Is It Spring Yet???

I have had the shack nasties for some time now. This winter is a tease. One day it will be 30 below with wind chill, the next day at 4o and no wind, then back to negative temps with the wind chill. I think Al Gore is full of crap!

Any way, last month I was driving home from school different ways looking for open water. After stopping at Cabela's to buy hooks and ask around about open water, I had a thought to try something close to home. So, I pulled over, strung up the rod with a hopper-dropper setup and walked down to the spillway.

I walked the channel for a few yards to see that it was only 4 or 5 inches deep and began to be disappointed that I couldn't see any fish in the gin clear water. Ah well, I kept walking toward the dam and the channel dropped of into some beautiful blue water.

I threw out a cast and half expected nothing to happen. The other half of me expected my dropper to tug on my hopper. Next thing I knew, my hopper got slapped and I set the hook. Here's what I pulled in:


Another cast, half bewildered, produced this nice little gill. Dry flies in the middle of winter? What the French, Toast!!!


Thinking that I was gonna have fun with some ignorant gills, I threw out another cast, this time with no dropper. This time, the hopper was smothered with a crash and I pulled in a little bucketmouth.



Now that I knew bass where hanging out in here, I switched flies. I tied on a little stand-by called the Crappie Candy. After a few strip - strip - pause motions, the line tightened and I brought this guy to hand.


Out of the blue I switched flies to a White Red-faced Wobbler I saw tied by a fellow tyer named Ward Bean. Check out his site at Warm Water Fly Tyer. As I cast a few times with no results, I changed the pace a bit. I would cast and let it sink for about 15 "one-one thousands." After my first or second 2 inch strip, it felt like the Loch Ness Monster was on the other end. This fish behaved as if it was middle summer.


I had to take two pictures just for proof's sake


I kept at it till the sun went down and the deer wanted their watering hole back. I managed a few more decent bass and happened to take another picture for kicks.


This particular Monday night was so much fun, I went back the next afternoon. Luckily, for me, school got out early on Tuesday. So, the rod got strung up and I walked carefully down the muddy hill for more fish.

What I failed to mention was that I tied some flies Monday to take on Tuesday. My best pal here in Omaha has a fly tying blog called Lime Trude; check it out. This particular Monday, he tied a little jig fly, on the hooks which I happened to purchase the day before while shooting the bull at Cabela's. So, I tied them up and put them in the truck on my way to school.

About 2pm I got to my little hole and started throwing, my new favorite warm water fly, the Jig Fly. First cast up into the spillway produced this nice little sunfish.


I took a close up just for Trude. Here you go bud.


Ward Bean ties his Wobblers in white, olive and a few other colors. After a few gills I switched to a bigger fly for bigger fish. The Olive Red-faced Wobbler was the ticket.


I managed 2 bass on this guy, then his red-face became tattered. I switched to Ward Bean's Plan "B." Supposedly this is his bass crusher fly. I can back that up!


I got 2 bass back to back on the Plan "B." I think it is my new Bass Plan "A!"


This behemoth is still swimming! I go back and fool him occasionally. I tend to find him, or a close sized friend, in a little different spot every time. What a great fish!!!

Bass on a 4 weight rod! What a good time! Get out a give it a shot! For now, dress warm. Bring on Spring!!!

Till next time,

Durangler