Johnsfolly

We will all agree that this is a bit of an understatement by a humble man. I really hope to be able to make it back for Jigfest 2018 (I would suggest the weekend of the 7th of Dec)!

Great looking fish guys! Maybe not so much on the selfies (sorry Smallibigs couldn't help myself)! Looks like that hellgrammite was what they wanted. Thanks for posting. Now if I could find some big smallmouth waters in Maryland. Know some in PA, but have to figure out how far I am willing to travel.

Congrats on getting bit and landing the fish that you did. They wanted your baits. I tend to agree that your drag is still likely to be set a bit too light. Just a suggestion, but when I am fishing a rapala, roostertail, etc., I like to use a longer UL like a 7" browning airstream or 6'6' or 7' Light action BPS microlite (both fish like a medium Light rod) or a medium light rod and not a short ultralight or light rod just to get that hook set. I would also use #4 line and not #2 line with those baits as well. With flies (under a float or weighted flies) or jigs, a light or UL rod with #2 line works great. Of course the longer rods works well for the jigs as well . Good Luck

I have only hung out with Duane at jigfest and have to agree with most of the compliments being paid to him. I would love to actually fish with in the future and get to confirm the other compliments😁.

I love catching NATIVES, but you know me, if it is swimming where I am fishing it is fair game. Get it landed and on the list !

Great story BH. Thise were awesome fish even considering that they are neither native nor even a pure species😛.

Great job buddy! Some great looking browns in the net! The browns on the white always seem to be heavily colored. A bit jealous since no fishing for us this weekend.

LOL my kids have done the thunder chief lyrics.

I looked on Tenkarabum.com and found two rods (probably not from these brothers). Both were over a hundred dollars. Not as expensuve as I would have thought. Still not on the immediatebuy list

Rough fishing has almost become as expensive to do as game fishing. Last time in England a couple of summers ago I checked out some local ponds for rudd or tench. Found a couple but some wanted $40 or more for a half days fishing in a single 30 to 40 foot spot on the pond.

One thing that I did notice was the lack of roofing on the old abandoned curches or buildings. Lumber is(was) always at a premium so that got repurposed pretty quickly. Rocks are everywhere. There was a sitcom where the one man told another to meet him at the "Field" which was a spot that had lesss rocks in it than the other areas😁. So the walls would remain well after the building was abandoned.

The Follies have been getting a few cucumbers. As mentioned prwviously not many more tomatoes. The raspberry canes that aren't over run with milkweed have been giving up a few berries. Move like a novelty bite than a harvest.

The Folly family are all heading to Kansas City for the premiere of my oldest daughter's latest film "Shutter" a short film that she shot last spring.

Thanks Al for the report and photos. Brought back memories of our stay in Ireland. As with yourself I was constantly amazed the age of most things. There is dust in most houses older than our country. I also could not get over thay most "woods" at least in our part of the country had been planted. There aren't any spots on the island of Ireland that mam has not walked on or affected in some way. I also did not like the costs to fish over there and didnt fish for almost two years. Your coin issue for parking brought a smile. I recall making really sure that when I would travel back to the UK was making sure to have 20 or 50 pence to pay for the public toilets in the train stations.

This explains the Tanago hooks that I have been using for my micros. I will likely look into these rods. Look like that they are going to be a bit expensive. I just read a Tenkara article in a Maryland fishing magazine. May have to revisit that type of fishing for those native brook trout. Might be a better way to navigate a fly into the laurel and rhododendron thickets.

Definitely some great looking fish Duane! Would love to meet up with JestersHK but we will be in IA for a race weekend.

Nuce report and great looking fish! Congrats! You definitely figured out a pattern.

At keast you got one. I had to buy some at Farmer's market.😒

I would enjoy that type of fishing regardless of the species.

Variety is the spice of life. Congrats on some nice keeper fish!

Seth Thanks for the detailed report. Sounds like you and your dad had a great time. I've even try set the hook when it looks like the fish is going to bite because as you mentioned they spit so quickly. If the fish follows the bait on the drop and those gills flare it may be too late.. Helps having really clear water. I may have to change out my old line before I go 😀.

Eels are extremely underrated in terms of extent of their migrations. It amazes me how far they go to live and to spawn.

In PA there was a series of falls probably a 20 foot elevation in total that we would routinely see the young eels "climbing" the rocks to get to the stream above the falls. It was a spectacular and a viscerally disturbing scene to see hundreds of eels going up those rocks. QB - in Connecticut I had friends that would nail the eels to a tree to get the hook out. Not only were they slimey, but tended to swallow your bait. I just stopped trying to remove the hooks when I would catch one. Get close and cut the line. Probably not the best catch and release practice, but that was well before any circle hooks made the market. I do agree with Gavin that they are good to eat. If only I had known that back in the day.

It's a hobby that I just haven't gotten into...yet.

That's a panfish's worst nightmare right there. they just aren't going to be able to resist those jigs whether you are throwing those in a pond or creek..