Tony Buzolich
03-29-2013, 08:58 PM
Today is Good Friday and I want to say it really was. I got on the water at 6:30 like most mornings and headed upstream to one of my usual starting points where I'd begin my first drift. The water had come up to 56 degrees in the last two days and this was a good sign. Only a slight breeze from the north and the water looks perfect. As I work my way downstream I decide to try a different approach and change sides of the river. I was the only one on the water and without other boat traffic I could take my time and fish quietly undisturbed.
Soon enough I felt a small tap on the fly and without stripping or trying to set the hook, I simply stopped and let the fly drop in mid-retrieve. Wham! The fish turned around and grabbed the fly again, this time solid. Around and under the boat we go and quickly into the net. Great way to start the day. Right at 6 pounds and back into the water he goes. I continue the drift and within the next fifty feet I get another hook-up, and another nice schoolie of about the same size. Then we repeat the same action six more times and it's barely 7:30am.
This is a fresh school of fish that must have just come in during the night. Surprisingly non of these new fish were spilling milt like others had earlier in the week. When we get a school like this that wants to eat, it's only fair to call one of your buddies and tell them to get their butt down to the river as it's happening.
I give Jim a call at work and he says he be there in five minutes and he's at the dock before I get there and quickly hops aboard.
We motor on up again and begin our drift where we think the school is holding and sure enough I get another good grab and it's "Fish On" again. All nice schoolies in the 5 lb. to 7 lb. range ,,,,,,,,until Jim hooks up. This one stays deep and doesn't twist and squirm like the others. Definitely a bigger fish and on an 8 weight really a lot of fun. After a few minutes of over and under I net Jim's 14 pounder.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/GoodFriday2013004_zpsdcde8267.jpg
What a nice way to start your day before going to work. It really is a good "Good Friday".
I get Jim back to the dock as he does need to go to work and I head back up again for "just a couple more" :) Along the way I meet Ryan Williams who was just Christening his new boat and anybody throwing a fly rod has to be an okay guy so I stop and say hello.
Ryan asked about the flies I was using and I offered him one to try and off I went. This was going to be my last drift and I thought I'd try the other side of the river as usual. Two casts and I get tight again. And then again twice more. All of the fish were carbon copies of each other as to size except for Jim's 14 lber.
So, I give thanks for a great day on the river and a Good Friday I'll never forget.
Tony
Soon enough I felt a small tap on the fly and without stripping or trying to set the hook, I simply stopped and let the fly drop in mid-retrieve. Wham! The fish turned around and grabbed the fly again, this time solid. Around and under the boat we go and quickly into the net. Great way to start the day. Right at 6 pounds and back into the water he goes. I continue the drift and within the next fifty feet I get another hook-up, and another nice schoolie of about the same size. Then we repeat the same action six more times and it's barely 7:30am.
This is a fresh school of fish that must have just come in during the night. Surprisingly non of these new fish were spilling milt like others had earlier in the week. When we get a school like this that wants to eat, it's only fair to call one of your buddies and tell them to get their butt down to the river as it's happening.
I give Jim a call at work and he says he be there in five minutes and he's at the dock before I get there and quickly hops aboard.
We motor on up again and begin our drift where we think the school is holding and sure enough I get another good grab and it's "Fish On" again. All nice schoolies in the 5 lb. to 7 lb. range ,,,,,,,,until Jim hooks up. This one stays deep and doesn't twist and squirm like the others. Definitely a bigger fish and on an 8 weight really a lot of fun. After a few minutes of over and under I net Jim's 14 pounder.
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b320/buzolich/GoodFriday2013004_zpsdcde8267.jpg
What a nice way to start your day before going to work. It really is a good "Good Friday".
I get Jim back to the dock as he does need to go to work and I head back up again for "just a couple more" :) Along the way I meet Ryan Williams who was just Christening his new boat and anybody throwing a fly rod has to be an okay guy so I stop and say hello.
Ryan asked about the flies I was using and I offered him one to try and off I went. This was going to be my last drift and I thought I'd try the other side of the river as usual. Two casts and I get tight again. And then again twice more. All of the fish were carbon copies of each other as to size except for Jim's 14 lber.
So, I give thanks for a great day on the river and a Good Friday I'll never forget.
Tony