Finally had a successful day

[nomad_archer]

After picking up this addiction that we call FF about a month ago. I have been getting out at least 2-4 days a week. Although conditions have been tough I kept on trying and learning along the way. In the first month I was only about to catch two fish. One the first night out with the fly rod and then a second fish about three weeks later. I must say there is one heck of a learning curve on this sport between different techniques with dry's, nymphs with an indicator, high sticking etc. Well last friday I got out to a local limestoner and the water was flowing well and was a off color. After learning on here that black woolly buggers could be good in these conditions, I tied on what I believe is a #10 black cone head wb and got to fishing. I was casting a bit up stream and dead drifting and then swinging through. I have to tell you it was the most exciting couple of hours of fishing I have had in a long time. I caught a carp on a squirmy wormy on my second or third cast which was quite exciting on a 4wt. Then I proceeded to land 6 on the WB, I hooked up with at least 6 more and had so many more short strikes that I lost count. Fishing the swing came pretty naturally since it is the same way I have been bait fishing for years. I think I need to give some wet flys a try. The only thing that bothers me about the trip was that I lost two fish due to knot failures. I guess its time to try the improved clinch instead of the standard clinch knot. I have no idea where I was going wrong with the knots. Sorry for a lack of stream shots I was having to much fun catching fish for a change. :-D Cant wait to get out again. Sorry the pictures arent the best I took a quick picture and hurried to get the fish back in the water.

 

[Dave_W]

Nice job.

It can sometimes be frustrating for new FFers to catch trout but other days everything seems to come together.

 

[nomad_archer]

Dave_W wrote:
Nice job.

It can sometimes be frustrating for new FFers to catch trout but other days everything seems to come together.

I will add I went blue gill fishing a few times during that first month and probably caught 60+ blue gills. It was a nice change and let me know that I wasn't doing everything wrong.

I know eventually I will be able to catch fish more consistently. As the summer wears on the next challenge is bass and learning to swing wets for trout.

 

[DavidFin]

Good stuff. Wooly buggers are deadly because you can do just about anything with them. If you find a good looking hole or run that you can't cast into go above it and let your bugger drift into the spot and hold it. Let it dangle. Maybe strip it in a little, or let it drift down more and then strip it in. Sweeter than yahoo.

 

[nomad_archer]

DavidFin wrote:
Good stuff. Wooly buggers are deadly because you can do just about anything with them. If you find a good looking hole or run that you can't cast into go above it and let your bugger drift into the spot and hold it. Let it dangle. Maybe strip it in a little, or let it drift down more and then strip it in. Sweeter than yahoo.

I like that. There were a few spots I couldn't quite get the drift/swing in the zone where I thought the fish were for more than a few feet. This technique would have been thicket.

 

[salvelinus]

Nice job, but please don't squeeze the fish like in the first picture if you are releasing them. It can be fatal.

 

[nomad_archer]

salvelinus wrote:
Nice job, but please don't squeeze the fish like in the first picture if you are releasing them. It can be fatal.

Looking at the picture I see it now. I didn't realize I had been a little rough with that guy. I will be more cognizant of that in the future.

 

[DanL]

Nomad, just a comment about your knot. I think Orvis did some studies that proved the improved clinch actually wasn't improved over the regular clinch.

It's just a matter of doing the clinch properly, and then just test the knot before you use it. Unless you have a lunker on or maybe play a fish too agressively, shouldn't lose those fish. All that said, fish always come unbuttoned no matter what you do, regardless of knot or anything else you do. I'm happy with 6 fish days, any day!

 

[nomad_archer]

DanL wrote:
Nomad, just a comment about your knot. I think Orvis did some studies that proved the improved clinch actually wasn't improved over the regular clinch.

It's just a matter of doing the clinch properly, and then just test the knot before you use it. Unless you have a lunker on or maybe play a fish too agressively, shouldn't lose those fish. All that said, fish always come unbuttoned no matter what you do, regardless of knot or anything else you do. I'm happy with 6 fish days, any day!

The failure was operator error. I dont believe I was clinching down the knot properly. I was holding the tag end to the body of the fly instead of letting it go. That kept the knot from snugging down and allowed space between the eye of the hook and tag end. So now I am sitting here with a spool of 6lb mono and a fly practicing my knots. It is easier to see what I am doing with the 6lb mono versus 5x tippet.

 

[Acristickid]

Nice. Keep at it, always something to learn.

 

[dc410]

Great job! Many times a stream being a bit up and stained after a rain can equate to a great fishing day. The incidental carp catch is really cool, especially on a 4 wt.

I totally agree with many of the above comments on the knots. A properly tied clinch knot is a very good knot. I have landed many carp over the past few seasons using the standard clinch knot, some of them being in the 15+lb category. Lubricate your knots with some saliva and make sure they are seated properly. If you have caught a few fish on the same fly or suspect any kind of abrasion or damage to your clinch knot take the short time to retie a new one and save yourself the heartache. Keep up the good work!