Fished 1100-1400 without luck except one sunfish. Lots of boats and pontoon fisherman out today trolling the lake. Didn't see anyone do well. At times serious gusts of wind which really made for tough fishing. Fished the eastern shore with dry flies at first, but no rises and nothing feeding. Interestingly enough, tried sinking a soft-hackle and had some follows and one trout hookup, but lost it cause I got so excited I had a bite that I didn't keep tension on and get a good bend to the rod. Have been having problems setting the hook - either my hooks are dull (although I've read people advise not sharpening fly hooks that have been "chemically sharpened" as it will only weaken the hook) or the fish are too small for the size fly I'm using. Been missing a lot of strikes somehow.

Gotta learn to tie a wooly bugger... Maybe they wanted nymphs... All new to me, so...

TB Wannabe

5/12/2010 8:01:00 AM

Go to youtube.com and search my pattern and you will find step by step instructions.

raffensg64

5/12/2010 8:33:00 AM

Wow, glad I went to Amber instead! I almost did Fish and would have seen you there but changed my mind in the morning. I haven't done as well as others, ie Rooscooter on Fish Lake, but I've had some good days where a small, black wooly bugger in the size 10/12 range worked. Fishing this pattern tight to the bottom gets me a lot of hits. This lake is deep and I had to use a type VI sink line to get that deep. In fact, if I wasn't getting snagged occasionally then I wasn't getting deep enough.

TB Wannabe

5/12/2010 8:34:00 AM

I meant to say "search by pattern not my pattern"

Anglinarcher

5/12/2010 8:55:00 AM

So, do you prefer to fish with a weak hook or a dull one? The fact is that an extra fine file or ceramic hone will not weaken a chemically sharpened hook. The chemically sharpened hooks are normally as sharp as can be out of the box, but after a few fish or a snag or two, they dull just as fast as the old hooks. Learn to test the hooks in your finger nail, if they bite, you are fine. If they slide off, you need to touch up the point.

Now, as for the short strikes, I have found that to be a problem the last couple of weeks elsewhere as well. I think it is a weather thing right now. It is quite possible that your hooks are just fine.

MotoBoat

5/12/2010 11:12:00 AM

Without knowing the tail length on your fly, short strikes can be from to long a tail. Try shortening the tail by pinching off some tail material and sharpen those hooks as Anglinarcher has described. The fingernail test is a tip to use throughout the day!! Fishing with a dull hook ..........is not really a good option. Even if someone said the hook will be compromised. There will be days that strike after strike will occur and you will swear there is no hook on the fly...........check the sharpness.......check that there is a complete undamaged sharpened hook and keep on fishing.

Jay K

5/12/2010 9:20:00 PM

Thanks for the tips fellas; Short strikes may be the case. I see 'em come up, strike and turn back, but not a hookup or even a tug. Tail length doesn't seem to be a problem. I'll try sharpening the hooks and testing. I enjoy the surface strike of a dry fly. If I have to sink a wooly bugger to the bottom, I think I might just fish bait. I WILL try the bugger in size 12 though... I think they like black, olive hasn't done me any good.

Leave a Comment:

Login

Flag

×

Why is this comment inappropriate?

Close Submit

Delete this comment? Provide reason.

No Yes

Edit

×

Cancel Save