I had a thread going early this summer about tossing nothing but big flies & living with the outcome. Here is the original thread
Here is the update...
Well, I finally made it up fly fishing with my son. We fished 2 evenings, Monday & Tuesday. We headed to the river with over sized Hex flies (Mayfly Species Hexagenia limbata) AND mouse patterns. There was several other hatches that were happening both days, evenings, and nights, but as I said, I wasn't going to bother & I didn't.
At a few points the first afternoon, I was tempted, but I didn't. Several fish were giving me the pass for smaller flies. But, at about 9pm on Monday, I got my first fish on, he hit a oversized Hex pattern & smashed it. I had him on for a good while, seemed like a 20+ class fish, but I'll never know, as he broke me off in the middle of a clear pool, no logs or anything, and I had 15lb tippet on! I about cried!
So, the fish were beginning to heat up & I wanted my son to get some for sure action in our secret hole, so I moved on down the river a bit. Sure enough, he got lots of action. Yelled to me after about 30 hour that he had one on. By the time I made my way back up stream, it was netted and he we all jacked up. Had himself a nice 17-18" class brown, which is a dandy in the part of the river, being all wading depth. We took a photo & gave him back to the river to grow some & be caught by another lucky fisherman.
My son offered up the hole, telling me he heard another larger fish hitting the hex hard over the preceeding minutes. So, I got into position and listened, as it was pitch dark now & the hex were being destroyed all over the river. Sure enough, this fella was directly where my son suggested. I took 2 casts & had my first big fish of the year. 18+ fatty.
The fishing was all but over for flies by the time we landed him & got a quick photo, so we made our way back down river to the car with me tossing the mouse. Managed one big strike, but that was it for the day.
Golfed in the morning & headed back to the river for another 8 hours of fishing tuesday. We followed the same course as the night before with my son landing another dandy & then me making my way back up river for photos & to see his prize. Released him & then the river went dead. NOT a sound for a good hour. So, I put on the mouse & made our way back to the car side by side with me pounding the mouse with my Orvis Helios onto the banks of the river. When we got to my favorite stretch of river, my biggest brown trout struck & wasn't getting off this time! 20 inch class fish, very fat & put up a super fight. My son landed him with his net & our trip was now way past a success. My son telling me that it was by for "our best trout trip ever" with the "biggest fish by far". I'm still looking for a really big monster Brown, something super special in the 24" class or above, so for now, that will keep my interest up!
My smaller of the 2 fish I caught...still a dandy!
4 dandy fish landed, 1 other 20+ class fish on BUT broke off, and we thought it was time to head to Lake Michigan to toss some bugs at some Carp on the flats of Lake Michigan, as we gave the Brown trout a pretty good work out & didn't want to spoil our buzz!
On the flats of Lake Michigan...
So, Wednesday we headed to the flats of Lake Michigan. We'd never done this sort of fishing, but heard it was great & a lot like fishing for Bone fish. So, we gave it a try. Had about 50 fish inside 20-40 feet & got several casts to them, but no dice. Wasn't our day. Was super happy with actually just finding a location & then locating some fish. So, we've got ourselves another fishing location in the summer, if nothing else. Those fish are smart, I'll say that. They spooked fast on any movement & even when we were motionless, if they spotted you, they bolted. Fun though...
Me in my new Ultralight Mosquito Headnet highly recommended...
My son was the first to venture out a bit & get the legs good and cold before getting up on this rock to get a better look. It was fun how things we read about this sort of fishing played out. I read about these fish "tailing" in the flats & could only imagine it & look for it as I scanned. Sure enough, I spotted my first big pod with this technique in mind...got to try it guys IF you've never done it. Exciting & I didn't even get one on. Very intense how a very large fish in the 15-40lb class comes crusing into your zone & you lay in wait...
Here is the update...
Well, I finally made it up fly fishing with my son. We fished 2 evenings, Monday & Tuesday. We headed to the river with over sized Hex flies (Mayfly Species Hexagenia limbata) AND mouse patterns. There was several other hatches that were happening both days, evenings, and nights, but as I said, I wasn't going to bother & I didn't.
At a few points the first afternoon, I was tempted, but I didn't. Several fish were giving me the pass for smaller flies. But, at about 9pm on Monday, I got my first fish on, he hit a oversized Hex pattern & smashed it. I had him on for a good while, seemed like a 20+ class fish, but I'll never know, as he broke me off in the middle of a clear pool, no logs or anything, and I had 15lb tippet on! I about cried!
So, the fish were beginning to heat up & I wanted my son to get some for sure action in our secret hole, so I moved on down the river a bit. Sure enough, he got lots of action. Yelled to me after about 30 hour that he had one on. By the time I made my way back up stream, it was netted and he we all jacked up. Had himself a nice 17-18" class brown, which is a dandy in the part of the river, being all wading depth. We took a photo & gave him back to the river to grow some & be caught by another lucky fisherman.
My son offered up the hole, telling me he heard another larger fish hitting the hex hard over the preceeding minutes. So, I got into position and listened, as it was pitch dark now & the hex were being destroyed all over the river. Sure enough, this fella was directly where my son suggested. I took 2 casts & had my first big fish of the year. 18+ fatty.
The fishing was all but over for flies by the time we landed him & got a quick photo, so we made our way back down river to the car with me tossing the mouse. Managed one big strike, but that was it for the day.
Golfed in the morning & headed back to the river for another 8 hours of fishing tuesday. We followed the same course as the night before with my son landing another dandy & then me making my way back up river for photos & to see his prize. Released him & then the river went dead. NOT a sound for a good hour. So, I put on the mouse & made our way back to the car side by side with me pounding the mouse with my Orvis Helios onto the banks of the river. When we got to my favorite stretch of river, my biggest brown trout struck & wasn't getting off this time! 20 inch class fish, very fat & put up a super fight. My son landed him with his net & our trip was now way past a success. My son telling me that it was by for "our best trout trip ever" with the "biggest fish by far". I'm still looking for a really big monster Brown, something super special in the 24" class or above, so for now, that will keep my interest up!
My smaller of the 2 fish I caught...still a dandy!
4 dandy fish landed, 1 other 20+ class fish on BUT broke off, and we thought it was time to head to Lake Michigan to toss some bugs at some Carp on the flats of Lake Michigan, as we gave the Brown trout a pretty good work out & didn't want to spoil our buzz!
On the flats of Lake Michigan...
So, Wednesday we headed to the flats of Lake Michigan. We'd never done this sort of fishing, but heard it was great & a lot like fishing for Bone fish. So, we gave it a try. Had about 50 fish inside 20-40 feet & got several casts to them, but no dice. Wasn't our day. Was super happy with actually just finding a location & then locating some fish. So, we've got ourselves another fishing location in the summer, if nothing else. Those fish are smart, I'll say that. They spooked fast on any movement & even when we were motionless, if they spotted you, they bolted. Fun though...
Me in my new Ultralight Mosquito Headnet highly recommended...
My son was the first to venture out a bit & get the legs good and cold before getting up on this rock to get a better look. It was fun how things we read about this sort of fishing played out. I read about these fish "tailing" in the flats & could only imagine it & look for it as I scanned. Sure enough, I spotted my first big pod with this technique in mind...got to try it guys IF you've never done it. Exciting & I didn't even get one on. Very intense how a very large fish in the 15-40lb class comes crusing into your zone & you lay in wait...