Redemption

Redemption when we look at Webster's definition it's the act of making something better.  The bible talks about redemption as paying a price for something.  In order to be redeemed a payment has to be received to gain possession of something.  Yesterday I was loaded with the Vedavoo Bugger Beast and the big flies, Sage One 7wt, Risen Fly Reel, Rio Smallmouth Line, and of course a game changer fly.  Action started slow as I waded down the creek hitting all the fishy spots that usually hold a good fish.  It's great being able to wet wade in nearly October you have to love this time of year and fall.  The cool morning seemed to have fish lethargic and slow going to start but once the air warmed up and the sun was on the water the fish were cruising the shallows.  I found a stud of a smallmouth and after a big cast wham fish on but as quick as the first run he was gone.  So I move up to the head of the pool and another solid fish is cruising around and in no time enhales the fly next strip set wham the drag is screaming but unfortunately the hook pops out.  Two solid fish hooked up in the 17-19 inch range and nothing to show.  I've lost way to many big fish this year including one 20 plus monster that still haunts me.  I was feeling degected and felt like my streamer skills were gone and wonderd if I had lost something.  So turn the page to today and I took another shot at some local water and like yesterday once the sun got going they we're cruising the shallows again.  My debut was paid yesterday and I was looking for redemption.  I strung up the setup again with my trusty game changer again and laid out a huge cast in the vicinity of where three smallies were cruising.  In no time like yesterday whack inhalation again and strip set and the drag was going and the rod bent.  Unlike yesterday the hook was buried and we were gaining ground. It looks like that debt paid to those bass was accepted because a stud smallie was laying at my feet.  I could have packed it in but you have to fight through those bad moments and those times that look bleak and look for redemption and keep working.  Thankfully this hookup ended good and the hook stayed buried until I had the chance to remove it! 

Polishing the Chrome

I had some vacation time coming up so the week before I kept watching the weather patiently trying to figure out what direction to head: Elk River in WV, Elk Creek in PA or some musky on the fly.  Well the weather man cooperated and gave us some awesome rain which brought the streams up way high and off colored and that meant a good run of steelhead on the Lake Erie tributaries.  Ryan from Risen Fly kept me updated on the status of reports and conditions and I was getting pumped up for the trip up to Erie for some fun fishing.  My buddies were headed home from a great NY fishing trip and chimed in on the water conditions on the Mile streams as well saying they looked perfect.  It was leading up to be a great trip and a good start to vacation.  Sunday night comes and one buddy got stuck working but then my good friend Zach "McFishin" messages me and asks if anyone is going and if I care he comes along, keep in mind McFishin just got home from NY that evening never unpacked and was ready to head north again a real fishing machine and at least the trip wasn't going to be a solo one its always good sharing the water with a good friend!  After 2 hours of sleep the car is packed and I am off to Fairmont to meet up with Zach to make the trip North to steelhead country, who needs sleep when fishing is involved just open a bottle of mountain dew and your good to go!

After a few hours of interstate driving we had arrived and were  thrilleed to see conditions were great and the parking area wasn't even that crowded to start out.  We stepped out and was greeted with some cool air so we layered up strung up the rods tied on a couple flies and off to Elk Creek we were headed.  It was a new section I had never fished before we started out on but had some great runs and looked super fishey.  McFishin started off in a nice fast run while I got my rig just right and was into a fish in no time at all.  Things looked like they were going to be crazy all day but after some slow fishing I was afraid I was jinxed by the $6.66 total from Sheetz.  We fished our way downstream with not much action at all and by settled in on one big slick.  In no time I rared back and fish on we were into them again but after three lost steelhead later the skunk was still smelling strong.  We figured we would change some things up and change locations to a new access area and some good fish holding water.  After speaking to several people and no one seeming to have any luck but maybe landing one if they were lucky we heard a lot of "we didn't see any fish" comments.  So as we started off on this lower run we knew there had to be fish in there with these cold temps and great flow on top of these off colored water conditons it was perfect but fly after fly no fish seemed to be cooperating and we were starting to wonder. 

As we rounded the bend and found yet another run I looked up and Zach was into some chrome a sight that was soon to become all to famlier!  I missed several more and Zach landed a couple more.  The stream was starting to empty as people weren't getting into fish.  Zach wanted to get the skunk off me so he gave me some tips and set me up in a nice tailout in no time the rod was bent and I was finally landing my first steelhead of the day finally I was on the board and the fun was really starting.  As Zach went up to try the head of the run he looks back and I am into yet another fish its nice when you get into fish fast and the plan comes together sometimes you just have to sit back read the water find your seams and as Zach says trust your dift, you may not see the fish but they are there you just have to find them and get the setup just right at times.
 We fished a run for a good little bit and must have landed over 10 between us in that one run and lost way more than that there they are easy to hook sometimes but landing at times is a whole other thing.  By the time we were done the stream looked empty but the WVAngler duo had opened up a whole can of kick butt.  We landed around 15 between us and hooked up with over twice that amount so the action was good and it ended up being a great day on the stream with a good buddy.  Sometimes when the action gets slow step back work on the depth of your rig, change those flies, and make sure you are fishing the right seams but mainly keep after it with some faith and dedication it will happen for sure!  It took a while but I polished up a few things and the chrome was shining before the day was done.

Serving Fruit Cocktails

Eating the Fruit Cocktail

Fall is a awesome time of year.  Cooler mornings but the water temps are still great for some wading and flows aren't to bad so you can cover some good ground fast.  Today started with some overcast and was followed up with a nice long shower.  I figured it would be a good day to go searching for some smallies.  It was dad and Annie May day today and grandma had not seen her for a while so that gave me a good excuse to run off the hill and find some fish.  I love throwing poppers to smallies the aggressive take and explosion on top water is awesome then you get some great jumps to follow!  I broke out the fruit cocktail deer hair popper and started the day off where I had fished not long ago and did decent.  And before you knew it the popper had been inhaled and a good smallie was leaping from the depths.  The flows weren't great but the fish were still holding good in the weed beds and were aggressively taking top water.  Didn't take much longer and another good fish was on but after a few good jumps he was swimming back to the depths and the hook was thrown.  After another missed take the next two fish went much smoother good hook sets and good jumps and we had another two good smallies in hand.  Dry flies and streamers are fun but to me there is a big rush when you get something that blows up and absolutely handles a popper!  A quick trip on Fishing Creek and three solid smallies all on the popper not a bad way to spend a day!

Nice smallie on top water

A Good Labor Day

Well Labor Day started with my wife and Annie May heading to a friends to hang out with her and her kids for a little while.  I was told to drop her off and go fishing...hmm I haven't been a husband that long and dad way less but when the wife says go fishing I do  not blink at the chance I head to find some water as quick as I can.  This year has been a rough year on some local waters its been a wet year and when it rains well its usually chocolate milk and tough fishing for a while and this summer its been that way a lot.  Labor Day marked something else some fairly good conditions on the local creek so instead of heading to the ponds I pulled off in wide spot after a bridge where there is some good weed beds and strung up the 7wt with a nice sized popper.  Started off fairly slow, the water had a good flow but I seemed to be turning nothing then all a sudden right off a weed back whack first smallie fish on but not long enough after a few jumps away he went back into the depths.  I pressed onward and upstream still some better water was ahead and I had hopes of making this a good day when all a sudden a nice boil behind the popper and we have another solid hook up.  This fish was not like the others however he was solid the immediate bend in the 7wt was a good sign of things to follow.  The fish inhaled the popper so the hook set was good and after several water clearing jumps that was probably a good thing.  After a nice battle the smallie was at my feet and to my surprise a very good one! After a few pictures and a quick release we were back at it running the popper past weed beds.  Another decent smallie and it was a good day on the water, but then again any day on the water seems like a good day!

A Crappie Day Fishing

Sometimes a crappie day fishing can turn into a good day.  Today it was just dad and Annie May kinda day.  I had to run out to the store the Heinz Ketchup supply had gotten horror story low so I figured we'd take a walk around the local farm ponds on the way.  It seemed like a cool morning with the sun not to bright yet so I figured it was a good time to get some time outside with the kiddo.  I had the 7wt already strung up with a good sized popper so I figured we would see if any largemouth were looking ready to eat something if not I figured we could downsize and maybe get lucky and pick up a few bluegills.  I was not hoping for much just happy to be outside with my baby girl.  After a few casts had a big boil behind the popper set the hook and a good rod bend I figured we had another good sized largemouth on our hands at least that's what I was hoping for but I would soon be greatly surprised.  A few fish have alluded me for some reason and a crappie was one of those fish I have yet to catch especially on a fly.  Well today that all changed.  After a good fight and some nice rod bending I had at my feet a chunk of a crappie taped out at 13 1/2 inches not bad for a public farm pond fish!  Got to spend the day with a kid, get a good walk in, and land a fish that had alluded me until this point I will take that any day of the week!!  It was the only fish of the day but at least it was a good one! Keep casting you never know what you may hook into one day.