Brookies are back on the bite

Post by **bobfly** » Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:58 pm

I returned to Fishboy's secret lake on Saturday. Water temp at 19C and they were jumping. I was there a couple of weeks ago and got nothing...water temp 21C. There was a hatch of what I though were large mayflies but they were hitting the water and then flying off again. When this happened I stopped catching no matter what I tried (landed 4 - ate two on shore). Finally I flippered over to one and grapped it. And the little begger bites me!! Opening my hand I realize they are boatmen or backswimmers. I tried flies similar in size and colour but to no avail. Reading in one of my stillwater books, often this is what they will gorge themselves on when it happens. In the book, trout apparently hit them hard before they get bit. None of the patterns in the book matched what I saw but I now have a bunch and I'm ready for a return. Now if only my jobs will cooperate.....

bobfly

Post by **northernfly** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:16 am

I was up near Renfrew on Saturday (beautiful morning) and had good success with the brookies. I was using a muddler with a bit of shot to get it down but most of them were hitting close to the surface. Haven't figured that one out yet.

Post by **Fishboy** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 11:52 am

I was out yesterday and there was a hatch of what looked like grey mayflies. I tossed the whitest dry flies I had and was into constant action. They also like my small deerhair poppers.

The largest was about 10" - too small to keep for me. I have a personal rule of keeping no fish under a measured 12 inches.

Post by **bobfly** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:51 pm

Fishboy, this is the first year in many that I have kept any fish of any size. I will always release in the spring because I it gives me and others a chance later on. But come fall, we may never see them again as soon ice fishers will slithering onto the lakes. I will say no more. And of course there is normal winter kill.

There is an old guy (even older than me) who keeps his boat on our NoName Lake and he said something very interesting. The little lake is good because loons can't land or take-off. I hadn't heard of loons being a factor in trout populations. Has anyone read anything on this?

bobfly

Post by **Fishboy** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:56 am

Bobfly,

After reading my previous post, I want to clarify my position - my persnal restriction is just that...personal. I can't really complain when other anglers fish in accordance to the law. (I can complain, but it usually falls on deaf ears......)

I like taking the occasional one for a meal, too. This is the first year in the past 2 years that I've kept a fish for the table (it was a 2 lb specimen from a private territory). However, I find that specks under 12" don't really have enough meat to justfy it. Besides, I'd like to see the little ones grow-up to become decent sized fish. It is a put and take fishery, and there is a 5 fish possession limit, but it seems to me to be short-sighted to keep taking small fish out thereby ensuring that the fishery will only produce little guys.

I saw the old guy with the boat and trolling motor on Sunday. I shared the lake with another tuber who kept a couple and the boat man who only stayed about 45 minutes.

I don't believe that the lake is necessarily too small for loons to land in. More likely it's a case where there isn't a decent nesting area for them. In my non-scientific observation, most loon lakes have nesting habitat, hence the loons.

BTW - I was told by the other tuber that there is a live bait ban on the lake. That covers fishing with worms.