Finally got on the water!

[JBplusThuy]

I finally got on the water today for the first time in ages, rising at 4:00 for the occasion. Float tube, a couple of fly rods, and one spinning rod preloaded into the minivan the night before, so all I had to do was get in and drive.

The day started off really slow. After paddling from the parking lot area across to where I intended to start prospecting, I had a tiny bass (6 or 7" hit the popper I was trolling from my fly rod as I went. Then, around the point, some hits on a nightcrawler piece but no hook-up. Back to the popper, and I missed a nice one on the outside of the reeds, twice. Big swirl at my popper, but no joy. Could have been two fish, but the swirl looked like the same one coming back for a second pass. Looked like a bluegill, no big splash like a bass makes.

Then, just before 10:00, I switch to a tactic I read about right here on BBG: popper and dropper. I tied on a chartreuse popper with whte legs and hung a copper john below it as a dropper.  Sometimes tipped with a wax worm, sometimes not. Fish on right away! Before I could even get the thing in my basket, my wife called. I'd been expecting it. It's a kind of ESP thing or something :)
Got off the phone, got the popper and dropper back in the water. Another fish. And another and another. Most tiny, but some big enough to keep. Just then, check time and realize I need to leave because my wife needs the car at 12:00. A sad goodbye to the bluegill, but now I know where to go next time :-)

In the end, only 4 were big enough to keep, and I missed at least twice as many as I caught.

No pics, 'cuz they aren't worthy of BBG, but they were fun to catch anyway, and I love that I got them all on a fly rod :-)

[JBplusThuy]

I'll try the sinking line next time out, if it's a deep spot. This last time, it was relatively shallow, or at least there were weeds reaching up a good way from the bottom. The actual water depth may have been 8 - 10 feet, but there was about 4 feet above the weeds.

@Mark - if you use an indicator on a sinking line, doesn't the sinking line tend to pull the indicator under?

Thanks, guys! BBG is the best! I've learned more about catching bluegill since I found BBG than in my entire life before that.

[Greg McWilliams]

JB, When you get a hit it will TELEGRAPGH up thru you ROD HAND!!!!!! Just as with a spinning rod you FELL IT!!!!! Actually I started catching more fish when I went to the SINKING line!!!!! Same Line you have!!!!!

[Mark Stine]

there are several kinds of indicators you can use on your sinking line, some are a tiny styrofoam float some are brightly colored yarn that you can add to your line, but I just prefer to watch my line for movement

[JBplusThuy]

Yes, I do have a full sinking line (1.5 - 2 IPS), but what I don't have is any clue of how to know I've got a hit when using it :p

[Greg McWilliams]

Do YOU have a SINKING FLY LINE??????

[JBplusThuy]

The weather has been wacky indeed. I fished under a solid overcast. OTOH, that helped keep me cool. Water temp felt pretty warm. Didn't measure it, but never felt the slightest touch of cool through my jeans and lightweight breathable waders.

I'd love to take photos while I fish, but I'm too afraid of my phone going to a watery grave :p

BTW, this was at Lake Murray, the place that coughed up that humungous BG-Redear hybrid a little while back. No such fish for me, though lol. This lake also purportedly has black crappie, but I've never seen one.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Good Post JB.....I like the details in your fishing testimony........I'm going to venture into the video/detailed testimony relm soon......I keep good diaries and have for years with detailed conditions about weather, water clarity and temperature, lure choice and locations......It's amazing to look back and match up dates and see how the moon phases or cold fronts impact the bite........Glad you got out and had success on the flyrod......

[Leo Nguyen]

Woohoo! Touching the cool water of southern CA. Too bad the heat wasn't higher or you would been doing great. Weather has been wacky lately.