Bluegill, Bass and some weekly ramblings...

Native Fallfish on Parachute Adams

I know, this is not a bass or a bluegill. The week started out with high hopes of landing some trout on a local river. The mid-week conditions where good -- normal flows, warming stream temps and a decent mayfly hatch. Nymphs, streamers and dries where all used and the only fish to hand were these native fallfish. These are aggressive little guys that go after your dry with reckless abandon.  Only saw a couple of trout rising and one 14" bow on a spin caster's stringer. Sometimes the trout gods "just say no".

Fat Bluegill on Woven Nymph

 On the other hand, the local ponds are heating up. No shortage of action with just about any fly tied on. This becomes a great way to fish all those flies you have tied and to work on different presentation techniques.  Granted, bluegills are not trout, are not very selective and really don't get spooked, but they do spit a fly so a good cast and tight retrieve can be practiced when fishing for these guys.

Colorful Bluegill on Parachute Adams

Small Bass on Micky Finn

Also had good luck with landing bass on both nymphs and streamers.  Even had a double hook-up with a bluegill on a Klinkhammer and a small bass on a Copper John dropper.


I started tying flies about 3 years ago and one of the first was a Micky Finn.  I rarely fish this, probably because it has never produced for me, but it did come through with this small bass on the first cast.

Ian's Streamer and a Simple Pheasant Tail

Ian's beadhead black and gold streamer (exchanged in a fly swap earlier this year) continues to produce. Ian sent me two of these in the swap and, since one was lost, I tied up a couple more. While at the vise, I also tied a very simple Pheasant Tail by Ben Turpin shown on the Fly & Fin blog. I used orange thread to add in a hotspot.

I posted some more pics on the Gin Clear Facebook page as well. Do me a favor and "Like" this page, if you haven't already. Once I reach 20 "Likes" it becomes official in eyes of Facebook.

Ian's Black & Gold Streamer lands this Bass

I've yet to land a trout in 2011, but am glad there are plenty of options for warm water alternatives in my backyard. Also discovered a native brook trout stream about 5 minutes from my house.  Hooked into a small brookie about a week ago but he was camera shy and got off before a picture could be taken.

And the Red Sox.... Vowed not to post again about them until they reached .500, but here is something to get excited about.  They just took two from the Yankees in the Bronx with Josh Beckett throwing a 6 inning, 4 hit shutout last night and bullpen only giving up three more hits with no runs to close out the game.

19-20, one game shy of .500 -- will this series with the Yanks be the Red Sox turning point this season?