Fish'n after work and evenings

Daylight Savings Time is here. I recognize that not all folks love the change, but for me, "Happy Days are Here Again." With dozens of ponds within an hour or less of work and home, it’s easy to stop off after work for a quick fish, especially on those evening when Sue has activities to attend.

Today I couldn't wait, so I slipped out over lunch hour to a nearby pond that's heavily trafficked by cyclists and walkers, but rarely fished. The major issue fishing neighborhood ponds is one really has to pay attention to the back cast. Trees, high banks, and brush offer plenty of places for my flies to land, and I don't need to snag pedestrians while I'm at it.

While most of these ponds have plenty of fish, their size is typically small. Although on occasion, I'll pick up a nice bass, gill, or carp. Not so today, a handful of smallish crappie and a couple pumpkinseeds or hybrids in forty-five minutes or so were all that came to hand.

Why, fish during lunch and after work? Because I can, is the best answer. Catching a few fish, or just casting, is better than the lunch hour gossip the break room offers. And it for sure beats working at the computer while munching a sandwich. The real benefit, however, is casting practice. With all the obstacles, both along the shore and behind, you learn to pay attention to your surroundings. It’s a good time to make roll casts, curve casts, reach casts, false casts low and parallel to the shore with jab at the end to change direction, high back casts (steeple cast), tuck cast, casting into the wind . . . You name it, this is a great time to work on your casting skills.

Cooperative fish also offer you an opportunity to try new flies.  Test the waters long enough with the standards to convince yourself there’s a bite on.  Then switch over to those creations you tied last winter.  If these guys won’t eat them, there’s a fair chance you need to rethink your tie. 

 

The bottom line is if you fly fish every chance you can and you'll find your skills will be sharp when you head out to fish those "treasured" locations, the once in a life time trips.  Can’t tell you how many times I’ve watch anglers struggle on prime waters because it was beneath them to put is a little time at the neighborhood ponds. 

Plus, sometime you’ll get a bonus fishing locally. Today’s highlight occurred when two mothers were walking past with their two daughters on the way to the nearby school. My fishing peaked the girl’s interest, but mom said no, we need to get to school.  I hooked a fish right then and there was no getting the daughters off to school until they'd had a chance to come down and inspect the catch. After having a look, one suggested I should let it go now. Loved it.