10/24/11 C&C Round 2

[sheisty]

Short Report

Fish Caught
Trout: 1 Brook Trout, Several LDR's
Other: 0

Conditions
Wind: 3mph
Clouds: Overcast with periods of Clear
Air: 57° - 62°
Water: Off color, slightly high, scattered leaves
Time: 11:45 am to 6:30pm


Detailed Report

Again the plan was to C&R a bunch of fish then, take one for the road. I failed the last time I tried to do this. This time I chose to fish the Pequest. I thought since it was Monday there would be light crowds. Boy was I wrong. It was a day full of people walking across where I KNEW fish were holding, but there was still good fishing to be had.

Within my first couple of casts I caught my biggest trout ever, a 18"+ brookie that broke me off just as I was getting it to the net. Now I see why its important to have a net, this experience was much different than catching 2-14 inch trout on the fly. It took me awhile to land the fish/remove the fly, so I made sure it was fully revived and I released it thinking I would catch plenty of more for photo ops.

That breakoff summed up my day for the most part. I had 6+ fish on that were all larger than the Brookie I brought to hand. All of those fish either broke me off or threw the hook. I got a pretty good lesson on how not to land these bigger fish. LOL

I ended up spending a few hours with a couple of olders guys Al & Al (pequest regulars). We were all fly fishing just as the majority of other anglers. The older Al caught a few, but the other Al showed us all up by catching at least 8, and loosing about an equal amount. All of the trout they caught were 20+ inches and put up a hell of a fight. A couple of suckers were in the mix as well. With the mixed action between the three of us the later part of the afternoon passed by very quickly. Around 3pm the fishing turned back on just as Al predicted LOL.

On a technical note, my hook setting was subpar yesterday because of the snags close, and the leaves. The current was so strong that leaves made you think you were getting hits. Tandem setups were the only things that were producing hits for us. Egg patterns for Al, and Woolybuggers for me.

There were a couple of other fly fishermen that did well, but the majority didn't catch anything. One guy even asked to keep a fish that Al caught. We C&R'd everything. Also, while we were there the hatchery stocked a bunch more of huge trout, some looked as big as juvenile pike or muskie.

On an even more positive note, I feel inspired, and encouranged to meet a bunch of guys who frequent the pequest in their 80's, walking the river and enjoying life. Something we should all look forward too.

 

[Greased Line Swinger]

Did the fish eat your wooly buggers on a drift or the swing?

 

[sheisty]

Drift, but I couple hit right on the end of the drift as it was starting to swing, I don't know if that was because of presentation, or fish location. Next time I will test that theory.

 

[Johnny Utah]

Great report. I enjoy reading detailed reports, not to many take the time to reflect on the day and type it out. Very good job.

If stockies are which you seek, you should be able to do well by, At the end of your drift allow fly to hang and slowly dragging it back up to you. The fly of choice makes very little difference when using this tactic. But i cant begin to tell how many stocked fish i have caught doing this. It even works on wilds just not nearly as well.

Also check your knots and tippet often. Especially when nymphing. The tippet gets banged up on every drift.

 

[Greased Line Swinger]

Thanks for the tip about checking the tippet. I'll add, that if you get snagged, check the hook if you're able to save the fly. I LDRed a fish last week and later realized the hook was bent.

 

[Drossi]

Thanks for the tip about checking the tippet. I'll add, that if you get snagged, check the hook if you're able to save the fly. I LDRed a fish last week and later realized the hook was bent.

Plus you may want to run the hook through a sharpener periodically. Snagging and ticking the stream bed dulls the point and can cause an increase in LDR's .

 

[Trout Nazi]

This Pequest thing is weird. I took my son there once for an open house, and fishing that stretch by the hatchery is no different than fishing the hatchery ponds. I may take my kid there when he's old enough so that he can catch a big fish. Fishing for 4 year olds. Miles of river up and downstream (fish do swim) and the lot is always full, everyone sits on top of each other right there. And everyone worries about spot burning a trickle 40 miles from anywhere.

 

[PRomano]

This Pequest thing is weird. I took my son there once for an open house, and fishing that stretch by the hatchery is no different than fishing the hatchery ponds.

Absolutely false! Catching big rainbows in the hatchery ponds is much easier and its less crowded!

Its fun to play with those large Rainbows at the TCA every once in a while. I've been there twice in the past 7 days. That's the most I've been there in 30 years and I'm probably not going back for another 30 either.

 

[Trout Nazi]

I actually fished there once. Five years ago, when I was getting back into fly fishing (dabbled in my teenage years), I went there to learn how to nymph, since I'd never nymphed before and didn't really know how. I wanted to see how the indicator reacted to a strike, how to set the hook, etc. That place was good for that. Caught several ugly, beat-up bows over 20" that felt like I was reeling in a wet burlap sack.

 

[Johnny Utah]

This Pequest thing is weird. I took my son there once for an open house, and fishing that stretch by the hatchery is no different than fishing the hatchery ponds. I may take my kid there when he's old enough so that he can catch a big fish. Fishing for 4 year olds. Miles of river up and downstream (fish do swim) and the lot is always full, everyone sits on top of each other right there. And everyone worries about spot burning a trickle 40 miles from anywhere.

I couldn't say it better myself. To me its baiters with fly rods.

 

[PRomano]

I couldn't say it better myself. To me its baiters with fly rods.

Speaking of baiters with worms, how are those pink worms coming along?