Guiding You In Your Quest For More And Bigger Fish
I was recently on one of my favorite fly fishing forums, and someone was mentioning how much trouble they were having with winter fly fishing.
Not only did they have a great deal of personal discomfort, but they were also dealing with things like line freeze, and ice on their guides.
Here are three super basic tips that will help you avoid some, if not most of that, while you hit the river in these super cold temperatures. [Read more…]
It seems as though 2011 has gone by in a blink here at MVF. With all the scheduling that we do as far as testing new gear and getting everything else ready, sometimes things just slip up on you without any forewarning. Such is the case right now. We have been so focused on the changing seasons and getting those lures out that we are testing for cold water bassin’ that it didn’t even occur to me that here in So-Cal, trout season has already begun. What made me aware of it was simply the fact that on my last couple of trips, I managed, on accident, to catch a couple on bass lures!
Yes, this has happened in the past but I can’t remember a time where I was so utterly oblivious to the fact that our local lakes were in the process of stocking. So with that in mind, and my young daughters pleading with me to take them, we got the trout rigs ready to go for the season. Yes, they both chipped in and gave me a hand getting the gear ready.
We have gone over the process we like to use to get our panfish rigs ready for trout season but some of you may not have gone that far back in the archives. So I figured I might as well go over it again since it really is a fairly simple thing to do and if you have children that will be joining you on your fishing trips, in my opinion, they should learn how to maintain your gear so that they have a greater appreciation for the sport in general.
We started the day by stripping the line off of all the spinning reels. I like to use 4 pound P-Line CXX in moss green for the majority of my panfish outings. But, before I re-spool, there are a few things that need to be taken care of.
Once I get the old line off the spool, I remove the reel from the rod and clean both with a mild, all-purpose cleanser like Windex. No, I’m not looking to put a streak free shine on everything but I do want to remove dust, dirt, grease and any other leftovers from the surfaces of my rods and reels. I get out the pipe-cleaners to clean the inside of the guides as well as those hard to reach tight places on my reels. Once that is done, on to the next step.
I clean my cork handles with Simple Green to remove all the oils from my hands as well as anything that has been transferred to the grips by way of handling fish. A simple terry cloth wash towel does a great job of being abrasive enough to scrub them clean without compromising the cork. Then I apply a fresh coat of Armor-All to the grip. I’ve been doing this for years and do believe that it extends the life of the cork. Now that I’m done with the rods and they are back to looking like new, it’s time to dig into the reels.
Spinning reels are fairly easy to clean and lube, so don’t be shy about trying it yourself.
Remove the spool and give those bearings a couple of drops of oil to get ‘em spinning like new. Then, remove the handle and side cover of your reel. You can easily apply a little grease to the gears and a drop or two to the interior bearings without having to disassemble the entire reel. You should, prior to lubrication, take a few minutes and clean the inside of your reel. Put things back together and all you need now is to re-spool with new line, tie on your favorite lure and get out to the water.
I guess that some might consider it overkill but I also like to hit the new line the night before the trip with some KVD Line Conditioner. 4 pound line doesn’t usually present any handling problems but I figure it can’t hurt and, as we said in our review, it does seem to increase casting distance. One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that no matter the target species, the longer you can keep your lure in the strike zone, the more apt you are to get bit! And after all, isn’t that one of the main reasons we all do this?
See ya’ on the water …
Competitive fly fishing is somewhat of an anomaly to fisherman in the US.
We see huge bass fishing tournaments on TV all the time, but rarely do we hear of the fly fishing versions. Indeed, there are not a ton of competitive fly fishing tournaments to be found here.
However in Europe, this is not the case at all. In fact, the technique that you will learn shortly comes directly from a fly fishing competition in 1984.
So, one would automatically think that, given the name, this fly fishing technique was born in Czechoslovakia, right? Well, that would be incorrect.
In 1984, the Czech team was introduced to this method of fishing by the Polish team. By introduced, I mean the Poles kicked their fly fishing butts!
The technique was born out of necessity as the Polish team had limited resources and gear available to them in their native Poland. Instead of complaining about it, they developed a short casting technique that still allowed them to put fish on shore.
The following year, the World Championship was held in Poland, and the Czechs, using the method they learned from the Poles, took home the silver medal—the gold went to the Polish team.
In 1986, the Czech team again used this technique in competition, this time walking away with a gold medal for their methods.
So, by now you are probably saying, “Alright, let’s get to it! Tell me how to do it!”
Absolutely, I thought you’d never ask!
Czech nymphing uses two or three nymphs. I like to use three in deeper water, two in shallower water (no brainer there, right?). You don’t really “cast” the flies so much as you flip, or roll them out. When performing this technique, your fly line will probably not ever have to touch the water at all.
Once you have your nymphs tied on, and you are ready to hit the water, you will flip your flies upstream, just as in a normal fly cast. However, instead of a long cast, you will be flipping only a preset amount of leader. I like to let my top fly get no more than 6 inches under the surface in most situations.
Once you’ve flipped, you are going to start your drift. Since there is not an abundance of line out in the water, there really isn’t a need to mend. You will want to keep your line below your rod tip. As the flies drift, follow the flies with the tip, keeping the same speed.
Important Note: Maintaining the same speed as the flies during the drift, and keeping the line taught. If you do not, you will have a very hard time setting the hook and catching the fish. When fish bite on this technique, they don’t usually blow up on it, and the strike is very subtle.
When the flies get fully down stream of you, go ahead and make another flip. Yes, that really is the whole technique.
The great part about this technique, is that it doesn’t require any special equipment. You can use your favorite fly rod, in whichever weight you like and is appropriate for the species of fish.
You can also use your favorite fly line, and fly reel. Really, despite what you may read elsewhere, you do NOT need to make any significant changes to your fly fishing equipment to utilize Czech nymphing. Use whatever you are comfortable with using.
Here is a quick tip about choosing a leader for Czech nymphing. Make sure your leader is not longer than your rod. For example, if you have an eight foot rod, your leader should not be longer than 8 feet. This will make controlling your flies, and setting your hook much easier.
Here is a great video to give you some live action and get you started Czech nymphing.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzCOBYzAF6U]
I hope you will give this technique a try on your next trip to the river. It really is very simple, and a lot of fun to do.
We got a question from one of our readers about solunar tables and whether or not they really work. Furthermore, they were wondering if they should plan their trips according to some of the tables that they have seen published. So we’re going to try to answer this question based not only on our experience but also some empirical data.
Let’s start with the actual published data available to you and me. Oh, there doesn’t seem to be any from any source that would be considered authoritative. Well, that part was easy! But if this is the case, why are these tables published everywhere and is there anything to them?
Let’s look at this from a skeptical angle to see what we can find. To begin with, these tables are based on sun and moon influences that we all know do indeed have some validity. However, for them to work perfectly would require a few things that just don’t happen in the real world. The first being that the weather is always 100% predicable, day after day, week after week, month after month, and so on ad infinitum. Unfortunately, we all know that this just isn’t the case. Inclement weather can roll in at a moment’s notice and completely mess up a pattern that was well established days earlier.
Another problem is that these tables all assume that your local water is completely static. There is no fluctuation in current, the water level and temperature never rises or falls and there are no other more local variations that will affect the tables’ predictions. Man, I sure wish I could find such a place! Then all you would have to do is read the table for day and time and every day you went fishing would be your best day. Once again, reality bites.
But what about the times when I have gone fishing that coincided with the tables and it did work out? Okay, let’s look at those times and other factors that may have been in your favor besides the solunar tables.
I’m sure that most of you are aware that the spawn for bass will usually coincide with water temps reaching a certain point as well as the first full moon after the proper water condition is met. This is one of those keys that the tables can guesstimate but can’t nail down in your area. You have to keep checking the water temp and take advantage of the situation when it presents itself. One of the best times of the year can be the pre-spawn as bass are moving up.
Another well-known factor in catching both numbers and quality of bass is fishing the 3 hour period surrounding the rise and fall of the sun as well as the rise and fall of the moon. Even on days that are considered lower potential by the tables, fishing at these times can yield great days no matter the specie you’re targeting.
All of us have probably had great days on the water when the solunar tables say we shouldn’t. There are a number of reasons for this that mostly involve more immediate environmental conditions.
Have you ever fished a lake that publishes dam release times? This sudden increase in current will often trigger the most aggressive bite of the day. This is again a matter of knowing the body of water that you intend to fish and finding that information.
Have you ever fished a body of water that, for some unknown reason, is suddenly the recipient of a phenomenal hatch of shad or mudbugs or some other food source? This can be a huge boom for anglers who are in the right place at the right time. Here again, local knowledge is the key to taking advantage of an otherwise unpredictable opportunity.
There are so many factors that go into making a great day fishing that are not and cannot be accounted for by using just the solunar tables. Does this mean that they are completely bogus and not worth taking a look at? No, like every other tool in the anglers’ arsenal they have their place. In my opinion however, the more immediate environmental factors such as current, local weather, available forage, water conditions and local knowledge of any body of water have a greater impact on your day fishing than the tables.
That’s why doing a little homework on a particular fishery prior to making your first cast is always time well spent. Couple this with using the time period surrounding the rising and setting of both the sun and moon will really increase your odds of having a truly epic day on the water.
See ya’ on the water …
As you know, we here at MVF love Project Healing Waters.
What they do for injured veterans is of the utmost importance, and it shows the power of something as simple as fly fishing to help make someone’s life better.
Yesterday, it was announced that PHWFF would be the recipient of the Toyota Halftime Handoff, and with that, a $10,000 award to continue doing what they are doing.
Congrats to PHWFF, and be sure to check out their site for more, and to find out how you can help.
[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIsKdF2-Mqs]
No matter what type of fishing you do, the environment is going to have a say on how well you do during your next trip.
All sorts of factors will come into play every time you get out on the water. From cloud cover, cold and warm fronts, sunshine, and water temperature—all of that will matter at the end of the day.
One of the more overlooked environmental factors is barometric pressure. Hopefully, you’ve already read how cows can predict your fishing success (if not, why not now?), today we will take a much more in depth look at what barometric pressure can do to the fishing.
Before we really dive into it though, keep in mind that keeping an eye on the barometer will not ensure, or rule out, a great fishing trip. I’ve had great days when all of the environmental factors pointed to a terrible day, and vice versa.
Don’t let a barometer, or anything else for that matter, keep you off the water.
So what exactly is barometric pressure?
A barometer measures the weight of the atmosphere above us. The measurement is best taken at sea level, so if you are significantly above or below, a correction factor is used. Obviously, the higher you are, the lighter the atmosphere is.
The effect of this atmospheric pressure on fishing is more readily seen in shallower water. This makes sense if you keep in mind that deeper water will exert a huge amount of pressure on the fish, thus making the air pressure much less significant.
Now that you have a general overview of what barometric pressure is, let’s get down to some brass tacks and look at pressure trends and fish activity.
High pressure tends to result in sunny and clear skies.
Fish will typically look for cover in these situations. To take advantage, fish shallow baits close to cover.
Be warned: If it starts getting really hot, this can often turn the bite completely off.
It isn’t a high pressure day, but the trend says it is rising. This will typically result in skies that are starting to clear up, and the sun is starting to get through a lot more.
Typically, fish will be moving in from the deeper water to the shallower water to feed. It is still a good idea to attack cover, and fish in the shallow to medium range.
If you are struggling with this tactic, cover lots of water to find the fish. Plan your retrieves and tactics to move from deeper to shallower water.
The fish won’t really be reacting to this type of pressure all that much.
This is a great time to experiment with baits, retrieves, colors, and new patterns. You never know what might garner a strike when things go “normal.”
If there is a sweet spot on the barometer for catching a lot of fish, this is it.
When the pressure starts to fall, the weather will start getting a little dodgy. This seems to signal the fish to feed like crazy, and you can have an absolutely killer day.
Figure out what the fish are feeding on, match it, and go to town.
This is where things get really tough.
Often times, fish will really shut off in this situation. They typically move deeper, and you will have to really buckle down to get them to bite. Fish deep structure with things like jigs and swim jigs.
Writing down different environmental factors while you are fishing can be very helpful. You will start to pick out patterns when things seem to be random.
Next time you go fishing, write down the air temperature, the barometric pressure, the water temperature, what baits you used, etc.
Keeping track of everything you experience on the water will make you a better fisherman, and give you more tools to use in the future.
See ya on the water…
I see fish in your future!
Forget calling one of those late night psychics next time you are wondering about your next fishing trip. What you may need to do is seek out a bovine guru for the answers you need.
So what is this magical power of the pasture, or is it simply a wive’s tale?
Years ago, a buddy of mine where driving up to North Carolina for a fly fishing trip.
On the way, we passed one of many different cow pastures, as one tends to do in that area of the South. When we passed one of them, my buddy said, “The cows are up.”
That was the first time I had ever heard anything like that so I had to ask what it meant.
He said, “Whenever the cows in a pasture are standing, that means you are going to have a good day fishing!”
No way, really? Cows on their feet, fishing can’t be beat?
It didn’t make a whole lot of sense to me at that time, so I didn’t really pay attention to it. Our fishing trip that day was nothing short of epic. We caught a ton of fish, with some real monsters in the mix.
Every trip since that one, I started paying attention to the cows in the pasture on the way. Almost without fail, if the cows were standing, it was a great day. If the cows were lying down, it wasn’t. I was stumped.
I needed answers as to how these lumbering giants were so accurately predicting how good the fishing was.
What the cows are tapping into isn’t some cosmic power that makes fish do their bidding, but they do have a crystal ball of sorts.
Falling pressure can have an effect on the digestion of cows. As the barometer drops, they get upset tummies, and have to lie down. They don’t want to go out to pasture, so they take a load off.
Well, that’s the theory anyway. Any while I can’t rattle off a bunch of science to back it up, I have plenty of anecdotal accounts to lend a little support.
Cows seem to respond to falling barometric pressure by laying down. When the barometer is falling, they tend not to want to head out to pasture and graze.
Fish respond to a falling barometer as well. Just like cows, they don’t like to be active in these times of falling pressure.
Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you will not catch anything just because cows are laying down. You could theoretically catch fish in a hurricane.
All this does is give you better chances of catching fish, and by watching the cows, you can have an easy and fun reference for getting a general idea of what the barometer is doing.
Later this week, we will do an in depth analysis of barometric pressure and how it affects fishing. Stay tuned for that, and see ya on the water…
The “Kid” and I were discussing some of our recent fishing trips a few days ago. Inevitably, the conversation turned toward someone asking us if we had any “luck”? Now I have always believed that “luck”, is simply a meeting of opportunity and hard work.
When the two come together, you increase your chances of being successful no matter what it is that you’re pursuing. In the case of fishing, there are what I like to refer to as my “Lucky Seven” rules. I follow these each and every time I get on the water because years of trial and error have borne these out to be the most important components for having good days fishing.
The first thing that I look at are seasonal patterns. Yes, these can vary by a few months depending on where you do your fishing but they tend to be one of those elements that are consistent no matter the location. Fish are going to spawn at some point during the calender year.
Our job as anglers is to spend the time doing the research to find out when this is going to happen in our area or the area we are going to fish. Once we know this, we can take a pretty educated guess as to when we’ll see pre and post spawn conditions as well. Knowing this information guides us in where and what to use when we get out there.
Next for me is fishing key structural elements. The ones that I focus on are, points, creek channels, humps, ridges and flats. Most bodies of water have some mix of these topographical features that have historically, consistently held fish. Depending on the seasonal pattern that we’re subject to, these structural features will each, in turn, hold fish.
Now I like to zero in on water temperature and clarity. Not only will they affect what lure choices we should use but they can have an influence on the seasonal patterns by either delaying them a bit or accelerating them. All of this information is readily available either on the internet or by calling a local tackle shop ahead of the trip to see what they have recorded recently.
Just a little hint here: If you can find a tackle store that guides use, they generally will have more up to date and accurate info on the specifics water conditions. Don’t be shy about asking. More often than not, they are happy to bring you up to date.
Have you ever heard the old saying about the best laid plans of mice and men? Sometimes you get out there and just don’t find what you were expecting to. Hey, this is fishin’ not catchin’. Here again, preparation is the key to overcoming something unexpected. Having the ability to cover the entire water column efficiently is going to save you a lot of headaches when Murphy’s Law pops up.
We always need to have lures on hand, in different color patterns, that will serve this purpose. Once you’re keyed in on what the fish want, you may only use a couple of baits all day. But to get to this point, you have to be ready to make adjustments on the fly and a well stocked tackle box or bag is part of the antidote for rapidly changing conditions.
Sometimes it’s easy to figure out what the fish are feeding on and sometimes, it’s near impossible. However, if we can feel fairly comfortable that we’ve got this one figured out, it will further narrow our lure choices. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on the water and had some folks come up to me asking me what I was using to catch fish. I make a habit of showing them and then asking them what they’re using.
Man, you should see how far off base some of these people are with their choice of baits. It’s no wonder they aren’t catching fish when they’re throwing something that is completely unlike anything the fish are feeding on.
This one is really up to personal preference but I like the old adage, “start early and stay late”. I’m sure that there is something to all the so-lunar tables and best fishing times and other more ethereal studies. But for me, I kinda figure that the fish are going to feed at some point in the course of a day and I want to have a line in the water when that happens. Pretty simple really.
On top of that, you can get more information about a particular body of water by spending more time on it. You may notice something after having been on the water several hours, that just wasn’t apparent when you got there. This could be the key to turning your whole day around by giving you a piece of information that you didn’t have prior.
A case in point, this summer I went night fishing and just wasn’t getting bit on top-water even though it was the perfect time of year for it. All of the sudden I saw a school of bait fish break the surface and then disappear. I immediately tied on a soft plastic jerk bait and caught a fish on my first cast! The rest of the night, all I did was was throw the jerk and would up with over a dozen fish.
And finally, when the going gets tough, use your confidence baits. Yes we here at MVF fish a LOT of different lures during the course of the season. But when the bite shuts down or we’re in a whole new environment, we reach for the lures that have proven they catch fish. For whatever reason, your “confidence lures” are the ones that tend to get you the most strikes because you are the most proficient with them.
Don’t minimize this part of the equation. If you know that you can use a particular bait to consistently get bites, by all means, use it!
There it is folks, our “Lucky Seven”. Just because these have been successful for us doesn’t mean that there aren’t other methods out there that may work for you. But if you tend to get a little scattered before you hit the water, narrowing things down in this way just might help you to have more fun and catch more fish.
And hey, when all else fails, you may just need to get a lucky fishing hat!
See ya’ on the water …
A while back, Pops published an article about getting into bass fishing for $200.00 (read that article here). I was very intrigued by this idea—getting people started in a great sport for a minimum initial investment. I wanted to do the same thing with fly fishing, but was a little stuck.
$200 for a good fly fishing set up was just a little too ambitious. When I started looking at equipment, and playing with the numbers though, I realized it could be done for less than $500. Fly fishing requires a few pieces of equipment that bass fishing does not, and thus the slightly higher price tag.
After figuring out that $500 was possible, I then looked back at my initial investment when a good friend introduced me to the sport. I spent over $900 on my initial investment.
When you look at it that way, $500 seems much better! So here it is, a way to get involved and learn fly fishing without breaking the bank!
I have reviewed the St. Croix Rio Santo in the past. I don’t just give it my endorsement based on it’s affordable $200.00 price tag. I actually own one, and use it 30+ times per year.
When you purchase the combo, you are getting a lot for your money. Not only do you get a quality St. Croix rod and reel, but you also get backing, line, and tapered leader—along with a good travel case.
This really is a great way to get started, and will serve you on your fishing adventures for many years to come. So, our current total is $200.00.
Waders are a funny thing. They can range in price from under $50, all the way up to nearly $1000.00. In fact, I have written about waders in different price ranges before (read that fly fishing waders post).
When you are just getting started, you don’t need to take out a mortgage or save up your money for months on end to get a quality product. The Bass Pro White Water Wader is a great solution for a reasonable price. At only 99.99, they fall into a very affordable end of the spectrum, yet still give you good enough quality to last several seasons of fishing.
So with the Rio Santo, and these waders, we are now up to $300.00.
Boots are one place I don’t pinch pennies. Since you are going to spend your entire fishing day on your feet, and usually wading in rivers, you need a pair that will be comfortable, and at the same time provide good traction on slippery rocks.
I’ve used dozens of boots over the years, and any time I’ve tried to skimp on this expense, I’ve paid for it. I’ve fallen in the water, gone home with hurt feet and crunched toes, and generally just had a great fishing trip ruined.
I now use Simms Freestone’s exclusively. At 129.99, they aren’t the cheapest out there, but where them on one trip and you will see why I feel so strongly about having great boots.
With this investment, our total is now $430.00.
Now, we have $70 left to play with before hitting our $500.00 ceiling.
Spend that money on things like flies, tippet, and extra leader. It would be impossible for me to tell you exactly which flies to buy, because your area of the country may have different hatches than mine. Spend a little time at your local fly shop learning about what fly patterns are productive, and when they are productive.
Get a few stand by’s that seem to work every where like Wooly Buggers, Clouser Minnows, and Parachute Adams’.
Try to get flies that are not overly specialized at first—invest in flies that will work most of the time. This can be tough, but usually you will find a few patterns that work well in multiple seasons. When a fly pattern overlaps certain seasons and remains effective, this is a great fly to get.
So there you have it, follow this little guide, and you are ready to go for less than $500! If you decide to jump into fly fishing, I will definitely see you on the water!
I know a handful of guys who put the fly fishing gear away when the weather starts getting really warm. The waders get hung up, the
boots boxed, and the rods broken down and stored.
Now, these guys are pretty much die hard trout hunters. They view trout fishing as the highest form of outdoor expression.
That’s cool—and I somewhat understand, but I like catching fish. I like catching fish all year round. Here I am going to offer you five tips to keep you fly fishing throughout the year, even in the hotter months. [Read more…]