Ar 9/20/09 report w/ pic

[Jgoding]

Forgot me camera but my phone had just enough juice left for a quick pic. After zooming back from a Tahoe weekend I ran out to the AR and picked up this fat 15-16"er (hatchery fish, thought about bonking it, but let em swim off unharmed). Caught a ton of small squaws too saw some bigger fish working in some shallows.... probably suckers.... Hit the river about 6:30pm, off before 8pm. Kevin caught a 8" smolt. Saw another fish making a ruckus but I think it was a striper busting small squaws but it could've been a bright Hp'er too.... all I saw was white/chrome when it splashed a few times. But it was in the same spot where I broke a fish off on the grab Thurs evening. Fish fought well and I was so excited when it rolled on the hookset after I saw it come up and take the fly and all I saw was pink sides!

edit: Also caught one squaw with fungal growth (white fuzzy stuff) and saw another with the same stuff covering his tail end... kind of weird as I've never seen it on the AR before.... but the one fish I caught with it had mid body, full ring around him about an inch thick and it was swollen with some red spots.

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e336/jgoding/09-20-09_185024.jpg

[STEELIES/26c3]

That's a purdy girl Jeff way to go~

She'd better stop eating so many caddis flies or she'll be too fat to swim away from mama hoover...

M

[Jgoding]

Thanks Mark,

The pic doesn't do the fish justice as it had some nice color but I was in a hurry to get out of the house and forgot the real camera. Luckily I charged my phone for a few minutes before leaving.

I was bummed after breaking off my first shot at a real nice fish Thursday when it hit but I feel a lot better now. Nothing like swinging flies in the surface film and seeing the take on a tight line swing.

[Jeff C.]

Nice football!! I'm glad to the hear that halfpounders are showing up. The last one I caught on the AA was about a month ago. I've only been catching smolts and small squawfish. I'm going to try to make it out at least one evening after work this week.

[Jgoding]

Would've been a good eater for sure! And I would've loved to see what she'd been eating too but CnR seemed the right thing to do especially for the first fish of the season. I really should try to learn some nymphing techniques too. Craigfalk beat me to trying to use a big hopper/caddis pattern and seeing what hits that for grins..... so maybe it's time to try something different just to see if it helps with more fish to hand but swinging flies up high and seeing takes is epic sometimes...

Haven't seen a lot of fish working but that's been the norm the last few years in the area I like to fish. I like the challenge though but it's always a thrill to swing flies to a working fish and getting that grab.

[craigfalk]

Jgoding,

That's a beautiful fish. Well done! For some reason, I have not caught any half pounders while swinging wet flies. I usually give it a try for awhile, but I have no confidence in my technique. Since I've had some success with the dry flies, I always start out with that method. We're lucky to have these fish in our backyard.

Craig