Out fishing today

[Soft-hackle]

Hi Everyone,
Well, I did it. I actually went out fishing today. My son-in-law got me out on the river for the first time. No pictures to show, but the day was nice. When we left the house at about 4:30 PM the outside temp was about 58 degrees F and it was sunny.

The water is actually low for this time of year. I hope this is not a precursor to a low flow year. There were some trout active and we saw Black Stone Flies on the water but the fish weren't taking them. Instead, they were after a small black fly, not a caddis flies or mayfly, but a midge of some sort.

We took a number of small fish on Leisenring's Black Gnat tied on a size 14 hook. I took one nice brown of about 14", and it put up quite a tussle. The water temp was about 45 degrees F and we remained on the water till dark. In all a good first outing.

I could see signs that spring IS trying hard to move in, but the trees have not yet started greening, but there are little nubs of skunk cabbage beginning to show through the brown leaves of last year. The birds, of course, are currently in full voice, and added their arias to the pleasant spring air.

Mark

[letumgo]

Glad to hear you had success on your first outing. Fishing should get better as spring settles in.

[Pat M]

Glad you were able to finally get out Mark! Sounds as if you wait paid off. Thanks for the report and congrats on your success.

[Ron Eagle Elk]

Mark,

Could those small flies have been Alder Flies? We have a similar hatch here when the weather starts to warm up (not like the freezing rain we have here today). The Sea Run Cutts that are returning to the salt have a feeding frenzy on the Alder flies.

Glad you were feeling up to having a great day on the water.

REE

[Eric Peper]

Nice to hear you got out Mark. Even nicer that you ran across some fish.

I can recall some pleasant April days in the Catskills seeing the fish move well to midge pupae drifting just subsurface. We occasionally did well with thread midges on #22 dryfly hooks fished in the film. Kinda Zen fishing as you rarely knew where the fly was and had to life to every bulge you saw.

EP

[William Anderson]

Mark,

This is a great post. Thanks for sharing it. I'm glad you're out and about. If things work out, I might find myself on some water this weekend, and after reading your description, I dont think I can keep from it.

EP, Thread midges are a great idea. I should probably add those to the mix.

Thanks

w

[Wizard]

Mark, glad to hear you got out. My buddy and I were going to head upstream your way this weekend as we saw the gauge read 5.0 feet, however looks as if 'Ma Nature has other ideas. With the deep cold tomorrow (Sat) I think I will just take a recon and check out a trickle that is supposed to harbor some brookies but it is a good 1.5 mile hike in from the road. With a low overnite of 28F predicted I will have to walk that far just to warm up!

[Soft-hackle]

Yes, the weather has changed back to winter temporarily, but promises to get more spring like, again. Actually, this IS early spring weather, here. It sea-saws back and forth for a while.

There's an old saying around here, "It's not really spring till the peepers are frozen three times." This is based on the spring peeper frogs we have, here.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Peeper
Once you start to hear them chirp, it has to freeze three nights anytime after that before warming weather sets in for good. Don't know if that is true or not, but it's interesting, nonetheless.

They have not yet STARTED chirping. What does that tell you?

Mark

[VERN-O]

Mark,

Never heard the 3 freezings of the peeper thing, but I like the idea.......we've had peepers chirping (heavily on Wednesday)...and a couple of times the week before......with todays blustery weather, I would say this is going to be the second freezing for our peepers.......two down one to go......we'll see if it holds true

[Soft-hackle]

Hi Vern,
I'm not sure, but I think we may be at a higher elevation than you and the Finger Lakes area has a little more temperate climate than we do-hence all the wineries. Our peepers have yet to start, but I suspect it will not be long.

Mark