A meaningless observation and a question

[Conan the Librarian]

ROFFians,

I was out at my favorite local river over the weekend, and things
were very slow (*very* slow). At one point, I saw a few smallish fish
sporadically rising, but could see no signs of any bugs on the water or
any minnow activity.

Just for fun I dug out a large (#10) parachute Adams that I had tied
up more-or-less as a joke after having such good luck with #16 para
Adams on my trip to Canuckistan.

On the second drift I got a hit from a small sunfish, and I
continued getting action on almost every cast (well, on every good
drift, anyway) for the next 15-20 minutes. The fly took sunfish and
small Guadalupe bass.

I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see. I
don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just looked
like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it saved me
from a fishless day on the water.

So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
coldwater species?


Chuck Vance (who is wondering if a #2/0 Adams would work for
sal****er fish ;-)

[Tim J.]

Conan the Librarian wrote:
> ROFFians,
>
> I was out at my favorite local river over the weekend, and things
> were very slow (*very* slow). At one point, I saw a few smallish fish
> sporadically rising, but could see no signs of any bugs on the water
> or any minnow activity.
>
> Just for fun I dug out a large (#10) parachute Adams that I had
> tied up more-or-less as a joke after having such good luck with #16
> para Adams on my trip to Canuckistan.
>
> On the second drift I got a hit from a small sunfish, and I
> continued getting action on almost every cast (well, on every good
> drift, anyway) for the next 15-20 minutes. The fly took sunfish and
> small Guadalupe bass.
>
> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
> bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
> color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see.
> I don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just
> looked like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it
> saved me from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
> coldwater species?

The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates nothing, but
usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably use that dry patterns more
than any, and certainly have Adams tied in more sizes than any other dry fly in
my box.

Just for fun, I tied up a #6 Adams and Royal Wulff. Both worked extremely well
for bluegill.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Tim J.]

Conan the Librarian wrote:
> ROFFians,
>
> I was out at my favorite local river over the weekend, and things
> were very slow (*very* slow). At one point, I saw a few smallish fish
> sporadically rising, but could see no signs of any bugs on the water
> or any minnow activity.
>
> Just for fun I dug out a large (#10) parachute Adams that I had
> tied up more-or-less as a joke after having such good luck with #16
> para Adams on my trip to Canuckistan.
>
> On the second drift I got a hit from a small sunfish, and I
> continued getting action on almost every cast (well, on every good
> drift, anyway) for the next 15-20 minutes. The fly took sunfish and
> small Guadalupe bass.
>
> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
> bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
> color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see.
> I don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just
> looked like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it
> saved me from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
> coldwater species?

The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates nothing, but
usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably use that dry patterns more
than any, and certainly have Adams tied in more sizes than any other dry fly in
my box.

Just for fun, I tied up a #6 Adams and Royal Wulff. Both worked extremely well
for bluegill.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Tim J.]

Tim J. wrote:
> . . . indespensible . . .

a New England word, meaning "freakin' wicked awesome"
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Tim J.]

Tim J. wrote:
> . . . indespensible . . .

a New England word, meaning "freakin' wicked awesome"
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[GaryM]

"Tim J." > wrote in
:

> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates
> nothing, but usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably
> use that dry patterns more than any, and certainly have Adams tied
> in more sizes than any other dry fly in my box.
>

I was fishing a mountain stream this past weekend that sees sparse
hatches and probably nothing like an Adams. Yet I was getting hits on
most decent drifts. It is a superb 'go to' pattern when all else
fails. It defines bugginess. On the 'Kill a friend was walking back
upstream after successfully putting down a pool of rising fish and
caught a brookie on his Adams that was dragging behind him.

It does not work at the secret spot though. Nothing does.

[GaryM]

"Tim J." > wrote in
:

> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates
> nothing, but usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably
> use that dry patterns more than any, and certainly have Adams tied
> in more sizes than any other dry fly in my box.
>

I was fishing a mountain stream this past weekend that sees sparse
hatches and probably nothing like an Adams. Yet I was getting hits on
most decent drifts. It is a superb 'go to' pattern when all else
fails. It defines bugginess. On the 'Kill a friend was walking back
upstream after successfully putting down a pool of rising fish and
caught a brookie on his Adams that was dragging behind him.

It does not work at the secret spot though. Nothing does.

[Tim J.]

GaryM wrote:
> "Tim J." > wrote in
> :
>
>> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates
>> nothing, but usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably
>> use that dry patterns more than any, and certainly have Adams tied
>> in more sizes than any other dry fly in my box.
>>
>
> I was fishing a mountain stream this past weekend that sees sparse
> hatches and probably nothing like an Adams. Yet I was getting hits on
> most decent drifts. It is a superb 'go to' pattern when all else
> fails. It defines bugginess. On the 'Kill a friend was walking back
> upstream after successfully putting down a pool of rising fish and
> caught a brookie on his Adams that was dragging behind him.
>
> It does not work at the secret spot though. Nothing does.

There's a fly that works every time, but it's a secret.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Tim J.]

GaryM wrote:
> "Tim J." > wrote in
> :
>
>> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that imitates
>> nothing, but usually seems to draw attention from fish. I probably
>> use that dry patterns more than any, and certainly have Adams tied
>> in more sizes than any other dry fly in my box.
>>
>
> I was fishing a mountain stream this past weekend that sees sparse
> hatches and probably nothing like an Adams. Yet I was getting hits on
> most decent drifts. It is a superb 'go to' pattern when all else
> fails. It defines bugginess. On the 'Kill a friend was walking back
> upstream after successfully putting down a pool of rising fish and
> caught a brookie on his Adams that was dragging behind him.
>
> It does not work at the secret spot though. Nothing does.

There's a fly that works every time, but it's a secret.
--
TL,
Tim
------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

[Big Dale]

Just for fun I dug out a large (#10) parachute Adams that I had tied
>up more-or-less as a joke after having such good luck with #16 para
>Adams on my trip to Canuckistan.
>
> On the second drift I got a hit from a small sunfish, and I
>continued getting action on almost every cast (well, on every good
>drift, anyway) for the next 15-20 minutes. The fly took sunfish and
>small Guadalupe bass.
>
> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
>bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
>color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see. I
>don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just looked
>like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it saved me
>from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
>coldwater species?
>
>
> Chuck Vance (who is wondering if a #2/0 Adams would work for
>sal****er fish ;-)


I had a good friend who fished the Perch-Off at the Austin Angler for many
years and was damn near disqualified AGAIN a few years ago when he hit a hex
hatch out near the school on Town Lake and he caught one of those trash fish
(largemouth bass) on a size 4 adams. It was close to a perfect match for the
bugs on the water. This was at about daybreak that morning.

Big Dale

[Big Dale]

Just for fun I dug out a large (#10) parachute Adams that I had tied
>up more-or-less as a joke after having such good luck with #16 para
>Adams on my trip to Canuckistan.
>
> On the second drift I got a hit from a small sunfish, and I
>continued getting action on almost every cast (well, on every good
>drift, anyway) for the next 15-20 minutes. The fly took sunfish and
>small Guadalupe bass.
>
> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
>bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
>color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see. I
>don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just looked
>like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it saved me
>from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
>coldwater species?
>
>
> Chuck Vance (who is wondering if a #2/0 Adams would work for
>sal****er fish ;-)


I had a good friend who fished the Perch-Off at the Austin Angler for many
years and was damn near disqualified AGAIN a few years ago when he hit a hex
hatch out near the school on Town Lake and he caught one of those trash fish
(largemouth bass) on a size 4 adams. It was close to a perfect match for the
bugs on the water. This was at about daybreak that morning.

Big Dale

[Wayne Harrison]

"Conan the Librarian" > wrote

> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
> bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
> color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see. I
> don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just looked
> like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it saved me
> from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
> coldwater species?

well, this is not a precise response to your query, but it evidences a
similar phenomenon. i went up to brevard, nc, in the blue ridge, to pick up
my son a couple years ago, where he was visiting a family friend. he had
found a little pond, and had been spin fishing it for bass. he had caught a
few 10-14 inchers during his stay. it was like mid-august, and hot. he
wanted to go fishing one more time before we returned home, so i grabbed the
only gear i had in the jeep--a 4wt with a 16 light cahill on a 5x
tippet--figuring to just keep him company, or maybe grab a bream or two.
so i'm standing on a dock, tossing a few perfunctory casts in a half
circle, and the damn cahill disappears in what appeared to be the surface
disturbance one might expect from the entry of a five pound piece of granite
into the pond. about a three pound largemouth. fooled around with him for
about ten minutes. the cahill looked ludicrous in his lips.
no bugs of any sort in the air. no possible way there had ever been a
mayfly hatch in that water.
anthony, my boy, wandered up as i released the bass; he just shook his
head and said, with an air of resignation, "random, dad".

yfitons
wayno

[Wayne Harrison]

"Conan the Librarian" > wrote

> I still can't figure out what they took the Adams for. The only
> bugs in the air were some dragon and damselflies, but they were off in
> color and size, and the fish weren't rising to them that I could see. I
> don't know if the Adams might resemble an emerger or if it just looked
> like some sort of generic food to them. Whatever it was, it saved me
> from a fishless day on the water.
>
> So has anyone else had luck with the Adams on both warm and
> coldwater species?

well, this is not a precise response to your query, but it evidences a
similar phenomenon. i went up to brevard, nc, in the blue ridge, to pick up
my son a couple years ago, where he was visiting a family friend. he had
found a little pond, and had been spin fishing it for bass. he had caught a
few 10-14 inchers during his stay. it was like mid-august, and hot. he
wanted to go fishing one more time before we returned home, so i grabbed the
only gear i had in the jeep--a 4wt with a 16 light cahill on a 5x
tippet--figuring to just keep him company, or maybe grab a bream or two.
so i'm standing on a dock, tossing a few perfunctory casts in a half
circle, and the damn cahill disappears in what appeared to be the surface
disturbance one might expect from the entry of a five pound piece of granite
into the pond. about a three pound largemouth. fooled around with him for
about ten minutes. the cahill looked ludicrous in his lips.
no bugs of any sort in the air. no possible way there had ever been a
mayfly hatch in that water.
anthony, my boy, wandered up as i released the bass; he just shook his
head and said, with an air of resignation, "random, dad".

yfitons
wayno

[Conan The Librarian]

(Big Dale) wrote in message >...

> I had a good friend who fished the Perch-Off at the Austin Angler for many
> years and was damn near disqualified AGAIN a few years ago when he hit a hex
> hatch out near the school on Town Lake and he caught one of those trash fish
> (largemouth bass) on a size 4 adams. It was close to a perfect match for the
> bugs on the water. This was at about daybreak that morning.

Heh. Don't you *hate* when that happens. :-)

I think I know the area you're talking about on Town Lake. I used
to fish off one of the points just past the school parking lot. If
the water level was down, I could walk right out to a nice dropoff and
usually pick up a few decent bass.

As for the fly -- I was thinking about that very thing (Hex hatch)
when I was doing some tying on Monday night. That is one of the
hatches we get that is likely to get the interest of larger fish. I
tied 'em as #6, so I might need to go back to the vise again.


Chuck Vance

[Conan The Librarian]

(Big Dale) wrote in message >...

> I had a good friend who fished the Perch-Off at the Austin Angler for many
> years and was damn near disqualified AGAIN a few years ago when he hit a hex
> hatch out near the school on Town Lake and he caught one of those trash fish
> (largemouth bass) on a size 4 adams. It was close to a perfect match for the
> bugs on the water. This was at about daybreak that morning.

Heh. Don't you *hate* when that happens. :-)

I think I know the area you're talking about on Town Lake. I used
to fish off one of the points just past the school parking lot. If
the water level was down, I could walk right out to a nice dropoff and
usually pick up a few decent bass.

As for the fly -- I was thinking about that very thing (Hex hatch)
when I was doing some tying on Monday night. That is one of the
hatches we get that is likely to get the interest of larger fish. I
tied 'em as #6, so I might need to go back to the vise again.


Chuck Vance

[Conan The Librarian]

"Wayne Harrison" > wrote in message >...

> well, this is not a precise response to your query, but it evidences a
> similar phenomenon. i went up to brevard, nc, in the blue ridge, to pick up
> my son a couple years ago, where he was visiting a family friend. he had
> found a little pond, and had been spin fishing it for bass. he had caught a
> few 10-14 inchers during his stay. it was like mid-august, and hot. he
> wanted to go fishing one more time before we returned home, so i grabbed the
> only gear i had in the jeep--a 4wt with a 16 light cahill on a 5x
> tippet--figuring to just keep him company, or maybe grab a bream or two.
> so i'm standing on a dock, tossing a few perfunctory casts in a half
> circle, and the damn cahill disappears in what appeared to be the surface
> disturbance one might expect from the entry of a five pound piece of granite
> into the pond. about a three pound largemouth. fooled around with him for
> about ten minutes. the cahill looked ludicrous in his lips.
> no bugs of any sort in the air. no possible way there had ever been a
> mayfly hatch in that water.
> anthony, my boy, wandered up as i released the bass; he just shook his
> head and said, with an air of resignation, "random, dad".

Kids these days. :-) I wonder if that might have been a case of
there being so little in the way of forage in that pond that the fish
just went after anything that moved. I know that the area I was
fishing is not exactly teeming with forage fish, and isn't really that
nutrient-rich in general.


Chuck Vance

[Conan The Librarian]

"Wayne Harrison" > wrote in message >...

> well, this is not a precise response to your query, but it evidences a
> similar phenomenon. i went up to brevard, nc, in the blue ridge, to pick up
> my son a couple years ago, where he was visiting a family friend. he had
> found a little pond, and had been spin fishing it for bass. he had caught a
> few 10-14 inchers during his stay. it was like mid-august, and hot. he
> wanted to go fishing one more time before we returned home, so i grabbed the
> only gear i had in the jeep--a 4wt with a 16 light cahill on a 5x
> tippet--figuring to just keep him company, or maybe grab a bream or two.
> so i'm standing on a dock, tossing a few perfunctory casts in a half
> circle, and the damn cahill disappears in what appeared to be the surface
> disturbance one might expect from the entry of a five pound piece of granite
> into the pond. about a three pound largemouth. fooled around with him for
> about ten minutes. the cahill looked ludicrous in his lips.
> no bugs of any sort in the air. no possible way there had ever been a
> mayfly hatch in that water.
> anthony, my boy, wandered up as i released the bass; he just shook his
> head and said, with an air of resignation, "random, dad".

Kids these days. :-) I wonder if that might have been a case of
there being so little in the way of forage in that pond that the fish
just went after anything that moved. I know that the area I was
fishing is not exactly teeming with forage fish, and isn't really that
nutrient-rich in general.


Chuck Vance

[rw]

bruiser wrote:
> "Tim J." wrote
>
>>The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that
>>imitates nothing,
>
>
> I think a parachute adams is super representative of a mayfly dun. Not an
> attractor at all. But maybe I've been missing something. ;-)

Agreed. It's an excellent baetis imitation, and it's close enough to
many other species to pass. The important thing is to have a full
variety of sizes. If there is one indespensible mayfly pattern, it's the
parachute adams.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

[rw]

bruiser wrote:
> "Tim J." wrote
>
>>The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that
>>imitates nothing,
>
>
> I think a parachute adams is super representative of a mayfly dun. Not an
> attractor at all. But maybe I've been missing something. ;-)

Agreed. It's an excellent baetis imitation, and it's close enough to
many other species to pass. The important thing is to have a full
variety of sizes. If there is one indespensible mayfly pattern, it's the
parachute adams.

--
Cut "to the chase" for my email address.

[bruiser]

"Tim J." wrote
>
> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that
> imitates nothing,

I think a parachute adams is super representative of a mayfly dun. Not an
attractor at all. But maybe I've been missing something. ;-)

bruce h

[bruiser]

"Tim J." wrote
>
> The Adams is one of those indespensible patterns that
> imitates nothing,

I think a parachute adams is super representative of a mayfly dun. Not an
attractor at all. But maybe I've been missing something. ;-)

bruce h