Tried something new yesterday, and a couple of firsts.....

[Allen Morgan]

I'm going to apologize up front, there are no pics.  Sorry.

I stopped at the pond at work after I clocked out.  The wind was not really doing much of anything, so I grabbed the little 4wt fly rod to see if any fish were hungry.  I started off with a popper/dropped rib, with a size 12 Gurgle-Pop and an Orange Nymph hanging below it. 

The very first cast landed, and immediately, a sunfish jumped all over the Gurgle-Pop, but no hookup.  A few minutes later, the Gurgle-Pop was slowly dragged under and started tracking off to the left, so I set the hook, and again, no hookup.

Ok, they're hungry, so find some willing biters.  I made a cast to an area just 15' away.  The rig rested for just a second, when a Bluegill jumped all over the Gurgle-Pop.  This time I connected, and brought in a male 'gill in spawning colors.  I made some casts, and brought in three more fish.

Those are the first fish I've actually caught on the 4wt.  I think I'm going to love using that thing, once I train myself to strip-set instead of raising the rod tip to set the hook.  That little fiberglass rod really bends on even normal-sized 'gills.

After all of that, I still had some time, but the fish seems spooked and/or unresponsive.  Not to mention, the wind had picked up a bit.  I put the 4wt up and got out one of my spinning rod.  I already have a weighted balsa float on it, and one of my Olive Mantis jigs in a 1/80th oz size.  I walked over to where the little brook dumps into the pond.  That little "cove" is open to the south, and with a light south breeze, it's catching the wind, which lets me drift a float rig along the weedline on the east side of the cove, not to mention the thermal effect that Jim Gronaw mentions.

First cast landed about 5' short of the weedline, but I still got a hit, which I missed.  I reeled in, and made another cast, this one landing just inches from the weedline.  It drifted for a few seconds, then the float plunged under.  Another swing-and-a-miss.  I cast the rig to a different, shallower, closer spot of the weedline.  Again, the rig drifted for just a few seconds, bouncing in the ripples on the surface, when the float partially submerged, held for a split-second, then buried itself into water.  This time I was ready, had taken in the slack at the first sign of a fish, then set the hook.  A nice solid connection that felt more like a snag then a fish.  Then the line started moving.  YES!!!  I ended up reeling in a nice Hybrid sunnie.  Over the course of the next 10 minutes, I caught two more Hybrid Sunnies, and missed a few fish, before they spooked and stopped biting.

So, first fish on the 4wt, and for the first time, I used Jeff Abney's technique of a jig under a float to catch sunfish.  I didn't tip the jig, but was still catching.

[Patricia Ramirez]

we don't need any picture, the story take you there, thanks for share, i can't wait for next week to try that technique

[carl hendrix]

good write up allen!   glad you got out and connected with a few!!

[DAVID L EITUTIS]

Great story ALLEN and glad you were able to get out a while and catch some....... Keep the story's coming buddy and keeps us all going till we start up finally.....

[John Sheehan]

Good report on your fun outing Allen!

[Leo Nguyen]

Looks like I will be taking you up on your methods. Always new method to try each time. Thanks Allen.

[Jeffrey D. Abney]

Glad to see it worked for you Allen......hopefully it will add to your excitement on fishing days. I learned this technique a long time ago along with "doodlesocking" and I hardly ever do anything else......Each type of fishing is fun in it's own way.....I enjoy the added stress of no drag system and the excitement that follows the hook set.......