We often hear guests and fishermen ask how the fishing is and what is working, and my first question right back at them is well, how do you like to fish?
Nymphs? Streamers? Dries? Wets? Everything?
Are you a fly fishing purist, and your only enjoyment is from watching a hard to fool trout sip your offering from the surface?
Are you a streamer addict where the “tug is the drug” and nothing else matters?
Are you a numbers fisherman, looking to pile up trout pelts nymphing all of the beautiful pocket water – and let’s be honest, this is really the best method to catch a lot of fish!
Once you determine what style of fishing gives you the most enjoyment, you begin to realize that within that style there are usually more distinctions to distill it down even further.
Being somewhat of a streamer enthusiast myself, my enlightenment in this style of fishing really reached its peak when I saw others (okay, Chuck Degray) casting big bugs – Zoo Cougar, Circus Peanut, Drunk & Disorderly, etc., for big fish. This began somewhat of an obsession with me to catch one spectacular fish using this method, and it can be a lonely and frustrating game at times, believe me. But when it works, there’s nothing better.
Yesterday I was fortunate to run in to Pittsburg local and NH Fishing Guide Al Karg on the river, and I was able to observe how he likes to target fish. Al’s a wet fly guy – soft hackle wets to be exact, and it’s proven to be a good method for him to catch nice fish on the Connecticut River. I must admit that I haven’t been very successful using this method over the years – mostly because I didn’t know what I was doing.
After spending some time with NH Fishing Guide and fishing legend Angus Boezeman in a drift boat last week, I was able to witness his wet fly technique and pick his brain at the same time. Yes, it has piqued my interest in the nuances of casting and swinging a wet fly through a column of feeding fish, and it works for sure.
How do you like to catch fish? And remember, there’s no wrong answer!
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By: bs
Tom Caron dispenses advice, wisdom, and bs in the pursuit of trout and salmon daily for Tall Timber guests.
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Hendrickson
September 6, 2017 — 2:48 pm
Wet is a wondrous way, Tom; streamer is a steamer; and dry makes me me high 😝
Hendrickson
September 6, 2017 — 2:50 pm
… and super post, Tom!
bs
September 6, 2017 — 3:25 pm
A smart angler might say “I’m happy catching fish any way I can”, but I guess I’m not one of those people. I’ll throw my vote in to the Streamer Pot!
eg
September 6, 2017 — 4:02 pm
… or: “which child you love the most?” They are all so joyful when they work, even more so when challenges are met with a hunch and persistence! For me, it’s more about the clearness of intent and quality of the execution. All that being said: The two-handed swing is the thing for me these days. There’s the rhythm (in the meditative “zone”), the pool coverage and the chance for some really bign’s with bigger flies. (And less wear-and-tear on the worn-out shoulder.)