Poppers

Grasshopper: Your fly-tying skills have proved worthy!

The sunfish were hitting the bugs on Evans Lake this evening and I had some fun with the new flyrod and a hand-tied popper.

Recognize this one?

One of the side benefits of fishing at the end of the day. God's paintbrush...

New Flies and Lures

I've been experiencing a new wave of "the fever"

After catching some bass on the Rapala the other day, I've started thinking that I need to be prepared for some other tactics besides the reliable old big green worm (BGW).

Paul gave me some new streamers and poppers he had tied. They are beauties and look like they will fish well. He also found a new soft plastic called the Original Texas Weedless Wacky Worm®. This is sure to be a "hit" with the bass in Evans lake.
He said they were flying off the shelves and were not easy to find.

I went by a favorite sporting goods store (Academy) and sure enough they were completely out. Lucky for me they did have some stick baits and top waters on sale.

I picked up some silver/black floating Rapalas and a couple of "Hula Poppers" made by Arbogast Lures.

I also bought a couple of topwater lures from Storm called The Chug Bug.

I stopped off on my way home to see what was happening with the "King" of Evans Lake and to drop off some of the soft plastics. It's always a good idea to share!

The wind was blowing about 15 mph but I thought a couple of casts wouldn't hurt as long as I was in the neighborhood.

I was surprised when the only thing that seemed interested were the panfish.

This Bluegill took the Chug Bug off the surface.



This Green Sunfish also hit the big topwater lure.

I think they were actually going for the tail of the lure which is made out of an iridescencet pearl flash material. I may need to make some poppers out of this.

I was about convinced that all the bass had packed up left the lake when I finally picked up a small resident that was willing to join the fish study.

Tag ID 07 - AKA "Tiny" was caught at 5:05PM. W=0.7lb, L=11.5"

"I'm Too Excited to Sleep"

Why is it that getting up early to go fishing is easier than getting up to go to work? You would think that after a long week of busy days and late evenings I would have been ready for a "do nothing day". I had plenty of things that need doing - mowing grass (weeds), cleaning the garage, paying bills, etc. but when the call for reinforcements came late Friday evening, I just had to respond.

Paul Sr. and eldest son had engaged the white bass in the East Fork of the San Jacinto in battle and they had won the first skirmish. They were set for an early morning raid to beat the Saturday morning fishermen and wanted to know if I could accompany them. Well, I'll tell you the thought of getting up before dawn to go fishing is balm for the soul. There is nothing I needed more than a day of thinking about something other than work. I will be travelling again next week and will miss the funeral of a dear friend so some time to think and pray is just what I needed.

We hit the water early and by 9:00AM we had caught plenty of fish. Paul Jr. & I decided to keep only the big ones and Paul Sr. strung up all he caught that were legal. We all caught as many small ones as we did keepers and it was a great morning of fishing. This one will go in my all-time great fishing days file.

The only trouble we had was trying to keep up with Paul Sr. on the way to the fishing hole. He was high stepping like a Tennessee Walker through the brush in his fancy wader pants and Jr. & I were huffing and puffing trying to keep up. I'm not so sure I can compete unless I drop a few pounds. Keep the Starbucks away from that guy!

Paul Jr. with an early morning White.


The Mutual Admiration Society.


"Fat n Sassy" You know it when you have hold of one this size.


"Waders"


The Confidence Bait in action.


Morning tally:
Paul Sr. - 20 (16.7 lbs)
Paul Jr. -10 (9.2 lbs)
JB - 8 (8.9 lbs)

I went for size over quantity.


Strong coffee at 4:30AM - $2.50
Ultralight fishing rod $24.00
Box of White Roostertails. $10.00

Fishing for white bass with your brother and nephew - priceless!

Back to Your Roots

Sometimes you have to go backwards in order to go forward.

I headed out to Lake Evans to get some "exercise" and to see if I could tag a couple more largemouth bass for the study. The day had turned out pretty nice - mid 60's and sunny with just a slight breeze.

I figured the water and the fish would start warming up pretty quick as the water level is down and it's time for the fish to move the the shallows to spawn.

I tried a new Bass Bug - a brown conehead streamer with rubber legs on the flyrod. I got one slight take but wasn't able to hook up. I don't think it was a bass but who knows?

The sunfish were popping the surface as there were some craneflys getting blown onto the lake.

I fished a red & white deer hair popper and even switched to a Royal Coachman to try to catch some sunfish but everything hitting the water was too small.

I switched to the BGW on the ultralight and made a circuit around the lake but nothing doing. I did notice a couple of big splashes near the shore and guessed that the bass were cruising around looking to ambush some baitfish in the shallows.

I finally got paranoid about getting skunked and reached deep into the past for some inspiration.

Mark this one's for you!

These green sunfish just needed a rubber worm and a smaller hook to make them (and me) happy. I caught several of these little guys and never get tired of that "tug" "tug" on the line.

I kep hearing the big splashes along the shoreline so I finally decided to do something different. I chucked the flyrod and the BGW and put on a gold floating Rapala minnow - "The Original"

I don't know how many fish I have caught over the years with this lure but I'm never without at least one or two in my tacklebox.

I tossed it out in the vicinity of the next big splash and was rewarded with a nice 13" bass.

I nicknamed him "Newt".

Tag ID 05 - AKA "Newt" was caught at 4:25PM. W=1.0lb, L=13"

I tried again in the same general area and just a few minutes later had a 15" 2-pounder on the scales.

This big girl is "Clara".

Tag ID 06 - AKA "Clara" was caught at 4:35PM. W=2.0lb, L=15"

This last photo shows the location I've been using for the tagging program. It is out of the way but readily visible and I think this is a much more durable location than on a fin.


It will be interesting to see when I catch my first tagged fish!

Hot Lips

I returned to Evans Lake today to continue the fish study.

The weather was overcast and drippy with a chance of a full blown shower at any time.

I only had a couple of hours to fish before lunch but since wet fishing is better than no fishing I took advantage of the time. The fish are wet anyway.

I caught one fish an nice 16" bass that weighted 2 lbs even.



I'm not sure but I think this was old "Hot Lips" I caught back on January 15.


This picture doesn't show it very well but she had the same red coloring on the rough pads of her mouth.

I attached the tag to the corner of her mouth instead of to the fin. I think it will have a better chance of staying on.

I finally had to quit when the rain got too heavy. One more for the book!

Hopeless Romantic

Who says I'm not romantic?

This year for Valentine's Day I bought my wife some candy - chocolate no less.

You would think that would reveal my true feelings and demonstrate that life is about more than fishing. After all, I've heard that spending too much time on any one thing is unhealthy.

Sure, I looked at the Whitman's sampler and I studied all the heart-shaped boxes but I've just gotta be me!



Hey - last year I gave her a sheepskin! This is a step up.

We did do a little yarn shopping over the weekend and enjoyed a nice dinner together on Monday.

I got a couple of new fishing books and a great card.

She also honored me by posting a story about my parents on her blog: Wool Windings

Roses are red and violets are squishy
I'm a happy husband but the candy is fishy!

Bass Bugs

I'm getting ready to continue the fish study in Lake Evans.

This weekend I got to add to the collection of bass flies. I picked up a couple from Gander Mountain and tied up some marabou jigs.

This is a diver made from deer hair and rabbit fur.

This is a classic deer hair popper. It has some green & white marabou and some feathers and is supposed to imitate a frog as you retrieve it across the surface.

Rabbit fur and lamb's wool make up this leech. The rubber legs add movement.

This one will fish sub-surface.

This cone-head zonker has some rubber legs that will draw attention to this fly.

A yellow & red deceiver. This may be tied for salt or fresh water. It is an attractor pattern.

These marabou jigs are tied on a 1/16 oz round jighead hook.

I want to try this in different sizes and colors.

Green River Day

Somewhere between Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day is the holiday known to avid fishermen as Green River Day.

The"A" section of Utah's Green River is one of my favorite fishing holes.

Known worldwide for it's beautiful unspoiled setting, this tailwater is always consistent and a prolific producer of big and colorful trout. This was to be my third visit and I've been waiting for this chance to return.

Some people think driving three hours away from one of the best ski areas in the country (Park City, Utah) to go fishing in February is nuts.

My motto: "I'd rather be fishing than swishing".

The weather had been COLD in the morning but warming up with the sun. We started out at 6AM with temps in in the teens and while stopping for gas I tried to wash the windshield. The washer fluid was like smearing icy paste on the glass and it took some defrosting to finish the job.

Trout Bum 2 has a 1/2 day trip this time of year and we had two boats reserved. Our guides Tom & Charles were on time and ready to go.

After getting rigged up and decked out we were ready to catch some fish!
In our boat we started out with a nice brown.

Tom & I with one of our three doubles!
Here Tom has a nice brown and I have a rainbow.

Joe and Mark had some luck too. This cut-bow won the prize for the best dressed fish.

Check out the colors on this beauty!

Two Toms and twin browns. The colors on these fish ranged from butter yellow to blue-green with characteristic red spots.
Tom took the size-prize with this big rainbow.

After fishing tiny midge larva all day, our guide Tom Knight handed me a 9-1/2' Sage 6-wt rod with a sinking tip line and a huge wool head sculpin streamer.

He instructed me to "pound the banks" and strip in erratically. He also said "Big fly - Big fish".

My other motto: "Always listen to your guide!"

We all had a great time and for the record - Lord willing - "I'll be back"

Heber

It's that time of year again.

I was in Utah for the week and after traveling all Sunday afternoon from Houston to Salt Lake City, I got up early and drove to Vernal and back on Monday. The business meeting started Monday evening and went late into the night. Up early again on Tuesday for the marathon day of flip charts, goals, planning, and discussions. It was a productive time but by Tuesday evening we were all needing a break.

I took the last few minutes of daylight to visit the Heber Valley and to see if the "confidence bait" could tempt a brown from the pool at the "not-so-secret" spot.

I got to see the Heber Creeper a historic steam train that runs through the valley.

Once again the white Roostertail came through.


This one's for you Paul!

O.C.F.

My brother sent me a link to this website:

Obsessive Compulsive Fishing or O.C.F.is a condition identified in Ely Minnesota.

They sponsor the website to assist those stricken with the disorder.

I think I'll soon be a card carrying member.
DJWB

Even Trade

It pays to read the fine print.

Earlier this year, I received an e-mail from my former boss - recently retired - asking me if I would be willing to sign for the retiree luncheon. He also said that I could make a brief presentation about Safety if I wanted to. I didn't quite get what he was asking me to sign but I replied, "I'm available - and willing! ", expecting to show a couple of our recent PowerPoint presentations on Safety and see some old friends.

Imagine the surprise when I received this note in return, "I'm delighted that you are available and willing. What type microphone do you need? I know the group will enjoy your music and any information on Safety."

Wait a minute, did I miss something? I do play guitar and write songs... and I did send this guy a couple of my latest home recordings around the holidays...

I went back to the original e-mail and sure enough there it was. He had misspelled "sing" as "sign"!

Oh well no harm done. I was pretty rusty but as one fine gentleman told me, "It won't matter. None of us can hear very good anyway!"

I was able to get through a few songs and really enjoyed visiting with some old and new friends. I have some songs posted on a blog, Home Made Music.

My biggest surprise came when Floyd handed me a token of their appreciation - a gift card to Bass Pro Shop. Floyd knows all about my passion for fishing and he felt this was a sure way to support his local economy of Katy, TX and to prevent me from blowing cash on anything but fishing gear.

Now the good part. I purchased a new fly rod!

I got a White River Classic 3 piece 4-wt medium fast rod for fishing small streams. It is only 6'9" long and will be perfect for tight brushy areas like Daniels Creek. It will handle up to a fair sized fish 1-1.5 lbs and will cast short distances in moderate wind conditions.


I know, you are probably thinking that I recently bought a new TFO TiCrX so what gives?

I have a couple of 5-wt rods and a 6-wt now. All are long 8'6" and 9' and all can handle the reels and lines I have assembled. This new addition will also work with the 5-wt lines as I won't be casting very far. Since I won't have as much line out, the 5-wt line will load the 4-wt rod and it should cast great.

One day I may get a new reel with a 4-wt line for calm quiet days and delicate presentations.

The new rod came with a protective sock and a rod tube so it was the perfect addition to the collection.

Thanks Floyd & all the retirees. Your generosity is appreciated!

Fish Study

I've been thinking about doing a study of the bass in Lake Evans.

After catching several fish you begin to wonder, " Is this the same one I caught before?".

Other reasons for doing a study are to measure the health and vitality of the lake and to make management recommendations to the owners.

I've read several papers written about farm pond management and from everything I have seen this pond is in great shape. The fish are healthy and fat and there seems to be plenty of them.....that is unless I'm just catching the same ones over and over again.

One way to identify and track fish is to tag the fish with small numbered metal or plastic tags.

I found a supplier of tags designed for fish, National Band & Tag Co. out of Kentucky.

I purchased 100 small tags and the applicator pliers.



These are referred to as "Conservation Tags" and are designed to be attached to the fins of the fish without causing harm or interfering with the fish's ability to swim.

The tags are made from Monel - an alloy that does not rust. Each bass caught will be tagged with a unique number and the tag ID will be recorded.

The study will also include recording the weight and length of each fish and other details like the time of day, weather conditions, location, bait, etc.


I purchased a digital scale to record the fish weight. I think an important part of this study is to determine if the fish in Lake Evans are growing. Length is not as important as total weight when you are talking about largemouth bass. Here is where the term "Chunky" has real meaning!

Clich here to read a review on the Berkley 20 lb digital scale.

I had a couple of hours to get started with the study before sunset this evening so I grabbed the UL and a big green worm and headed for the lake.

The day had turned out clear and sunny with temps in the high 60's. I had some trouble finding the fish and finally was able to pick up three small bass in the cove.

Tag ID 00 - AKA "Lippy" was caught at 5:35PM. W=0.9lb, L=12.5"

Tag ID 01 - AKA "Wormy" was caught 5 minutes later. W=0.7lb, L=12.0"

Tag ID 03 - AKA " JR" was caught at 5:55PM. W=0.9lb, L=12.5"

You only get one shot to attach the tag and I messed up Tag 02.

And so it begins.................

Boise Extreme

Idaho is known for many things, including I'm sure some extreme sports. Whether it's snowboarding, river rafting, or some other outrageous pursuit, those from the "Spud State" have seen many who take things to the extreme.


That being said, I'm not sure they have ever seen anything quite like what appeared on the Boise River near the Boise State University stadium this morning.

Several skeptical Safety Reps, one Tech Dev trooper, and a wild-eyed former dairy farmer from "North Mexico" showed up to go fishing! Now to be fair this may not seem too extreme for a Saturday morning except for the fact that it was January, COLD, windy, and snowing so hard that we had abandoned "plan A" which was to drive out of town to fish near the dam. We were all up for the crack of dawn but it never really cracked. It was still dark when we headed out at 7:30AM and never really got very light all morning.

We were all freshly trained in the art of being "Dynamic Presenters" but there wasn't anything in the class that said how to steer a crazy fisherman off his course. You see, I was going to fish. These companions of mine had heard of some of my fishing trips where weather did not stop me but now they were along for the ride.

I'm not sure I can accurately describe the situation. I'm regularly accused nowadays of having a one-track mind. My brother Mark assured me that he is quite familiar with this form of fishing-fever and he warned that it is highly contageous. He is concerned that an outbreak may require the CDC to issue a Global Pandemic warning to unsuspecting onlookers but I think I can set him at ease.

While the "lure" of fish-fever is pretty dangerous when the weather is fair and the fish are biting at anything you throw at them, it's not quite so toxic when the temperature is near or below freezing and the snow is blowing so hard you can't see your lure hit the water.



I was hoping to fly fish but as luck would have it the water release into the Boise River had been increased to the point where that was not recommended. I had packed my ultralight and a box of White Roostertails just in case so I decided to brave the conditions and at least try something.


Sandy bundled up and came along for moral support and the rest of the crew walked down to the water for a few minutes then headed back for the vehicles.



I tried a small RT with a sinker but the current was really swift and I decided to change to the BIG MAMA 1/4 oz honker Rooster Tail.

I was casting as far out as I could and letting it swing downstream with the current then making a slow steady retrieve against the current to cover the shoreline. On about the third cast with this heavier spinner I hooked up and was it ever a fish!

Photo by Sandy Fishler

Not official but - 20"+ and close to 2lbs.

If you are only going to catch one fish this is a good one to catch!

I'm not much for urban fishing but this day on the Boise River with fresh snow on every twig and a new fish story I can't complain.


Blessings are all around if you keep your eyes open.



The Lord blessed us all today - He just gave me a double portion!