Letort Cumberland Co. 02/09/2009

[Squaretail]

Got to meet 3wt7x as he beat me to my stretch but I didnt want to kill him. 🙂
http://wolftracksproductions.yuku.com/reply/15933#reply-15933

 

[3wt7X]

Beautiful fish Squaretail. I'm sorry to impede on your spot, but I thought that if I fished during the week, then I could avoid that situation. I guess great minds think alike.

 

[Fishidiot]

Nice pics. I'm sorry to see your little buddy had a run-in with a trap - glad he's okay. I had my little dachsund up at Letort on Sunday and keep him on a short lease. There are a lot of traps in the upper heritage section where you were. The ones I've seen have been muskrat type traps rather than leg-holds. Fair warning for those on the boards with little dogs.

 

[albatross]

I hope chicky the wonderdog is OK Squaretail. Thanks for sharing your trip!

Maybe I'll get up the nerve to try the Letort this year...

 

[Dwright]

I fished the Letort for the first time on Saturday from 12:30 to 3:30. I saw only one other angler. During the 45 minute drive from Dover I kept thinking about the posting 3wt7x started last week showing his first Letort fish. I had illusions of grandeur, but was quickly humbled after 3 hours and no fish. I must admit that I'm not suprised as I'm still new to the sport. I didn't spook that many fish, but I'm sure my presentation looked like a comedy act to the large browns holding on the bottom.

I'm looking forward for my next venture north. I'll keep doing my homework and hopefully I'll acheive one of my goals this year by landing my first Letort brown.

 

[Fishidiot]

Dwright,
Welcome to our little "Letort Club." You'll have success on this stream eventually. I've fished it for a quarter century and it still humbles me. This time of year the trout really lay low, often under vegetation and you have to hunt them up. Later in the spring when the sulphers and terrestrials get more active the fish show themselves more and are much easier to catch - well, by Letort standards they're easier. Keep in mind, Letort fish really aren't that tough to catch insofar as flies go - they're really just extremely tough to PRESENT to. Get a good cast to a Letort fish and there's a very good chance he'll eat. They really aren't that selective.

 

[afishinado]

FI,

What type of presentation do you recommend on the Letort with your mouse pattern?

 

[Fishidiot]

My preferred tactic for "mousing" pretty much everywhere is down and across with a slow, steady, retrieve. The ideal situation would be slow to moderate current near shore; water at least a foot deep; lots of woody overhead cover, tall grass etc. Cast the rascal as close to shore as you can across current, and slowly retrieve him so he creates a "V" wake on the surface. I really think the wake is the key. I like the single hand retrieve popularized by Joe Humphrys where you gather the line in tiny loops in one hand. Throwing a mouse at mid-river boulders and shoreline logs works well for smallies too. Faster water makes for tougher mousing as the current tends to pull the little guy under and I suppose it looks unatural for a small animal to be swimming across faster water.