I must be doing something wrong.

[jeremymcon]

Well lately I've been having no luck! This past Sunday I fished the Donegal for a couple hours in the evening - caught one rainbow on an olive and black wooly bugger. Yesterday I spent three hours on the stream, and caught a single 3 inch creek chub! In 3 hours!

I must be doing something wrong... I tried a little white bugger, I tried a larger black bugger, I tried an egg pattern, and I tried a scud. Nothing worked! I tried high sticking some runs, I tried indicator nymphing (which has worked for me before on the Donegal), all without success.

I love this sport, but I think I still have a lot to learn. Maybe it's my approach? Maybe I need to be more stealthy when approaching the stream? Hmm... maybe I'll wear some camouflage next time.

Also, do most of you folks fish the fly fishing only section off of Donegal Creek road? Is there a better section? As I walk away from 23 (upstream), the creek becomes a delayed harvest section, and I generally continue up there a ways then stop and head back down. Is it worth crossing 23 and fishing that section?

 

[PennypackFlyer]

"Practice" is done mostly this time of year. To catch a fish is a bonus!! Do not be harsh on oneself - try some various size nymphs below a dry fly. I seam to always have fish on when I use a Beadhead Prince #12 or #14 - I don't like to go real small this time of year.

 

[Foxgap239]

If you ever stop learning in this sport, then you are doing something wrong. Someone said something in another thread today which is equally relevant here, as well. Going fishing has to be as much about the experience of being fishing as it is about the catching. I remember many years ago when my wife got me a 1st generation Nintendo and I was obsessed about saving the princess in Super Mario Brothers. It took me months to master the game until I got so good at it that I could save the princess every time. I finally got so bored with the game that I simply stopped playing. You don't ever want our passion to become boring, so never mastering it is a positive!!!!!!!!!

 

[KeithS]

All I do is enjoy the fishing. I don't catch, but i won't stop trying.

 

[Chaz]

Watch the water temperature during the winter and watch for a drop in temps, it can shut trout down. Bright day big white bugger, cloudy day big black bugger. Use plenty of weight and dead drift them. Let them swing to the end of the drift, many times the trout will hit when you lift the rod to cast.

 

[Phish_On]

If it was easy, everyone would do it. The fact that its difficult is what makes it so much fun

 

[sipe]

I'm really not very good. I always seem to catch a fish or two. I really do understand basic enremology as I teach an aquatics section of high school environmental science, but still font know all the subtle names of mayflies yet. Mostly I struggle with dead drifting without drag, mending, and my leader arrangement.
What I have found...I catch just enough to know that I'm getting better and just enough to keep me wanting more. What else is there to do until archery season?

 

[salmonoid]

Foxgap239 wrote:
If you ever stop learning in this sport, then you are doing something wrong. Someone said something in another thread today which is equally relevant here, as well. Going fishing has to be as much about the experience of being fishing as it is about the catching. I remember many years ago when my wife got me a 1st generation Nintendo and I was obsessed about saving the princess in Super Mario Brothers. It took me months to master the game until I got so good at it that I could save the princess every time. I finally got so bored with the game that I simply stopped playing. You don't ever want our passion to become boring, so never mastering it is a positive!!!!!!!!!

Tru dat - if I can generalize it even more, if you ever stop learning in life, then you might as well be dead..

Fish are bonus in winter. Enjoy the time on the water; if it is cold enough for snow and ice, enjoy that fact and the various forms water comes in, and if you can entice a fish from some liquid H2O, its a plus.

 

[jeremymcon]

Yea I really do like being out on the water. It was a pretty day yesterday, too. Not too sunny, not too cold. A lot of times I think of fishing as just an excuse to spend time mucking around in a stream. Yesterday I just started getting a little frustrated at the stark lack of catching. Lol. I'll have to get back there this weekend and try again
;-)

 

[dc410]

Cloudy days are generally better than sunny ones for catching fish. My confidence is with the "bugger" during the winter and I fish them slow and deep. If your going to the Donegal again, try a San Juan Worm. Hang in there, spring is coming! Always remember, the worst day of fishin' is still better ....... yeah well you know how it goes. Good luck!

 

[mutzinbaugh]

i feel good when i get 1 or 2 in winter, my buddy and i are going out sunday afternoon.

if luck is on my side i will try to catch this fish for the 4th time since early november. caught him again in early december then again the weekend before christmas on 3 different flies in 3 different pools...

there were unique markings behind his right eye, plus he is upper teens/close to 20.

 

[mutzinbaugh]

trying to post the picture