Ham’s Tradgical History Tour 9/22

[Ham]

Next stop was Dave’s almost famous Bullhead Hole. I got lots of chances. I lost more than I wanted to, but caught five. I was hoping to run across a Yellow Bullhead, but it would appear they were all Black Bullhead. I when probably 5/9 of the catfish I hooked and the catfish went 2/5 poking me with a fin on the release. #ouchies Toxic Avenger Bullhead. 
so, it’s been all Sunshine and Puppies for Saturday. I was a little later than I planned on getting back to Dave. I’m at 48 species now and feeling pretty hopeful about getting to 50 species on fly with Dave on Beatdown Creek and/or our Sunday fishing location. 
so with High hopes and insufficient food onboard we started fishing the creek. Last year the creek ran higher and the banks were nearly free of vegetation. The terrain was difficult, but casting was not impaired and the fish were less spooky. This year the water was lower and clearer. Heavy vegetation made casting a bear. The fish were less plentiful and more spooky.

Dave was a kind and helpful host. Giving me first shots at all the best targets. Sharing what he has learned from the hard lessons taught there. He did all he could to help me get it done. My target species was a grass carp., but I had hoped for a channel cat maybe or a common carp and a faint dream of a Goldeye.

so a long sad sorry of missed chances and misbehaving fish. Spooky Shortnose Gar and Evaporating Grass Carp vexed me again and again. My best grass carp chance was a big one that ate my indicator. All I wanted was a little one to eat my fly.

so I caught a goofy Shortnose Gar. I got him photographed and released and as I was getting my stuff straightened out, Dave shouted for me to get my fly back where it had been that he had seen a fish Erin my fly. So I followed my guides instructions and with a little luck and some timely fly movement I got a fish to strike. It seemed decent sized and out up a Good scrap. I caught a glimpse and dared to dream that I had hooked my Lifer Goldeye. It was a stressful few seconds that seemed very much longer before I slipped the net under my Goldeye. a wise thing to have done would been to have returned to the car for food and water. But feeling the rush of excitement over my Lifer I pushed on and on long after I started feeling really poorly and long after I stopped fishing at anything near my best. I finally tapped out completely and gave into reality. I caught a White Bass and Hybrid Green Sunfish in there somewhere.
After some food and water, We tried again. Hitting new water. Hole after hole. Mile after mile. I missed a Great chance at a big drum at my feet. I got another Shortnose.Gar and that was about it.

I had failed. I knew that a long night of severe leg cramps lay ahead. I tried rehydrating and eating stuff high in potassium to no avail. BUT still now sitting at 49 species on fly I had hopes for Sunday. 

[Ham]

At this point, I would be remiss if I failed to point out that the fishing was difficult, but Dave was successful. 
Dave was a perfect host, but I did not want him to just watch me fish. I don’t begrudge him the fish he caught. It’s frustrating to be a scrub, but it’s motivation to improve.

Dave caught almost twice as many fish as I did. He caught multiple grassies (and one was a Giant) and multiple Channel Cats..My only saving Grace was the Goldeye which I would not have caught without Dave’s help.

But wait, it gets worse for Ham on Sunday

[Ham]

So Sunday Morning we are up at em fairly early. Dave cooked us a nice breakfast and we swapped to appropriate swampin rods.

Dave had found himself a conservation area that fishes well on foot. Not easy, but productive for fish that can be difficult to locate and catch. 
It connects to a major river and water levels are manipulated for ducks. It’s mostly used by birders and people hiking etc. a few people fish it for sure, but it’s well off the radar. 
Much different weather than Saturday ;  cool and rainy (Dave lends me a jacket) and kinda breezy. The sun was supposed to pop out at 11 or so, but it never did while we were there. 
losded backpack with fly gear and four waters and a fancy beef stick. Grabbed 7 weight and 9 weight (what the heck, I own a 9 weight now?). And we hiked in. 
Dave took me to the proven spots and you can see the swamp musky rolling and maybe occasionally snacking. I put on a heavy dark streamer and start fishing. Very methodical fan casting. Repeat casts to the best areas. Quick up and downs to rising fish. Nada. 
charge spots. Same. Repeated casts to moving fish and key areas. Nope.

Changed fly multiple times ; no change in results. Spent hours doing this.

tried a spot with moving water and a smaller streamer on 7 weights. Not a whiff. 
I decided to take a break from swamp musky and walk the bank looking for some of the common Carp Dave talked about. These backwater bonefish were both plentiful and a pain in the butt. A common Carp on fly would be #50 so I was strongly motivated. 
water is very shallow and clearer than the swamp musky areas, but seeing them is tricky and there’s God know what other stuff moving around causing the same mud boils that hints to where the carp are. Occasionally, you actually see the carp tailing.

Well, I had chances. I had Good Chances. I had a Great chance blown up by a clumsy soft shell turtle. I had another chance ruined by hooking a Longnose Gar. Catching the Gar would have been cool, but it pulled off.

finally it all comes together and I hook a decent sized carp. I would have been cool with a 2 lb one, but this was larger. I thought it was big, Dave was less impressed. So you have to lead the hooked carp to an area that you can actually get to the water safely. I checked the distance on Google maps and I fought my carp >500 feet down to where Dave was going to net it for me. Carp apparently don’t care for being netted. After 2 or 3 attempts, the carp pulled off. 💔 So Dave goes back to fishing and I try again.

I learned a lot about spooking fish. I did it over and over and over.heavy footsteps. Lining them with fly line. Fly landing too hard. Too aggressive a drag and drop. Silhouetted. Flyrod movement. Sucked.

I had one more really good chance where fish closed on the fly with intent and muddied the water so much he could not find it and Soooked as he got too shallow looking for it. 
I had one more fish hooked. This was a Silver carp I believe. He was hooked in the side of the head and got walked about 350 foot before he came off. 
I had tried swamp musky for 45 minutes or so in between  carp struggles. But nah.

I zeroed on Sunday. I didn’t expect to catch a bunch, but I was hoping for a Swamp Musky and a Backwater Bonefish. It’s a Good Spot, but not an easy spot. I hope to fish it again some day. 
Dave caught three. He had a small drum. He had a common carp, and he had a bowfin. Major Props. 
after that it was long ride home with cramping hands and legs. 
I appreciate all of Dave’s help. I’ll let y’all know when I get my 50 th species on fly. 

[FishnDave]

 

12 hours ago, Ham said:

 It’s frustrating to be a scrub, ...

If you've ever fished with @Ham , you KNOW he's no "scrub".  VERY fishy guy, always catching all kinds of stuff, and lots of 'em.  But I understand feeling that way, I often get nearly blanked when I fish with him at his waters.  Like the "get FishnDave a Chain Pickerel" day... Ham caught a bunch of species, several chain pickerel (although he spent most of the time specifically NOT trying for them, to save them for me).... and only after finally switching to using HIS rod and fly did I finally get one.  ONE fish for me that whole day.  It was a beat-down.  And Ham did he best to help me and keep me motivated to finally catch one!  New waters are often that way for me...it often takes a 2nd visit to get into the feel and rhythm of a place and start catching the fish.  Sometimes more than a 2nd visit.  And yet Hamilton is visiting new waters all the time with his new Arkansas counties endeavor, new species, etc.  He gives himself one chance, and gets it done almost every time!  That is impressive to me.

Frustration Creek (we've given this Grass Carp place many names, and they are increasingly negative) is harder this year, for the reasons Ham mentioned.  @Johnsfolly  and Livie unfortunately got to experience that new level of difficulty this summer too.  To illustrate how much harder it is than a year ago... Last year I caught 167 Grass Carp while flyfishing there.  This year (so far), just 37.  Ham and I fished this creek last year together, and he caught 6 Grass Carp on the fly in his first 1/2 day attempt at them!  That was soooo good, I was amazed and very impressed!  And I've been trying for Goldeye here, but haven't gotten one yet this year.  Ham got one, and it was significantly bigger (like 15"-16" total length) than any I've caught there the past couple years!  

The Grass  Carp seem to be bigger on average this year, but far fewer.  I'm just not seeing them as often, and not in many of the places they were last year.   Maybe its cyclical, maybe it has to do with water levels and successful/unsuccessful spawning runs?   There seemed to be fewer drum this Spring as well.  And those dang weeds are certainly an added frustration.  And now I see there are patches of those Japanese Hops vines starting there as well.  That stuff will trip you up if you aren't careful, as if the steep rocky slope wasn't bad enough.  Not being able to see the rocks due to the vines is worse.

Ham is a real trooper for muscling through 3 tough days.  He's now in great fighting shape, ready to go a few rounds with Muhammad Ali!  Or Lefty Kreh!  Or... or Boxcar Willie!

 

 

[Ham]

Boxcar Willie is Gonna be my Female Doggy. 

[Terrierman]

To say that Ham is no scrub is a top ten qualifier for the understatement of forever.  I've never fished personally with anyone that's his equal.  And the good part is he's totally just everyday stuff about it.  No fake humility or anything like bragadocio.  He's just so much fun to fish with and be around.  Sure looking forward to seeing him again soon.

Ham, this has been a fun read.  Many thanks.

[Ham]

Thanks for the kind words Rick. I’m not sure I deserve all of them, but I appreciate them none the less. hope we can fish together sooner rather than later. 

[Ham]

#50 on fly Brook Silverside