Stocker Trout Fishing News

Number 15 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in parallel to the current Winter Trout Stocking Season in our area. This week it’s tips 56 through 61! Tip 56: The Difference between a Good Fisherman and a Great One? A BB Tip 57: Knockout with the Bolo Punch Tip 58: Seeing the Light Tip 59: The Thin, Clear Line Tip 60: Live With It Tip 61: Feeling Skitterish Do check back on our next episode in the series where we discuss tips 62 – 69. Tip 62: Negatives and Positives Tip 63: When in Doubt (Set the Hook) Tip 64: No Clear Indication Tip 65: First Impressions Tip 66: Ready, Set, Go Tip 67: Dress for Success Tip 68: Watch That Line Tip 69: When Shorter is Better Good Luck and Good Fishing!

Had some fun this past weekend fishing for Texas Rainbow Trout at Pottsboro Lake in Pottsboro, TX. Brought the @GoFish Cam to get some underwater video; able to capture some of the action. But, was sidetracked on a quest… Which technique works best for trout? We tried the “Cranky, No Yanky” technique that calls for keeping a tight line and reeling faster when the trout strikes. This one worked the best; no need to use the rod to set the hook, just reel faster. And, we tried the “Rip Thy Lips” technique… this was not the preferred method for limiting out. This technique calls for setting the hook immediately and with a strong pull of the rod at any indication of a strike. Was a fun time; windy conditions… but we limited out. Do check out the video; added underwater footage of the trout moving about at the end of the video.

No fishing today, but made time to post two fishing tips that may of interest for those fishing the Texas Rainbow Trout Winter Stocking this season, and then we added one more that applies more to the warmer fishing season. First tip is on the Adjusta Bubble we like using for our Bubble Fly Rigs. Issue we have is when trying to thread the fishing line through the rubber stop, the line tends to curve and as a result it hangs up on the rubber. Easy fix… “spin it”! Spin the Adjusta Bubble as you thread the fishing line. Second tip is modifying the PowerBait Rig we mention in our article – “PowerBait Fishing Rigs for Rainbow Trout” . Specifically, Trout Fishing Rig #2 that is similar to a Carolina Rig. We skip the slip swivel and use 30lbs Dacron backing tied on to the fishing line with a slip bobber knot and some Superglue. The Plus One tip is reposting the “Making My Senkos Last Longer with Superglue” video to explain why we have Superglue in our fishing vest. Hope these are helpful thi

Made it back for more Denison Dam fishing for striped bass. Used our surfcasting gear to fish the Oklahoma Wall and worked the area using a Float and Jig/Fly Rig. Fishing buddy limited out; yours truly did not. Lots of small stripers but did keep enough for dinner. No catch and cook this round but did get lots of underwater footage with the @GoFish Cam …learned there are lots of small stripers along the Oklahoma Wall which we anticipated given past trips. But, also noticed lots of small catfish, too! Longer than normal video… decided to minimize the edits and post more raw footage from the GoFish Cam in case viewers see something we missed. So far, we noticed Striped Bass, Channel Catfish, Blue Catfish, a glimpse of Buffalo, and a Bluegill. Do comment if you see others we may have missed!

Made the run to Pottsboro Lake in Grayson County Saturday morning for some Texas Rainbow Trout fishing. Recently stocked with trout, the Team brought fly fishing gear, ultralight spinning gear, and a GoFish Cam to fish the pond. The morning started out with lots of surface activity similar to the trout feeding on a “bug hatch” at our local pond in Allen – Bethany Lakes. In short order, had strikes on the fly using the Generic Black Dry Fly Midge fished with a slow retrieve Our fishing buddy was getting strikes on PowerBait but once he found the pattern – a Power Worm fished with a slow retrieve or a stop and go retrieve, he was able to limit out in short order. Yours truly soon switched to a Power Worm but kept losing the trout when I would set the hook with the rod… I was yanking the worm out of the trout’s mouth. Luckily, after several more misses, I started to hook-up consistently when I kept reeling or cranking the reel to set the hook. The lesson learned today was “crankie, no ya

Number 14 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in parallel to the current Winter Trout Stocking Season in our area. This week it’s tips 50 through 55! Tip 50: Finding Your Mark Tip 51: The Swing Tip 52: Doing the Continental Tip 53: Weighty Matters, Part 1 Tip 54: Weighty Matters, Part 2 Tip 55: Weighty Matters, Part 3 Do check back on our next episode in the series where we discuss tips 56 – 61. Tip 56: The Difference between a Good Fisherman and a Great One? A BB Tip 57: Knockout with the Bolo Punch Tip 58: Seeing the Light Tip 59: The Thin, Clear Line Tip 60: Live With It Tip 61: Feeling Skitterish Good Luck and Good Fishing! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU

More Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing for yours truly. Made a quick trip to the local pond for more trout. Only three this round that went for the Generic Black Dry Fly Midge. Missed others but no worries… able to try the Easy Baked Trout Recipe again but this time added Jalapenos! TASTY!

Some thoughts on where to go fishing this weekend. Last time we posted we mentioned enjoying the Striped Bass fishing at Denison Dam. This round we suggest for those in the DFW areas… But, this weekend with the weather looking good, we have trout to be caught either in Texas ponds or the Blue River in OK or the Guadalupe River south in New Braunfels as well as fishing area lakes for maybe crappie and/or catfish. For reference, links to the videos mentioned in this video for reference: Rowlett https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyhaVVqN5g0 Waterloo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUQlk8Q0XqU Pottsboro https://youtu.be/QXzMrSJs_64 Denison Dam OK https://youtu.be/AzoLMklWiDs Blue River OK https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLQLipttpO4 Blue River OK search https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blue+river+fishing+oklahoma&sp=EgIIBA%253D%253D Guadalupe River, New Braunfels search https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=guadalupe+river+trout+fishing&sp=EgIIBA%253D%253D

After several quick trips in the late afternoon/evening fishing for Texas Rainbow Trout that were stocked at Bethany Lakes last Wednesday, finally limited out on a cold Saturday morning. Trout were actively feeding on something. Even chased but turned away from lures we casted. Trout were picky with one caught on a Rubber Legged Near Deere fished motionless under a Bubble Fly Rig, and then another caught on a Griffith’s Gnat using the same rig. As luck had it, my reel broke… the bail spring. Switched to other rods before settling on the fly rod, fishing the Near Deere with a “twitchy twitch” retrieve. For some reason, the trout wanted movement! After limiting out, did some catch and release to see if the pattern held. By mid-morning, they wanted the Generic Black Midge Dry Fly in size 16… fished dry as well as wet and changing from a no retrieve to a short pull retrieve. Later, stopped by in the evening… no lure, no fishing flies, trout were wanting corn. LOL! Did see others doing well

Here is an easy rainbow trout recipe where we cook yesterday’s limit of trout in the oven. Raining today, so no pan fry over wood in an iron skillet this time. Recipe calls for: Garlic Powder, Season Salt, and Cilantro. Sprinkle Garlic Powder and Season Salt inside and out, then place cilantro leaves in the body cavity. next, cook for 18-20 minutes in the over at 450 degrees… or until flesh is flaky. Tasty! Dinner is served!

Impromptu livestream to recap today’s trip to Bethany Lakes for some Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing. Finally able to catch a trout or two! That is, limited out after a cold morning start and adjustments to the pattern. Will get a follow-up video of the action soon as able!

Impromptu livestream to recap a quick trip to Bethany Lakes for some Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing – specifically, where we attempt to find the pattern using spincasting gear and ultralight spinning gear. Short on time but did manage to catch one using the Bubble Fly Rig but promptly dropped it back into the water. Check it out as we explain what we did to find the “pattern”!

Having fun GoFish Cam scouting for trout during the Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing stocking season. This round we checked out Bethany Lakes yesterday. Overall, bite was slow but did get strikes on the Super Duper at dusk. Still need to work on the rigging for the GoFish Cam to get better action shots, but was able to see a fish – I think it was a Bass, and then noted lots of “buggy-ness”. Looks like the green led light attracts things!

Impromptu livestream checking out the fishing action at Bethany Lakes. Fun stuff for some Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing. Bite was slow but did see some catching a trout or two. Learned they stocked around 9AM on the West side of the pond. Hope to stop by again later today for a chance at catching one on the GoFish Camera. All for now!

Impromptu livestream to answer questions… Texas Rainbow Trout Fishing. Getting questions on Bethany Lakes and fishing for trout. Bethany is scheduled for its stocking tomorrow – Wednesday – 12/9/20. Should be a fun time trying to catch a fish or two!

Number 12 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in parallel to the current Winter Trout Stocking Season in our area. This week starts Part Two of the book “Presentation: 61 Tips to Help You Place and Drift Your Flies So Trout Want to Eat Them!” The numbering continues consecutively from Part 1 with tips 46 through 49 discussed this week! See video at https://youtu.be/sHmHQUoMBvI Tip 46: Dead Drift Tip 47: High Stick Nymphing Tip 48: The Whole Nine Feet Tip 49: Mending Your Ways Do check back on our next episode in the series where we discuss tips 50 – 55. Tip 50: Finding Your Mark Tip 51: The Swing Tip 52: Doing the Continental Tip 53: Weighty Matters, Part 1 Tip 54: Weighty Matters, Part 2 Tip 55: Weighty Matters, Part 3 Good Luck and Good Fishing!

Went fishing for Rainbow Trout that were stocked earlier this week in Glen Rose at Paluxy Heritage Park. Although only one trout and missed several others, was able to make it fun day trip checking out a place we never been to before… even had a tasty Margarita and Tex-Mex food at a local restaurant! Bite was slow, tried various lures and bait before finding a pattern. Trout were biting on Salmon Eggs and Power Bait with more nibbles on the Power Bait over the Salmon Eggs. Also, it looked a slow retrieve seemed to work better for some fishermen working a Carolina-Rigged bait setup. Liking the area and also heard several rivers in the area has some great summer fun activities. May need to stop by next year in the Summer!

Been trying to tie the Pat’s Rubber Leg by watching others tie the pattern. So far, has been a rough go. But, did make some adjustments to one variant that has an extended body, and then used a tying method to attach the legs that is easier for yours truly… same method I use to tie legs on a Foam Spider/Grasshopper. Do check back… plan to “test” it out at a local pond, and then tie more if it produces a fish or two. And then, hopefully… on to the Blue River and/or local stocked trout! More to come!

Collated past videos of trout fishing trips in the DFW area – specifically,  ponds stocked in Allen, Frisco, McKinney, Flower Mound, Dallas, and Rowlett...  as well as a few favorites just north of DFW in Grayson County’s Pottsboro and Sherman! Do check out the video.

Bethany Lakes in Allen gets its trout stocking Wednesday, December 9! In preparation, decided to stop by Bethany Lakes and scout the area… as well as provide more info on Bethany Lakes and the pond that will be stocked with trout in less than two weeks from now! Also, been tinkering with the microphone to use for livestream updates. Audio while onsite and in spotty coverage has been a hit or miss issue. Sometimes it’s okay, other times it’s not okay. I think I figured out a workable solution. Gave it a try while onsite at Bethany today!

Fished Denison Dam on the Oklahoma side – specifically, the Oklahoma Wall for Striped Bass. Fun time catching them on a beefed up version of the Bubble Fly Rig – a heavy casting float and a clouser style minnow. Plan was to fish the Texas side with the Switch Rod. Had to adjust to the fish and the pattern. No fly fishing from the OK Wall. Luckily, had a back up bait casting rod and Dave’s Ski Tackle was nearby for picking up a heavy casting float and jigs! Do checkout the video! Eight Lessons Learned fishing the OK Wall? 1 Tag your stringer when fishing a tailrace in Oklahoma! 2 Bring a heavy casting float and shad as backup. 3 Keep fishing even after shad is gone, stripers will strike the fishing fly. 4 Fish the current or the bubble line where the fish are lurking. 5 Stop at “Dave’s Ski and Tackle”. 6 Moving lure, fishing fly, or bait was preferred. 7 Stay up to date with fishing regulations. 8 Every cast is a chance to catch a fish.

Number 11 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 41 through 45! Tip 41: What Spooks Trout Tip 42: The Hard Splashdown Isn’t Bad Tip 43: Make the First Cast Count Tip 44: Time Your Casts Tip 45: Give Me a Good Drift Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for Part Two in the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing – Presentation: 61 Tips to Help You Place and Drift Your Flies So Trout That Trout Want to Eat Them! Good Luck and Good Fishing!

Fished the Blue River in Oklahoma this past Sunday for a chance at trout for dinner. Fishing was tough for yours truly. Managed a Longear Perch, and two Rainbow Trout. Used the 6wt TFO Fly Rod and caught the Perch on a Pink Near Deere with Rubber Legs, one Trout on a White Megaworm, and the other Trout on a Tandem Rigged White Megaworm with trailing PMC Emerger. Was hoping for a limit of trout to cook blackened fish style using a recipe from @30milesOut – see video at Blackened Redfish Recipe . Ended up adding two Catfish to the two Trout to make dinner… tasty, tasty. Do check out the video, and do note the clear water and trout moving about below and above the low water crossing!

Number 10 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 37 through 40! Tip 37: Remove the Shackles Tip 38: Lose the Tailing Loop Tip 39: Fish Like a Snake Tip 40: Will Your Casts Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for tips 41 – 44! Tip 41: What Spooks Trout Tip 42: The Hard Splashdown Isn’t Bad Tip 43: Make the First Cast Count Tip 44: Time Your Casts Good Luck and Good Fishing! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU (Podcast has migrated to the iFishNews Fishing Podcast Series - Click Link )

Another Winter trout stocking season is fast approaching! Like in past seasons, yours truly modified the schedule posted by TPWD to sort by Stocking Date and the count of trout stockings planned for a location and its estimated trout to be stocked. Makes for ease of reference by allowing Readers to quickly see when the next trout stocking is planned. As changes are unexpected for various reasons like weather, do check for updates, changes, and corrections at TPWD’s website – 2020-2021 TPWD Trout Stocking Schedule. See pdf of the sorted schedule… 2020TroutStockingSummary_202011012_rev1

Had some issues with the DIY Wooden Trout Net that I made several seasons back. In colder weather the lacing tended to become stiff and did not open up well. Sure enough the trout were able to jump out of the net and back into the water. Decided to order a net from Amazon. Net arrived yesterday, and in short order and a few zip ties later, I have a net that will definitely hold a fish or two! Do check out the video, added pictures at the end of the “Do Over” variation of the original net. Plus added a snippet of the video from the original net.

Number 9 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 33 through 36! Tip 33: Wind Knots and the Big Bang Theory Tip 34: Fast Rods Cover Casting Flaws Tip 35: The Double Haul Tip 36: Just a Flick of the Wrist Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for tips 37 – 40! Tip 37: Remove the Shackles Tip 38: Lose the Tailing Loop Tip 39: Fish Like a Snake Tip 40: Will Your Casts Good Luck and Good Fishing! (Post migrated to the iFishNews Fishing Podcast Series - click link. )

Fun time fishing the Blue River in Oklahoma. Recently stocked with Rainbow Trout, made the run across the border from Texas to Oklahoma for a go at the trout. Olive Near Deere and Tandem Rigged flies seemed to get a strike or two… after yours truly shook off the missed strikes and hooksets. Good thing I got my mojo back and was able to get a limit to start the 2020-2021 trout stocking season. Longer than normal video but add footage exploring the area near Hughes Crossing and playing with the trout in the clear water by the Low Water Crossing. Do check it out! Hope to be back for more trout fishing fun on the Blue River!

Here is a video to mark the start of the Oklahoma Trout Stocking Season – specifically, the Blue River which was stocked today with Rainbow Trout. Getting some questions from folks, so here is some info to keep at the ready this season!

Number 8 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 29 through 32! Tip 29: Control Trumps Distance Tip 30: Pinkie Perfection Tip 31: Cast Around Problems Tip 32: Make Friends with the Wind Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for tips 33 – 36! Tip 33: Wind Knots and the Big Bang Theory Tip 34: Fast Rods Cover Casting Flaws Tip 35: The Double Haul Tip 36: Just a Flick of the Wrist Good Luck and Good Fishing! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU (Podcast has migrated to the iFishNews Fishing Podcast Series - Click Link )

Decided to make the run to the Blue River for a preseason fishing trip. Trout are scheduled to be stocked in the near future. Best to checkout the river and see if anything has changed. Was a great trip. Did not catch any big ones but did have fun catching a fish or two while scouting the river! River was looking really nice, and the weather was even nicer. Fished with the Discount Switch Rod – 2wt Maxcatch Fly Rod with Hydros SL1 Reel with OPST Commando Head (mentioned Rio Trout Max in the video… it’s the OPST). Also, the Tandem Rig Fishing Fly setup worked on the fish, hope it works on trout in the next few weeks. Do keep the Blue River in your back pocket this coming Trout Stocking Season!

As part of our Little Red Book of Fly Fishing series on our iFishNews Fishing Podcast, here is a video to expand on Tip 26 that calls for casting 40 feet in 4 seconds. The book mentions fly casting from a practical caster standpoint – specifically, being able to cast 40 feet of line in 4 seconds to a target called out by someone else at random. This one had our interests, so we decided to give it a try. Lesson Learned: It’s challenging, don’t try to recover from a bad cast or mistake just to make the 4 second time limit. Better to take to time to recover, and prepare for the next cast. Do give it a try and see if you are a practical caster! Hear more tips on the latest iFishNews Fishing Podcast at https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-aktuk-eefae4 Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU

Number 7 in the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 25 through 28! Tip 25: Woody Hayes Rule of Casting Tip 26: 40 Feet in 4 Seconds Tip 27: Come Closer, Darling Tip 28: When not to Cast (or Even Twitch) Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for tips 29 – 32! Tip 29: Control Trumps Distance Tip 30: Pinkie Perfection Tip 31: Cast Around Problems Tip 32: Make Friends with the Wind Good Luck and Good Fishing! PS: Check back, plan to post a video on Tip 26 “40 Feet in 4 Seconds”! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU (Podcast has migrated to the iFishNews Fishing Podcast Series - Click Link )

Some thoughts on where to go fishing this weekend. Have been enjoying the Striped Bass fishing at Denison Dam these past couple of weekends. But, this weekend, I am “home locked”… meaning have other commitments that require me to be home. That said, I do plan to try a local pond for some underwater action shots of the GoFish Cam. If asked where I would go fishing this weekend, I posted options that may be of interest to viewers in the DFW (Texas) area.

More fun fishing Denison Dam last Saturday for Striped Bass! Bite was slower than the weekend before but was able to catch a few; ended up keeping three Striped Bass for the Catch and Cook. Brought the Cabelas TLR 6wt Switch Rod with the Echo Ion 6/7 Wt Fly Reel again. And correcting from our last video, the fly line was a Rio InTouch Chucker with integrated running line. Stripers were hitting mainly striking on the Bennet’s Lunch and Craft Fur Clouser Minnows this round. Did catch a couple of White Bass as well, and found an anchor! Overall was a fun time! For ease of reference, here are key places to skip to in the video: Catch Section – 2:41 Cook Section – 9:17 Cleaning – 9:17 Seasoning – 12:52 Cooking – 15:37 Simple Recipe: Clean, scale, and remove head and fins Season liberally with Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and Paprika Pan fry on high heat for 5-10 minutes each side Do give it a try! Gear Used Echo Ion 6/7wt Fly Reel: https://amzn.to/2WxKnm1 Cabelas TLR Switch Rod (11′-4pc-6wt

Number 5 in the ongoing “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” podcast series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season. This week it’s fly fishing tips 21 through 24! Tip 21: Water Load Tip 22: Let the Current Do the Work Tip 23: Roll’em Easy Tip 24: Saving a Stroke Do check it out, and do check back for the next episode for tips 25 through 28! Tip 25: Woody Hayes Rule of Casting Tip 26: Forty Feet in Fourty Seconds Tip 27: Come Closer, Darling Tip 28: When not to Cast (or Even Twitch) Good Luck and Good Fishing! (Podcast has migrated to the iFishNews Fishing Podcast Series - Click Link )

Lotta fun fishing Denison Dam Saturday for Striped Bass! Brought the Cabelas TLR 6wt Switch Rod with the Echo Ion 6/7 Wt Fly Reel and the OPST Skagit Head. Bite was good on small stripers hitting on the Denison Dam Dawber, Bennet’s Lunch, Bucktail and Craft Fur Clouser Minnows. Fast retrieves using short pulls and fast pulls worked, then they wanted a 10 count delay, later a 5 count delay, and then later no delay in the start of the retrieve. Also, did get better hook up rates by dipping the rod tip in the water while retrieving. And then… later had a high stick, sweep the rod style retrieve that seemed to work well. All of this before the started generating power. After they started generating, then it was cast upriver, let the fly drift downriver and swing the fly, and then twitch the fly as you retrieved in back upriver at an angle. Learned lots while there… bottomline: vary your retrieve, change fishing flies, and adjust to the fish as the pattern changes!

Was in Fort Worth Sunday, fly fishing under a bridge on the the Trinity River. It was just down the street from the Fort Worth Zoo. Used the 2wt Discount Switch Rod aka the MaxCatch Fly Rod with Orvis SL1 Fly Reel and Rio Trout Max Skagit Head. Great combo when fishing under the bridge; was able to get the fishing fly where needed with minimal false casting. Mainly caught Bluegill and Sunfish as well as some Longear, but did get a couple a Bass, too – a small fingerling and another that went about 12 inches. All went for a White Damsel Fly fished wit varying retrieves. Do check it out! MaxCatch 2wt Fly Rod: https://amzn.to/2UfM8FG Orvis Hydros Sl1 Fly Reel: https://amzn.to/2UiRCPS Rio Trout Max (200 grain): https://amzn.to/2HiT2Bs Rio SlickShooter Running Line (35lbs): https://amzn.to/2GGIVsZ

Number 5 in our “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” series podcast where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season.  This week it’s fly fishing tips 17 through 20! Tip 17: Flicking the Tomato Tip 18: Tossing the Grape Tip 19: Tuck It In Tip 20: To Much Too Soon Do check it out! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU

As part of our Little Red Book of Fly Fishing series on our iFishNews Fishing Podcast, here is a video to expand on Tips 3 – Point Your Cast and Tip 10 – Watch Your Thumb. Point your cast suggests where you point your rod tip is also where your cast will go. Watch your thumb is a good rule of thumb… LOL, to keep you from bringing your rod to far back on the backcast. Both tips are solid… so since we are at a pond “practicing” decided to go ahead and go fishing, too!

Here is a simple but effective variant of the Mickey Finn fishing fly. It makes for fast fly tying, made with minimal material, and can be upsized to target larger fish. In our case, we opted to tie it small to pair it with the Cabelas CGR 2wt Fiberglass Fly Rod when fishing for little fingerling Bass at our local pond! Recipe is as follows: Size 12 or 14 Streamer Hook Pearl Tinsel White Dacron Tying Thread White Deer Hair Green (Chartreuse) Deer Hair Click on pictures to see more about Cabela’s CGR Rod/Reel Combo and deals they are offering!

Number 4 in our “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” series podcast where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season.  This week it’s fly fishing tips 13 through 16! Tip 13: Tighten the Loop Tip 14: Anticipation… It’s Crazy Tip 15: Groove Your Swing Tip 16: See the “U” Do check it out!

Saturday, made the run to the Lower Mountain Fork for some fishing at Beavers Bend State Park near Broken Bow, OK. Been awhile since we went fishing on the Lower Mountain Fork, so did learn a few things… new fishing regulations and park fees – specifically, parking. Was a hot day with lots of people out and about. Water was murky, too. So, struck out on trout but at least caught a couple of Bluegill to avoid a strikeout! Do check out the video… lessons learned fishing the Lower Mountain Fork at Beavers Bend State Park – stay up to date on fishing regulations and park rules; fish for trout in cooler weather, and try scheduling a trip during the weekday to avoid the crowds. All for now and Good Luck and Good Fishing!

Back to Lake Lavon for more fishing. This round went kayak fishing with the jug lines, putting in at Highland Park. Was a calm morning on the lake when we started fishing, but later the wind kicked in. Caught several Blue Catfish and Channel Catfish. Ended up keeping three Blue Catfish. Jug lines worked well as well as the Safety Pins for the Tennis Ball Stringer… worked much better putting fish on the stringer compared to the shower clips we used before. Bite was steady with Gar taking more like stealing our shad. But, once we adjusted the jug line sets to fish the area near the trees, the bite picked up on Catfish! Liking the jug lines when kayak fishing; mix of diy jug lines styles posted by  @LakeForkGuy  and  @Soat Mon  Fun trip… do check it out!

Another round of fishing with the Cabelas CGR Fiberglass Fly Rod – 2wt fly rod with an Echo Ion 2/3wt Fly Reel. Fun time catching fingerling bass using a Mickey Finn variant. Tied the pattern on a size 10 streamer hook that cast easily with the Cabelas CGR Fiberglass Rod. Still liking the flex of the fiberglass rod! Will plan to get a video on how we tied the Mickey Finn variant. Do check back! Click on pictures to see more about Cabela’s CGR Rod/Reel Combo and deals they are offering!

DIY Jug Lines worked…! Will get a video posted of the trip. Here is a Livestream update for now:

DIY video to answer the mail… how to make jug lines for kayak fishing. In this case, the jug lines we used to catch a nice Catfish the other day… https://youtu.be/xEr5F5tYT3g Have tried various jug lines including commercial and homemade diy jug lines. So far, liking this one. It does not flag but works well in windy conditions and is sensitive enough to see the strike. Do give these a try! Easy to make jug lines, and you don’t have to use the same material as listed below. Can substitute material as needed! Here is the material list… 3/4″ PVC Pipe 3/4″ End Cap Braided Line Dropper Line Circle Hooks Trot-line Clips Screws Barrel Swivels Zip Ties Weights

Third in our “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” series podcast where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season.  This week it’s fly fishing tips 9 through 12! Tip 9: Take a Bow Tip 10: Watch That Thumb Tip 11: Say Hello to Good Casting Tip 12: William Tell Overture Do check it out! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU

Another fun trip to beat the heat; this one is a TBT to Turner Falls Park in Davis, OK. The OPST Commando Head made for ease of casting by the Waterfall using an “air anchor” to avoid the metal railing along the walkway. See full video at: https://youtu.be/n-vkX-REKkc

Decided to fish a little feeder creek with the Cabelas CGR Fiberglass Fly Rod. It’s a 2wt with an Echo Ion 2/3wt Fly Reel. Handy fly rod that makes for fun fishing for little bluegill, sunfish, and fingerling bass! Been using the Cabelas CGR off and on over the years, and have not had any issues… do need to make a slight adjustment in timing the cast as the fiberglass rod has a slow action. Liking the rod and the ability to take advantage of rod’s slow action to get a fishing fly to where the fish are lurking… of course in this case, a little feeder creek required minimal casting distance. PS: Lots of rain that morning caused another pond upstream from where we fished to overflow. Able to catch a Bass being washed down the feeder creek. See it at… Cabelas CGR Fiberglass Rod 2wt Echo Ion 2/3 Fly Reel: https://amzn.to/2JvGgjZ Click on pictures to see more about Cabela’s CGR Rod/Reel Combo and deals they are offering!

Another fun trip and a good one to remind us cool weather is coming soon and so is trout stocking season! See video at https://youtu.be/rO1GSkrhwPo

More beat the heat with TBT to Denison. See full video at Denison Dam Fly Fishing on YouTube! Got lucky… plan was to fish the Blue River but recent rain diverted us to the Red River – specifically, the tailrace to Lake Texoma at Denison Dam! Fun time fly fishing at Denison Dam! Echo Ion Fly Reel 4/5 wt: http://amzn.to/2ql1EhN Redington Classic Trout Fly Rod (9′-4pc-5wt): http://amzn.to/2rENFHu OPST Commando Head (200 grain): http://amzn.to/2zftMuC OPST Lazarline Running Line: http://amzn.to/2gTrjOU

Beat the heat with a Throw Back Time to the Blue River last year. See video at: “How We Fished the Blue River, Oklahoma Saturday… Limited Out!”

Second in our “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” series where I review fly fishing tips in preparation for the upcoming Trout Stocking Season.  This week I touch on tips 5 through 8! Tip 5: Don’t Get Cocky Tip 6: Stop! In the name of love (and a good cast) Tip 7: Hitting the Wall Tip 8: Throw a drink in my face Do check it out! Book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2QczofU

Another pond fishing round with Spincasting gear… Zebco Authentic 11 and Roostertails keep working. This time at the pond behind In-N-Out Burger. Bass were bigger than the fingerling Bass caugth the day prior at a different pond. No Bruisers but still lots of fun catching them on ultralight gear. Fish preferred the Firetail Roostertail in 1/16oz. Did try a White Roostertail but only a few short strikes. Did see a number of fish trail the inline spinners… at times, had to use the stop and go retrieve to get them to take! Gear Used: Zebco 11 Micro Reel: https://amzn.to/2Y8dK0H Berkley Lightning Rod 4-1/2ft (discontinued) Shakespeare Microcast Combo

Saturday morning pond fishing with the Zebco spincasting micro reel again. Roostertails were working on the little bass but missed hooksets left only two Bass caught and one Sunfish. Lost the 1/16oz Firetail Roostertail. Only had a 1/8oz White Roostertail. Could feel them nipping at the lure. Overall having lots of fun reliving the past with the spincasting combo. Did have to respool the reel… there was not much on the reel. Good thing no Bruisers, else could have spooled me. PS: Reel was re-spooled and made it out Sunday morning… more Bass and Bluegill but from a different pond. Do check back for more fishing fun!

Made adjustments with the GoFish Cam and rigging it for underwater video action shots when scouting local ponds for fish. Liking it but do need to make more adjustments to keep it level and floating upright. With a little more tweaking, should be able to get it where we like it. Do check out the video – left the underwater footage as is other than clipping out the reeling in and out of the camera. Fun stuff!

In preparation for the upcoming trout stocking season, decided to dust-off the “Little Red Book of Fly Fishing” and review the tips. This week I touch on tips 1 through 4! Tip 1: Dare to be different Tip 2: The Grip Tip 3: Point your cast Tip 4: 10 and 2, too little Do check it out!

Last Saturday headed up the road for some Denison Dam Fishing. Got there at first light. Learned they have bright LED street lights that make the area bright along the Texas side of the river! They were not generating; water level was low, and the bite was slow. Did deploy the GoFish Cam and almost lost it to a snag. Lots of braided line. Dove in the river and retrieved it after cutting away the snag… lots of braided line in the water! Around 10:30AM, they started generating power. Stuck around to fish the river in hopes the current would bring more fish to feed. Luckily, did not strike out… caught a gar that went for shad! Later, had a few more good strikes but missed the hook set. Did get one to stay on but lost it after nearing the bank… it was a big one! Do check out the video!

Caught a nice size Catfish while fishing our local lake – Lake Lavon. Caught it on juglines fished in 10 feet of water. Caught other smaller Catfish; the largest went 32 inches! Was fishing from a kayak. Decided it was better to and it at the boat ramp.  For this podcast, we summarize the trip and point out some key lessons learned to take with us on the next trip! See our Podcast Page at iFishNews Fishing Podcast. Do check it out when you get a chance!

Last week made a quick pond fly fishing trip to Bethany Lakes. Used the MaxCatch 2wt fly rod but this time went with a 2wt WF fly line instead of the Rio Trout Max skagit head. Fun time after finding the Bluegill that were lurking mid-pond. But, had to call it short when I lost the Foam Spider they were liking… did get a little Bass to hit a Near Deere though! Do check it out when you get a chance!

Fun time juglining and kayak fishing Lake Lavon Saturday. Even caught a personal best Blue Catfish from a kayak… went 30 plus inches! Did catch a bigger one several years ago on Lake Lavon but that was in a jon boat and with a fishing buddy. This one was caught and landed by yours truly! Lots of fun… had to make a run to shore to land it. Lots of winds and waves and no net; did not want to risk losing it trying to land it in the kayak. Longer than normal video… includes details on the kayak jug lines used and setting up the first group of three jug lines. In keeping with the COAF Field Team’s motto… “Learn to fish by our trials and errors”

This round we review the GoFish Cam! We purchased the GoFish Cam to replace our lost Water Wolf Camera. After tinkering with it and taking out on several fish scouting trips; here is our an initial impression of the GoFish Cam – specifically, what we like, would like and really like! Do check it out when you get a chance!

Fun time at Lake Lavon fishing juglining for Catfish. Made modification to flagging juglines to better see when a catfish struck. Put in at Lavon’s Highland Park after catching shad at the boat ramp. Three of us went fishing; team managed to catch three Catfish and one Gar. Overall, liking the modified juglines… but may need to try fishing with Circle Hooks; this round used J-Hooks and had several strikes but no hookups. More to come!

More GoFish Cam Fish Scouting at the local pond. Was sidetracked from scouting for fish with the GoFish Cam when five hot air balloons were passing by. One seemed to be low but quickly climbed higher. Still learning the GoFish Cam but am liking the ability to scout likely areas holing fish. This round added a plastic tube to keep the baited hook from landing close to the lens and blocking our view of the area… seems to work. Mainly Bluegill and Sunfish again, but did get a glimpse of a Bass passing by! Do check back for more GoFish Cam Fish Scouting!

Went fishing at Lake Lavon. Caught three Catfish and a Gar fishing juglines. Put in at Lake Lavon’s Highland Park around 8AM; bite did not start till around 10AM. Do check back will get a video posted; able to put the GoFish Cam on one of the juglines… hopefully, will see a fish or two!

Took the GoFish Cam camera yesterday for another round of scouting the local pond for what is lurking below. Had some catfish strike a doughbait but forgot to turn the GoFish Cam recording on. Lesson learned… went back this morning to scout the same spots plus a drainage channel that we know holds fish. Still have some adjustments to make with the GoFish Cam and its setup but did manage to capture the underwater action to include a bass that had a Panther Martin inline spinner in its mouth! Do stay tuned for more as we seek out other areas to go scouting with the GoFish Cam!

This round we talk about cast nets and catching bait… shad in particular.  Recently, we learned we could freeze shad for use at other lakes. That said, it’s has been hit or miss catching them. But, we do have a few bags ready to go for our next fishing trip. Do check out this week’s podcast where we talk about where, how, and why we cast net for bait!

For a change of pace, decided to checkout the Waterfall Pool at the local pond. Normally catch little Sunfish, Bluegill, and the occasional Bass. Brought the two-piece Micro Fly Rod and started fishing a Near Deere with the Corq Strike Indicator, but switched back to the Line Strike Indicator… fish seemed to be distracted from the fishing fly and wanting to strike the Corq. Also, tied a Scud on as the Near Deere was just too big for the little fish in the pool. Fun time catching and releasing the scrappy fish… but of course, had trouble with determining which cast would be the last cast for this trip… aka “one more cast” for your’s truly!