Shell Game

I will echo Dubs problem, STEALTH. I am a big boy as well, 6'2 245. I try my hardest to approach certain streams carefully, but sometimes I just can't do it. I've done the belly crawl trying to ge at fish, but God damn it, its just a pain in the ***. Lol

I don't know a ton of different knots, but the ones I know get me by.

Mending, I feel I am ok at it, but when I watch a few other members, I really want to get better at in air mends.

 
I rarely belly crawl, and I'm about as big a brookie guy as it gets. I do crouch a lot, though, not so much for stealth as to get low enough to cast under branches.

Distance is your friend. Stay up, cast farther. Learn to do it in tight spots.
 
I've belly crawled on Letort and FSB, that's it. Was not productive either. My one and only brookie experience showed me distance was important. I have really no problem casting either.
 
SBecker wrote:
I've belly crawled on Letort and FSB, that's it. Was not productive either. My one and only brookie experience showed me distance was important. I have really no problem casting either.
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Several years ago I was fishing the Letort. Standing just in the water or on the edge of a shallow spot I kept looking down at something sort of buried in the silt. Eventually realized it was a whopper of a snapping turtle half buried in the silt. NO WAY I would belly crawl along the Letort after seeing that thing.

As to the original post, there are times I wish I could cast further. Also, I wish I was a better caster with heavily weighted flies or extra shot on my leader. Also would like to be a better nympher including weaning myself off using a "bobber." In the end, I think I catch enough fish to satisfy myself, enjoy the time outdoors and don't get too concerned about any shortcomings I may have.

Now that ugly duck hook I hit off the tee on occasion is another story...
 
krayfish wrote:
I'm not kidding. Have you seen the temps over the last 2+ months? That thing has been running in the mid 70's to right around 80 for quite some time. Since the supply is coming from the lake, it won't drop anytime soon.
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The first time I fished the Tully in late September after a long stretch of cool days and nights I was shocked at how warm the water still was. Best to wait until after Thanksgiving at least.
 
I admit that I'm still earning everything!

If I had to pick the top problem, I'd say recognition of what the fish are taking. Eyesight doesn't help, but I'm still half-guessing what the bite is on!
 
dry flies that aren't made of foam. Still haven't figured out how to use them effectively but I don't spend a lot of time trying. Maybe patience is the real issue, lol
 
I can not nymph to save my life. You give me a dry or dry/dropper and I'll have no problem catching fish. Go with just a nymph, nada. Tried it all, indicator, no indicator, more weight, less weight, etc., with the same results.
 
I'm primarily a nymph fisherman and I'm generally good at it. I fish one stream a lot and know it very well. The one thing that's provided significant consternation is nearly always taking a fish in some runs and pockets and seldom taking fish in others despite the fact that they appear to be incredibly likely spots. I lean toward my ability to get a drag free drift in the places where a always catch fish and not being able to do that consistently in areas where I don't. It is possible, of course, that there are no fish in the places I don't catch fish but this stream has a decent population of wild browns, some of them quite large, and I can't imagine they'd ignore such likely spots.
 
I'm back to working on my casting having gotten into bad habits. Since I don't really read real well I'd say reading the water, but then someone would have to splain to me what the heck that is. After 40 years of FFing, I still don't understand the term.
 
I have 2 issues. The first is keeping the flask in my hip pocket until i finish fishing and the other is vision related. While i can see clearly both near and far, depth perception at age 55 is not what it once was. I can see the hook eye and the tippet, but struggle to get them on the same focal plane for sizes 18 and smaller. Problem is small flies often make the difference between a good day and a great day on my home water (Big Spring). Magnetic threaders help, but are problematic on really small flies. For those, I've reported to sewing needle threaders preloaded with an assortment of flies.
 
Chaz wrote:
I'm back to working on my casting having gotten into bad habits. Since I don't really read real well I'd say reading the water, but then someone would have to splain to me what the heck that is. After 40 years of FFing, I still don't understand the term.
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I see you tongue firmly in your cheek Chaz but I will bite.

Reading the water is the ability to look at a stretch of water about to be fished and see the high percentage(primary) lies, secondary lies and frog water.

To put it into practice; Then applying your casting toward the best spots without spoiling the mediocre unless you are fishing for big fish. Otherwise approach the weaker lies first and then move onto the big fish lies.
 
Easy to do in Pennsyltucky waters as the targets are grouped in a nice easy reach.
Tougher where they may be a quarter mile apart.lol
 

Mike

What are the good thinks about getting old, I haven't been able to find any yet!

I think the biggest problem I will have if and when I get back to fishing will be the wading. The last couple of years I've had a problem with wading, after I get back it will probably be worse.

PaulG
 
not hearing the spouse is the only good thing with getting old...................................
 
well,not feeling you gotta climb that mountain instead of admiring it from the car,has a lot going for it.
 

Actually left #1 at home today and still struggles with #2.
 
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