FISH CATCHING TRAVEL

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Tip of the Day

Always check Cabela’s Bargain cave at the first of the week, there are always good deals that can save some serious money but the good deals don’t last long.  My last reel purchase saved me $145 bucks!

Weather

71/67  Mostly Cloudy.  Wind SSE 10 – 20.  20% chance of rain.

Tides

High  12:55 AM     0.4    Low   11:44 AM    -0.1  (Maybe if we fished till dark they would have turned back on.)

Solunar Times

Best  9:52 am to 11:52 am.  Alternate  12:15 pm to 3:14   (I look at 2 sites.  So it should be the middle of the day.)

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An Old Dog Learns a New Trick!

Headed to the frying pan.

If given the chance, and things work out, it is always a pleasure to fish with folks who read the blog, and today I had the distinct pleasure to share a boat with Glenn.  We have communicated a time or two in the past and it worked out we got to share a boat for the day. While he said he wanted to learn a little more about using lures, he is a big bait guy, he sure did not need my help.  In fact, I learned a new technique today that is a variation on the popping cork.

I met him at Froggie’s at 8:00 am and after quick greeting we were off in his JH to the South Pass area.  He has been here most of the week, they have a place on Lane Road, and the day before he caught a ton of shorts but had trouble putting keepers in the boat.  Today it was just the opposite.  Not near as fast, but we did not have to work through a ton of shorts.

First up was my choice and we hit an area of shell outside a drain close to South Pass.  We jumped out and I started with topwater, due to the clouds I could not help it, and completely struck out.  Glenn on the other hand started with plastics, with a technique that I really like.  He was using a small slip bobber, you know, the red/pink one usually used for crappie fishing.  He rigged it with the plastic sitting below, keeping it just off the bottom.  And in nothing flat put 3 keepers on the stringer.

Here is a clue to where we were fishing.

Basically it was similar to the classic popping cork, only smaller.  Besides the ability to control his depth it had one other characteristic that I think makes it what it is, that small splash.  A similar sound to a small flipping baitfish, it definitely attracted fish without the mass of the big cork, and it was easy to see getting a hook in them was lots easier.

I kept after the topwater way to much today, but just could not help myself in spite of only one small red taking a pass at it all day.  After those on the first stop quit we headed to the area he caught so many yesterday.  We waded a reef that I was familiar with, though had never specifically fished, and it was game on.  There were plenty of mullet there, and so were the fish.  The wind was blowing hard, the tide was hauling, the water was somewhat murky, and he continued to catch them with his float rig.  I finally got with the program throwing a small soft corky style bait and caught 5 or so in nothing flat.  With the wind it was tough to feel, and I missed several before finally started doing my part.  If I had to guess, and I will, we probably caught around 10 or so on that spot before we moved.

Unlike his experience the day before we did not catch numbers, but before we left that place he had his limit and I had 3, all nice trout.  Now I should have had my limit, but being to lazy to use the boga I had a couple of keepers jump off while I was acting the fool.  And both of us have the same theory, if you have to look “closely” at the length, back they go.  Several would have made the grade if we were hungry, but not today.

Around 1:00 we headed back to the place I wacked the reds last trip, and not a bite.  There was bait around, though not as thick as the shell reef, and nothing was moving.  So today it went exactly like it had been for him this week, by noon the big bite was over.  Around 4:00 we called it a day with 8 nice trout in the box.

I want to thank Glenn for a great time.  Not only did we catch some fish, we had plenty to talk about.  Every once in a while I am fortunate enough to fish with not only a good fisherman, but a great guy.  There is not doubt we will be fishing more in the future, and I will definitely be working on the small cork thing.  So thanks for the great day Glenn, I appreciate the boat ride, it is nice to occasionally to not have to provide the boat.  And the best thing is we can all learn from everyone we fish with, there is never a single way to “skin the cat.”

R.I.P.

One of my heros died yesterday at 93, Lefty Kreh.  Watching him in my early years fishing with Flip, Jose, and many others peaked my interest in saltwater fishing.  A consummate author, journalist and world traveler, he was one of the early saltwater pioneers and a true icon in the sport of fly fishing.  Watching him catch giant tarpon on the fly always filled me with awe.  One of his many legacies, the Lefty’s Deceiver, is probably the most widely used saltwater fly in the world.  He was 93 and fished until the end, including at 90 fishing with the Buccaneers and Bones TV show the last few years.  So Rest In Peace, you were an inspiration to me and we will miss you.  If you are not familiar with him check his bio on line, one of the greatest fisherman and gentleman to ever grace the planet.

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 And speaking of fly fishing it was good to hear from Rusty, the Fayette guru, and I am jealous.

I will be headed to the annual “Sowbug Fly Tying” show, seminar & good times in Mountain Home, Arkansas next week. Staying at Rim Shoals on the White river for the week. Will be tying lot of flies and putting them to use each day on the river. If I knew how to post pictures for you I would.
Tight lines,
Rusty
La Grange

I am so freakin’ jealous.  As you know I fished it for 20 years and guided on the White off and on during that period in my life.  In those days fly fishermen were an uncommon sight.  We used to call them “Beaners.”  Now don’t get your panties in a wad it was not a racist slur, we called them that because they often looked like they were right out of the L.L. Bean catalog.  Which in those days was not a common site in the Ozark mountains.

The White River is one of the greatest fishing destinations in the world that has produced some of the biggest brown trout in the world.  You will definitely get your line stretched, and who knows, just maybe hook up to one of those huge browns.  So have a great trip, the area has changed a lot from the sleepy little Mtn Home I moved to in the early 70’s where it was hard to find something to eat after 6 pm.  But one thing that has not changed, the trout fishing, so stick a big one.  And if you have some pictures to share let me know and I will send you my email.  Have a great time.

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Tomorrow morning we are off for a quick weekend in Nashville.  I am looking forward to the music, and will spend the weekend bar hopping Music Row looking for some great tunes.  And to add to the confusion Saturday is Saint Patty’s Day, so Music Row should be hopping.  I will do my best to not turn green as the brew.  And to further add to the confusion, Tennessee, a great basketball team, is playing an NCAA tournament game on Saturday,  I expect the day to be nothing short of mayhem!

Then the end of next week there is a writer coming to fish with me Thursday and Friday, with a photographer coming for pictures on Friday.  Not to much pressure.  He is doing a story for a major magazine on his journey to learn bass fishing, with the end result breaking the 8lb mark. He is a professed rookie and makes no bones about it.  Now only in my wildest dreams will we do something spectacuar, but hopefully I can share what little knowledge I have and just maybe point the way to achieving that goal.

It has been great to fish with so many new folks the last couple of weeks.  At times it seems tough to get with everyone who wants to fish, but this year I am making a conscious effort to fish with more folks.  It is always an adventure, but I sure have met a lot of great folks in the past and hope to meet more of you before the year is out.  And my apologies to those who I have not managed to get with, I am trying to do better at that.  So there will be lots of fishing to come.  After last year’s fiasco I am finally back to my old self and my fishing desire is high.  So keep stopping in and thanks for reading my stuff.

Good Luck and Tight Lines