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Posted

I fished the local lake tonight after work here in Jackson, Mo. I tried several patterns, woolies, bead head woolies, bead head nymphs. The water is nasty and green and a pretty stiff wind was blowing. Several fish turned and broke the top of the water. I did not even get a bite. Of course, with the time change, I only was able to fish for 45 minutes. I have done this now about 6 times and have never had more than 3 fish in a trip in the past few years. What does everyone else do at the other lakes to get them to bite? I guess I could go to the spinning gear.

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

Posted

Depends on the lake...

My closest urban trout lake only gets a couple hundred fish. Most of them leave soon after..I've never caught more than one or two if I've missed the stocking truck by more than a week..Look for risers or nervous water.

Some other lakes in the STL area get alot more fish, and the fishing lasts a bit longer.

I really dont go to any of the urban mudholes with the expectation of catching a trout..Its casting practice, in between calls to operation game thief and I might catch a trout while I'm at it..I've always done best with buggers or leaches, sometimes with a wet fly or soft hackle trailer. Either under a cork and let the wind push it around, or count it down and a slow retrieve. Sometimes they hit midge emergers.

Posted

It is catch and release till Feb 1, then catch and take out. I usually take kids in Feb and have a little fun with the power bait.

It is a pure mudhole of nasty green water. Visibility is less than zero. Probably 12 ft deep or deeper in most places.

"Life has become immeasurably better since I have been forced to stop taking it seriously."

Hunter S. Thompson

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Posted
I fished the local lake tonight after work here in Jackson, Mo. I tried several patterns, woolies, bead head woolies, bead head nymphs. The water is nasty and green and a pretty stiff wind was blowing. Several fish turned and broke the top of the water. I did not even get a bite. Of course, with the time change, I only was able to fish for 45 minutes. I have done this now about 6 times and have never had more than 3 fish in a trip in the past few years. What does everyone else do at the other lakes to get them to bite? I guess I could go to the spinning gear.

Here are a couple of ideas and suggestions I'll share.

Always try Woolie Burgers, Semi Seal Leaches, Bead Head Prince, other attractor patterns, either fished on a wet tip line, or floating w - w/o weight depending upon each water.

On windy days a small micro jig under a strike indicator works with a slow retrieve, chrono or other midge patterns deep under a float.

If the fish seem to be up top a soft hackle fished in the top 6 inches works.

Now the issue that can start a long discussion as to what is fly fishing....... use the plastic trout worms, 1/2 - 1/3 of a piece under an indicator, slowly stripped back and let the fish run with it a bit then set the hook. I started trying this 20 years ago - or more when I lived in Topeka, KS. Local lakes and ponds would be stocked in the winter - spring session, and the bait fishers did great..but I wanted to use the long rod. It took some trial and error but I finally got it to work. Lake Shawnee in Topeka, Ft Riley, even out here in AZ where we have some winter trout stocking on urban lakes and some of the higher elevation levels, it has worked. You have to develop a timing so the fish are not hooked too deep, and you're not trying to set the hook too soon, since they will mouth the worm for a second or two before taking it.

While the strike is more fun when you are striping a fly vs the worm, if the fly is not working then the rod's not bent, and the amount of fun is lessened.

Good Luck

Thighlines & Singing Reels

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