Fishing Report

[Sam Potter]

Fishing Report January 27, 06

The river is very clear and very low. Rain in the forecast for the weekend, so fishing may improve.There were midges in the air yesterday morning, I didn't fish in the afternoon so I can't tell you what was flying. I was able to get out on the stream for about 2 hours yesterday and managed to catch 6 nice fish. It was slow for about half an hour, with a few ticks on my streamer, but no hook-ups. I switched over to one of my favorite winter flies, Mike Kruse's #10 olive mohair leech. I fish mine on a swing and short twitches. I know other guys drift these flies below an indicator, but I prefer to cast my flies, instead of casting an indicator. I have and will use an indicator, but it is my last choice for fly fishing methods. On the 4th cast I had one on for about 20 seconds before I lost it. At least it was progress, if only for 20 seconds. A half dozen casts later I had another one on and managed to release it after a good fight and a couple of leaps. Not a big one, but some action for what was proving to beome a slow day. A few casts later I had another one, released it and continued to throw in the same hole. I spent about a half hour fishing in that one hole and took six fish out of it. The clouds started to dissipate, the sun was getting higher and the fish catching stopped. I continued down the stream without success and decided to fish it back up with an indicator and caddis worm... no luck, not even a stop. I fished my way back up stream past the truck and realized that I needed to pick up the pace and fish back down, because I needed to leave in an hour or so. As I was working my way back down stream a guy stepped into the river ahead of me, about 30 feet below me, and started fishing. I will not get into my thoughts on that at this time, but I am determined to write a lengthy article on fishing etiquette in the near future. I have had this happen to me several times over the past couple of years and it is really getting on my nerves. I believe that there is an increasing percentage of fishermen today that just don't understand that it is rude to disturb the water in, around and where a fisherman is heading. I blame this on the fishing attitude of some of the fishermen in our trout parks, here in Missouri, and that there are fishermen out there that don't know any better, because no one has taught them. If we, as fly fishermen, do not say anything to these guys, they will continue to disrupt the water we fish and not realize that it is poor fishing etiquette.

"A bad day fishing is still a Great Day"

www.TightLine.Biz

[trumpy]

As I was working my way back down stream a guy stepped into the river ahead of me, about 30 feet below me, and started fishing.

So, did you say anything to him? I sure would have. I don't even keep my mouth shut at the trout parks either.