Saturday Night Report

[fly2fish]

I have not been fishing in about 2 months now and the fever finally overcame the cold temps, so Saturday I was in Branson and debated whether to go Saturday night or not. Finally talked myself into it, I could rig and suit up before I left the room and not waste any time outside. First thing it was going to be pretty much a one fly night so I had to pick carefully because I wasn't going to switch after my hands got cold. I narrowed it down to the pine squirrel, PMS, big egg or Leonards hibinator, I went with the olive hibinator. Left the hotel about 10:15pm and hit the water at 10:30. 22deg.. No one else in either parking lot, started down below the gauntlet and had the first fish on the 3rd cast it turned out to be the biggest in length of the night at 21 inches.

The trick was not to find which strip the fish liked best but the one to reduce icing up the guides. I found that if you stripped to fast the guides would ice up and if you went to slow or stopped to long the line froze to the guides. You had to find just the right retrieve so the line froze before it reached the guides. The fish didn't seem to care because they hammered it on the dead drift. If your guides ice up dip your rod before you cast that way most of the water is shaken off and air dried before you begin your retrieve. The only time I felt the cold was when I caught 3 fish on 3 straight casts because it didn't give my fingers time to warm up. After catching a fish I would cast and just let it drift without stripping to let my hands warm up, I had the fingerless gloves with the mitten covers. Caught around 20 in an hour and a half but only 3 really stood out, the first one and 2 big hooked jawed males that went about 18-19 inches but out weighed the 21 incher. Sorry it was to cold to take any pics when you are by yourself. I think the fish were cold out of the water and wanted back in where it was warm.

F2F

[DaddyO]

What does Leonards hibinator look like?

[Greg]

Nice report. Thanks for posting it. I almost went on Sunday afternoon but wimped out. I do OK when the air temp is above freezing but below that I just can't ever keep my hands warm.

Greg

[fly2fish]

What does Leonards hibinator look like?

Click on lilleystacklestore link on the top of the page and then select Leonard Keeney from the list on the left. The one I used I tied myself though.

F2F