FishExplorer has been updated. See what's new... (hide this)
Fishing Outside The Comfort Zone
Blog by: Lloyd Tackitt , TX 5/2/2018 (Return to blogs)
I may be the world's worst at fishing a set way in a set place. Living on the river as I do it is just dead convenient to fish the river. So I do.
I fish the same spots in the river and I use the same techniques almost all the time. Why? Because those are the spots that produce fish and those are the techniques that catch the most and biggest of those fish. Efficiency I guess.
The trouble is that I rarely ever fish anywhere else. I'm not at all fond of traveling and that compounds the problem. I am a rut fisherman, I rarely leave my rut. I fish my comfort zone.
This past Monday though I was drawn out of my rut by two gentlemen that came from Colorado on a fishing tour through Texas. I met them here, on FishExplorer. We corresponded by email to arrive at dates and times and locations when we could meet up.
They took me to a private stock tank they have access to, about 6 acres, it is loaded with Bass. It is about an hour's drive from my home, so not really traveling. Traveling to me means I have to sleep in a bed that is not my bed in my own bedroom - so not a problem this time. I took my usual fly rod and tackle, but "Just In Case" I also took a spinning rig and some tackle for it. Of course I started off with the fly rod, and it worked well for a little while.
My friends also brought a float tube for me to try out. I've never been in a float tube. This was definitely getting me out of my rut. I was floating around, learning to steer and drive the tube, and fishing with my fly rod - and I caught fish. Catching a fish whilst in a float tube is a very different experience. The fish's leverage is increased as the fisherman's is decreased. Tremendous fun, better mobility, and the ability to reach places otherwise unreachable. I'll be getting me one soon.
But then the wind came roaring up and across the stock tank making both the fly rod and the float tube unwieldy. So I changed gear and tactics. More un-ruttedness. I used my spinning rod and started trying various lures.
This tank is largely shallow with a continual bed of hydrilla across the bottom. What I could reach from the banks of the tank was definitely hydrillaized. The Bass were roaming around down there in that vegetation and the way to get them was to bring a lure above them, out of the hydrilla, and then bring the Bass in as fast as possible to keep them from nose diving into the weeds - which they mostly did anyway, so about half the battle was a fighting fish and the second half was a fish covered in moss. What worked best for me was a buzz bait. Maybe because I loved seeing the fish hit the buzz bait on the surface had something to do with it too.
We caught a ton of Bass and I had a blast fishing with conventional tackle again. I grew up fishing stock tanks this way so that was actually a comfortable zone for me. It's just been several centuries since I last did that.
The next day I brought my friends out to the river and put them on some Bass there. They connected with several large Bass. I think they enjoyed it once they got used to the water temperature - this is wade fishing and the water is still a touch cool.
So we traded experiences. It was fun. I need to get out of my rut more often I suppose. But I don't know, I like my river a lot and it certainly provides me with great fishing.
And when you get to be my age there is a lot to be said for being in easy walking distance of home.
Me, in a tube, with fish on.
Blog content © Lloyd Tackitt
Comments
bron
05.02.18 6:04 PM
I might know those guys that kidnapped you and made you do these things. I bet you all had a blast, and never quit learning and being diverse.
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.02.18 6:52 PM
Not having gotten permission from them first I don't want to use their names - but I do imagine you know them. I did have a blast, a total blast, talk about great senses of humor, those two are funny and they know a lot that they were willing to share.
Kev-o
05.02.18 8:01 PM
Had a great time with you Lloyd wish that I’d been better prepared though. That’s one incredible spot that you’ve got there no doubt about it. I appreciate the opportunity to step out of my comfort zone to enjoy it with you. Hopefully I’ll see you next year. Thanks!
bron
05.03.18 4:55 AM
Please tell me you got Kevo using a flyrod! Id love to see pics of that!
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.03.18 5:24 AM
Next year Kev-o, next year! Bron, I didn't try to get him to use a fly rod, not yet. One step at a time I guess. I think he and Jim need a bit of convincing to try my style of fishing. Maybe one of those huge bass will convince them some day...
anglerwannabe
05.03.18 7:24 AM
We loved the river. Was too cool to have that gar follow my lure 8n again and sgain. Plus that huge bass i had on early. We had an awesome time. Next year we'll launch the toons and we'll put u on the tube to drag u up river and we'll drift back
Lloyd Tackitt (author, aka Lloyd Tackitt)
05.03.18 7:28 AM
Next year we can float all the way down from the dam if you want to and I'll float with you in my kayak. We can hit some great spots that way, an all day trip.
shiverfix
05.03.18 12:24 PM
anglerwannabe is one of those that I've talked with a lot, even been to his house, but have yet to fish with. We will have to change that this year.
Ajax5240
05.03.18 2:58 PM
What a cool trip for all of you! I hear the fish cooperated quite well!
About the Author
I live on the edge of the Brazos River. I walk out my front door and into the river and - boom - I am fishing just like that. For me the river is fascinating. The mile long stretch I fish is a microcosm of the river, I have it all in that one mile. Trying to figure out where the fish are, what they are doing, why they are doing it, what they are biting, if they are biting - this is what keeps me in the river casting flys. I fly fish almost exclusively. It isn’t that I am a fly fishing snob, it’s that fly fishing works – it’s effective - and it has added benefits. I carry all my tackle in a vest, no tackle box needs to be dragged along. The casting itself is fun, even when I don’t catch fish I’ve enjoyed the experience of casting. Fly rods enhance the experience of bringing fish in. I like the hands on the line feel instead of the feel of line spooling up on a reel and muted down through a gear and crank system. Fish fight better and feel better on a fly rod. Fly fishing just feels better to me than other methods.