Louisiana Slide Show

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Recap of the Redfish Trip

We had a great time in Louisiana even though the conditions were not ideal. It seems as though if the conditions are ideal for black drum the redfish are more difficult to find. Such was the case on this trip....we caught alot of 20-30lb. black drum but worked really hard to find redfish and the ones we found were average size.
The most fun for me was being able to watch and help a dear friend of mine saltwater fish for the first time. Saltwater fly fishing is a bit intimidating since it typically means you are casting in windy conditions, throwing larger and heavier flies, and accuracy is of great importance.
Sight fishing is what it's all about....hunting fish and then making the cast in usually rushed circumstances. There is one general rule I have learned in flats fishing...MAKE THE CAST NOW! If the fish sees the fly it often times means FISH ON!
You snooze you loose....so dump it man...make the cast and dont worry about delicate presentation, get the fly in front of that fat pig and I promise he will eat it.

I just love it...love the thrill and the rush I get from standing on the deck and stalking fish. The fight is physical and you better be ready to put your body behind it and get the job done. Wimpy fishermen need not apply!
Watching Sesie was priceless...her casts were deliberate and yet reserved at first but soon after her first fish she became much more assertive and realized it is a fight between woman and fish and Sesie won.
Her first black drum was in the 20 pound class and she did exactly what a new saltwater angler should do....listen and follow directions-all of which she did deligently and therefore was rewared with this great fish.
Managing line is probably the most important and challenging part....a 20 pound saltwater fish is extremely strong so holding the rod upright is crucial, but what do you do with all that extra fly line puddled at your feet? well, you guessed it, manage it! get it back on the reel and or feed some to the fish all while keeping a tight line, once you get that done, the fight is on...the fish is on the reel and you better put some heat on that fish or you will soon be spooled.
Congratulations Sesie...you are a fast learner and handled each fish like a pro!

I love fishing Louisiana....there is a beauty to the marshes that is unlike any other fishery. The birds are spectacular and the solitude is unimaginable!
I hope I have many more years of this redfish trip and if for some reason I don't-
I smile when I think of every fish I ever hunted in the bayou!

Hunting Redfish!

Today I am off to Louisiana for my annual redfish trip! I am so excited to return to my favorite redfish destination, this time with a dear friend who has never caught a redfish or saltwater fished before.

She is in for a real experience and I hope the weather and conditions will co-operate so she can have great success.

Sight fishing for reds is a blast....I love the hunt and chase involved.
Last year produced one of the most exciting catches of my life.

I was out with my guide Gary Montgomery and it was my turn on deck....we were poling around the flats looking for signs of tailing fish.
Now typically the guide has the advantage of seeing the fish due to the fact that he is up higher and of course more skilled in spotting fish, but that was not the case for this particular fish, my guide was looking right, and I was looking left, when I saw a torpedo like action cruising along the bank at pretty fast speed, I had no time to think or even speak for that matter, Iquickly made a cast far enough infront of the the push and with a slight hesitation to let it sink I began a rather fast retrieve and BAM, he nailed it.
I want to think this was a perfectly executed cast or perhaps it was pure luck, but whatever it was, it was my chance at a 25 pound gorgeous redfish, I had a fight on my hands that quickly turned into the most physical fight I have ever had with a fish. 25 minutes later.....this beauty was mine!

I wonder what this trip will bring.....stop back in later this week and find out!

Fishing Responsibly

For the past 10 years our local Trout Unlimited chapter has been trying to establish a brown trout fishery in central Indiana. A tailwater called Brookville is a 2 mile stretch of water where the cold water release from Brookville dam has proven to be adequate to sustain trout. Many stockings and river clean-ups have been done in attempt to provide Central Indiana an opportunity to trout fish. After many years of
privately funded stockings organized by TU and supported by clubs, organizations and trout anglers, the state has assumed responsibility for the yearly stockings of both rainbows and browns.
The rainbows are regarded as a put and take fishery, and the browns currently have a regulation stating one fish may be kept over 18".
After observing the fishery for a few years it became evident that the trout were being depleted both by harvesting (legally and illegally) as well as high mortality rate caused by gut hooked fish from harmful fishing methods.
Trout swallow live bait and the hook often times is deeply lodged causing bleeding resulting in dead fish.
Brookville is the only trout fishing available in all of Central Indiana and therefore I believe deserve greater protection to ensure more people can enjoy such a rare resource.
For that reason alone, I strongly feel IDNR should mandate catch and release only using artificials only. Bait fishermen can still fish other sections of the tailwaters or choose from hundreds of other fishing locations that allow them the freedom to fish any method they choose.
Sometimes you have to restrict some freedoms to allow more anglers an opportunity to catch fish for a species that is not readily available.
Protecting our natural resources ( even when not so natural) is the responsible thing to do.
I hope some day we will be able to give more thought to future generations and be more willing and open to change which can potentially benefit others.

Open eyes..open minds!

This past weekend I participated in a new event in Indiana called" Hoosier Outdoor Experience" The event was put on by Indiana DNR. It was a huge event offering thousands of people an opportunity to try many different outdoor activities completely FREE. Archery, shooting, fishing, canoeing just to name a few.
Our club, Reel Women -Reel Men were involved with the fly fishing venue and it was wonderful to give so many folks a chance to see what our sport is all about.
The event was three days long, the first day was designated "Student Day"
Nearly 1,000 third grade students from all over Indiana were bussed in to attend this inaugural event. Interestingly enough, it was this day that opened my eyes and even though I WAS the instructor that day, by the end of the day I felt more like a student. A student who had just learned how powerful connecting with our children and sharing our passion really is. It was at this moment that I realized what impact we have if only we take the time to interact with our young people.
As a fly fishing instructor I feel my job is not only to teach flycasting and fly fishing, but also to help guide them to being better citizens. Citizens who care about our environment and who want to preserve and protect our natural resources.
As I stood before several classes of these third grade students, I spoke of my love of fly fishing and I briefly touched upon a few things the children could do to be better anglers. Things like not littering and picking up trash that is found in our rivers and along the banks, and then we discussed catch and release. Keep in mind these were only 9 year old children and I only had 4 minutes to speak to each class.
But something amazing happened, the children became very interested in the topic of releasing fish. Perhaps it was so foreign to them that they were intrigued by the concept, but regardless the reason I saw wide opened eyes, sparkling eyes and genuine concern. They spoke about maybe only keeping one fish instead of everything they catch, and one child even told me that he wanted to save some fish for his own children to catch someday.
Children are our future voters and leaders of our country......It is critical that we teach them not only to enjoy the wonders of the outdoors but also how to take care of it... to ensure future generations will have the same opportunities to enjoy clean, healthy rivers.
I intend to focus more on working with young people...they are intelligent, eager and purely delightful.

Shocking News from Muncie!

This past weekend I had the privilige of visiting Muncie, Indiana where Fish biologist Jason Doll of Muncie Sanitary District of Water Quality demonstrated some of the duties of his job. He along with two assistants demonstrated the process of electro shocking a stretch of the White River so we could observe how it's done.
It was truly amazing to see so many fish come out of a small section of the river. At first glance I only spotted maybe 2 places where if fishing, I would have made some casts. As it turned out... those few places were indeed where the fish were holding. Of course in shallow water, it is pretty certain that fish will move to deeper and cooler water. Seeking shelter and good food source, it made sense that larger fish were found just below the damn where a good food source would be found.
Oxygenated water is also a main attraction for most fish, so this area proved to produce the most fish as well as the largest.
Jason also showed us how they conduct surveys for habitat summary and how to obtain a QHEI score as well as an IBI score.
The most fascinating for me was seeing so many different species of fish, particularly bait fish. Shiners such as spotfin, sand, steelcolor, mimic, striped and redfin were found in great numbers.
It was also interesting to me that darters were found in various types. Bob Clouser told me that darters are found pretty much in every watershed and are a favorite food among smallmouth. That is one reason I keep darters in my fly box in various colors. Smallmouth seem to love them~!
In any case....thanks Jason for giving us such a great demo...I learned alot and it is always nice to have a better understanding of what is going on down in the water!

Thanks to Indiana Smallmouth Alliance for arranging the demo!

Nice visiting with members of the Normal City Fly Fishers also!

Damdochax River B.C. slideshow!

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