{Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: What the Heck Am I Doing Wrong ?!?!

Evan, I have no idea what you're doing wrong. chances are you are doing what you're doing right, its just not what the fish want to eat.  if you would like to do some stream fishing sometime with me you're more than welcome.  i am still learning a lot myself, but i would be willing to share anything that i have picked up in the last few years. it may help jump your learning curve a little bit.  eventually with most fish species that i have chased you will find a couple of go to patterns that either seem to produce very well or you have a lot of confidence in how you fish them.  for bass i have always had a tendency towards clousers and crawfish patterns. 

i know that the first year or so that i spent fly fishing was as frustrating, (challenging???),  as it was fun but don't let that discourage you in the least.  I typically fish a couple times a week so if you are thinking about going out and want some company let me know.  

best, 

paul 

On Saturday, August 18, 2012 10:26:32 AM UTC-4, Evan Owen wrote:

I have been hitting Lake Cook in Alexandria (behind Great Waves at Cameron Run Regional Park)  With some regularity. I don't have much trouble catching bluegill and sunfish particularly on very small nymphs and once by accident I caught a six inch juvenile large mouth bass on a small muddlers minnow.

On several occasions I've been there and the bass are tearing up the surface I even saw what I estimate to be a five pounder get completely airborne. 

This is what's tearing it for me:  Thursday evening between 7PM and 815PM and this Saturday morning between 715 and 9AM I was casting and I could see the bass.  I could see the bass looking at my small popper or wooly bugger.  They would shadow it but they wouldn't bite.  It it the retrieve?  Am I going too slow?  I notice the blueglil under the handicap access pier go nuts if I drag the little nymph fast.  Is it the pattern?  The only one that has landed a bass in about 8 trips is the MM.  Is it the color?  I'm using a neon yellow little popper with rubber legs (the panfish hit that a lot but most are too small to take the hook) and a rusty brown WB.

Today the bass were breaking the surface less than 10 feet from where I was fishing on the dam.  Some I could have poked with my rod tip.  Even a big pair of carp cruised by.

Somebody put me out of my misery and tell me what I'm doing wrong!

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