Fish Thumbs

[mic]

Life and mother nature seemed to be against me this year, but I finally had a great day. I fished my local favorite pond in my new float tube. I was out with my fly rod for four hours and tore up large bluegill and small bass (normal for this pond). I started out with a minnow fly without much luck. Switched to a small popper and tore them up for a while, but the top water died off. Ironically, it quite when the bite would normally come on. I went through a bunch of different bass and bluegill flies without much luck. I was just about to give up when I threw on a weird prince nymph I tied up once. Normal body, but an electric blue micro flash tail and bright yellow wings. Man, that fly tore them up for an hour and half. Started out good with a steady strip, but they went nuts when I changed to a finger roll strip. I finally gave up because I was running out of sun, and the fly was falling apart, but the fish were still biting. One other weird event, I caught what I think was a rock bass. However, I know this pond was professionally stock without them.

So the million dollar question is... was this a fluke or am on to something that will work on lake coves and even smallmouth in the river. One way to find out. Below are some sample fish. The rock bass looking one is first.

[Guest Brian B.]

You mentioned changing lures and such- I often have wondered, as you mentioned they basically started biting(apparently) closer to dusk- or leading up to dusk, I have wondered, well, was it what I finally tied- or. Did they just plain finally start to bite?

The largemouth in pic #3, boy I love eating those "eater" size. Bass- white, clean/ youbg meat- just about can't beat it!

(Apologies for not grammar/spell checking my post, as apparently it is a requirement)

[mic]

Yea, I didn't think about that. But I sure am going to tie some more and give them another try.

[Guest Brian B.]

I will go out with a given lure that I don't know- I only take that lure..

I throw it for hours, to the point of almost getting pissed enough to head to the house- and then they start up-

Often I wonder after days like that- if they don't just bite when they bite/ and don't when they don't. (Also makes me wonder why I. Have such a large tackle box..)

[405z06]

I'm-not (much) of a. Fly Fisherman,,,,BUT! I would (guess)...that you. Would do. Good with (those) flies....

(Dam-n Blackberry) fishing- for 10-12". Smallmouth. On our- Ozark. Streams.

(.....and also) Catch the. Occasional- Google...eye

(Apologies for not grammar/spell checking my post, as apparently it is a requirement)

....Dam-n Blackberry - ....

[Guest Brian B.]

405z06-

Another mature post- hey, thumbs up!

(Nice 3lb bass in your avatar- that's nice- good for you!, someday you will break that 3lb mark!)

-edit-(That was. Mean- I have seen. Your best smallie- it was a. Good one)

I will however, be leaving these Blackberry glitches in here just to pee you off- I have to.. (Periods too.... ...... ..... )

[exiledguide]

Looks like a Green Sunfish to me. For some reason in your neck of the woods they grow at least as big if not bigger than any where else I ever caught them. If you take care of them pretty tasty out of the grease. The area you where you live may have the best strip mine and farm pond fishing there is.

If I had never fished So ILL farm ponds I might never picked up a fly rod and if I ever move again it will probably be to the area around Nashville, IL

My secret weapon was Tom Nixon's Black Gnat plain on a #10 wet fly hook You might Google it or Tom Nixon Flies or see if the library has his book "Fly Tying and Fly Fishing For Bass And Panfish" He was kind of the warm water fly fishing guru from the late 1960s until he passed away a few years ago.

[Quillback]

Looks like a green sunfish to me also, and a very nice one.

[mic]

It had a crappie size (maybe a little smaller mouth) versus a bluegill mouth. Would that fit into the green sunfish body type?

[Old plug]

It IS a green sunfish have caught millions over the years. See the yellow boarder on the tail and fins . That is a dead giveaway.