large rainbow (I think) and I swear I spotted two larger brown trout off the end of the dock at one point.  I didn't see the cruising pike this morning, but they were probably there.  I spent the first hour or so casting the 8wt for the bigger fish with no luck and my right arm was starting to wear out.  I was getting some good practice casting the double haul out far with a big fly.  Great practice.

Later the chop increased, and I switched to the 3wt and had some hits swinging a mutiple nymph rig with the wind induced lake current.  I managed to land what I think was a small rainbow though its color was very silver and mouth a little more bullet shaped.  I know there are lake trout and landlocked salmon in here and I am not experienced enough for a full identification.

 It was a little guy who I released back.  I also had a bunch of hits and a kept catching these small baitfish.  They kind of look like gobies, but I am unsure what they are or if they are invasive.  They kept me entertained though.

Later the conditions started to deteriorate, and a large system moved in.  We had multiple flash flood warnings and the storms lasted all night so my fishing the evening was cut short.  As the water got murkier things got tougher.  The family and I enjoyed ourselves though grilling shrimp, sipping wine, and enjoying our little lakefront house.  That night we watched a movie, the second hunger games one, and I had to laugh at the archery stuff and how people just keel over dead when hit by an arrow.

The next morning, I got up at dawn and the entire lake was muddy with zero visibility, I went back to sleep.  Did a little paddle boarding and swimming from the dock.  I cant get over how there are no boats out on this lake.   In MD our similar little lake is filled with boats during all the daylight.  I have only seen like 3 boats here and two were on Sunday trolling.  I guess going on the lake here is somehow a common ho hum experience and they only do it when conditions are perfect.  I feel like a king out here the only one on my private finger lake.

I cooked my pike today for lunch and it was delicious!

I did a little more casting as the water started to clear, but alas my time ran out. I will be back at the small mountain stream before I know it... then another week at MD lake for more pike and bass opportunities.  Then, all eyes on the elk!

Dock fishing this lake was a blast!

Stingray Hunt turns into a Bay fishing with the Fly Rod Trip

I took off on Friday and the plan was for my brother, follow Sunset longbow shooter Evan, and I to head to Ocean City to try our luck shooting more rays and perhaps do a little fishing if the conditions are not right for ray stalking.

Well, Thursday Evan pulled out due to a new work commitment.  Chris and I decided to give it a go anyways.  I brought my 8 wt fly rod and a flounder spin rig as well as my bow fishing stuff.  

Conditions were breezy and cloudy with a chance of passing thunderstorms.  Conditions were not good for the rays and we saw none.  With steadily increasing winds we made many drifts searching for blues or flounder focusing on sandbar drop off areas in the bay.  Action was slow and I got some good practice casting in the wind from atop the bow of the boat.  Chris was mainly jigging and not getting any bites either, so I didn't feel too much at a disadvantage.   Chris did hook an undersized flounder at one point, but it came loose just as I was about to net it.  I made a lunge when I saw it come off, but it made one big squirmy leap clear of the net. 

It was nearing time to start the drive back when I decided to drift my top and bottom rig in the right hand and my flyrod with chartreuse clouser minnow in the left.  Suddenly I took a huge pull on the left hand and I set the hook.  Chris reeled in my spin rod and took a short video of the fight before grabbing the landing net.  The decent sized bluefish made a couple good jumps, and I managed to keep him on the line and into the net.  As soon as he was on the deck of the boat he bit through the line!  We drifted another 5 or 6 times through that area but this was the only action.  I felt so happy I stuck with the fly and got him.  

I drove 6 hours and through a massive thunderstorm on the way home for 3 hours of fishing, but this one fish made it worthwhile.  I did lose my good CRKT spring assist pocket knife when I left it atop my truck bed cover as we were unpacking gear in a driving rain.  I drove off and it went somewhere in the neighborhood and probably picked up by a walker the next day before Chris could go look.  Oh well. 

Saturday was the last day of put and take for my stream in Thurmont but when I checked the river was too high to cross and I called it a day.  Fishing there is now fly only and catch and release until next March so I will probably target other streams because I like to eat trout! 

Chris also gave me a dead starling he shot in his yard with his pellet gun.  Apparently, it was an amazing 50-yard shot.  Now I have soft hackle material in the proper size for 14, 16 and 18 sized flies.  I tied up a few bead heads quickly and will work on some more traditional soft hackles later.