DaveC Posted June 4, 2016 Report Share Posted June 4, 2016 Fished another tournement for pike on Wildwood lake in St Mary's. First for me on the fly for pike. There was a great turnout with 28 boats entered with cash prizes to top 3. Fishing was really tough for everyone...some of these guys decked out in $80,000 rigs for serious buisness. I did manage a small pike at 22" . The best news of all, was my buddy who stole first place !!! He hooked 4 pike on the fly as well as big fish for the day. He took home $855.00 for finishing first, and $100 gift card for big fish. The flies he was throwing were as big as 10". Big and flashy. I was so happy for him to win over the bass and spin chuckers in the fancy rigged boats...pricelsss !!! Im really enjoying competetive fly fishing, both loch style, from the boat, bank and river for multiple species. Had great success on the grand last week hooking multiple brownies on the fly. Im almost...and I say this softly....ready to give up the float. So much fun on the fly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnipster Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler0420 Posted June 13, 2016 Report Share Posted June 13, 2016 schnipster, good to see your still alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted June 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2016 Hes alive but just barely...lol. Was second this past weekend with 355cm with my partner Mark. And we also finished first place in the arm lifting comp. hahaha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tyler0420 Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Good to see your enjoying fly fishing Dave. Might have to teach schnipster a thing or two now. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnipster Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 lol..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnipster Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 when steelhead season rears its ugly head...you will have to pin to win--swinging for steel is doo-doo they use in guantanamo bay to torture rebels.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnipster Posted June 16, 2016 Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 i sold my spey rod---unless you live near the thames in england its a waste---its pretty and all but as productive as a pidgeon toed bobsledder.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted June 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2016 Hahahaha....geez man, dont give up so easy !!! Ive learned a few new tricks. In fact, I kid you not...Im very serious about losing the float gear. The spey is not a waste of time just have to keep working at it. How much time did you really put in with it? Sure its not a float rod...but using the right setup and flies it can produce fish. I know....you like that 99 degree speedo fishing for brookies. Widen your horizons....I will fish for whatevers biting. Ive hooked one steelie on the spey rod so far in 3 outtings targeting them. Ive hooked tons of bass in the grand on my spey. I had never even cast a single hand fly rod until this year...Im having a great time with it and hooking lots of fish. Sometimes, I dont even care if I hook a fish....Wilsons has the best pizza in all of NY...lol. Man , I just like to get out and fish !!!! Fish is the bonus !!! I will be competeing in the Steelhead events as well....My confidence has skyrocketed now...and Im learning tons from these guys. Im not competeing to win....although it is something to aim for, good bunch of guys and well organized and for me its a cheap day with good lunch and learn from them as much as possible for the next time....One day Ill be like Keefer LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 18, 2016 Report Share Posted June 18, 2016 The state of swinging flys for Steelhead has been on a downward spiral for a good two seasons now.Both the returns in the Catt and the Grand have been extremely poor and I'm loosing interest.I'm up to 9 spey rods at the moment and have spent probably a decade on trying to perfect spey casts.Only a small percentage of aggressive Steelies are willing to take a swung fly and when the numbers of fish go down its even harder.If you hit a day when the fish are on eggs it doesn't matter what you swing it will be a no hitter.In past years I was gauranteed at least one or more fish per day buy recently I have gone days with out even a pluck.There is nothing like taking a fish on a 100 ft. cast but some times we become infatuated with the gear and the art of the cast.Over all the years doing it I've come to look at it as a method of fishing you like to do.Not really as effective as the instructors want you to believe...Long casts are a beautiful thing but when you walk past pocket water thats holding fish because you can't load your rod at 25 ft. it doesn't make much sense... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveC Posted June 20, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 On 2016-06-18 at 10:55 PM, Dave said: The state of swinging flys for Steelhead has been on a downward spiral for a good two seasons now.Both the returns in the Catt and the Grand have been extremely poor and I'm loosing interest.I'm up to 9 spey rods at the moment and have spent probably a decade on trying to perfect spey casts.Only a small percentage of aggressive Steelies are willing to take a swung fly and when the numbers of fish go down its even harder.If you hit a day when the fish are on eggs it doesn't matter what you swing it will be a no hitter.In past years I was gauranteed at least one or more fish per day buy recently I have gone days with out even a pluck.There is nothing like taking a fish on a 100 ft. cast but some times we become infatuated with the gear and the art of the cast.Over all the years doing it I've come to look at it as a method of fishing you like to do.Not really as effective as the instructors want you to believe...Long casts are a beautiful thing but when you walk past pocket water thats holding fish because you can't load your rod at 25 ft. it doesn't make much sense... I have to agree with what you say about the low returns. I know for sure your hookup ratio is going to be way smaller against other methods of fishing. I am not all about hooking numbers of fish, and find it boring and need change to challenge myself over float fishing. Hopefully the return rates improve and hitting some steelhead on the fly will be at better odds. I have had lots of fun hitting Bass on the swing on the grand so spey is not a total loss for me. In my short period of time fly fishing both with a spey, switch, and single hand rods I can find a rod that will work for any water situation. There is plenty of options, and steelhead dont always have to be the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schnipster Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 spey method is alot of work...i still have a switch rod for those days when its cold out and the boys wanna hit the steel. with that said stillwater and brookies are the only tweo places where you are not assaulted with crowds and idiots. in my canoe i am a peace---in the rivers i am also at peace, when i think about the credit with 20000 guys swinging dumbell size roe sacks past my rod tip i get a feeling like that time we ate chinese food in a town with no chinese folks...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom S Posted June 20, 2016 Report Share Posted June 20, 2016 I'm in the same figurative boat as schnipster. I wanted to get into the spey world in the worst kind of way a couple of years ago, but now with the busy family and busy work schedule I'm more inclined towards warmwater trips where I can sneak out for a couple hours in the evening for a wet wade. Less crowds, the people I meet tend to be friendlier, and a better chance of connecting with something. Stress relief is an Eagle Claw Featherlight, old click-pawl reel, and a willing smallie. Who knows, in a number of years when the kids are more self-sufficient and I have the means to do some more trips I might get into the spey. It still appeals to me, but it's just not practical right now. What are you saying about Chinese food schnip? Love that stuff, and it's almost guaranteed around here that every small town has a restaurant. It's like hotdogs - don't want to know, just enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.