At ease fishing

While out at the lake a couple of weeks ago it was busy with people barbequing, swimming, and as always a few folks fishing. I always take a few minutes to watch what others are doing to see if someone is catching fish. It seems the order of the day was to have a lawn chair or some form of seat and kick back with a line in the water while consuming one’s favorite beverage. I am always struck by this kind of laid back style, taking it all in with some friends and casual conversation. It’s not my style to sit and fish, although I have been known to do it on occasion.

As I walked over to see my usual friends at one end of the lake, not the two legged friends, the ones in the lake that I have caught, I am sure, more than once! In fact I believe we are on a first name basis. While walking to my spot I stopped to talk to a few people along the shore and the luck they were having. Pretty slow was their response.

I thought for minute, I knew I had caught fish there many times so I asked what they were using and got the usual answer, worms. Well, worms work and if you like to cast a line and wait for the fish to come to you, that’s OK too. I offered a couple of suggestions and got the standard look, thanks, we got this!

I continued down the shore line to my first stop and put my gear down and grabbed my search rod. Search rod you ask? I have a rod rigged with a lure that in most lakes fish from bass to bluegill’s will at least take a swipe at. Most people I know will grab their favorite lure and start chucking and winding hoping that something with run it down and hit it. That can work, especially if you have some kind of track record with it.

My bait is the right size, color and action that even if a fish doesn’t take it they will hit it out of curiosity, hence search bait. If I get a hit I make a mental note on the area of the hit. A bass, in most cases will hit and suck it in; all I have to do is set the hook.

Many times I am after crappie and bluegill with my ultra light gear and will get a hit, but no take. That’s when I know who the customer is. Once I have located the fish, I grab my light weight rod, either an 8’ 1-6 lb rod or my Tenkara. The choice of rod depends on the distance the fish struck it. If the hit was out of range of the Tenkara rod, which is my preference, I grab the spinning rod. This day the fish were all in close to the bank. Around this time of year fish are spawning so most fish are not more that 15 feet from shore. I grabbed the Tenkara and started casting. After 4 or 5 casts the first fish bit, a nice crappie followed by several more, and then the bluegill jumped into the fray.

Two hours later I had brought 25-30 crappies and a bluegill to hand, all on a fly that I tied myself. The fly was designed by a guy in England over 50 years ago, and the dang thing still takes fish. After catching my fill from basically the same spot, I packed up and headed back down the bank. I spotted the same folks I met on the way in and asked if the fishing had improved and received an uttered response, “still slow”.

I knew what the next question was going to be, “how did you do?” While having been in their position before and trying to be gracious I said, “I got a few”.

know they still had a great day spending time with family and friends and in the long run that’s what it’s all about!

‘Til next time, tight lines!