Do you love big bluegill?

It was just KILLING me...

Had to do some work on one of the Upstream Flood Control Projects that I manage in my county, and just had to stand there and watch while the fish were going crazy!

These small lakes (10-30ac. surface area) are Federal/State funded projects on private land. The Conservation District I manage has an easement for operation and maintenance but I have never asked permission to fish in any of them (I do all my hunting and fishing on private land in the next county to avoid any perception of... whatever people perceive).

For the 2 hours I was there, scads of two inch long, bright yellow mayflies were hatching and the fish were going nuts! Huge sunfish doing tail-over-tin-cups cartwheels out of the water. Occasionally I would see what looked like a toilet flush along the feeding lines. It was little eaters getting eaten, of course. I even had a 6 weight in the truck ready to go.

The lake was way off the county road, no one in sight. Heck, the landowner probably wouldn't even care (or ever know for that matter) if I fished for half an hour. BUT... Dad always said that being ethical was doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking.

It was still painful to have to stand there and just watch.

OkKeith

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Comment by Greg McWilliams on July 14, 2009 at 9:15am: Hi Keith, I fish an 8' 2 wt., 6' 2 wt. and 8' 6" 3wt, and 8' 9" fly rods . I fish it out of a float" u-boat" tube. Have you tried Pawhuska on a full moon? Some times awesome results.

Comment by Bruce Condello on July 1, 2009 at 6:47am: That's my kinda guy.

Buys a flyrod specifically for a particular fishing spot.

Been there, done that. :-) :-)

Comment by Keith Owen on July 1, 2009 at 6:43am: Hey Greg,

I get up to Pawhuska CL four or five times a month to fish. I think it is probably the best sunfish lake in the state. The bass aren't to shaby either. I just got an 8 ft. 2wt flyrod specifically to fish that spot.

Comment by Greg McWilliams on June 30, 2009 at 5:47pm: How often do you fish Pawhuska. I am there weekly.

Comment by Don Swearingen on June 16, 2009 at 12:07am: I feel your pain! In this state, if it's stocked by the public, it has public access.

Comment by Bill "Musky" Modica on June 15, 2009 at 7:55pm: Your ethics stand tall Keith, definitely a great read!

Comment by Jim Gronaw on June 15, 2009 at 5:13pm: Rest assured that you did the right thing Kieth. Be that as it may, you'll probably regret it the rest of your life!