So I heard..........

[mike N]

Some guy landed a 12#er while there were rafts floatin' on down the A today around 3:30. The funny thing is, while I was snorkeling at that spot at 3:25 I only saw 12 inchers. :roll:

Nice meeting you today, David.

Mike N

[Finsane]

what is the visibility?? 4-5 feet? easy to miss fish.

[David Lee]

Great meeting you as well , Mike !

Candida saw at least a half-dozen this size down there . I went out just to goof .... not really fishing . I made less than 5 casts when this one smacked a 1/0 Rainbow Trout Deceiver on a circle - I couldn't have been more suprised !

Here's the funny part - wife hit the 'wrong' button on the camera and shot a few video clips !
http://img532.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p8200016hs0.flv

Not quite 12 , but the fattest by far I've seen . Big , thick shoulders ...

David :D

[mike N]

Awesome! I should have swam down stream a few more yards.

MN

[David Lee]

Yeah ..... just past the bottom of that little island .

Pretty cool to watch 20 or so rafter's jaws drop when you wrassle a nice Stripe out from under them ! That was also #1 for the year (Hmmmmm .... think I need to Striper fish more often) .

David :D

[mike N]

Well, maybe I will trade in the wet suit and fins for a 8 wt and a few clousers.

MN

[Tony Buzolich]

Way to go David! That's size is a perfect fish and must have put on a really good tug.

With that clear water, are your rainbow patterns following more of a realistic or an attractor pattern?

Also, how do you "set?" using the circle hook?

Curious minds want to know,
TONY

[PaulC]

Right on David! Nice striper.
Post a pic of the rainbow pattern if you get a chance. Would dig checkin that out.
-Paul

[David Lee]

Paul -

Here ya go . Top to bottom - 1/0 Rainbow Trout Clouser , 3/0 R.T.D (also on a circle) , and the 1/0 Rainbow Trout Deceiver . The one I used Sunday is on the bottom ....

http://img.inkfrog.com/pix/fadoe/Picture_012.jpg

Tony -

I much prefer realistic in the ultra-clear waters of the American . The Chart/White Clouser is probablly the most popular fly on the American , so it would be my last choice - I doubt Stripe can actually think , but I know if they see the same thing every day of the season out there ..... it isn't what I want to throw .

I'm sure someone will come along and poo-poo on that observation :roll:

The circle hooks -

I don't do a single thing different . The fish eats , I come tight , that's it . The only difference I've seen is a big one - the circle doesn't seem to EVER drop fish . I think that out of all the strikes I've had on circles .... I've lost only TWO fish (those two I horsed a bit too hard and ripped the hook out) . Not a bad average ....

David :)

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Great David......love that video clip.

[Adam Grace]

Tony, Andy at Kiene's describes the hook setting action for circle hooks like a slower more constant strip set. Supposedly, when you pull tight the circle hook moves to the side of the mouth and then with the constant pressure the circle hook point starts to bury and kind of "corkscrew" and pierce the skin to hook the fish.

Nice rainbow flies David!

[Hairstacker]

David, nice fish! Sounds like you had quite an audience too. :D