Stocker Trout Fishing News

Another edition of iFishNews is out – March 31, 2018 ! This one makes a run to the Texas Coast to check out the action. Looks like things are heating up! Also, has the quick-tie fly tying videos of the Damsel Fly and Grasshopper we like using for bass as well as the fly casting demo videos where we play around casting a fly line less a rod and/or reel! Added the TRWD Flyfest 2018 video to close things… was a great time on a river fishing for trout that were bigger than the normal stockers we see during the Season!    

Quickly tied a foam grasshopper and headed to the local pond. Caught a Bass on the foam grasshopper, then lost it to a tree fish. Put a Red Damsel Fly on, and caught another Bass. Kept fishing and had another Bass take but threw the fly. Kept fishing for one more cast… caught one more Bass that went for the Red Damsel Fly, too! Fun stuff!  

Here is another way the Team likes to cook trout. This one calls for steaking the trout instead of filleting it. The trout was a rainbow trout caught the day after TRWD Flyfest 2018. It went 16″ in size and made for some nice steaks that cooked nicely pan fried in olive oil and seasoned with “Slap Ya Mama” Seasoning, Garlic Powder, and Red Pepper Flakes. We cooked one set for 8″ on one side, and then flipped them over and cooked for another 5″. Another set was cooked fro 5″ on both sides. In addition, we made a simple dipping sauce of Kikkoman Soy Sauce and Lemon, and served with Rice Pilaf and Season Green Beans. While cooking… yours truly enjoyed a tasty “buttery nipple cocktail” made with 99 Proof Butterscotch Schnapps and Amarula Liqueur. It’s a variant of the standard cocktail that carries a stronger punch… given the 99 proof of the Butterscotch! Overall, tasty and simple and quick to cook… do try Pan Fried Tro...

Slight rain delay in fishing but did note the OPST Commando Head demo is gaining interest from viewers! Liking the one-handed spey technique! Also, the broiled trout recipe is doing well… working another one… Pan Fried Trout with a little fortified buttery nipple cocktails to have while cooking! Hope to have it posted soon!

Here is a quick demo of the OPST Commando Head that we use with a 5wt flyrod for one-handed spey casting. Nothing fancy… Switch Cast and a modified “Perry Poke” gets an easy 21 yard cast. Lots of fun casting this rig; even more fun when a fish is on the line!     OPST Commando Head – 200 grain OPST LazarLine OPST 5′ Sink Tip Echo Ion Fly Reel 4/5 wt Redington Classic Trout Fly Rod (9′-4pc-5wt)

Quick tie of the COAF Damsel Fly in purple. Easy tie but effective especially on bedding bass! Variant of the original pattern that used three marabou plumes. This one uses only two plumes but still is tied clouser style.

Made it to Eagle Mountain Lake Park and walked the trails. Your’s truly brought fishing gear and first opportunity to wet a line… did so! No bites but did get to leverage the OPST Skagit Commando Head to cast line without regard to the trees blocking our back cast! Glad to know that the single-handed spey casting will work when needed in these field situations! Fun time… but tonight going to look for live music venues in the area; more to come on Instagram!    

This evening working later than normal on a Friday, but work is done and the weekend is here! No fishing, just chillin’ with a glass of red wine while preparing to grill steaks and poblanos on the grill for dinner. Plan tomorrow is to take the switch rod to a lake down the road and see how the fish are biting. Never been before… always good to check out new places to fish!  

No fishing today, day job has us working instead of fishing. That said, if you can’t go fishing, there is always ukelele time! Here is a song from last year but with an added verse and a change here and there. Bummer on the video quality; had to use a backup camera as the one we normally used had no battery power. Luckily, audio stayed good… here’s to summer and spring nights and cruising… hopefully, to a fishing spot in the near future!    

Another quick update… Finally posted the TRWD Flyfest video on our YouTube Channel! Was a fun year, and a great time… even better to close out the stocking season with the Bruiser. Plus made for a tasty meal, too. Answering the mail since mentioning the broiled trout recipe; been getting questions asking for more details on the recipe we used. So, posted an article – “Broiled Trout Recipe” . Do check it out and give it a try!    

Had a great time at TRWD Flyfest last weekend. Although we had to leave early, still had a great time. Came back the day after and saw others catching nice size trout, managed to catch one that went 16″ too! Then, came back this past Friday, March 16. Was having a tough go, but then caught one that went 20″! Great fight on the 6wt Switch Rod… looking forward to another TRWD Flyfest next year already! Made it to 2016, 2017, and 2018. Gotta keep the streak going!  

Made it to McKinney this morning and fished for a couple of hours. Caught two, lost two, then had leave them biting. Power Bait, Power Worms, and corn were working. Olive Near Deere under a strike indicator worked, too. Did try a new recipe for the trout caught Friday… broiled it this time. Tasty dish, keeping this one for future 20″ and larger trout!  

Made it to McKinney’s Towne Lake this morning and checked out the trout derby. Lots of kids fishing and winning prizes! Saw lots of trout being caught as well. Water was murky but bite was still on. Did not fish the morning but came back in the afternoon and was able to catch and release a few that went for an Olive Near Deere set three feet below and strike indicator!    

Quick update from the Team has us sidetracked again from editing the TRWD fishing video but really tough given yours truly had the day off. So, to mix things up, decided to do a little “ukelele time” before making the run to Fort Worth to fish the Trinity River for some bruiser Trout! Have tried the week after TRWD Flyfest in the past and had a tough go at catching trout. Weather tends to warm up quickly soon after the event. That said, this round was looking like a strike out. Luckily, did get one that went for an “improvised rat tail” using a Near Deere and a Power Worm. Really nice trout that went 20″ in length! Back to editing video but already know, will be sidetracked by the Trout Derby in Mckinney!  

No fishing this evening. Working on editing the video from TRWD Flyfest and the day after. Having a little wine to help get us through the editing process. That said, got the day off tomorrow… so who knows, may get sidetracked again in the video editing process to make another run to Fort Worth to see what the action looks like a week after TRWD Flyfest!  

Another quick update… 59 seconds with the Field Team! Still owe a video on TRWD Flyfest but sidetracked with.. fishing! Tough to pass up a chance to fish especially on nice days like today! This round managed a quick trip to Bethany Lakes and caught little Bass, and then mentioned the trout derby on Saturday in Mckinney!  

Still working on the video editing from this past weekend’s action. Planned to work on it after work but with the time change and gaining more daylight after work, opted to go fishing instead! Fished Bethany Lakes with the 4wt flyrod that was lined with the Rio Trout Max shooting head. Caught a Bass that went for an Olive Near Deere… same fishing fly that the trout caught yesterday went for! Fun stuff!  

Friday was crazy with a near disaster averted due to Good Neighbors with garden hoses, and the Fire Department responding quickly to the 911 call! Grass caught fire and the wind fanned the flames catching the neighbors fence on fire…. whew! Neither houses were damaged! Made it to TRWD Flyfest 2018! Had other commitments that day but having been to the first and second TRWD Flyfests in 2016 and 2017, respectively… had to make every effort to make it to 2018! Being an Aggie and Traditions being always at the forefront… shifted schedules and made it this year… till Noon at least! Did not catch a trout but did see others in the Big Trout Contest catch them! Came back Sunday morning and fished the Trinity River starting around 9am to 3pm… had a strike or two but was not hooking up! Luckily, did get a trout to take an Olive Near Deere. Went 16″ and made for some nice trout steaks for Dinner!      

Able to get some casting practice in Sunday at the local pond. Was hoping for trout but did not get a strike. Did try another pond later in the day. Managed four Bass – three went for a Purple Damsel Fly and one went for a Foam Grasshopper! Here is a video that details how we setup our fly rod, casting demos, and then a snippet of the action of the bass caught that day!    

Still working on the video from Sunday’s casting practice using the OPST Commando Head on one-handed spey casting. Had an opportunity after work to do more casting practice… this time, back to testing the quality line concept and using no rod and no reel to cast a fly line. Last time used a traditional fly line and had good results. This time used a Rio InTouch Switch Chucker fly line. After making adjustments due to the windy conditions and getting the timing down, had fun casting 12+ yards! Looks like having quality line is more important to the cast, then the rod or reel! Fun stuff!

Not able to fish today but did get a round in yesterday. Went with the 5wt lined with the OPST Commando Head. Struck out at Murphy in the morning, but did get some great practice in. Later, stopped at Bethany and caught three little Bass on a Purple Damsel Fly, and a bigger one on a White Foam Grasshopper. Editing the video still but here is a quick update…