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!    

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!    

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!  

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!

Been raining for some time now but the afternoon looked promising. Rain stopped and sun came out; hope to get a round of trout fishing in tomorrow. For today, tied a few more sample Olive Near Deere and then recapped fly tying items picked up recently – specifically, Metz Saddle Hackle that made for some really nice palmer wrapped hackles on the Near Deere Stonefly/Hopper Foam Body Cutter to make more consistent Grasshopper foam bodies Dusted off the Damsel Fly Foam Body Cutter purchased previously and made some Foam Damsel Flies   alrighty, #flytying today. quick summary of recent items picked up… #riverroadcreations #foamcutters for a #foamgrasshopper …while at it tied #foamdamselfly and then #neardeere using #metzsaddlehackle …liking the hackle, makes for tight palmer wrapped hackles! #fishingflies A post shared by COAF Field Team (@coaf.field.team) on Feb 24, 2018 at 4:58pm PST

Picked up a Stonefly/Hopper foam cutter from River Road Creations via Feather Craft. Used their Damsel Fly Cutter and Beavertail Cutter and liked them. Plan was to reverse the Stonefly/Hopper pattern to tie a Foam Grasshopper. Liked the results, much more consistent pattern then cutting them using scissors and a template. Did a review of the cutters and added two quick tie demos of Foam Grasshopper and Foam Damsel Fly being tied to the tune of Shakey Graves! Fun stuff!  

Lots of rain recently has us indoors for the time being. Luckily, others are able to get a round or two fishing in their areas. Of note, is the latest update from our friend Steven in Australia! Looks like the fish are biting. Always great to hear from Steven and how the bite is going in OZ! “Our weather is all over the place at the moment–hot, cold but not a lot of rain. It’s pretty windy outside so we might make sure nothing is in risk of blowing away. Most of the local creeks and streams are pretty low and clear. The trout are there but very skittish. I’ve fished the Badger Creek nearby and caught and released a few nice brown trout recently. I used my 8 foot tenkara rod and a Royal Humpy with a nymph on a dropper. I fished the Stevenson River at Marysville a few days ago. Again, very low and clear but I hooked and lost a few trout, a couple that were probably well over the pound mark as they pulled really hard on the 12 foot tenkara rod. Used a Black Woolly Worm–my favourite wet fl...

Rainy evening but still able to do fishing related things. Quick tied another Near Deere Sample… to put in the fly box!