you guys bored of my winter trout fishing yet?

Share your fishing adventures, especially ones using antique tackle!
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Ron Mc
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you guys bored of my winter trout fishing yet?

Post by Ron Mc »

Out with with my church life group last weekend. It was cold in town, upper 20s, so turnout was less than anticipated. And that is never a problem - it's always easier to fish 6 folks than 12...
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Where we got in the river, it was 19 degrees.
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my reel froze up by the time I started fishing, from residual moisture (from Friday's trip in the rain, no doubt), but worked great when I freed it up
Rod guides iced, but I was high-sticking deep ruts in the dolomite so I wasn't hauling much water through, and the little bit of ice just made for very shooty guides
hooked up 6 and landed 3
here was my best (also remembered from the Friday's trip to remove my gloves before dipping my hand in the river)
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and while the morning never quite got warm, it did get bright
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Danny is smiling - he knows he's into something with shoulders
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it's a fine redhorse sucker - we call them Guadalupe redfish
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Danny also caught a fine trout.
Doug, his first day flyfishing, also two caught two fine rainbows, and broke off a bruiser.
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We had a great time
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and great fellowship
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it did warm into the 40s by the time we left, but there was still a layer of ice along the shady bank of the river.
Last edited by Ron Mc on Mon Jan 28, 2008 9:06 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

went back yesterday with a friend, and I had a day.

this was a common sight yesterday
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had a very good day
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By lunch, I had netted 9 trout and one more after lunch, so 10 for the day, 5 bluegill, and 5 good hookups/LDRs that ran me around long enough to be fun enough
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this 20+ incher was not even my best fish - the best was closer to 24" and after the long fight, got her back in the water quickly
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another pretty gratuitous trout shot
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there was one big female in a trough in the dolomite that I hooked up four times and never managed to land her (I only counted her for one of the good hookups.
OK, I took one shot of the big fish
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This fish took Ray around and around and but came unhooked a few seconds after this photo
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Great BWO hatch in the morning
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My last trout was in the opening of the afternoon caddis hatch, fishing one of my favorite ways, with a Teeny BS100, making down and across wetfly swings - and a soft hackle to imitate a swimming caddis.
Then busted off two brute fish in the caddis hatch and called it a fine day.
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john elder
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Post by john elder »

Hey, good to see your show come back to town, Ron! Started to worry that you were going to work or something crazy :shock: ..Beautiful pics, as usual...Did you anchor the newby in the middle of the river?...or what is that thing going down his back into the water?
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

Danny is far from a newb. I think that's his wading staff.
Jack Bright
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Are you kidding ????

Post by Jack Bright »

Bored ? I say NOT. Great shots, but puzzled of two that show reel in upright position, why ? And did I hear right, you called a red horse sucker a "fine"
fish ? Yech ! Sorry, but 'trash' here in Michigan.
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

I was in the groove yesterday.
The three guys fishing the same water - my buddy Ray; a guide and his fare (and we're all friends, so nothing stuffed shirt here) - netted one fish between them.

I was even trying to direct them to where I had caught fish and knew there were more, or where I had seen rises.
They would fish it, and move on, then I would move into the same spot and catch the fish.

I usually fight cane backwards, to counter the fishing set from nymphing work and striking fish. I put my arm across my chest, which reverses the bend in the rod and puts the reel in just the right place for thumbing the spool face.

In our tailwater, redhorse suckers are the natives - and a 20" redhorse will put a 25" rainbow to shame for speed and muscle.
But if you're catching redhorse, you're matching the hatch.
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qwapaw
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Post by qwapaw »

Never do I get bored of fishing and great fellowship. That is what life is all about when we aren't collecting reels isn't it. I do enjoy these photos and stories. Keep them coming, Thank you, Dan Uchytil
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

This was the first day out for the rod, an 8-1/2' Heddon #17 1-3/4 ferrule. Really a fine rod, will fish a WF4, but I loaded up a DT5 on the Varden, which fit the seat and balanced the rod best.
A month ago I contacted Rob Sherill in Dallas about a cane rod for my buddy. Rob came up with this rod (a few detractions, but fishing is NOT one of them - it's delightful). My buddy bought a rod on ebay instead and I couldn't pass up Rob's deal.
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Reelman
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Post by Reelman »

Bored no. It at least lets me see and remember what it was like when I could get near the water.
Richard Lodge
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Is it spring yet???

Post by Richard Lodge »

Fantastic photos and great fishing, Ron. Thanks for sharing all of it. Sounds like you're as close to a trout bum as one can be in the winter. My Mass. license came in the mail today but it'll be a while before I can cast a line. So thanks for sharing.
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

Hi Richard,
the winter is when you can be a trout bum here.

I fish a few dawns in the summer to check on the holdovers, but where they do holdover, they're down by 9am and they really don't need to be harassed in the summer heat.
For most of the year, the tubing livery businesses run the tailwater (they love us for their winter economy, and the business organization contributes $10,000/yr to our fisheries fund).
For 9 months out of the year, I'm an endemic Guadalupe bass bum in the hill country headwaters

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(this fish is probably a state record that I released so she would spawn in the wild)
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Last edited by Ron Mc on Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Robin Sayler
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Post by Robin Sayler »

Ron, I never get sick of your posts. Just gets me pumped up for trout season! Its only 3 months away! :D
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BirdDog
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Post by BirdDog »

Ron

No, Keep posting . It makes me feel warm seeing the open water.



Don
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

had to show this one from last weekend. Caught her swinging wetflies on a Teeny sinking line during a caddis hatch.
She was deep in the hole, and no wonder - look at the talon grab behind her head - with as many ospreys as winter here, I'm surprised this palomino has lasted this long...
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check out this BWO hatch from the week before
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Robin Sayler
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Post by Robin Sayler »

Very Nice Ron! I'm going trout fishing next week. Won't be dressed as lightly as you guys can though as I have to go through the ice yet. we're going lake trout fishing in ontario next week.

I'm still jealus you can catch trout like that in winter.

Only 2 months and counting till I can get the fly rod out again! :D
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Ron Mc
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Post by Ron Mc »

the redhorse suckers are spawning up on the gravel now and crystal roe patterns at the bottom of any gravel bar will tear them up right now. And not just the trout - the suckers nail them, too.
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