During My Research

[salvelinusfontinalis]

I have been researching Limestone Spring Creeks all over the state and various other states for sometime now. I have finally made up my mind to fish Mossy Creek VA this year in the spring or summer.
I found this guys photo journals and I absolutely love them. He makes stream reports similar to mine. The thing I really love about them is he gets a personal connection between the stream and its fish. Reminds me of my experiences on Lititz Run. I think stream reports or "journals" like these are so very valuable. I now have a "feel" of the stream and its trout. The surrounding areas and the love that at least one angler has for it. Read it, hope you enjoy them.

click the links for the journals

my favorite one about oscar the brown trout

Read the postscript in the oscar story. ITs a sad ending but it is these "relationships" between angler and fish that we will never forget.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

http://www.performanceflyrods.com/fishstory/bigfish.html

dang now that is a story!

 

[tomgamber]

that was cool sal...you don';t name your fish do you?

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

no i havent named any of them ;-) but i do feel that same kind of connection. I always find it amazing how some of these big smart fish will find a place and hold there most of their lives if not all of their life. I guess they find habitat, food source and protection that suits their needs and wont move. Is that smart or just living? I suppose its a little bit of both. When trout become angler aware they will tend to do this even more. I have often said on Lititz Run that your best bet is to fish the edges of the stream first and foremost. Casting a large distance in the process. The trout will hold close to the bank waiting for an angler to walk by. Once you do, they will dart to a deep hole and hide in some cover. Oscar seemed to do the very same thing. Of course when casting a large distance it makes your hook up percentage decrease. I have found that allowing your fly line to rest on the bank helps with this. The fish will take the fly and the ground will semi-set the hook for you, then you pull up and get it lodged good in the jaw. It also allows you to get a better drag free drift, which is just a bonus.

Im glad you enjoyed it tom, i spent about 1 hour going through his journals. I didnt read them all yet but plan too. :-D

 

[bushwacker]

I don't understand the end of the story. Did oscar die later from being caught or old age? I hope it was from natural causes or that story sucks.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

Im not sure either but im guessing that it wasent due to him catching it. In the pics he is wearing a long sleeve shirt. I can tell you that no one wears a long sleeve shirt in VA in August, which is when oscar was found dead.

 

[Chaz]

Irresponsible fishermen, first for not cutting the the Westy loose but also for dragging around an endangered species for I don't know how long. Bull trout are protected under the ESA and this anglers "story" is too dishonorable to even discuss. I'd call the guy greedy.

 

[pete41]

fond memories of fall in the west-hands covered with infected wounds from big boys-lol

 

[spectorfly]

God I love that website. The pics are amazing. Not just the fish either. The scenery with the mountains..................makes me want to move out west.......tomorrow!

 

[mikeyB]

Sal,
If you do decide to fish Mossy, just remember that there is no wading on Mossy in the public water. What good ole Dave is doing while fishing for Oscar is illegal.
Mike

 

[JackM]

I thought he was fishing on private property on Mossy, for what it's worth.

 

[wgmiller]

Glad to see I'm not the only who finds a tree with his backcast on a relatively wide open stream: http://www.user.shentel.net/flyrods/mossyspring.html

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

dont have to worry about me, i dont wade limestone spring creeks.
I actually like to catch fish ;-)

 

[bushwacker]

salvelinusfontinalis wrote:
dont have to worry about me, i dont wade limestone spring creeks.
I actually like to catch fish ;-)

:lol: Sometimes getting in the water is unavoidable though.....like when your'e pushed in by a frisky ram.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

true so true :-D

 

[wildtrout2]

Sal, thanks very much for sharing that link! I just spent over an an hour reading/viewing most of Dave Lewis's journals. His wife Mary Lu does some great work with the camera I might add. Stunningly beautiful country out west, with some awesome wild trout as well. He's been a fortunate man to be able to enjoy the fly fishing out west like he's done.