Helgamite
Fishizzle, I use worms but I'm looking to upgrade!
A Fly Fishing Story - from a fairly new fly fisherman.
Last year, I fished a certain river in Jersey on my first day out. I was alone and enjoyed the fact that there was no one out when I arrived. I’m limited to early mornings and I find that there are not many people fishing early in the morning especially early in the season. (I think there might be a lesson in that.) Anyway, The first area I saw was a large pool on the Fly Fishing only section of this certain New Jersey River. I looked over this area and passed on it. Because it was an access point and a stocking site I imagined that fisherman must punish this area. So, I headed down stream. I fished for about 5 hours without catching or seeing a fish. It was my first year at making a serious attempt at Fly Fishing and I started to get a little frustrated. Looking back, there were many things I was missing and I have a learned a lot since then but still I was bummed. I decided to head back to my car feeling slightly dejected and telling myself the whole way, “A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.” As cliché as it is the phrase does make you feel better.
On my way to the parking area I passed the large pool. I saw that there was a guy fly-fishing in the pool. He was nymphing, as I was to learn later, and no lie he was pulling one fish out after another. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was very tired at this point but it was very tempting to just cast my line right into the pool and pull one out before I left. “NO YOU WON’T!” I said to myself. I have been fishing for along time, not fly but all other types. I always felt that casting into the same area, as someone else was just downright rude. So, I said hello and asked if he minded if I just hung out and watched for a bit. (I figured that I could learn from watching.) The fisherman, I believe his name was Bob said that he didn’t mind but asked me, “Why don’t you just come down here and fish?” I said that I didn’t want to intrude on the area that he was fishing in. He replied, “Don’t be stupid. Come down here and fish!” I had never been so happy to be told, “Don’t be stupid.”
Wading back through the water I made my way about 50 feet or so from Bob. He said, “Come closer. The place you want to cast to, is right over here.” And he pointed to a deep, fast running area at the center of the pool. Needless to say I was a little nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that he was watching me. I had a Muddler Minnow tied and was casting it where it needed to be. Well this went on for a couple of minutes without a strike and then I saw him start to wade towards me. “Oh boy!” I thought, “Here it comes.”
Flashback: “Listen Pete you are doing it wrong. I have been fishing a lot longer that you and I know what I’m talking about.” “But dad. I don’t want to fish with corn. I want to fish with a worm.” I fished with corn and caught trout. My father was right.
When Bob got to me he said, “What are you fishing with?” I showed him. He said, “Hmm. What other flies do you have?” I showed him and he continued, “They are all dry flies, you need some nymphs. That’s what I’m fishing with and that’s what they are biting on.” Bob then proceeded to give me my first real fly-fishing lesson. He told me to extend my leader, that it wasn’t long enough. He told me about getting the fly to the bottom and simulating the action of a nymph coming off of the rocks. He then opened his own fly box and handed me 4 of his own flies. Not flies that he purchased but ones that he tied on his own. “Caddis nymphs, 2 12s and 2 14s.” He explained. While I was tying a nymph on to the line, Bob reached down into the water, pulled something out and showed it to me. It was a small cone-shaped thing, made up of what looked like bark and tiny stones. Bob began to peel away what was the outer coating or shell of an insect. When he was finished he showed me the bug. It had a black head and a white/tan body. WOW! It looked exactly like the flies that Bob had just given me. He went a little further and explained the life cycle of the Caddis Fly. The he said, “Now Fish!”
This next section you can believe of not but it is totally true.
So after my lesson I was feeling pretty good. Even if I didn’t catch anything I would walk away from this day with a wealth of new fly fishing knowledge. I applied everything I learned and after some good none fly fishing related conversation I hooked into a fish. NOT JUST ANY FISH!!! Now I said earlier that Bob had been pulling out one fish after another but he admitted that the fish were stockies and not very big 6-12 inches. I hooked into something on my fourth or fifth cast that flexed my pole about as far as it could, then I let the line go and it was taking me out. Boy that was unreal. I have to say that I did a pretty good job of keeping the fish on the line and Bob was there to couch me through landing the fish. When all was said and done I had a 23inch Brown Trout in my net. HOLY MOLY!!! I looked up at Bob and he had a look on his face that was a cross between saying “Beginners luck.” and “Here endith the Lesson.”
Bob helped me take the picture of one of my best fish ever. Then he said something to me that changed the way I feel about taking fish. He said, “Wow that looks like a great breeder fish!” I slipped the fish back into the water and it swam away. I only hope that other people caught that fish and released her to be caught again.
A Little while after that things slowed down a bit, even for Bob, but the good conversation continued until something funny happened. Four other fly fishermen showed up and came down to the pool. They were on the opposite side. They didn’t say anything to Bob and I. They just started casting into the pool. And boy could they cast. I mean they were landing their flies maybe 2 or 3 feet in front of us. Can you believe that? They almost hit me with a streamer and I didn’t even get a Hello. It was about 4pm at this point and it was time to go. Both Bob and I walked out to our cars. I thanked Bob again for the 500th time, offered to pay for the flies (He didn’t take any money) shook hands and we left.
I fished that same pool this past Thursday. First time this year and early. I didn’t catch anything but had a trout rise to a Light Cahill but then it backed off. That was fun to see. By 12 noon there were 6 people on the pool. One told me as I was leaving, “Yesterday my son caught 18 here.” 18? Bob where are you?
Pete
Last year, I fished a certain river in Jersey on my first day out. I was alone and enjoyed the fact that there was no one out when I arrived. I’m limited to early mornings and I find that there are not many people fishing early in the morning especially early in the season. (I think there might be a lesson in that.) Anyway, The first area I saw was a large pool on the Fly Fishing only section of this certain New Jersey River. I looked over this area and passed on it. Because it was an access point and a stocking site I imagined that fisherman must punish this area. So, I headed down stream. I fished for about 5 hours without catching or seeing a fish. It was my first year at making a serious attempt at Fly Fishing and I started to get a little frustrated. Looking back, there were many things I was missing and I have a learned a lot since then but still I was bummed. I decided to head back to my car feeling slightly dejected and telling myself the whole way, “A bad day of fishing is better than a good day at work.” As cliché as it is the phrase does make you feel better.
On my way to the parking area I passed the large pool. I saw that there was a guy fly-fishing in the pool. He was nymphing, as I was to learn later, and no lie he was pulling one fish out after another. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was very tired at this point but it was very tempting to just cast my line right into the pool and pull one out before I left. “NO YOU WON’T!” I said to myself. I have been fishing for along time, not fly but all other types. I always felt that casting into the same area, as someone else was just downright rude. So, I said hello and asked if he minded if I just hung out and watched for a bit. (I figured that I could learn from watching.) The fisherman, I believe his name was Bob said that he didn’t mind but asked me, “Why don’t you just come down here and fish?” I said that I didn’t want to intrude on the area that he was fishing in. He replied, “Don’t be stupid. Come down here and fish!” I had never been so happy to be told, “Don’t be stupid.”
Wading back through the water I made my way about 50 feet or so from Bob. He said, “Come closer. The place you want to cast to, is right over here.” And he pointed to a deep, fast running area at the center of the pool. Needless to say I was a little nervous. Out of the corner of my eye I saw that he was watching me. I had a Muddler Minnow tied and was casting it where it needed to be. Well this went on for a couple of minutes without a strike and then I saw him start to wade towards me. “Oh boy!” I thought, “Here it comes.”
Flashback: “Listen Pete you are doing it wrong. I have been fishing a lot longer that you and I know what I’m talking about.” “But dad. I don’t want to fish with corn. I want to fish with a worm.” I fished with corn and caught trout. My father was right.
When Bob got to me he said, “What are you fishing with?” I showed him. He said, “Hmm. What other flies do you have?” I showed him and he continued, “They are all dry flies, you need some nymphs. That’s what I’m fishing with and that’s what they are biting on.” Bob then proceeded to give me my first real fly-fishing lesson. He told me to extend my leader, that it wasn’t long enough. He told me about getting the fly to the bottom and simulating the action of a nymph coming off of the rocks. He then opened his own fly box and handed me 4 of his own flies. Not flies that he purchased but ones that he tied on his own. “Caddis nymphs, 2 12s and 2 14s.” He explained. While I was tying a nymph on to the line, Bob reached down into the water, pulled something out and showed it to me. It was a small cone-shaped thing, made up of what looked like bark and tiny stones. Bob began to peel away what was the outer coating or shell of an insect. When he was finished he showed me the bug. It had a black head and a white/tan body. WOW! It looked exactly like the flies that Bob had just given me. He went a little further and explained the life cycle of the Caddis Fly. The he said, “Now Fish!”
This next section you can believe of not but it is totally true.
So after my lesson I was feeling pretty good. Even if I didn’t catch anything I would walk away from this day with a wealth of new fly fishing knowledge. I applied everything I learned and after some good none fly fishing related conversation I hooked into a fish. NOT JUST ANY FISH!!! Now I said earlier that Bob had been pulling out one fish after another but he admitted that the fish were stockies and not very big 6-12 inches. I hooked into something on my fourth or fifth cast that flexed my pole about as far as it could, then I let the line go and it was taking me out. Boy that was unreal. I have to say that I did a pretty good job of keeping the fish on the line and Bob was there to couch me through landing the fish. When all was said and done I had a 23inch Brown Trout in my net. HOLY MOLY!!! I looked up at Bob and he had a look on his face that was a cross between saying “Beginners luck.” and “Here endith the Lesson.”
Bob helped me take the picture of one of my best fish ever. Then he said something to me that changed the way I feel about taking fish. He said, “Wow that looks like a great breeder fish!” I slipped the fish back into the water and it swam away. I only hope that other people caught that fish and released her to be caught again.
A Little while after that things slowed down a bit, even for Bob, but the good conversation continued until something funny happened. Four other fly fishermen showed up and came down to the pool. They were on the opposite side. They didn’t say anything to Bob and I. They just started casting into the pool. And boy could they cast. I mean they were landing their flies maybe 2 or 3 feet in front of us. Can you believe that? They almost hit me with a streamer and I didn’t even get a Hello. It was about 4pm at this point and it was time to go. Both Bob and I walked out to our cars. I thanked Bob again for the 500th time, offered to pay for the flies (He didn’t take any money) shook hands and we left.
I fished that same pool this past Thursday. First time this year and early. I didn’t catch anything but had a trout rise to a Light Cahill but then it backed off. That was fun to see. By 12 noon there were 6 people on the pool. One told me as I was leaving, “Yesterday my son caught 18 here.” 18? Bob where are you?
Pete
