A Goal For 2015 - Return To Simplicity

[grizzly]

It's no secret to those who know me, I am a fly tying nut. Large articulated streamers, spey style flies and size 32 midges are all fair game to my vise, and I probably have about one dozen boxes filled to the brim from my tying. Nonetheless, I often think that I would have just as much success with one small box and some basic flies.

When I was a kid, I had one light pole, a bag of Powerworms(Tequila Sunrise), 1/4 ounce bullet weights and some eagle claw hooks. Along with my friend, we would catch plenty of bass all day fishing only one technique, the Texas Rig. I think our largest bass was around 5 pounds, but that isn't too bad for a couple of 10 year olds fishing on a small pond in the middle of Raytown Missouri. The pond was Wildwood Lake(which used to be a swimming destination in Kansas City) and it didn't hurt that we fished the pond about 4 times a week during summer break. The community was friendly to us in allowing us to fish the pond without living there as the pond was private. Nonetheless, we would occasionally switch baits, trying small rattle traps, Rapalas and live bait. Nonetheless, we always returned to the power worm as we knew how to fish that pattern down pat.

I often wonder if we over think fishing. After all, we are pursuing an animal with a fairly small brain that probably has one of there things on its mind: food, spawning, protection/territory. Given this limited amount variables, I wonder how many lures/flies one needs. I often think that we try new lures more so for a new "form" of entertainment in fishing rather than for the purpose of catching more fish. I am heading down to the White in three weeks and am planning on taking only one fly box with me with said box containing about 5 patterns: zebra midge, pheasant tail, scud, egg and small midge dry flies. I'll let you know of the results.

[Al Agnew]

I agree with your premise that we often make things too complicated when it comes to fishing, especially fishing small waters, whether it be a creek or a pond. As far as fly fishing for trout, I think that when it comes to nymphs or streamers, size is more important than pattern. I could certainly get by with three or four nymphs and a single streamer pattern, but would have different sizes of those, and different colors on the streamer. In fact, my nymph box has a bunch of odds and ends flies that I've acquired over the years that make it look like there are a whole bunch of patterns that I use all the time, but in reality, I pretty much depend upon Princes, Hare's Ears, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Scuds, and Soft Hackles. I tie my own rabbit strip streamers, and have basically three color patterns, one that imitates the color of sculpins (which also imitates crawdads pretty well), one that imitates minnows, and one that's mostly black.

Dry flies are a little different, since there are a bunch of different insects both aquatic and terrestrial that need to be imitated if you see the trout rising to one of them.

As far as stream bass fishing, I've always stuck to about three topwater types, two crankbait types, two spinnerbait types, and four or five soft plastic and jig types. I really believe that on any given day you could pick out one topwater, one mid-depth lure, and one bottom lure, picking them based upon water conditions, and catch fish. But I widen that selection a bit because some lures are more effectively fished in certain situations than others. If the others could be fished as effectively they'd probably catch just as many fish, but, for instance, it's hard to fish walk the dog topwaters in fast water, so even on a day when the fish are hitting the walk the dog topwaters, I'll pick up a different rod with something else when I come to fast water.

[joeD]

Overthink this: Take a spinning rod with big jerkbaits on 8 pound test to the White River and hire a guide. Especially if BSD is running water.

Okay? Get over your one fly box ideal.

[grizzly]

Overthink this: Take a spinning rod with big jerkbaits on 8 pound test to the White River and hire a guide. Especially if BSD is running water.

Okay? Get over your one fly box ideal.

I think you really missed the point to my post. I wasn't really asking for advice, I was more or less commenting on my observations on the current fishing community. Look at all the different rods, reels, lines and lures out there. It seems that the newest is the best. Anyways just for your knowledge base, I have a spinning rod, large jerk baits and my friend is a guide on the White, so it seems that I have that down pat. . . Not to brag, but we have a pattern on that river, this year we used three different flies and have really no need for something different unless we are trying something out for the kicks of it. Personally, I think that spin fishing can carry you away more so than fly fishing. Ned Rig, Alabama rig, depth finders, price of crankbaits/lures in general, sprays etc. I see your point that the White gives up large Browns to jerk baits, but I think catching fish on the fly is a safer option than trophy hunter. Besides, if I was trophy hunting, I would use these flies http://slideinn.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=81over a jerk bait any day as I can control them better.

And see the forest for the trees my friend, the idea of one fly box is the idea of simplicity, not that I need only one box ever.

[grizzly]

I agree with your premise that we often make things too complicated when it comes to fishing, especially fishing small waters, whether it be a creek or a pond. As far as fly fishing for trout, I think that when it comes to nymphs or streamers, size is more important than pattern. I could certainly get by with three or four nymphs and a single streamer pattern, but would have different sizes of those, and different colors on the streamer. In fact, my nymph box has a bunch of odds and ends flies that I've acquired over the years that make it look like there are a whole bunch of patterns that I use all the time, but in reality, I pretty much depend upon Princes, Hare's Ears, Pheasant Tails, Copper Johns, Scuds, and Soft Hackles. I tie my own rabbit strip streamers, and have basically three color patterns, one that imitates the color of sculpins (which also imitates crawdads pretty well), one that imitates minnows, and one that's mostly black.

Dry flies are a little different, since there are a bunch of different insects both aquatic and terrestrial that need to be imitated if you see the trout rising to one of them.

As far as stream bass fishing, I've always stuck to about three topwater types, two crankbait types, two spinnerbait types, and four or five soft plastic and jig types. I really believe that on any given day you could pick out one topwater, one mid-depth lure, and one bottom lure, picking them based upon water conditions, and catch fish. But I widen that selection a bit because some lures are more effectively fished in certain situations than others. If the others could be fished as effectively they'd probably catch just as many fish, but, for instance, it's hard to fish walk the dog topwaters in fast water, so even on a day when the fish are hitting the walk the dog topwaters, I'll pick up a different rod with something else when I come to fast water.

Al, I overlooked the part of dry fly fishing and I'm glad you brought this up. Dry fly fishing is a different animal. You know, out of all the flies I have, I bet less than 1/10th of them are dry flies.

[Al Agnew]

I do have to say that there have been places I've gone to where my spartan selection of nymphs weren't enough, and I had to buy some local fly shop nymphs that were THE pattern for that river that time of year. But I've also done the same thing and never tried my usual stuff, just because that fly shop special was the pattern that was SUPPOSED to be the only thing catching fish. I wonder if that was truly the case.

I also, for the most part, keep even my dry fly selection fairly simple. On the rivers around my part of Montana, most of the time if you have some blue winged olives, some adams, an elk hair caddis, and Griffith's gnats, you'll probably catch rising fish. However, if there's a major hatch like the Mother's Day caddis hatch, or if it's well into hopper season, you'll often have to find a specific caddis pattern or hopper imitation that works when others won't.

[joeD]

I know I'm a crab, but I just can't leave this simplicity thing alone. I go to the White every year in January or February, so, I just like being prepared for any water condition. Too much time and effort go into these trips, so I'd rather not limit myself for simplicity's sake. I don't think this approach makes me a better or worse fisherman.

But, obviously, I should get over MY fishing ideals, such as they are.

I am a deluxe wanker.