Improve your angling know-how by learning to identify and fish different types of cover.
Cover Fishing Basics
In dense populations, emergent vegetation will hold a variety of species. Thick growth can be difficult to fish beyond the short-cast tactics of pitching and flipping.
Learning to effectively fish cover is a fundamental angling skill. In this article, I’ll overview some common types of cover found in lakes and river systems and share tips on how to fish them for a variety of species.
Cover versus Structure
These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. When you get down to it, structure refers to the physical characteristics of the water body, such as points, reefs and islands. Cover, on the other hand, is the add-on features, such as docks, fallen trees and vegetation. A good way to remember the distinction is that if you were to drain all the water from a lake, the structures would not move.
Why Cover is Important
Fish relate to cover for shelter and security from the sun and predators. At the same time, cover provides predators with hiding and ambush areas. Elaborate and large areas of cover are like “aquatic neighborhoods” with each stage of the food chain present. From insects, to pumpkinseeds, to largemouth, cover serves as a place where fish come to feed, or hide-out in an effort to avoid being eaten.
Three Types of Aquatic Vegetation
As noted in the above example, aquatic vegetation is prime fishing cover. A good way to talk about weeds is by classifying them into floating, emergent and submerged categories as each has slightly different features for fish.
Floating Vegetation: Many anglers affectionately refer to floating vegetation as “slop”. Slop is often sought-out by largemouth bass enthusiasts. Slop is a combination of thin, strand-like algae and other floating vegetation that is mixed with emergent plants (like lily pads and coontail). In bays with limited water movement, slop sticks to other types of weeds, forming a large, floating mat that attracts largemouth. In deeper bays, slop will also hold pike and muskie.
Fishing slop is extremely fun when the fish are on and you have the right tools. Wander into a slop-filled bay with a spinning rod and eight-pound test and, to loosely quote the movie The Untouchables, “You’ve brought a knife to a gun fight”. Slop requires heavy-action rods and heavy line (with 17-pound test monofilament or fluorocarbon and 30-pound test braid being recommended minimums). Lure choices include weedless soft-plastics or surface baits. Some of my favorite lures to use to fish slop are lizards or paddletail worms teamed with heavy sinkers to punch through the thick mats. Floating frogs such as Bass Pro Shops’ Tender Toad or Snag Proof Bobby’s Perfect Frog or toads such as Mann’s HardNose Swim Toad and Gamber’s Cane Toad are also great slop baits. When a bass explodes on one of these, its sends both weeds and your heart rate soaring.
Emergent Vegetation: An emergent plant grows in the water with some of its top extending beyond the surface. Reeds or bulrushes are an example of emergent vegetation. In dense populations these plants will hold a variety of species. Thick growth can be difficult to fish beyond the short-cast tactics of pitching and flipping.
Reeds and bulrushes are a prime largemouth spots in certain conditions. My favorite time to fish reeds and bulrushes is when they are being pounded with a warm, summer wind and waves. This pattern has held for me on numerous outings, and tossing Colorado-bladed spinnerbaits or Texas-rigged plastics have taken several largemouth aggressively feeding among the reeds.
Reeds are also a regular haunt for northern pike early in the season. Weedless swimming spoons can excel in average growth areas. These baits let you to quickly cover a lot of water in search for roaming northerns. Examples include Bass Pro Shops’ XPS Lazer Eye Weedless Spoon, Northland’s Jaw Breaker and Johnson’s Original Silver Minnow.
Lastly, reeds will hold panfish, like crappies and bluegills, in early spring. Slip bobbers and small micro jigs will easily take these pint-sized fish.
Submerged Vegetation: Submerged weeds make up a large percentage of fishing cover and will attract a variety of fish species. Weedflats and weedlines are two common examples. Walleye, bass, pike, muskie, trout and panfish are all drawn to weedflats and weedlines.
To work the edges of weeds, you can use lures like crankbaits, spinnerbaits or swimbaits. To fish the thick stuff, you need gear that’s fairly weedless. For walleye, consider a Lindy Veg-E-Jig. Largemouth and smallmouth can be fooled using soft jerkbaits or topwater baits. When it comes to pike and muskie, it’s tough to beat an inline spinner or a bucktail spinnerbait on a fast retrieve over the top of weeds.
If targeting trout in weeds, my best success has come when trolling wet flies over their tops. It’s a simple approach, but it’s fooled many rainbows for me over the years.
The Wonder of Wood
Wood is a relatively broad category when it comes to fishing cover. It can include sunken logs, standing timber, fallen trees (laydowns), beaver dams, docks and more. The point is, when you locate wood — fish it.
Fishing Cover BasicsWood is less forgiving than weeds when you get snagged and it can be frustrating to fish if you aren’t used to it. Snags will happen if you’re not paying attention. Here are some tips for fishing the various types of wood cover.
Standing Timber: Timber can attract all types of bass and other game fish as well. Often common in reservoirs, working these trees calls for heavy duty gear and precision fishing. Straight retrieve topwater baits can shine during low-light and overcast conditions, some examples include Bass Pro Shops’ Sputter Ace Hardbait, buzzbaits, Heddon’s Wounded Zara Spook or Rapala’s Skitter Pop. Spinnerbaits will also work when the timber isn’t too dense. Flipping jigs or Texas-rigged plastics may be better to fish the thick stuff.
Fallen Trees and Beaver Dams: There are dozens of methods to fish fallen trees (also called laydowns). Most often associated with bass and panfish, I’ve also hooked muskie and pike from laydowns. Topwaters or big jigs with brush guards are two good options to fish these trees. These tactics will also work to fish beaver dams.
Fallen trees can also be phenomenal for brook trout as well as other trout species. Small inline spinners, spoons and flies will take trout around wood. Find a beaver dam on a trout lake and approach it with respect as it may hold a trophy speckled trout.
Docks: Docks are a beacon to many anglers, symbolizing a trophy’s fortress. To give yourself an edge, learn to approach and fish docks quietly. This ensures you won’t spook fish. If you can, work docks first with long casts, then move in and use short pitch and flip casts. Use snag-resistant lures to lessen your chances of snags, which dock owners will appreciate.
Other Types of Cover
Weeds and wood are the two main categories when it comes to fishing cover, but you may stumble on other fish-holding stuff during your adventures. For example, you may not initially think of tires as a good piece of cover, but these sunken circles will sometimes hold big largemouth bass.
When you find a new piece of cover, look at it in the context of the surrounding water features. Being inquisitive will result in you learning to differentiate between good versus bad types of cover and answer questions like: Why does this bay of lily pads hold bass but the other one doesn’t? Or why are all the rainbow trout relating to sunken logs on this side of the lake?
Consider cover in the larger context of the water body you’re fishing, and you’ll improve your angling know-how over the seasons.
Improve Your Sight with Polarized Glasses
What’s the one constant for shallow-water fishing around cover? Wear polarized glasses. They reduce the glare off the surface, letting you see easier through the water. Being able to see cover is critical to being able to fish it properly. Invest in a quality pair of sunglasses if you don’t already own polarized shades. They’ll make you a much better angler when fishing cover.
written by Tim Allard
Friday, December 19, 2008
Fly Fishing for Panfish
Fly fishing is an incredible pastime, but sometimes it can get a little too serious. When you’re worn out from hatch-matching for highly selective fish, panfish are there to remind you why you got into the sport in the first place — because it’s fun.
Panfish on the fly
“Panfish offer excellent opportunities for fly anglers — especially those new to the sport — to make the most of their fly-fishing gear and gain invaluable fish-catching experience.”Some things go hand in hand — largemouth bass and spinner baits, northern pike and red and white spoons, walleyes and jigs, and panfish and flies. Yes, panfish and flies.
Okay, I’ll concede that more anglers associate panfish with cane poles and floats than five-weights and dry flies. But I believe that’s only because they’ve never had the opportunity to try what has to be the most stress free, productive and fun fishing out there — fly fishing for panfish.
In fact, there are so many reasons to take your trout rig to the bluegill pond, perch grounds, rock bass shores that I’m not sure I’ll be able to do them justice in the space of this article.
An Embarrassment of Riches
Let’s first acknowledge the fishing opportunities that panfish provide. They are arguably the most prolific and widespread gamefish in southern Canada and the continental United States, especially east of the Rockies.
Depending on where you live, the dominant panfish could be yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass, black or white crappie, or any of the other sunfishes.
Whatever your local species, they’re probably plentiful. In fact, most jurisdictions have extremely generous limits on panfish, if they have any at all. And most of us live within an easy drive of good panfish water too.
In other words, they offer excellent opportunities for fly anglers — especially those new to the sport — to make the most of their fly-fishing gear and gain invaluable fish-catching experience.
Going to School
In fact, I’ve always thought that immediately after learning the basics, every new fly angler ought to be directed straight to a body of water that holds panfish. And if you’re trying to teach a child about fly fishing, there’s no better classroom.
Panfish on the Fly
“A float tube or canoe will help you get close to spooky fish and are ideal for smaller lakes and ponds.”Want to learn how to detect a subtle take? Try dead drifting a pheasant tail nymph through a school of Pumpkinseeds. Want to improve your hook up rate with streamers? Cast along a rock bass inhabited shoreline with a Woolly bugger. And, if you need to refine your dry fly techniques, bluegills are only too happy to help — especially if you’re offering a foam spider.
The point is simple: panfish, because of their numbers and aggressive nature, give an experienced fly fisher plenty of opportunities to experiment — something that few of us want to do on a trout stream — and a new fly angler some much needed insights on casting, presentation, fly selection and a whole lot more. These lessons come in handy when chasing trout, bass or any other less-forgiving fish.
The Gear
Some fly anglers downsize their gear when targeting panfish. Three- and four-weight (or even lighter) fly rods can make each fish more challenging and help when tiny, delicate flies are the order of the day. They’re also a whole lot of fun and can do double duty on the trout stream.
But a decent 5- or 6-weight rod will do just fine for panfish and most other species too. Add a balanced reel and a quality floating line and you pretty well have all the bases covered.
I like a 6-weight rod because it provides a fighting chance when the occasional bass enters into the fray — a common occurrence when panfishing. Heavier lines are also easier to cast on windy days or to spooky fish that are less approachable. Additionally, if you’re prospecting a lake looking to find the schools, sometimes the additional casting ranges of heavier rods can be helpful. the other fly fishing accessories, including a good vest, can make an excursion more pleasant; but the one that ranks highest, in my opinion, is a pair of quality polarized fishing glasses. The eye protection (from the sun and from hooks) and the sight-fishing advantages they offer are simply indispensable. They’re a must, especially for those new to casting.
Lastly, a float tube or canoe will help you get close to spooky fish and are ideal for smaller lakes and ponds.
The Flies
Fly selection is really a matter of personal preference. I generally carry an assortment of flies that will cover the water column.
Having said that, I almost always start out fishing with streamers. They’re simple, efficient and productive, if the fish are on the hunt.
Panfish on the Fly
Targeting panfish allows new fly anglers time to practice newfound skills such as casting, presentation, fly selection and a whole lot more.I have found size 10 bead-head Woolly buggers in white, olive, and black to be deadly on perch, crappie, and rock bass — the fish I encounter within my region. I’ll go with white on bright days and, if fish aren’t hitting soon, try olive, and then black. White, by the way, is an excellent and instructive color when streamer fishing because an angler can often see a white fly even when deeply submersed. If this is the case, set the hook as soon as the fly is bumped or disappears — this often signals a strike.
I’ve also had exceptional success with Muddler minnows, Silver outcasts, Black-nosed daces, and a slew of other well-known streamers. I prefer bucktails simply because they are more durable.
It should also be noted that Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds and the like can be taken on top water — a classic warm-water fly fishing scenario. If they’re willing to play, my go-to flies are small cricket and hopper patterns, foam spiders, balsa poppers or floating ants. Standard dries such as an elk-hair caddis or parachute Adam’s are also effective. Your best chance to encounter this type of action is early in the morning. As the sun or wind comes up they’ll go deeper and, as a rule, be less surface oriented.
When this is the case, I scale down to small woolly worms or, more often, go to a size 12 or 14 nymph under a strike indicator. Smaller streamers will work, but I have found that nothing beats a nymph set at the right depth (at the school’s level or slightly higher) if they are in a less aggressive mood.
I was reminded of this once again just two days prior to writing this article when nothing, it seemed, would work except a size 12 bead-head Pheasant tail nymph. But work it did. My catch rate went from two Pumpkinseeds in a half hour to a dozen in less than10 minutes. It was like flipping a switch. I’d have the same faith in a Gold-ribbed hare’s ear as well as a Prince nymph or Zug bug, just to name a few.
When it comes to wet flies, I like the simplicity of the Partridge and Orange or Partridge and Green patterns as well as Light Cahills, Alder flies and Black gnats. As long as they are size 10 or smaller and buggy looking, they’re worth a try and often very effective.
Finally, though panfish are generally easy to catch, there are times when the fuss factor is high. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to try something new. A good panfish angler has a full bag of tricks.
Slow Things Down
With the right fly and the school located, it’s time to slow things down. Most panfish stalk flies deliberately and will almost always examine a fly before striking. Sudden movement often spooks them.
Panfish on the Fly
“Depending on where you live, the dominant panfish could be yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass, black or white crappie, or any of the other sunfishes.”That’s why slow-hand twist retrieves work well with streamers, wet flies, and nymphs. Poppers, foam spiders, and dry flies, on the other hand, should be activated after being allowed to sit for a while after hitting the surface. It’s in those long pauses, when the ripples have almost died down, that you’ll hear the plop sound of a surfacing sunfish sucking in your lure.
Also, remember that panfish are cautious by nature, and you’ll do better using fine tippets of 4 pounds or less. Also, try not to cast over your target fish — nothing will spook a school like the shadow and splash of a line.
When a fish does take the fly, raise the rod deliberately and tug on the line. This isn’t bass fishing; huge hook sets aren’t required, but being alert and quick to respond is.
And It’s Okay To Keep Some Too…
If you need one more good reason to consider panfish, shore lunch just might be it.
While many fly fishers feel pressured to practice catch-and-release with trout — even when it isn’t regulated — with panfish, a fish fry is almost tradition. They are, as their name implies, tailor-made for the fry pan and their numbers are such that, in most places, they can sustain heavy fishing pressure. No one need feel guilty about having a feed of these tasty fish. If anything, thinning out numbers keeps a lake’s population from getting stunted.
It’s All About Fun
Fly fishing is an incredible pastime — but sometimes it can get a little too serious. So, when you’re worn out from hatch-matching or from trying to figure out what highly selective fish are taking, panfish are there to remind you why you got into the sport in the first place — because it’s fun.
Give it a try. I think you’ll see that panfish and flies really do go together.
written by Steve Galea
Panfish on the fly
“Panfish offer excellent opportunities for fly anglers — especially those new to the sport — to make the most of their fly-fishing gear and gain invaluable fish-catching experience.”Some things go hand in hand — largemouth bass and spinner baits, northern pike and red and white spoons, walleyes and jigs, and panfish and flies. Yes, panfish and flies.
Okay, I’ll concede that more anglers associate panfish with cane poles and floats than five-weights and dry flies. But I believe that’s only because they’ve never had the opportunity to try what has to be the most stress free, productive and fun fishing out there — fly fishing for panfish.
In fact, there are so many reasons to take your trout rig to the bluegill pond, perch grounds, rock bass shores that I’m not sure I’ll be able to do them justice in the space of this article.
An Embarrassment of Riches
Let’s first acknowledge the fishing opportunities that panfish provide. They are arguably the most prolific and widespread gamefish in southern Canada and the continental United States, especially east of the Rockies.
Depending on where you live, the dominant panfish could be yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass, black or white crappie, or any of the other sunfishes.
Whatever your local species, they’re probably plentiful. In fact, most jurisdictions have extremely generous limits on panfish, if they have any at all. And most of us live within an easy drive of good panfish water too.
In other words, they offer excellent opportunities for fly anglers — especially those new to the sport — to make the most of their fly-fishing gear and gain invaluable fish-catching experience.
Going to School
In fact, I’ve always thought that immediately after learning the basics, every new fly angler ought to be directed straight to a body of water that holds panfish. And if you’re trying to teach a child about fly fishing, there’s no better classroom.
Panfish on the Fly
“A float tube or canoe will help you get close to spooky fish and are ideal for smaller lakes and ponds.”Want to learn how to detect a subtle take? Try dead drifting a pheasant tail nymph through a school of Pumpkinseeds. Want to improve your hook up rate with streamers? Cast along a rock bass inhabited shoreline with a Woolly bugger. And, if you need to refine your dry fly techniques, bluegills are only too happy to help — especially if you’re offering a foam spider.
The point is simple: panfish, because of their numbers and aggressive nature, give an experienced fly fisher plenty of opportunities to experiment — something that few of us want to do on a trout stream — and a new fly angler some much needed insights on casting, presentation, fly selection and a whole lot more. These lessons come in handy when chasing trout, bass or any other less-forgiving fish.
The Gear
Some fly anglers downsize their gear when targeting panfish. Three- and four-weight (or even lighter) fly rods can make each fish more challenging and help when tiny, delicate flies are the order of the day. They’re also a whole lot of fun and can do double duty on the trout stream.
But a decent 5- or 6-weight rod will do just fine for panfish and most other species too. Add a balanced reel and a quality floating line and you pretty well have all the bases covered.
I like a 6-weight rod because it provides a fighting chance when the occasional bass enters into the fray — a common occurrence when panfishing. Heavier lines are also easier to cast on windy days or to spooky fish that are less approachable. Additionally, if you’re prospecting a lake looking to find the schools, sometimes the additional casting ranges of heavier rods can be helpful. the other fly fishing accessories, including a good vest, can make an excursion more pleasant; but the one that ranks highest, in my opinion, is a pair of quality polarized fishing glasses. The eye protection (from the sun and from hooks) and the sight-fishing advantages they offer are simply indispensable. They’re a must, especially for those new to casting.
Lastly, a float tube or canoe will help you get close to spooky fish and are ideal for smaller lakes and ponds.
The Flies
Fly selection is really a matter of personal preference. I generally carry an assortment of flies that will cover the water column.
Having said that, I almost always start out fishing with streamers. They’re simple, efficient and productive, if the fish are on the hunt.
Panfish on the Fly
Targeting panfish allows new fly anglers time to practice newfound skills such as casting, presentation, fly selection and a whole lot more.I have found size 10 bead-head Woolly buggers in white, olive, and black to be deadly on perch, crappie, and rock bass — the fish I encounter within my region. I’ll go with white on bright days and, if fish aren’t hitting soon, try olive, and then black. White, by the way, is an excellent and instructive color when streamer fishing because an angler can often see a white fly even when deeply submersed. If this is the case, set the hook as soon as the fly is bumped or disappears — this often signals a strike.
I’ve also had exceptional success with Muddler minnows, Silver outcasts, Black-nosed daces, and a slew of other well-known streamers. I prefer bucktails simply because they are more durable.
It should also be noted that Bluegills, Pumpkinseeds and the like can be taken on top water — a classic warm-water fly fishing scenario. If they’re willing to play, my go-to flies are small cricket and hopper patterns, foam spiders, balsa poppers or floating ants. Standard dries such as an elk-hair caddis or parachute Adam’s are also effective. Your best chance to encounter this type of action is early in the morning. As the sun or wind comes up they’ll go deeper and, as a rule, be less surface oriented.
When this is the case, I scale down to small woolly worms or, more often, go to a size 12 or 14 nymph under a strike indicator. Smaller streamers will work, but I have found that nothing beats a nymph set at the right depth (at the school’s level or slightly higher) if they are in a less aggressive mood.
I was reminded of this once again just two days prior to writing this article when nothing, it seemed, would work except a size 12 bead-head Pheasant tail nymph. But work it did. My catch rate went from two Pumpkinseeds in a half hour to a dozen in less than10 minutes. It was like flipping a switch. I’d have the same faith in a Gold-ribbed hare’s ear as well as a Prince nymph or Zug bug, just to name a few.
When it comes to wet flies, I like the simplicity of the Partridge and Orange or Partridge and Green patterns as well as Light Cahills, Alder flies and Black gnats. As long as they are size 10 or smaller and buggy looking, they’re worth a try and often very effective.
Finally, though panfish are generally easy to catch, there are times when the fuss factor is high. If that’s the case, don’t be afraid to try something new. A good panfish angler has a full bag of tricks.
Slow Things Down
With the right fly and the school located, it’s time to slow things down. Most panfish stalk flies deliberately and will almost always examine a fly before striking. Sudden movement often spooks them.
Panfish on the Fly
“Depending on where you live, the dominant panfish could be yellow perch, bluegill, pumpkinseed, rock bass, black or white crappie, or any of the other sunfishes.”That’s why slow-hand twist retrieves work well with streamers, wet flies, and nymphs. Poppers, foam spiders, and dry flies, on the other hand, should be activated after being allowed to sit for a while after hitting the surface. It’s in those long pauses, when the ripples have almost died down, that you’ll hear the plop sound of a surfacing sunfish sucking in your lure.
Also, remember that panfish are cautious by nature, and you’ll do better using fine tippets of 4 pounds or less. Also, try not to cast over your target fish — nothing will spook a school like the shadow and splash of a line.
When a fish does take the fly, raise the rod deliberately and tug on the line. This isn’t bass fishing; huge hook sets aren’t required, but being alert and quick to respond is.
And It’s Okay To Keep Some Too…
If you need one more good reason to consider panfish, shore lunch just might be it.
While many fly fishers feel pressured to practice catch-and-release with trout — even when it isn’t regulated — with panfish, a fish fry is almost tradition. They are, as their name implies, tailor-made for the fry pan and their numbers are such that, in most places, they can sustain heavy fishing pressure. No one need feel guilty about having a feed of these tasty fish. If anything, thinning out numbers keeps a lake’s population from getting stunted.
It’s All About Fun
Fly fishing is an incredible pastime — but sometimes it can get a little too serious. So, when you’re worn out from hatch-matching or from trying to figure out what highly selective fish are taking, panfish are there to remind you why you got into the sport in the first place — because it’s fun.
Give it a try. I think you’ll see that panfish and flies really do go together.
written by Steve Galea
Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery - Fly Tying
Local anglers learn the ropes of fly tying at a recent clinic at the Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery visitors center.
By Phil SurrattBDN Staff Writerpsurratt@bransondailynews.com
Gather a hook, some thread, wire, feathers and hair and you’ve got yourself some pretty good makings of a trout fly.It’s part of the sport of fly fishing that many anglers have gotten into and many have given up on.It’s a passion to many and a frustration to others, but patience and determination may get you over the hump.
Recently, the Shepherd of the Hills trout hatchery hosted a fly-tying clinic at its visitors center.Local fly-fishing guide Jeremy Hunt was on hand to pass on his tying tips and talk about fly fishing on Lake Taneycomo and the White River in Arkansas. Hunt has tied flies commercially, cranking out big numbers of many different patterns, for fly shops across the country.Hunt said more and more people are getting into the art of fly tying.“It’s really not that hard,” he said. “Learning how to control your thread is the key to a good pattern.”Overdressing, or putting too much material on the hook, is a common problem with new hobbyists.“Your first three might not be that great, but look out for number four, that’s when you start to get the hang of it,” Hunt said.
During the clinic, Hunt showed the group how to tie a dead scud.“Our rivers are full of scuds, especially the White,” he said. “The dead scud pattern has been producing 50 to 60 hookups a day for us.”On the White River, anglers have been casting smaller sized patterns in Nos. 16, 20 and 22, and have been catching big trout.“The key is to find slower water. That’s where you will find fish stacked up in pools,” Hunt said.
This past season, high water has kept anglers away from the region’s trout fisheries.That translates into not as many fish being caught, which means there are now bigger fish in the rivers.“I think we are going to have one of our best years coming up. Scuds and worms are abundant in our rivers and I think we will see consistently larger trout in the 20-inch range,” Hunt said.
By Phil SurrattBDN Staff Writerpsurratt@bransondailynews.com
Gather a hook, some thread, wire, feathers and hair and you’ve got yourself some pretty good makings of a trout fly.It’s part of the sport of fly fishing that many anglers have gotten into and many have given up on.It’s a passion to many and a frustration to others, but patience and determination may get you over the hump.
Recently, the Shepherd of the Hills trout hatchery hosted a fly-tying clinic at its visitors center.Local fly-fishing guide Jeremy Hunt was on hand to pass on his tying tips and talk about fly fishing on Lake Taneycomo and the White River in Arkansas. Hunt has tied flies commercially, cranking out big numbers of many different patterns, for fly shops across the country.Hunt said more and more people are getting into the art of fly tying.“It’s really not that hard,” he said. “Learning how to control your thread is the key to a good pattern.”Overdressing, or putting too much material on the hook, is a common problem with new hobbyists.“Your first three might not be that great, but look out for number four, that’s when you start to get the hang of it,” Hunt said.
During the clinic, Hunt showed the group how to tie a dead scud.“Our rivers are full of scuds, especially the White,” he said. “The dead scud pattern has been producing 50 to 60 hookups a day for us.”On the White River, anglers have been casting smaller sized patterns in Nos. 16, 20 and 22, and have been catching big trout.“The key is to find slower water. That’s where you will find fish stacked up in pools,” Hunt said.
This past season, high water has kept anglers away from the region’s trout fisheries.That translates into not as many fish being caught, which means there are now bigger fish in the rivers.“I think we are going to have one of our best years coming up. Scuds and worms are abundant in our rivers and I think we will see consistently larger trout in the 20-inch range,” Hunt said.
Trout in the Classroom
FISHERSVILLE —
When Courtney Rodgers turns off the lights in her classroom and leaves Wilson Middle School for winter break this afternoon, she can only hope that what happened last year doesn't happen again this year.
"It's gonna go great," she said to her seventh-grade science class on Thursday afternoon. "We're all praying that the fish are gonna be okay."
Last year, the first year Rodgers was working with Trout in the Classroom, the power went out at the school over the break, cutting off the cooling and filtration system in her trout tank at the back of the room.
Of the dozens of fish there before she left in December, only 30 remained. In the coming weeks, that number was whittled down to about 10.
It was a small tragedy for the class, but with every downside comes a learning opportunity, and in that instance, students learned that above a certain temperature, the brown trout they studied cannot thrive. The 30 that did demonstrated their strength; survival of the fittest as explored through a fish tank.
The students are keen, Rodgers said. They observe the checks and balances nature puts in place during the life cycle.
"The kids will say 'Hey, Miss Rodgers, for everything bad, there's also something good that happens,'" Rodgers said. "They just gather that through discussion."
On Thursday, students continued with Trout in the Classroom, removing fish from the tank for the first time in weeks as they have entered their fry stage. As Rodgers' net dipped into the water, the tiny fish zipped through the water, the gold flecks on their back shining brightly under the tank's lamp.
Students examined the trout with a microscope, answering questions about their body parts and coloring in a picture based on their observations.
"I was like in fourth grade, and we did something on fish," said Cameron Eavey. "But we never got to see them, and now we do. It's easier."
Dustin Turner said he enjoyed observing the fish this time, and was interested to see the difference in the fry from the alevins.
"Their stomach sacs are going away," he said.
"And they're swimming," added Natalie Moser.
Rodgers will leave her students' beloved trout this afternoon, but just in case something should happen while school's out, 2-liter bottles filled with water are waiting in the freezer for the moment that water starts to warm.
"We've got ice on hand," she said, laughing.
When Courtney Rodgers turns off the lights in her classroom and leaves Wilson Middle School for winter break this afternoon, she can only hope that what happened last year doesn't happen again this year.
"It's gonna go great," she said to her seventh-grade science class on Thursday afternoon. "We're all praying that the fish are gonna be okay."
Last year, the first year Rodgers was working with Trout in the Classroom, the power went out at the school over the break, cutting off the cooling and filtration system in her trout tank at the back of the room.
Of the dozens of fish there before she left in December, only 30 remained. In the coming weeks, that number was whittled down to about 10.
It was a small tragedy for the class, but with every downside comes a learning opportunity, and in that instance, students learned that above a certain temperature, the brown trout they studied cannot thrive. The 30 that did demonstrated their strength; survival of the fittest as explored through a fish tank.
The students are keen, Rodgers said. They observe the checks and balances nature puts in place during the life cycle.
"The kids will say 'Hey, Miss Rodgers, for everything bad, there's also something good that happens,'" Rodgers said. "They just gather that through discussion."
On Thursday, students continued with Trout in the Classroom, removing fish from the tank for the first time in weeks as they have entered their fry stage. As Rodgers' net dipped into the water, the tiny fish zipped through the water, the gold flecks on their back shining brightly under the tank's lamp.
Students examined the trout with a microscope, answering questions about their body parts and coloring in a picture based on their observations.
"I was like in fourth grade, and we did something on fish," said Cameron Eavey. "But we never got to see them, and now we do. It's easier."
Dustin Turner said he enjoyed observing the fish this time, and was interested to see the difference in the fry from the alevins.
"Their stomach sacs are going away," he said.
"And they're swimming," added Natalie Moser.
Rodgers will leave her students' beloved trout this afternoon, but just in case something should happen while school's out, 2-liter bottles filled with water are waiting in the freezer for the moment that water starts to warm.
"We've got ice on hand," she said, laughing.
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