Fun @ the pond!

[jbird]

I went out yesterday hoping to find steelhead to test out some new gear. The steelies werent very cooperative with the highwater here on the rogue. I hooked 2 and landed one. The one I landed was a total dud so it hardly counts. Definitly didnt test my tackle.
I knew I'd be in the proximity of the bass pond I like so I brought the 5wt and the appropriate stuff.
The bass are pretty visible cruising the shorelines. they are really spooky, but if you sneak up you can cast to them and see their reaction to your fly. This was helpful inchoosing the right fly :) The first attempt was a black wooly bugger. I got some inquisitive follows but no takes. I remembered the black beatle from last time but mustve put it in a different box cause i couldnt find it. I ended up puting on a small (#10) olive damselfly nymph. WOW!! I mustve caught a fish on every single cast for the first 30 minutes. Fish were from 8" to 3ish lbs. It was really a lot of fun. The bass in that pond are pretty educated and this was the first time I totally, completely had them fooled. I dont know how many I caught in 2 hours but it had to be over 50!

12 to 15 of them were really nice ones. No really big ones like I got on the jpig last year, but it was sweet.....it definitly beat falling out of a canoe!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/IMG_0047.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/IMG_0048.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v283/jbird35/IMG_0049.jpg

[David Lee]

Damsel time !!

Gotta love it !!!!!

Soon ........ JPIG TIME :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

David :)

[Darian]

Hi Jay,.... 3ish pound Bass sounds pretty good on a 5 wt. After that bad day you had, you deserve a really good one!!!! Sounds like the Bass're ready, willin' and able. 8) 8) 8)

[Ed Wahl]

Oh no, they got you too. There we were, happy as pigs in s--- catching trout for 8 months a year. Waiting with baited breath(?) for the trout opener. Then comes the talk of Bass, with mouths so big you can put your fist in there, fish that eat ducklings,( and maybe small children too). Now look at us, fishing for warm water species that barely justify fishing for them. And all that greenery in your pics, what's that all about? Fly fishing should be cold. Cold, cold, cold,. Go back to your snowy boat ramps, your sleety days, your days of ice forming on your rod guides, icy water in your waders. In this direction lies madness. All hope is lost for me, save yourself. :D Oh yeah, pig boat time is upon us. Ed

[JT]

Jbird,
It sounds like you had a pretty good day. I've caught so many fish on an olive damselfy nymph. The fish just tear 'em to pieces.

[peterkoistinen]

JT and JBird,

Can you provide a description, or a photo, of the olive damselfly nymphs you've had such great success with.

I have a few in my box but I'm not familiar with them (never used them).

Thanks,

Pete

[Hairstacker]

Great report Jay! Man, what a pond. . . . Some of us dream of having access to a pond like that.

[JT]

If I had a digital camera, I would post a picture of the damsels I use. Maybe Jbird could post one of his damselfly nymphs. I prefer to use ones with lots of movement (marabou tail) over the more realistic-looking flies. I usually weight the top of the thorax and use weighted eyes on larger ones to make them ride hook point up. The weight also makes the fly swim better.

[Adam Grace]

Jbird, Good going. Those are nice pond bass.

[lee s.]

GRAND report and pics. And by the pics, it looks like there will be a fine "next generation". :wink:
.....lee s.

[jbird]

Hey guys.
Thanks for the comments! Sorry for the late response, I just returned from 5 days in tahoe (ski vacation :D ). I do remember the hot fly got totally shreaded. And add to that i am having camera troubles...I'll post a pick as soon as I can. My damsels are pretty realistic. rather than suggestive.

Jay