A little different day

[Rob G]

Started yesterday with low clear water and I began with a Timothy T. inspiration that I had tied, the Spey Dog fly.  I caught several smaller smallies and finally grabbed a 15 inch which proceeded to destroy my fly so that 1st act was over. 

Meanwhile the gar appeared to be spawning as they were very active and I saw 4 smaller presumably males flanking a larger female in the shallows.  So out came a rope fly that I often will carry with me (just in case) and after landing a couple decent long nose that were about 3.5 ft long, that fly was knotted and with no brush to bring it back to life, that act ended quickly as well.

Later I was able to land a few more smallies and a couple decent ones on my almost 9+ hour walk, the largest 18" came on a 1/100 ounce micro jig tied on a size 12 hook while I was trying to entice a couple large drum to partake.  So I'm still not making headway with those drum, but one of these days...........

 

[John Gillio]

Very nice report Rob. Nice looking flies. Nine hours on the water sounds lovely. I usually need a day to recooperate after those long ones anymore.

[John Gillio]

What is the size of your rope fly? Were you fishing the gar with a 5 wt?

Damn drum. When you do catch one it will surely give you that so very sad look and you will feel bad about hooking at all.

[Rob G]

John,

these rope flies are just a hair under 4 inches in length, about the size of a decent shad or shiner.  Again, notice I frequently cut the hooks off since they are basically useless, though I have hooked a rare bass on these when I have left the hook on.  Leaving it on does make it somewhat simpler to store in a foam fly box but on the other hand, when you're removing those fibers from the gar's teeth, it's one more thing you have to be careful of  when he gets to shakin' (which is almost a given)

 

Yea, I generally use the same rod that I smallie fish with and that's a fairly fast  5 wt.  They can get you into your backing so this is the one time that you want a reel with a decent drag.

[John Gillio]

Thanks Rob. I see the state record for short nose gar has just been broken.

[Rob G]

I'll see that state record shortnose and raise you with a recent new state record drum (gee and I can't even catch a small one)

https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/soon-to-be-illinois-record-fish-freshwater-drum-redear-or-redear-hybrid/

[John Gillio]

2 hours ago, Rob G said:

I'll see that state record shortnose and raise you with a recent new state record drum (gee and I can't even catch a small one)

https://chicago.suntimes.com/environment/soon-to-be-illinois-record-fish-freshwater-drum-redear-or-redear-hybrid/

Yes, you win. That is a huge drum. You are too harsh on yourself though. You haven't even caught a small one. Not you can't even. I still believe.

[Rob G]

Btw, Johnnie G, I forgot to mention that same day I caught 3 fiddlers (what my father used to call small channel cat) with that same Peacock Ice dubbed micro jig on an indicator.   I'm going to try and hit some different water the next day or two and see what other trash fish I can hook up with. Ha

[John Gillio]

Good luck with that. As you know, I love fishing trash.

[Mark K]

On 6/4/2018 at 7:40 AM, John Gillio said:

Good luck with that. As you know, I love fishing trash.

I don't get what constituted a gar or bowfin as trash.   Both are much more bad-ass looking fish than a walleye.

[John Gillio]

17 minutes ago, Mark K said:

I don't get what constituted a gar or bowfin as trash.   Both are much more bad-ass looking fish than a walleye.

So true.

[Rob G]

Simple,  they don't taste as delicious as my favorite walleye : )

[John Gillio]

That is a very good poont.