Tuesday I told my friend and retired game warden Jim Miller that I needed a float & fly fix. Jim was the one who introduced me to float & fly many years ago on Dale Hollow. But this time we headed to Parksville Lake in search of some magnum spots. We launched at King's Slough about 10:30. That launch, by the way, is an adventure in itself. :pray:
It was in the high 30's with a stiff North wind at the outset. I can't stand to wear gloves when I fish, so for a while I wondered if I could handle it. At least until the first time my float slipped beneath the surface and I found myself attached to a fat spot by sewing thread. I love light line. I was using some new 4# Trout SOS from www.TroutMagnet.com. It was great. I started out using their a 3# flourocarbon leader (and a trout magnet jig). But the first time I broke off (on a snag, not a fish) my hands were too darn cold to fool with the flouro leader so I went with the straight SOS line. It didn't matter. Fish ate just as well without the leader as far as I could tell.
Jim and I put ten healthy spots in the boat (two biggest about 3 lbs. each), and a couple of bonus yellow perch. I did lose one fish I had on long enough to know would have far exceeded the 3 lbers. :bash:
If you're an F&F fisherman, you know it's not about numbers. It's about the experience of a unique technique and the adrenalin rush that comes with a few quality fish on light line. Which means a ten-fish day was great! That means life is good and gettin' better everyday!
BTW, if you want to read more about Parksville Lake, check out this article: http://bit.ly/1DJJDvO
Check out the magnum yellow perch on the left.
Not the biggest spot by far, but the beauty of the setting and the way this fish "took" made him very worthy of a picture.
It was in the high 30's with a stiff North wind at the outset. I can't stand to wear gloves when I fish, so for a while I wondered if I could handle it. At least until the first time my float slipped beneath the surface and I found myself attached to a fat spot by sewing thread. I love light line. I was using some new 4# Trout SOS from www.TroutMagnet.com. It was great. I started out using their a 3# flourocarbon leader (and a trout magnet jig). But the first time I broke off (on a snag, not a fish) my hands were too darn cold to fool with the flouro leader so I went with the straight SOS line. It didn't matter. Fish ate just as well without the leader as far as I could tell.
Jim and I put ten healthy spots in the boat (two biggest about 3 lbs. each), and a couple of bonus yellow perch. I did lose one fish I had on long enough to know would have far exceeded the 3 lbers. :bash:
If you're an F&F fisherman, you know it's not about numbers. It's about the experience of a unique technique and the adrenalin rush that comes with a few quality fish on light line. Which means a ten-fish day was great! That means life is good and gettin' better everyday!
BTW, if you want to read more about Parksville Lake, check out this article: http://bit.ly/1DJJDvO
Check out the magnum yellow perch on the left.
Not the biggest spot by far, but the beauty of the setting and the way this fish "took" made him very worthy of a picture.
