2016: First fly fishing trip

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Fishing Report

Date: 01/09/16

Place: Delacroix

Wind: 15 mph from W

Tide: not notable due to wind, but low at about noon, range about 2 ft.

Moon: waning, almost new

Solunar period: strong major period at 2 p.m.

Sky: Mostly clear, sunny

Temperature: 70 F

Water Temperature: Cool, 58 F or so (warming)

Water Level: very high about 1.5 ft. above normal

Water Clarity: Good, variable 2-5 feet of visibility

Time on the water: noon to 5 p.m.

Water covered: About 5 miles, but pedaled Hobie Outback all the time to maintain position

Other Fishers: solo trip

Fishing the tail end of a cold front, but the temperature had not dropped yet.

Today was a fly rod only day, but conditions were not too good for fly fishing (windy, not much chance to sight fish). I brought two #8 wt. rods. One was rigged with the old reliable Waldner gold spoon fly. The other had a white shrimp gurgler with a yellow deceiver about 2 ft. below on a dropper. The first cast I made was with the gurgler/deceiver, and it fooled a 14 inch marsh bass. It went for the gurgler I tied, which made me extra happy. I alternated between the two fly rods but did not have much luck as I drifted downwind about a mile. I drifted through a cut between two little islands and hooked a nice redfish on the spoon fly. It was on for a couple of minutes until the hook pulled out. I went around some broken islands and cast the spoon fly into a shallow pocket that was out of the wind. I watched a red chase the spoon and gulp it down. It was a determined fish that would not be denied. But the fish was moving straight to me faster than I could strip in the line, and as it swam away from me the line finally went taught and it was hooked. It fought well for a 21 inch redfish, and I got it in and up on the ruler for a photo. I went out into a large open pond and drifted for some trout but no one was home. Did a lot of blind casting to likely spots but did not get anything else for my efforts. It was a really pleasant day to be on the water, but not the best fishing conditions. With colder weather approaching it will be time to change fishing spots and tactics. I have some sinking lines that I have yet to try, and hope to learn some deep water fly methods.