What's a better payoff? Planning or no planning?

[dryflyguy]

When you still work for a living, you have to plan things out for when ever you can fish. And sometimes, things actually go as planned : the weather, stream condition, and hatch all co-operate to provide great fishing.
But man, the last two spring seasons have been crazy for me. I spent more time scrambling around trying to find clear water, than actually fishing.

On the other hand serendipity does come into play a lot.
I had taken a week vacation in april last year - planning on (hopefully) fishing the hendrickson hatch on the delaware river.
And I stopped at spring creek on the way up, to take a quick lunch break. I ran into forum member gfoledc there, and started BSing. And wouldn't you know it, a nice BWO hatch started coming off about 1:30, and some fish started coming up.
I have and old rule of thumb - never leave rising fish. So, I rigged up, and started fishing.
Well, the bugs and the fish just kept on coming until almost dark. And I had my best fishing day of the whole season. And decided to stay over in state college the night, and start for the D the next day.
But a very heavy thunderstorm blew in overnight - more like a monsoon, really - and blew out all the streams overnight.
I found out the next morning, that even the Delaware had risen to an unfishable level.
So, besides having a great day on spring, I also avoided a long drive to the D for nothing.
It definitely pays to be flexible

 

[turkey]

dryflyguy wrote:
I ran into forum member gfoledc there, and started BSing. And wouldn't you know it, a nice BWO hatch started coming off about 1:30, and some fish started coming up.

It's a scientific fact that Roger makes bugs hatch ;-)

Good points by you DFG. You can plan everything except what the fish/bugs/weather will do. That might be one of the attractions of fly fishing. No matter what we do we can't fully own it. I take comfort in that.

 

[pcray1231]

See, my planning is definitely focused on what the fish/bugs/weather will do. You can get it right more often than not.

Like DF's story above. April, Spring Creek, BWO's at 1:30. I'd say he's being less than honest if he holds that this was a surprise. Given appropriate weather, it happens every day like that. Fish response varies, but that is reasonably predictable as well based on stream conditions and weather.

This just isn't that hard. If the water is low, it's overcast and in the 40s/50s in April, I am absolutely expecting Spring Creek to have waves of solid BWO hatches from 1 to 5:30 or so, and the fish to respond well. I will pick a stretch of spring creek where I know BWOs hatch in solid numbers and fish rise easily with as few of crowds as I can. By 12:30 or so your in full anticipation mode and trying to get a good BWO hole to set up on and hold down before it begins.

At 2-2:30 when that first wave wanes, I will watch many anglers string up and leave, thinking it's over, not realizing another wave will pick up at 3ish. That will be to my advantage, as now you have freedom to walk and fish over new fish without fear of being locked outta all decent spots.

This is planning. Will it work out that way? If I get the stream conditions and weather, yes, almost certainly. But if that water is chocolate milk, or there ain't a cloud in the sky, well, the bugs may happen without a fish response.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Always keep your rod and waders and vest in the car.

 

[krayfish2]

Nope. Not good for fishing gear ot golf clubs to be exposed to temp extremes

 

[Maurice]

Reeder wrote:
I rarely plan ahead unless I am going with someone. I usually change my mind several times about which stream I will fish while driving, and then when I finally do decide, I change my mind several times about which stretch of that stream to fish. That chaos has put me on some very nice fish on waters I would have never planned for.

This sounds like it came from my head....

 

[Swattie87]

I see both sides of it. I agree that sometimes the most rewarding days are when “plan A” falls apart for whatever reason, and “plan B” turns into a blockbuster. That said, there’s usually some degree of planning already involved behind “plan A.” I’ve found many a good Trout streams this way though. Most of the time my plan A’s fail because of someone already there fishing, especially when it comes to a small stream. For many small streams, one angler (or group of anglers) is all they can reasonably take in a day and still fish well. Once that first angler goes through, especially if he’s good and knows what he’s doing, there will be miniscule leftovers of unspooked fish for anyone fishing behind him. When this happens, you pull out the DeLorme or your phone and start hatching a plan B with what else is nearby. I’ll say too that for some small streams, part of the planning involves making sure you’re the first one there if that’s your target for the day. I’ve camped or stayed in a hotel nearby sometimes, or sometimes got up at 3 or 4 am to make sure I’m the first vehicle in the lot. If I get there before daybreak, I doze off in the car for a few minutes. On more than one occasion, especially on certain streams, I’ve run into someone else with the same idea! Talk it over with them, and either fish together, split up the water, or someone launches their “plan B” for the day.

Typically, I’m a planner. I work full time, and although I have a pretty generous PTO plan from my employer, I still usually like to make the most of my fishing time and fish whatever will fish best (relatively speaking) at the time. Over the course of a whole year, with warm and cold weather, high and low water, there’s usually ample opportunities to get each type of fishing you enjoy in. For me it’s just a matter of trying to determine what type of fishing will be best on any given day. It might be headwater streams for Brookies, the big limestoners for a prime hatch, the larger forested freestoners that have mostly Browns, WW fishing for Smallies or panfish. Heck it might even mean heading down to the beach for the weekend and chucking bait with the surf gear. Conditions, conditions, conditions…that’s what dictates successful fishing more than anything. My planning involves trying to make the most of the given conditions for the time I have available to fish.

I schedule 2 or 3 trips out in advance each year…PAFF Jam, a long weekend in NC PA in September with my Dad, maybe another trip to NC PA somewhere in there. For those, once they’re on the books, lodging is paid for, and PTO is put in for, they’re on the books. I’m going and fishing regardless. Where specifically I fish once there depends on the conditions…it might mean sticking to the little trickles for Brookies, which might be the only streams not blown out. Or it might mean breaking the 6wt out in low water conditions and fishing a big Bass river. I typically try to reserve 10 or so days a year as “short notice” fishing days…my boss is pretty good with that. She knows if it’s the middle of Summer and there’s a nice rain with a cold front the day before, there’s a good chance I’ll ask for a day off to go fish.

 

[Zak]

I am a maniacle planner before trips. It's nothing for me to spend 2 hours throughout the day Friday planning and researching for my Saturday outting. To steal a line from Hannabal of the 'A Team'...."I love it when a plan comes together!". That said the plan doesn't always come together and even with all that research and planning I still end up on plan B or C 30% of the time I would guess. When that works out it's great too but I guess I planned B and C also so in the end I am never ever just shooting from the hit haha.

 

[krayfish2]

For a Saturday departure, I'm organizing starting Wednesday evening. Checking reels, lines, fly boxes, etc. Inevitably, I forget something. LOL

 

[Acristickid]

Lotsa thoughts sound familiar- don't geek out anywhere near where I used too. Maybe I learned a thing or two since I started. Knowing spots, hatches, lies , small streams vs larger watersheds.

Agree with doing more research on a water I have never fished- especially if it's in an unfamiliar area of the commonwealth. This is the time of year I dream out the new waters I want to hit out there.

Here's a funny story with another board member (with years of experience ) - he wanted to show me some headwater area in the Laurel Highlands, this was very early season. It had been in the 50's for a few weeks but still freezing at night. There had not been any measurable snow fall for weeks. When we drove through Donegal off the turnpike we were getting excited to get out.

Doubt crept in 2/3's of the way up the mountain when snow was still on the ground. The dirt road that went across the top of the ridge was 6 inch deep ice. I tried the 4wd for a bit but turned around when I tapped the brakes on a level spot and skated for 10 feet. Fished another stream for an hour and then spent more time at the Laurel Mountain Inn. Ha. Idiots.

Yea, I wouldn't just head out willy nilly in a rain or snow storm without Checking gages and forecast.

I do feel I am more successful when fishing alone- being more nimble to move or change plans. Lotsa times I'll go out with a buddy who is set on fishing a specific water , when I probably know there is somewhere else fishing better. But I also like to fish others others sometimes.

Anyone that has seem my fishing bag or fly boxes would know my organization skills are lacking.

 

[dryflyguy]

pcray1231 wrote:
See, my planning is definitely focused on what the fish/bugs/weather will do. You can get it right more often than not.

Like DF's story above. April, Spring Creek, BWO's at 1:30. I'd say he's being less than honest if he holds that this was a surprise. Given appropriate weather, it happens every day like that. Fish response varies, but that is reasonably predictable as well based on stream conditions and weather.

This just isn't that hard. If the water is low, it's overcast and in the 40s/50s in April, I am absolutely expecting Spring Creek to have waves of solid BWO hatches from 1 to 5:30 or so, and the fish to respond well. I will pick a stretch of spring creek where I know BWOs hatch in solid numbers and fish rise easily with as few of crowds as I can. By 12:30 or so your in full anticipation mode and trying to get a good BWO hole to set up on and hold down before it begins.

At 2-2:30 when that first wave wanes, I will watch many anglers string up and leave, thinking it's over, not realizing another wave will pick up at 3ish. That will be to my advantage, as now you have freedom to walk and fish over new fish without fear of being locked outta all decent spots.

This is planning. Will it work out that way? If I get the stream conditions and weather, yes, almost certainly. But if that water is chocolate milk, or there ain't a cloud in the sky, well, the bugs may happen without a fish response.

Not really surpassed that the BWO's were still hatching that late in april.
It' just that I always plan on fishing streams with blue quill, hendrickson, and grannom hatches at that time of year. Those bugs come off only one week of the year, and I do my best to try to meet them somewhere.
However, mother nature ruined those plans - blowing out all the streams where I normally fish them for that whole week I was off.
So, I had to "settle" for spring creek.

 

[pcray1231]

I remember I took my brother in law there in early April. He's not much of a FF, more a spinning rod guy, and had never really seen a hatch, but wanted to. Was his kid's B-day and his wife said she wanted him back by 4:30 for the party. Bout an hours drive.

I said, well, we can get there around noonish, stake out a claim for the first BWO wave at 1 or 1:30 or so, then ski-daddle. Of course, it didn't come. I nymphed up a few but it was tough going. Gets to be 3, no bugs, no risers, and I offered to call it a day. He said, nah, lets wait till 3:30 as planned, he liked being out. Great.

Of course, at 3:15 a massive hatch starts and the place starts boiling. I put my rod down and helped him get the right drifts and he's catching fish left and right, lol. 3:30 comes and I said we should go.

"No way!"
"It's up to you man, but your wife and mine will be P.O'd at me! I ain't takin the blame"
"I'll tell them it was my decision. I've never seen anything like this, I ain't leaving these fish!"
"Fine"

We finally de-wadered at like 5, got home at 6 when b-day party was half over. He tried to take the blame, which worked for his wife, but not mine. lol. Now on family function visit days I'm not allowed to take the morning to go fishing. Doh!

 

[pcray1231]

In hindsight, I shoulda known dang well that would happen. Cold morning put off the hatch. Warm front came through late morning with clouds and drizzle. The whole day moved back a few hours...