Ahhhh....It felt like early fall!

Beautiful rays of sun, a nice gentle breeze and temperatures in the mid 70s-absolutely perfect conditions for creek stomping. The snooze button (damn that thing!) got the best of me; as a matter of face, it delayed my day by five hours. I was out of bed at 10am rather than 5am like I had planned for. Ah well, the river was still where I left it last time-like a good friend! Today's efforts yielded a 11icnh large mouth taken on a little sparkie (my version of an electric deceiver) and a descent size small mouth, which opted for a marabou streamer I tie (pictured above, both the articulated and non-articulated versions). The large mouth held it ground for a good while and felt very strong, unlike the more agile small mouths which like to run, jump and splash.

My new tying materials arrived early last week, so I have been on a week-long tying binge ever since. Today I had the opportunity to take these flies for a swim, and they preformed well other than the holographic eyes with "water proof" adhesive-note the quotation marks. Looks like I am going to have to get used to using Zap-a-Gap and having my fingers stuck together from now on.

The small mouth were very curious today as they would chase down and engage in a staring competition with all of my flies. The fish would either swim along side my flies admiring my tying abilities (apprently, lack there of), or immediately strike it. I am still having issues with hook sets, so next time out I will be trying flies with stinger hooks on them; this should indicate whether short strikes or my line control is the issue. Fish were found in the same usually haunts: slow placid runs approximately 2-3ft deep below a major rapid, current seams and around boulders. The small mouth were most active between 11 and 2pm when it was sunny and calm. A breeze picked up and clouds moved during the latter afternoon hours, but fish were still around and playful.

I am slowly learning that how one approaches a piece of water often dictates whether or not fish are interested in your offerings. Specifically, I had much succuss by walking out and around a run or pool in the down stream direction, and then reapproaching the pool from downstream. It is helpful to walk behind boulders, bushes and vegetation in order to position yourself; I theorize such structures dampen your vibration and hide you while absorbing your shadow. If the water is not super clear and fish are bold, use the same technique but move upstream instead of downstream in order to fish a more tradition swing. In fact, an area adjacent to river access is holding many fish which will only hit a fly if I circle downstream 25 yards or so behind bridge supports and on the backside of islands. Unproductice approaches include walking the bank and waiting till fish until you are immediately adjacent to fishy waters hovering above. I also believe you are better off fishing closer to the water's surface rather than perched high above it (i.e. maintain a low profile unless you have grey blue feathers, sharp beak and a 4ft wing span). Also, try casting back away from the water's edge if possible even if your visibility of the pool is skewed.