What's Catching You Fish?

IMG_6099.jpegIMG_6042.jpegIMG_6002.jpegIMG_5969.jpegIMG_6010.jpegMoppy stuff on Cactus Creek, out in a certain corner of the state. JV bulls, pretty bows, plump whities, and one hot steelhead — but if a guy can’t bother to retie wind-knotted 8lb then don’t bitch about a break-off, dummy. Glorious, but I bugged out of the lower part early ‘cause I’m not messing with that road in weather.
 
Hoofer said:
View attachment 130267View attachment 130268View attachment 130269View attachment 130270Moppy stuff on Cactus Creek, out in a certain corner of the state. JV bulls, pretty bows, plump whities, and one hot steelhead — but if a guy can’t bother to retie wind-knotted 8lb then don’t bitch about a break-off, dummy. Glorious, but I bugged out of the lower part early ‘cause I’m not messing with that road in weather.
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that white fly w/ colored tips looks killer
 
slow half day session with a few small fish, returning to the ramp when the wind died and saw a couple of rises on the flats. Grabbed the hover line rod with Rickards Calibaetis Nymph, coupla casts and got tagged by what turned out to be my biggest Brown of the year. Long bulldog fight, so submerged release with some encouraging back and forths until it tail pumped off...left the lake with a grin I hadn't expected.
 
Gorgeous, dead calm day, air 32 and water temp 37 when I hit the lake this morning for my last session of the lake season, 50/48 when I left early afternoon. Started finding success when I switched to an orange bead leech, picking up fish in the 16" to 18" range with one bigger that earned a quick release. Due to water temp found the key was making slow strips with a long pause in between, the take usually on the pause.
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Put in my most lake days ever this season, so learned a lot, and caught enough fish that what has become most entertaining to me is not the numbers or even the size, it's cracking the code each different day to get those grabs.

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Put
 
First line I ever bought for my Sage 690 GFL was a Peach. Been a long time sine I had one, but now that I do, I lined up the Peach for today. Forgot just how perfect this pairing is, or did I just fish one so long before I think this is what setup should feel like. Guess it doesn't matter, and I always seem to have good days fishing this rod.
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And I really don't know why I carry fly boxes, I just seem to fish the last couple whatever I've tied, and that will have to do. For the daddy I think white mask hair for tail, and rusty hares ear plus body is the best, as well as the grouse hackle. After it's fished a bit I always seem to make the collar sparser with my nippers. Put a copper bead on the hares ear nymph for use to swing in deep.
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Some energetic players today.
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I’m on a work trip in Austin for two weeks, so I tied a few files before I left, and brought a glass 5wt to explore some smallish water in the hill country over the weekend. However, there is a pretty dirty pond across the street from my hotel, so I decided to check it out. I only had a half hour before the sun went down, but this damsel thing was effective. I can’t wait to get out of the city this weekend…

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ColinShots said:
I’m on a work trip in Austin for two weeks, so I tied a few files before I left, and brought a glass 5wt to explore some smallish water in the hill country over the weekend. However, there is a pretty dirty pond across the street from my hotel, so I decided to check it out. I only had a half hour before the sun went down, but this damsel thing was effective. I can’t wait to get out of the city this weekend…

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Hell yeah Colin
 
bucktail said:
The GP tippet (I think?) tail is a nice touch. Always liked the name of this fly.
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You’re right about the tail. I like the name too and have spent time thinking about why it has that name while I fish it but have yet to settle on an answer.
The fly looked goofy to me the first time I tied it but it’s grown on me and I found it really effective.
 
Little Fork said:
You’re right about the tail. I like the name too and have spent time thinking about why it has that name while I fish it but have yet to settle on an answer.
The fly looked goofy to me the first time I tied it but it’s grown on me and I found it really effective.
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I’d bet the guy who named has at least dabbled in Zen Buddhism. The woodcutter is something of a recurring character. That’s just a guess.
 
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ColinShots said:
I’m on a work trip in Austin for two weeks, so I tied a few files before I left, and brought a glass 5wt to explore some smallish water in the hill country over the weekend. However, there is a pretty dirty pond across the street from my hotel, so I decided to check it out. I only had a half hour before the sun went down, but this damsel thing was effective. I can’t wait to get out of the city this weekend…

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That fly definitely has some Dragonfly nymph look to it. Nice tie...
 
ColinShots said:
I’m on a work trip in Austin for two weeks, so I tied a few files before I left, and brought a glass 5wt to explore some smallish water in the hill country over the weekend. However, there is a pretty dirty pond across the street from my hotel, so I decided to check it out. I only had a half hour before the sun went down, but this damsel thing was effective. I can’t wait to get out of the city this weekend…
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Ah, fishin' the ol' stormwater pond...nicely done.
 
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