Who Needs Hendricksons When You've Got Pass lakes

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0300a.jpg

Hearing rumors of the Hendries coming off I headed over to the
"Mayfly" yesterday.

The water was a little high so I started fishing a Pass Lake streamer
with a soft hackle dropper. I kept getting swipes at the Pass Lake and
nothing on the soft hackle. So I snipped them both off and put on a
smaller, regular Pass Lake. I almost immediately began catching fish.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0302a.jpg

There had been a few BWOs coming off when I got there about 1pm. As it
got closer to 2 o'clock the Hendricksons started showing up. The fish
began hitting harder than ever. I had tied up various Hendrickson
imitations the night before; Hendrickson nymphs, Hendrickson emergers,
Hendrickson cripples, Hendrickson dries, etc. etc.. But as the fish
seemed to be responding to the Pass Lake, even taking it on a dead
drift, thats what I kept on.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0303a.jpg

None of the fish were large but there were a good number of what we
used to call "keepers". They put a nice bend in the bamboo rod. One
thing I did notice though was the bigger they were the more severely
they had been hit by black spot. Other than the speckles they were fat
and healthy, although this one was so infected that I pondered bonking
him and taking him home for supper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0305a.jpg

Instead I let him go. Hopefully he'll fight off the infestation and
make it through the summer.

I had intended to speed fish my way down to the section midway between
the two access points on this part of the river. But the heavy hatch
of flies and large rise of fish delayed me. By the time I made it to
my destination the Hendrickson hatch was petering out and my favored
water didn't fish as well as the water that I usually bypass. I kept
on picking up scattered trout but the tempo was slowing. By 3:30 the
Hendries had stopped and though there were several other species of
mayflies emerging the trout didn't seem interested in them. I caught
my last few in this stretch still using the Pass Lake.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0308a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0306a.jpg

The last two hours had me trying various other flies; caddis dries,
traditional wets, soft hackles, streamers and ,yes, Hendricksons with
absolutely nothing to show for it. A humbling end to what started out
as a ego inflating day.

It was fun to get into some fish and see a strong hatch after the long
winter and spring. With gas prices where they are I probably won't be
making the 50 mile round trip to the "'Fly" very often (if at all)
anymore this year. I guess I'll just have to be content with the
short, easy drive to the River. Poor me.

Geo.C.

On May 13, 8:54*am, George Cleveland
wrote:
snip
*Poor me.

Nice day, George! And you're fishing cane!

I think my trout fishing will also be limited this summer, since any
trout stream requires a significant drive. It'll be pond bass and
'gills for me.

B

On May 13, 8:54 am, George Cleveland
wrote:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0300a.jpg

Hearing rumors of the Hendries coming off I headed over to the
"Mayfly" yesterday.

The water was a little high so I started fishing a Pass Lake streamer
with a soft hackle dropper. I kept getting swipes at the Pass Lake and
nothing on the soft hackle. So I snipped them both off and put on a
smaller, regular Pass Lake. I almost immediately began catching fish.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0302a.jpg

There had been a few BWOs coming off when I got there about 1pm. As it
got closer to 2 o'clock the Hendricksons started showing up. The fish
began hitting harder than ever. I had tied up various Hendrickson
imitations the night before; Hendrickson nymphs, Hendrickson emergers,
Hendrickson cripples, Hendrickson dries, etc. etc.. But as the fish
seemed to be responding to the Pass Lake, even taking it on a dead
drift, thats what I kept on.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0303a.jpg

None of the fish were large but there were a good number of what we
used to call "keepers". They put a nice bend in the bamboo rod. One
thing I did notice though was the bigger they were the more severely
they had been hit by black spot. Other than the speckles they were fat
and healthy, although this one was so infected that I pondered bonking
him and taking him home for supper.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0305a.jpg

Instead I let him go. Hopefully he'll fight off the infestation and
make it through the summer.

I had intended to speed fish my way down to the section midway between
the two access points on this part of the river. But the heavy hatch
of flies and large rise of fish delayed me. By the time I made it to
my destination the Hendrickson hatch was petering out and my favored
water didn't fish as well as the water that I usually bypass. I kept
on picking up scattered trout but the tempo was slowing. By 3:30 the
Hendries had stopped and though there were several other species of
mayflies emerging the trout didn't seem interested in them. I caught
my last few in this stretch still using the Pass Lake.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0308a.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0306a.jpg

The last two hours had me trying various other flies; caddis dries,
traditional wets, soft hackles, streamers and ,yes, Hendricksons with
absolutely nothing to show for it. A humbling end to what started out
as a ego inflating day.

It was fun to get into some fish and see a strong hatch after the long
winter and spring. With gas prices where they are I probably won't be
making the 50 mile round trip to the "'Fly" very often (if at all)
anymore this year. I guess I'll just have to be content with the
short, easy drive to the River. Poor me.

Geo.C.

Thanks, George.

George Cleveland;113943 Wrote:
this one was so infected that I pondered bonking
him and taking him home for supper.


Geo.C.

I have been thinking of taking a fish home at some point, is "bonking"
a way of humanely expediting the process? I envision a blow to the
head, is that it? I would think that although violent it would be more
humane than letting a fish suffocate, anyone have any opinion? I also
want to gain a greater understanding of the differences between stocked
and wild fish, so I can make sure I don't ever take wild in such an
overall depleted, weak, and struggling wild fishery that is the
northeast.

frank


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On Tue, 13 May 2008 10:01:13 -0400, sergeantsville frank
wrote:


George Cleveland;113943 Wrote:
this one was so infected that I pondered bonking
him and taking him home for supper.


Geo.C.

I have been thinking of taking a fish home at some point, is "bonking"
a way of humanely expediting the process? I envision a blow to the
head, is that it?

Yes, assuming you mean trout and don't have an ice chest at hand. TDC
with an appropriately-sized object.

I would think that although violent it would be more
humane than letting a fish suffocate, anyone have any opinion?

Everyone has those, and any that suggest that letting one suffocate is
more humane is both wrong and an idiot.

I also
want to gain a greater understanding of the differences between stocked
and wild fish,

The wild fish wear leather biker jackets and smoke unfiltered
Luckies...the stocked fish have Hillary and Ron Paul stickers on them...

so I can make sure I don't ever take wild in such an
overall depleted, weak, and struggling wild fishery that is the
northeast.

If it's your belief that the fisheries are depleted, weak, and
struggling, you have no business fishing in them.

HTH,
R

frank

;113997 Wrote:

If it's your belief that the fisheries are depleted, weak, and
struggling, you have no business fishing in them.

What I meant is that the wild fish are few, and unless I can learn how
to tell the diffs, besides the perfect fins on wilds, then I don't want
to chance taking wild fish. I don't like the idea of killing the fish,
but if I do take one, I hope to be fairly confident that it was put
there by man. make sense?

frank




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On Tue, 13 May 2008 15:31:40 -0400, sergeantsville frank
wrote:


;113997 Wrote:

If it's your belief that the fisheries are depleted, weak, and
struggling, you have no business fishing in them.

What I meant is that the wild fish are few, and unless I can learn how
to tell the diffs, besides the perfect fins on wilds, then I don't want
to chance taking wild fish. I don't like the idea of killing the fish,
but if I do take one, I hope to be fairly confident that it was put
there by man. make sense?

No. What I meant was that if it's your belief that the fisheries are
depleted, weak, and struggling, you have no business fishing in them.

HTH,
R

wrote in message
...

Nice day, George! And you're fishing cane!

I think my trout fishing will also be limited this summer, since any
trout stream requires a significant drive. It'll be pond bass and
'gills for me.

B

I'll be solo after Sunday. You are more than welcome to enjoy a free ride
if you want to make the clave.

Mike

On Tue, 13 May 2008 06:20:33 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

On May 13, 8:54*am, George Cleveland
wrote:
snip
*Poor me.

Nice day, George! And you're fishing cane!

I think my trout fishing will also be limited this summer, since any
trout stream requires a significant drive. It'll be pond bass and
'gills for me.

B


I plan on riding my bike to go bass fishing this year after the trout
season withers in the heat of Summer. A leisurely 15 minute ride will
put me on all the smallie water I'd care to fish.

As far as the cane goes I have it on "permanent loan" from an
acquantance. He says I can keep it forever with the only condition
being that I not sell it. Its a 8' 5wt. made by a local rod maker. I
ended up overlining it with a 6 weight forward line this Spring as I
just wsn't getting the feedback I like from the rod using 5 weight
line. Works great now.

Geo. C.

On May 13, 7:50*pm, "Mike Makela" ten.tsacmoc@alekamm wrote:
wrote in message

...

Nice day, George! *And you're fishing cane!
I think my trout fishing will also be limited this summer, since any
trout stream requires a significant drive. *It'll be pond bass and
'gills for me.
B

I'll be solo after Sunday. *You are more than welcome to enjoy a free ride
if you want to make the clave.

Are you propositioning me, you old Finn, you? And have you moved to
Cleveland without telling me? :-)

I'll be unable to get myself to Centre County this month. My
doppelganger Mark will be in the neighborhood though. I believe he
has one of the Hemlock cabins the weekend of the 30th. If any of you
boys are up there then, treat him like you would any random visitor to
ROFF. Errr, hang on a second, let me rephrase that...

Bill