I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
Monday, March 24, 2014
Spring is come!
The spring is offically here, which comes as a strange period for a dedicated fly fisherman: it no longer feels right to target grayling, who probably would still take a fly but should be definitely getting ready for something very important (wink wink). On the other hand the trout season does not open for some two weeks or so.
I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
I resolved the dilemma by going outside and unleashing my inner photo-maniac.
The resulting photos are a cliché of sort, but the buzz of honey bees among blooming plum trees was a music to my ears after the winter (mild as it was).
Thursday, March 6, 2014
Bloodworm
Not one of those fancy flies a fly dresser would use to show off his supposed tying skills, but a genuine Grayling magnet. One of the best performing winter flies, best fished on the dropper with a heavier beadhead on the point to drag the team down to the "killing zone".
The tie:
an old #10 pupa hook I had lying around, some Japanese make I suppose
red Danville's 70 den tying thread
red Flexi Floss
a layer of thin Sally Hansen's
an old #10 pupa hook I had lying around, some Japanese make I suppose
red Danville's 70 den tying thread
red Flexi Floss
a layer of thin Sally Hansen's
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Opening the 2014 Fishing Season
This year's mild winter - it almost seemed as if we had no winter at all - allowed me to start the season early. The Czech trout waters are officialy closed til mid April, so I headed to the river Úpa, which does not have trout fishing status but never the less supports a healthy population of grayling and some brown trout.
Despite the warming air temperature the water was still very cold and gin clear. There were fish present, but their activity was low and they definitely were not feeding. Imitative flies were soundly refused; this included my olive Czech style nymphs that brought me great success on the very same spots in November.
The only pattern that seemed to connect with the fish was a brightly red bloodworm. I sincerely doubt the fish were selective to bloodworms to the extent they would refuse a Ryacophila larvae (many of which were crawling below stones and in the river weeds). It was rather the bright red color that served as attractor and induced the sluggish fish to take.
Whatever the reason - this grayling was my first fish of 2014 season. And by the look of him it was not a bad start :)
Despite the warming air temperature the water was still very cold and gin clear. There were fish present, but their activity was low and they definitely were not feeding. Imitative flies were soundly refused; this included my olive Czech style nymphs that brought me great success on the very same spots in November.
The only pattern that seemed to connect with the fish was a brightly red bloodworm. I sincerely doubt the fish were selective to bloodworms to the extent they would refuse a Ryacophila larvae (many of which were crawling below stones and in the river weeds). It was rather the bright red color that served as attractor and induced the sluggish fish to take.
Whatever the reason - this grayling was my first fish of 2014 season. And by the look of him it was not a bad start :)
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