PDA

View Full Version : Delta Report - 10/02/05



Hairstacker
10-03-2005, 12:36 AM
Hit the Delta in the inflatable kayak for a few hours today. Nice, sunny day for the most part, although the wind was blowing -- had to put much more thought into boat positioning and wind direction and had to be selective on where and how I approached the fish. Using a 5 wt. rod, I fished exclusively with a much larger (like 3 times larger) #2 red/white Tap's Bug than I normally use, as I thought maybe a much bigger bug would entice some larger fish. I also decided to tie it on a Targus TAR 8089 hook rather than the Orvis 8810 hooks I normally use -- the Targus hooks are MUCH bigger and heavier despite them both being size 2's and are stinger-style, which I thought might improve hookups (the Orvis hooks are kind of half-circle). In any case, I ended up bringing 2 largemouth bass to hand, had two others come off while fighting 'em, and missed a number of good strikes.

I fished topwater exclusively and pretty much stayed with a fairly fast retrieve, stripping the deerhair bug in 6 to 12-inch noisy, gurgling strips above and just below the surface. First fish I brought to hand was just over 12 1/2" and pretty energetic, doing a nice tail-walk across the surface at one point. Shortly after that one, I hooked one that was about 13" that also did a tail-walk from left to right but threw my fly on about the 3rd or 4th head-shake while in the air. I got a number of strikes here and there, including a couple of explosive ones after that, but didn't hook up.

Was on my way back to the car and decided to fish a favorite stretch on the way back by casting downwind along the deepwater edge of a large weed mat. It was about the 15th cast, about 6 feet from the edge, when on the 3rd strip, BLAM!, I hooked up solid on a nice fish. It was confirmed when he felt the resistance of the line and went airborne. He then crashed into the water and went straight down deep and bulldogged himself into a pile of weeds. I put as much pressure on him as I dared but I ended up having to row over to him, grab the end of the leader, and pull him and a pile of weeds up as hard as I thought the tippet would tolerate. Very slowly he came to the surface and I lifted him clear -- a very fat and blocky 16"+ largemouth. As I tape-measured him, I couldn't help but notice he was a lot heavier than I would have expected for his length and he certainly felt big when I was fighting him. Ah well, as I released him and reeled in my line, I thought it was the perfect way to cap a nice day on the Delta. 8) Gotta love that place! :)

10-03-2005, 11:50 AM
Nice report Mike
My kind of fishing.

Katz
10-03-2005, 11:51 AM
You should consider submitting some of your writing to a magazine. You do a fantastic job of describing your day. Feels like we're right there in the kayak with you.

Thanks so much and keep 'em coming? :D

Hairstacker
10-03-2005, 12:57 PM
Sturmer, I think more folks would like it if they gave it a chance and were successful. Nice thing about fly fishing for bass is they're never very far away from where most folks live. 8)

Katz, thank you, I appreciate your very kind comments, especially since I know some folks would prefer reports be limited to the barest details -- how many, how big, what size and type of fly, time of day, and water conditions ONLY. I'm always concerned about saying too much or too little.

Jasonh
10-03-2005, 02:06 PM
Nice report. keep at it. One of these days i am going to have to make my way down to the delta to fish. Too many things on my to do list.

Jason Hartwick