Fishing Technique

a story of patience in a young angler

Take a close look at the image above. Notice the cheeks red from the sun and lips stretched with a smile. Anyone observing this image can plainly see this smile wasn't forced, like the ones on the more expensive family photos. Young Mr. Garrett Bear loves his computer games just as much as any other boy but mention a fishing trip and he is ready to go. Garrett began his fishing adventures, in the small water retention ponds scattered throughout his home town of Indianapolis. Bread dough and Bluegills was the beginning but eventually Garrett added several species, baits and techniques to his angling experiences to include one large Carp, a story he must tell, I will attempt to pursued him to write the story of the giant Carp for Water and Woods someday.

We all know the attention span of a young person is short, at best, so one must prepare the young angler for success filled with action. These two ingredients, early on, equals hooked on fishing for life. It is important to nurture the beginning stages of a young persons fishing adventures in order to build their confidence and patience. Some people can throw a plastic worm or spinner bait for hours without a hint of a strike. A young person needs to feel the rewards of their actions much more quickly. We who are seasoned anglers know by now that there are very large Bass or Catfish lurking about and we are willing to sling a big lure at the banks for hours or sit idle for massive amounts of time in the dark with a giant shad at the end of our line in anticipation of a 40 pound Blue Cat. Most young people either can not or will not develop the patience needed, without the proper guidance, for that type of fishing. Kids need to learn the basics first and they need to catch fish and lots of them. With time they will learn that there are other fish out there and slowly build up enough patience to pursue them.

Young Garrett learned a valuable lesson of patience from his sister,who by the way is a great angler in her own right. The two of them were fishing from the bank on Lake Barkley in Tennessee. Garrett had given up on the fishing and was proclaiming loudly the devastating news that there were absolutely no fish in Lake Barkley. I could here Garrett on all the way in remote Alaska as I was talking with his Mom on the phone. During the impatient rants and raves in the background Kayla, Garrett's sister, was suddenly on the phone informing me that there were fish in that lake because she could see them swimming but that her fishing pole was messed up and little brother would not allow her to use his, which had been cast aside in trade for skipping rocks.

Kayla. I said.

Yes Kenneth. She responded.

I want you to grab your brother's fishing pole and go down to that lake and prove to him that the fish are still there.

Ok Kenneth. She responded.

Finally the phone conversation resumed. It wasn't long however before I heard a little girl screaming in the background and at first thought Kayla had fallen in the lake but soon realized she had a fish on and a good one. She played the fish to the bank. Garrett watched in amazement as Mommy pulled the 12 inch Crappie from the fish less waters of Lake Barkley. The excitement is indescribable. Pandemonium was breaking out on the banks of Lake Barkley. When the dust settled and the picture was taken things seemed to mellow out. Of course now Garrett was fishing like a wild man possessed as Mommy fixed Kayla's pole so that she could continue. This gave Kayla time to personally inform me that there were too fish in Lake Barkley and that she knew there had to be. She gave me a lesson on catching crappie. Where to cast the bobber, how deep the bait was from the bobber. She even told me how to know when you were about to get a bite by watching how your bobber was leaning. This was all good lessons that I could use and of course I told her so. I really believe Garrett learned a lesson that day and was speechless about the success of his little sister. Garrett now shows much more patience and catches many more fish because of it. He especially enjoys Cat fishing at night and shows great patience as he watches his watch and becomes more giddy as the minutes roll passed his bedtime. He also enjoys listening to the owls, his favorite bird.

It was a year later before I saw just how patient Garrett had become, with fishing anyway. We were camping on Lake Barkley with the boat. It was hot during the day so we spent those hours floating in the lake and inner tubing behind the boat. I mentioned that I was going to go cat fishing and did anyone want to join me. Garrett was ready to go while Kayla jumped on the opportunity to hang with her Mommy. I informed Garrett that this was not the same as fishing for Bluegills and that it could get boring. He told me that was ok and we headed out. I prepared myself for much complaining but surprisingly not a single complaint emerged.

We anchored the boat not too far from camp. Garrett could see the fire that he insisted on building up before leaving. He informed me that if we got lost we had a way to find our camp. There were plenty of lights throughout the campground but I let him build the fire and he felt good about marking our tent. I could tell it gave him more confidence about going into the darkness.

I hurried to get Garretts line in the water. It was rigged with a small hook, for channel cats, and a ball of chicken blood dough bait. Above the blood bait was a great bobber for anyone night fishing but especially great for young people. It was a lighted bobber and Garrett thought that was so cool. The bobber also has ball bearings inside so that you can hear it rattle when you get the slightest nibble. It really does work and within an hour the bearings began to rattle. Amazingly with the darkness we could not see the bobber moving, even with it lighted, but we could hear it rattling until finally it went down. What a great way to fish for catfish especially for kids.

Garrett landed the channel cat of about two pounds and quickly demanded a new stinky bait and I quickly baited with a smile all the while congratulating Garrett on his great catch and more importantly I commended him on his patience. Garrett caught another catfish that night and had a great time listening to the Owls along the lake and watching the stars. He located the big dipper and occasionally I caught him searching for the fire back at camp. The boat moved a bit with the currents and the fire was a fixed point Garrett could focus on and feel safe that we were not drifting to who knows where.

Garrett and I have fished a few fishless nights since then but with no complaints. He has been asking to journey a bit farther from camp as the adventurer inside fights to get out. We even made a trip out during our last camping trip to fish for bass. Garrett threw a Rapala while I fished a plastic worm. Garrett did well and without a single strike maintained his angling composure and even learned, primarily on his own, how to cast a spinning reel. I think young Garrett knew the possibility was real for hooking a large fish and he fished hard. Garrett was asking several questions about bass fishing until it all ended with the distinct sound of a pair of glasses plopping into the abyss of Lake Barkley after swatting a giant mosquito that had dive bombed his little ear. This called for some cheering up. It helped by informing Garrett of the many pairs of glasses I had dropped into lakes and oceans all over the world including a pair dropped into the Persian Gulf during Desert Storm as I searched the depths for fish I might catch if I could find a pole. I assured Garrett it wasnt a big deal and he seemed to cheer up. The campfire and roasted marsh mellows helped too after we got back to camp.

The first step to getting a young person interested in fishing is to be beyond patient yourself. If you think you are patient wait until you add a young angler or two and you will soon learn the meaning of beyond patience. It can be trying at times but it is very important to bite your tongue at times and answer off the wall questions at others. It is up to us to help guide young people into fishing and the outdoors. So think about introducing a young person to the outdoors and if you are wondering the best way to do that you might want to start with bread-dough and Bluegills.

Author's website
www.ramblingangler.com

by Ken McBroom
Author's website
http://www.ramblingangler.com

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Alaska is home to many species of fish with nearly, if not more, ways to pursue them. Much has been written about these species and the ways of catching them but one species, special to me, has escaped stardom. The Sailfish of the North or Arctic Grayling. Grayling thrive in the many free-flowing rivers and creeks as well as many still waters throughout Alaska. The Grayling tends to escape anglers attention as their focus is on larger and more famous species such as Salmon, Halibut and Rainbows. This lack of attention leaves the Grayling free to roam, feeding relentlessly on bugs, eggs and fry that reside in those rivers, creeks and lakes and with essentially no pressure from anglers. It is this lack of pressure that entices anglers that enjoy solitude and beauty during their angling adventures, something of the past, some might say, of other species and locations that harbor them.

There are many opportunities to pursue Grayling in Alaska and is a great way to get away from it all. Grayling can take you away from the coastal watersheds and into some remarkable parts of the Last Frontier. You can find Grayling in most any free flowing stream and in many lakes throughout interior Alaska. Many rivers are silted by melting glaciers in the summer but run clearer in the winter and become wintering grounds for big Grayling. In the summer the Grayling move up the many tributaries, that feed these larger rivers, to feed and spawn. Find a good size tributary emptying into one of these rivers and you should find plenty of action for light spinning gear or fly rod. There are also plenty of clear rivers that are both winter as well as summer haunts for the Grayling. These rivers can be a bit tough to fish but can provide excellent results and big Grayling. Spin fisherman can handle the larger rivers a little better than fly anglers just because of the weight of the spinner getting the hook down through swift current and deep pools.

Grayling are ferocious feeders and can keep you busy if you find a good spot which isnt real hard to do in Alaska. Spinners work great on light spinning rod and reel with light line of maybe four pound test. Grayling really strike a lure and engulf it. If catch and release is your intentions then you might want to think about single hook spinners and check the regulations for the area you plan to fish as some have single hook use only. If you do not have any or cant locate any for your trip you can cut two of the hooks from the treble and make a single or as I have done in the past just install a single hook onto the spinner making sure to match the size hook to the size spinner in order to keep it proportional. Normally one would wade upstream but with a spinner I prefer to wade downstream and take advantage of the current. Be sure to keep to the shoreline to keep from announcing your presence downstream, although I have found that as you wade downstream many morsels tend to be dislodged from the bottom for the Grayling waiting downstream causing a feeding frenzy by the time you arrive. Both points are argued but it has been my experience that in Alaska the Grayling are not easily spooked like many of the rivers in the lower 48 as many of the fish you catch, in most cases, have never seen a hook.

If you plan on use spinning gear think light but not too light. There are some big Grayling out there that can give you a fit on an ultra-light outfit but more importantly there are Rainbows in many streams that hold Grayling. The last thing you want is a 24 inch Rainbow to surprise you and get off because your gear was too light. Personally, unless you know the water you will be fishing is small, and even then you could get a surprise, I would go with medium light or even a medium weight rod. Many of these rivers and lakes that are primarily targeted for Grayling often times hold some monster Rainbows, so be prepared. Small spinners of any make should work fine pulled through likely spots with a steady retrieve. Remember that Grayling feed aggressively and their mouths are a bit fragile when filled with a treble hook. Please think about spinners with single hooks and dont worry about hook ups because with their aggressive takes they pretty much hook themselves.

If you plan to pursue this great little member of the Charr family with a fly rod a 3 to 5 weight works great. Depending on the size of river you are fishing casting distance can vary greatly from ten feet to sixty. I prefer floating line as an all around fly line except on the larger, deeper rivers where sometimes a sink tip is needed to thoroughly cover its many Grayling haunts from top to bottom in this case you may want to bring along a separate spool loaded with the two different lines in order to quickly change to the desired application for each run. Leaders are usually simple in Alaska. The fish here tend to be less line shy due to lack of experience. A single piece of monofilament is the usual choice but some might find that a tapered or hand tied graduated leader turns the fly over better in some cases so practice or just bring some along in case the simple leader doesnt work for you. I used a twenty dollar fly reel for years in Alaska for everything including Salmon. I have since moved up to something with a smooth drag system which is a necessity for serious Salmon fishing but for the Grayling as long as it turns and holds line you should be all right as most of your catches will probably never reach the reel.

Fly anglers will love the willingness of the Grayling to attack just about any fly they choose to tie on. Of course there are certain patterns at certain times that produce better than others. For you dry fly enthusiast The Elk Hair Caddis is hard to beat especially early in the season on rivers with a Salmon run. Rivers without a Salmon run are void of eggs and therefore the egg pattern, while still effective to some extent, tends to go unnoticed when compared to the more traditional trout flies such as the Elk Hair Caddis, The Humpy, Sculpin, Alevin and of course the Woolly Bugger. Sometimes very small midge patterns work well but generally the action is so good with the other patterns you wont even think about them. One go to pattern you should have in your box is the Griffiths Gnat and the Mosquito Emerger. These patterns work well throughout the season. Fish a dry on a dead drift but then let it swing at the end and even strip the fly in before making the next cast. Grayling will often follow your fly as it drifts and smack it on the swing or the strip. If there are Salmon present in the river you are fishing then the egg pattern is hard to beat. The Egg-Sucking Leech is a great pattern as it simulates an egg on the drift and a sculpin or fry on the strip.

Grayling are territorial and one thing I have noticed is when your fly is getting bombarded by small Grayling it usually means that there are no big Grayling in that hole or run. If you are seeking trophy Grayling you will want to consider a streamer pattern and deep pools. A Grayling will occupy a certain hole year after year provided it hasnt been altered by changes over the winter. They choose these deep holes and remain as motionless as possible to maintain their energy and sometimes will move just a short distance to eat. These Grayling protect their area aggressively chasing away any intruders and gobbling up any sign of protein that might drift by. If you locate a nice looking hole or run that seems to be fishless, even though you were just catching fish after fish the run before, stay put and fish that hole thoroughly with different patterns with different techniques as there is a good chance there is a big Grayling lurking somewhere below. One good way to entice a stubborn fish is to cast downstream and very slowly strip the streamer pattern upstream allowing the current to keep the fly suspended above the bottom. This works with spinners as well. As you pause the fly move your rod tip from side to side and watch as the fly follows the rod tip and you are able to cover a very large section of the run and give that big Grayling a chance to easily make a meal out of your fly. This technique is slow and without the excitement of a swirling take on the surface but if it is trophy Grayling you are after this technique works great.

Grayling is the last frontier of angling. With so much emphasis put on the other species found here in this anglers paradise the Grayling continues to go unnoticed by the many anglers that journey here each year. When I talk about the great trips to remote rivers and lakes and tell about the great fun I had catching Grayling after Grayling people listen and you can see their eyes light up then they say. You know I have been meaning to try out Grayling fishing but I never get around to it. If you enjoy pristine waters with spectacular views without all the people and nearly continuous action on many streams then you should give the Arctic Grayling a try and experience the last frontier of angling.

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Dry fly angling is at the top of any fly fishermans list of fun fishing. The visual dry fly catch continues to excite many anglers as the best way to angle the fly. Many anglers try to keep themselves busy with various fly tying techniques as well as nymphing techniques. We will discuss several of those techniques below, but for now we will start with dry fly techniques.

To watch the fly drift free, then the flash of a trout, followed by your fly rod bend - thid is what most of us are after. To experience it, fly fishermen will go to measures beyond most other fishermen. I would say that 30% of fly fishing angling time is spent fishing a dry fly. My favorite fly fishing memories have included big fish taken on a dry fly. Sure, dredging a nymph and hooking an old Brown or a huge River Rainbow is satisfying, but Ill take a brookie on a dry fly, at any size, on any day.

When I go to a stream, new or old, I put on a nymph first. There are exceptions (fish rising everywhere to an obvious hatch) that make me poke around in my compartment box, but the indicator and nymph are my first choice. I can catch fish while I am observing what is going on in the stream. When I have things figured out, then I go to the dry fly. This is where I have the most fun.

Equipment is important! Try to use as long a fly rod as you can get away with. Some anglers use a 5'6" fly rod for dry fly fishing, but generally, a longer rod eight feet or longer is desirable. A medium action or faster is desirable to have the reaction and hook setting speed that dry fly angling sometimes takes.

It is also best to use large arbor reels. A large arbor keeps a fly line supple, without curls from a tight diameter storage. A fine drag system, or none at all, in important to protect the fine tippet from breaking when a fish runs. A fly rod must also balance. The reel weight must make the fly rod at the point where your index finger rests on the cork grip "balance." That would be where the fly rod hangs level on the balance of your index finger on the cork. This makes the feel of the cast second nature. You will get to a level where casting becomes second nature, you will feel the fly trailing on your leader, the rod tip bending, and the fly line loop during your cast like you feel the tracking of your wheels on the highway while you are driving.

Understanding these important aspects of fly fishing is not difficult, it just takes some experience. You will soon get to a point where you understand each and every aspect of your equipment and fishing technique in focused detail. Especially if you continue to go after trout with a fly rod, particularly a dry fly rod. Just remember to balance your equipment. You will see the merit of that as you fish!

Fly line choices come into play when thinking about dry fly equipment. I like fly line colors in gray, green or white. Colors other than this are used to catch fishermen at the fly shop counter. At fly line weights less than 4-weights, double tapers or weight forwards, you will find you will have a very hard time telling the difference. A double taper will last twice as long because you can turn the fly line around when it is worn. But I seem to gravitate toward a weight forward. If you like to "shoot" casts, the weight forward seems to work better.

If you want, you can experiment with mini shooting heads and custom made lines for your dry fly fishing pursuits. Loop offers many different fly lines available for experimentation. Leaders are an important aspect of dry fly fishing. Many anglers like to use Rio leaders, which are very supple, yet the butt through midsection is stiff enough to make the leader straighten, or "turn over." For small streams, a 9 foot leader in 6x is perfect. If you need to step down to 7x, a length of tippet can be added.

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