Early April Trout Trip and New Fly Pattern to Try, Scud / Sow

 

Ahead of a cold front and several days of rain, I was able to get back out to my trout stream in Washington County for a few hours.  I wasn't expecting too much action as the state had not stocked this area for some time, and it was a popular pressured section situated in a public park.  

There were already about half-dozen fisherman scattered about, and the water was a little higher and more turbid than normal.  I was pleasantly surprised when I hooked a small fish within the first dozen drifts.  It took my heavier point fly that was a lighter tan color body that I had tied after the last trip.  After landing, my line was considerably tangled in the net, and around the stinger I now had the fish connected to.  I had to cut loose my flies and retie them to get everything untangled.  

Continuing down the run a bit, I hooked a second trout, but halfway through the fight he broke loose, and I suspect it was due to a bad knot I tied.  My eyes aren't what they used to be and when the light is low and overcast sometimes my bifocal fishing glasses make it difficult.  Anyway, I was optimistic that I had two fish on in a short amount of time.

As I continued to fish, more fisherman started to trickle in as the weather cleared up a bit.  I only saw two other fisherman with single trout on the stringer, and none of them were using fly gear. I spotted a lone tenkara fisherman as well, but I didn't observe him fighting any fish either before he moved off.  I made my way up into the better and deeper areas and felt a fish on one of my drifts.  I missed him but kept trying that area until I felt the same bumps and this time hooked up on a little bigger rainbow, landing him without much trouble.  

After a while, I had a third fish on in the fast flow.  Fighting for a few seconds he eventually pulled loose the fly and was gone.  Bummer.  This time it just wasn't hooked solidly enough, so I felt a little better than the one I lost due to a poor knot.

By this time, I had to pack up soon to go to a music recital my son was involved in, so I headed back downstream again.  Still trying to tweak my gear and learn this style, I had a few times where I saw a trout flash sideways after my flies but never detected or felt the strike.  I believe that I may have had too much tippet between my sighter section and that allowed more bow in the line preventing me from a close contact to feel those strikes.  Next time I will shorten up the tippet for that depth and see if it makes a difference.

looking back on the trip it was a success, as I had hooked 4 trout, had at least two other strikes, and came away with 2 for the pan.  I learned a bit and was excited to go back and try for the couple I left back there.  

Back at home I examined the stomach contents of the fish I had caught.  Both fish had been in the river a while and their flesh started to turn "salmon" pink from the white when they are stocked.  This indicates a diet high on insects.  They had been feeding heavily on aquatic sow bugs as seen in this photo:

That Sunday, I decided to try my hand at tying some imitations and scud pattern to mimic those for the next trip.  I am excited to try back with these in my arsenal along with some shorter tippit / leader combinations after these next several days of cooler and wetter weather. 

Inexpensive 3D Turkey Season Practice

Getting along with my new bow Sagittarius.  A little turkey practice fun!

Humble Pie and Some New Flies

I was excited to hit the water with some of my new nymph patterns I had tied from the vise at home this past week, and I was itching to hit the water. 

Since Saturday was opening day for trout fishing in MD, I decided to try a closer and smaller stream on Sunday evening.  I had about 3 hours of fishing light when I hit the stream.  I was kind of surprised when I didn't see any trucks parked in the parking area near a bridge that is a common stocking area, but I commenced tying on some nymphs as temperatures were in the 80 for a change. 

After some casts I noticed I wasn't seeing any fish, I thought I had seen a rise but later hooked up a 5-inch fall fish (creek chub) which may have been the culprit.  I saw a few other groups of fishermen as I ranged upstream, but none were catching anything as far as they were saying, and I wasn't getting as much as a strike I could tell.  In addition, I realized that I was really sweating in my heavy neoprene waders.  I was diligent about hitting every good-looking riffle but was not seeing any action.  I started to question if they really stocked this area.  

After a mile or so in a lather, with my waders chaffing me around where the boot seam ended (at least I had enough sense to have shorts on instead of pants), I made my way to a bend in the creek and a deep pool around a boulder.  I could see a good-sized palomino just outside of the main current running around the boulder.  Usually there are other stocked fish nearby as well that are harder to see.  Finally, I had found some fish.  The spot was challenging.  There were many overhanging branches on the downstream side that prevented me from casting up to the fish.  The current hugged the boulder and was fairly stagnant where he was parked.  I tried to circle upstream and get my fly into the current to run by the fish but kept getting hung up on the boulder.  When I missed the current my fly would just die well ahead of the fish.  I had one cast where it looked like the fish made a move to snag my fly, but there was nothing on the end of the line at all when I raised the tip.  This was the only time in the several tries and about an hour of attempts.  I thought I saw another trout rise and kept at it thinking that maybe another would get into the fly, but after a long time it was getting dark. I had no luck coaxing the trout to bite.  I lost several flies and tried everything except dry flies. 

I left the creek humbled and extremely dehydrated.  When I got home, I was soaked and after drinking my fill of water weighed 6 pounds less than I was the evening before.  Tough trip.  

I also learned too late to get tickets that the local theater was premiering a movie about the Frederick native and fly-fishing legend Lefty Kreh.  I am going to have to catch this show when it airs, as I work where Lefty was employed after WWII before he became famous.  I've caught a few stripers on the "Lefty's Deceiver" fly and that was one of the first big fish flies I learned to tie. 

MANLAW - My new "Swinehart" Inspired Craig Ekin and Nate Steen Collaboration Longbow named "Sagittarius", Commemorative Bob Swinehart

This post will introduce everyone to a very special longbow I was blessed to receive last week upon my return from work travel.

I purchased a heavy 78# Howard Hill Big-Five longbow from a fellow left-handed archer for a good price.  It was identical to my "White Eagle" hunting bow (that I received from the same gentleman) and my thought was to have it reduced to around 65-68 pounds and use it as a workout / training bow.  I had it shipped from the seller directly to Idaho and Nate Steen agreed to rework the bow and reduce it.  There was a crack in the belly glass on the handle fade area that ran lengthwise, and Nate said that shouldn't be a problem.  Halfway through completion Nate informed me that the bow was too good looking to be relegated to a workout bow and that this bow "Needed to Hunt", and if it was ok to reduce her down more. That sounded reasonable. He also asked what I wanted it to be named, and he remembered that I was a Sagittarius.  I told him, "bowyers choice" on the name. 

Nate was able to catch up on some bow shop work after the hunting season, and in late February he sent me a text with a bow tube ready to ship.  I waited...then waited...then Nate asked if the bow had arrived, and I started to get nervous.  By March 15th I was all but resigned that the bow was "lost in the mail".  I was heading to New Orleans for a work trip, and I sent Nate a note that it was still MIA. While I was on travel, my wife texted me that I had a bow arrive!  Whoo-hoo, but now the waiting felt even longer.  

Arriving home to unpack the container, I started to realize what a special bow this really was.  The first thing that struck me was the re-shaped handle making it more in the style of Swinehart as can be seen from the photos below.  The flatter handle section that may have been from the glass running through completely under the handle grip on the models he shot.  

 

Here is the handle before rework, showing the thicker and much more rounded handle:

The second item was the inscribed name, "Sagittarius", that was an obvious reference to the Swinehart book.  Also, I happen to also be a Sagittarius, and I own an older John Schulz made right-handed Tembo by the same name. Some kind of cosmic linkage?

Next, the bow will not sport a side plate, whose lack is customary to Nate's bows as well as what Swinehart shot as seen in the photo below.

The inlay in this case is Alaskan moose that was donated by a fellow longbowman.  I am hoping it will bring some luck of "moose proportions" to my hunting.

The reason I like to go without a side plate is that the bow will give me feedback and "speak" if I have a bad release or form problem.  I need the feedback to improve by listening to what the bow is telling me.

If we compare the bow side-by-side to its brother (both Ekin made Big-Five models) you can see what was done.

Part of the work was a major reduction in draw weight to the tune of 15 pounds.  You can see the belly now has considerable trap and less glass width. 

 

You can also see the thinness of the glass compared to a similar weight and model, and the original that was much heavier, thus changing the wood to glass ratio.

This is a photo of the bow before the reduction and rework:

Nate of course puts on a super glossy and durable finish which I love.  Very classy and I've never spooked an animal that I could attribute to glare, even with the white backed bow I used to own.  You can see there is still a good setback to it unstrung.

Shooting both bows there is a noticeable difference in feel.  These two bows are within 3 pounds of one another, yet to my eye Nate's bow seems faster shooting the same arrow.  There is a different feel upon release I can only attribute to the tiller differences as the limbs return to brace.  There appears to be less vibration and quieter shot.  

Now, looking at the serial number and specs, I'll let Nate describe what he did in his own words, "There was no Big Five model back when Bob hunted,  so I didn't want that model name on the bow, but I wanted a reference to Swinehart's original model...so the Schulz-induced model for Tembo on the specs was "T - ...."   So, I copied that.  T-001.  You have the first Tembo model named Sagittarius, in Schulz's Howard Hill font, built by Ekin and reworked by Steen.  An all around original."

We know a Tembo has only 3 bamboo laminations, but this bow is about more about tribute than anything.  The bow is a unique combination of Ekin and Steen. A "Steekin" made bow.

I plan to take this on many "Safari's" as I hunt with it.

Another Trip for Euro/tight line Nymphing for Trout

I returned from a week-long work travel that had me constantly thinking about going back to try for more of those trout.  Still learning the tight line technique, the conditions this day were a little more challenging. 

Analysis of the stomach contents of a few of the previous trout had me tying up a few lighter colored orangish flies combined with some bead-head midges.

 It was a weekday afternoon, mostly cloudy with an intermittent stiff breeze.  The water exhibited higher and cloudier water clarity.  Still, there were maybe a dozen other fisherman working the area with mostly spin gear, except for a younger fly-fishing gentleman who saw my Delaware Citation patches on the back of my fishing vest and stopped to chat briefly.  He told me he has landed a nice rainbow and used to live in the same town that my 95-year-old grandmother currently resides.  He fished the same creek that ran through my farm property and where I learned to catch trout.  

The breeze made it hard to get much distance in the cast, and really affected the drag on the flies as without heavier flies the line would bow.  It took me awhile to get my first hit.  Trying for a large palomino I saw for a good chunk of time, I ended up with nothing more than a fish scale on my fly hook.  I think it was because I drug it over him instead of a strike.  I moved upstream working systematically into the edge of a deep fast riffle area.  After a sharp tug, I had a good fight on my hands. This was a decent sized brown trout, that I landed without much difficulty.

Soon the bait casters left the 'good area' from the previous outings, and I moved up in.  Fishing this area for about 25 minutes without a strike, I decided to move back downstream feeling a little dejected.  Going back to my starting point, I decided to work the area a little more upstream.  There was a deadfall log in the water across the creek from me that was jammed up against the far shore.  it was a deep shady area and I figured a fish might be in there.  I made a good cast well upstream from the log to give the flies enough time to sink properly.  I wanted it right on the first cast, and figured the line would either get snagged on the log, or I would get a strike.  In text-book fashion, a good-sized rainbow flashed sideways and started a strong run. Switching back, it tumbled end over end in the air making a series of leaps.  I was overjoyed at this combination of events. The cast, the placement under the log, the feel, the strike and landing was all a great memory.  It was akin to the feeling of making that perfect heart shot on a deer at ground level and watching it crash within sight.

Soon, my fishing time was wrapping up as I had been at it for a few hours.  I was happy with my double but really wanted one more fish for a three-person meal.  I figured I would go back down and try around the Palomino again.  I presented a variety of selections, but that fish was having none of it.  When I was about to call it quits, I was midway through a drift, when I felt a bump and I tugged back.  It was another rainbow.  A strong fight ensued, and after the fish was tiring, I had it coming upstream to my net.  This is when disaster almost struck.  The two fish on my chain stringer that were tethered to the bottom loop of my fishing vest were dancing in the flow.  I am still not used to using my fly reel to play a fish (this model has a drag even) so the stripped fly line was inter-twined with the chain stringer.  The fish was pulled right up and swam strongly into this combination of fish, chain, and fly line!  Thin 5X tippet the only connection to the trout required quick thinking. I scooped the entire lot and 3 fish into my landing net and saving the day.  

The rainbow was hooked in the outside of the mouth with the midge.  I had to cut loose both flies in order to untangle my line from the mess.  This was a sign that it was time to call it a day.  

The perspective of this photo is not good making these look like small fish, but each was over a pound to pound and 1/2 size.  Not your typical small, stocked fish type. 

At home I analyzed the stomach contents and found a similar scene, many small midge larvae with a few other types mixed in.  I 'm going to tie up some additional smaller weighted midges.

Revenge of the Broken Rod

 

Free for a few hours Saturday afternoon, I returned to the scene of a very frustrating outing where I spent several hours without a bite and ended up breaking the tip from my rod, despite seeing several nice sized trout.  The state had seen fit to stock this area mid-week, and it was not under the season closure of most other area streams in preparation for opening day.

 

All of this made the place quite busy when I arrived there, and I even spotted a few other fly fisherman in the mix.  From my previous excursion, I knew of a small riffle area to get started that was vacant as I planned to wait and work my way into the “good area” where I had seen several nice fish the last trip.  

 

I took some time in the lot to tie on a point fly consisting of a bead headed midge pattern I had tied, five inches below a bright orange bodied “attractor” fly that was a bead headed stonefly bastard of sorts with a black biot tail. My thoughts were that the bright fly may get a look or two from the freshly stocked trout and the midge might fool some that have been in the river and eating insects a while. 

 

It was maybe my third drift, when I was immediately surprised by several tugs and the sideways flash of red and silver.  It was a decent sized rainbow that immediately leaped clear of the water and strained at the 5X tippet.  I could see the fly fisherman across and a little downstream of me get the attention of his friend and say, “nice fish”.  I fumbled for the landing net centered on my back and struggled to keep calm enough to land it.   Trying to act like this sort of thing happens all the time, I took my time untangling my line and getting him in some photos.  He was a bit football shaped with a boxy worn tail.  The coloration was odd as he was very dark with the only distinct spots discernible on the head and tail, while the rest of the body was dusky and monotone highlighted with a red stripe that was a deeper colored maroon almost.  I wondered how long this guy was in the creek and if perhaps he was changing due to the new diet and environment from the hatchery where he was no doubt raised. 

 

Clipping him to the anchor position on my old zinc patina vintage chain stringer, he accompanied me as I reset and tried to get back into position for some more drifts of this long section.  I spend a dozen or so casts really getting the feel of my 4-inch shorter rod that I had repaired by affixing a spinning replacement eye that I had cut down the supports to lighten the weight with side cutters and epoxied into place.  I was really getting to understand the feeling of the flies bouncing along the river bottom.  How to cast the light line and how much pressure to exert to feel the flies directly under the indicator line.  Then, bang…another fish was on.  this was a smaller typical stocked rainbow about 12-14 inches long.  I could hear the other chap say, “He’s got another”.  I landed this guy like a seasoned expert, and brought him to shore for a few more photos and spent some time getting the two flies untangled from the net.  

 

Curious now, the two fellows from downstream came up to see what I was using.  I insisted it was all just luck and coyly showed them the flies that I had tied myself.  It would seem they were using similar flies, however working them in a more traditional way perhaps. Then again, maybe I was just lucky this day.  I could still feel the sting of the memory of last week in the back of my head.  What was different now? Was it a fluke?

 

I fished that section for a good bit, getting more and more experience with longer casts and control.  I was liking the feel of this method and how you are in direct contact with the flies.  It reminded me of bottom fishing for flounder which I was kind of experienced with.  I was now ready for some different terrain and the two other fly fisherman upstream were starting to close in.  I took my two fish to the tailgate of the truck and unhooked them into the cooler…no use in advertising my success too much. I wasn’t seeing very many other fish being caught. 

 

I regrouped and headed for where I saw a large golden Palomino the other week to see if my luck held.  Another bait fisherman was focused on the tail-water section, and he confirmed with me the big golden rainbow was still there.  I crossed well upstream of him so as not to disturb his chances, and tried for 15 minutes not seeing the yellow beast, nor getting any strike.  I started to doubt that maybe I was just lucky in the other spot.

 

Returning back upstream, I was ready to try out the "good" area.  there was a bait fisherman in the main area, but I was able to set up at the head water of this deep current area and not interfere with her bouncing her neon power bait worms.  

 

Things were slow with no strikes, so I waded out to try a split current upstream when she packed up and left with her gang.  I hurriedly moved in and set up, finally able to get a good upstream cross current drift where I saw the fish last week.  I waded out a bit and my first few casts came up with rock slime on the flies, “good” I thought.  I am in the zone.  Then, I hooked up with another rainbow and landed it.  Shortly had another I missed on the downstream arch.  A lesson I should have remembered about not being in too much of a hurry at the end of the drift.  Then, before long I hooked another.  This one felt strange, and it turned out to be foul hooked.  My guess is he bit on the lead fly and the point fly caught him under the belly when the lead came loose. It was the smallest so far, but now I was only one fish away from my limit of five.  

 

I spent about 30 minutes working that area for that last fish.  I was getting used to this method of nymphing, and wasn’t sure if I would end up with another fish, but it was sure fun enjoying the now mostly empty creek with the evening sun starting to poke around every so often.  I took some photos and a short video to try and show how the indicator was bouncing along.  I was reflecting that maybe the difference between the last week and today had more to do with me rather than with the gear.  I think I was finally getting the hang of the proper feel and presentation to get strikes.  

 

I texted my friend Mike that it was a great day here, and I was one away from my limit during one of the times I was cleaning rock slime off my flies.  Sliding the cell phone back into the breast pocket of the neoprene waders, I turned and made a cast in the same area I had been drifting over and over. When it was three quarters of the way through the drift, my rod was slammed followed by a very large flash of silver.  This was another big rainbow! It pulled sideways and then cleared the water in a lateral leap ending in a deep hollow splash.  The fight was on!  This guy pulled hard as the long fly rod provided needed forgiveness against the frail feeling 5x fluorocarbon tippet the flies were on.  The fish surged upstream, blasting right got into the heavy current.  I was grateful he was tiring himself upstream and I would not have to fight his weight along with the pull of the current to my net.  He tired out and it worked to my advantage as I pulled him into my downstream landing net and raised the wooden ring out of the water signaling success for the fisherman.  

 

Taking him to a large boulder I set the rod down and reflected on the impressiveness of the quarry.  This was a classically colored rainbow with greenish spots all the way down the back with bright silver sides highlighted in that sunburst red side stripe.  The mouth was slightly hook shaped and the tip of the lower jaw rubbed raw, the tail a wide perfect paddle.  He had fallen for the garish bright orange top fly still embedded in his jaw. Snapping a few more photos of him on the stringer with his mates for scale, I absorbed my fortune as he was the last and largest of the day.  Quite a stark contrast to the previous trip to this spot, I had not lost a single fly and this was only the second time I can remember limiting out in Maryland with the fly rod on these stocked creatures.  Today, I think I learned a little and was a tinge proud that I stuck with it through the struggles.  Those struggles that made this day all the sweeter.  The memories will last quite some time, and I think there was more “hooked” than just the fish this day.  

 

While I was preparing them for dinner, I checked out the stomach contents, and three of the five fish had a variety of midges and stoneflies in their gut indicating what they were feeding on that led to my success. 

A Fly-Fishing Trip for Some Stocked Trout - Ends in a Broken Rod

Well, I remembered why I usually revert back to spin fishing before too long!  Sunday, I was able to get away and drive to historic Antietam creek where the state stoked 500 rainbows, brown and golden trout last week.  I know these hatchery fish have never seen a fly before, but I was hoping to fool a couple into biting.  I could immediately see a good sized golden and there are usually several more regular trout around them.  If you look closely in the bridge picture, you can see a gold blob just above the shade line.  I spent an hour or so here practicing my drifts.  I was down into the rocks, so I knew I was deep enough, but no hits and I didn't lose any flies. 

I came to a nice rapid and saw two very large goldens, and started to do some drifts.  I worked them hard, changing flies, working tandem rigs, no hits I could discern.  Then I was hung up on a rock and when it popped loose and my rod flew back behind me and struck a metal handrail snapping the tip.  WOW, now I was hot.  I went back to the truck and grabbed my tenkara rod and fished for another half hour without a bite.  Had some good drifts also....but they were not buying anything I was selling.

I knew I could have caught several with my spinning rig and I knew they were there.  Frustrating.  Anyway, it was a nice day on the water.