Stocker Trout Fishing News

A quick product review of the Okuma Rockaway Surf Rod – specifically, the 12′ Medium Heavy Spinning Rod that is rated for 1-4oz weights. Check out the video, and if you are interested in one, see more at Amazon and our COAF Field Team Amazon Page! OKUMA RA-S-1202MH Rockaway Surf

Short video of a quick trip to Duck Creek Linear Park while on the daily commute. Brought the two piece micro fly rod and the Foam Spider and Scud Tandem Rig to work the section nearest the bridge. Key take aways this round: There are Bass, nice Bass in the area but water is clear and they are skittish! Lots of Sunfish and Bluegill and Longear that will readily take a scud Temps are increasing and Summer approaches, creek will start getting clobbered with the “green stuff” Rocks placed along the creek offer excellent access to the creek… weeds and high grass are cleared around them!

A tip from a YouTube Viewer on using the Orvis Practicaster Fly Rod as a Micro Fly Rod! Ordered it and Redington’s version of one… the Orvis one is still in the mail but Redington’s arrived. Liking the Rio Fly Line that came with it. Really thick line… planned to use a Micro Fly Reel but needed a larger reel. Put an old Martin Fly Reel on the rod. Works awesome. Here is a demo… hope to try it out fishing later this week! Do check back! Orvis Practicaster… https://amzn.to/2YFKvBR Redington Practice Fly Rod… https://amzn.to/3fvoKLB

Had a fun but tough time fishing Denison Dam Tuesday morning. Windy conditions and lots of waterflow from the power plant. They were releasing water, but was able to work different areas on the Oklahoma side. No striped bass but did see others catching them. Did catch as well as lose a Buffalo or two… was able to sight cast to schools that were feeding in a protected cove in the shallows. Fun stuff! PS: Fished Denison Dam Wednesday, June 10, 2020… another tough go. But, they were not generating. More video to come… here is the onsite update for now.

Another Round of Pond Fly Fishing at Bethany Lakes. Tried for more Bass and Bluegill with the Foam Spider and Scud on Monday. Caught several Bluegill and a little Fingerling Bass…. Minnow sized! PS: Made it to Denison Dam for a chance at Stripers today. Posted a live update while there. Do check back… still editing the video of the day’s action. No Striped Bass but did catch a Buffalo or two!

Wednesday Hump Day has us back at Duck Creek Linear Park in Richardson, TX. This round has a couple of Sunfish that take the Foam Spider and Scud Tandem Rig. No Bass but did see several nice ones lurking about. Fun stuff… plus did a “drive by” video shot of the park to show the creek from a roadside view! Click on pictures to see more about Cabela’s CGR Rod/Reel Combo and deals they are offering!

Fished the foam spider and scud tandem rig with the Cabelas CGR Fiberglass Rod and 2/3wt Echo Ion Fly Reel. Caught a Bass, had other little Bass eye the fishing flies… did have one swipe it but missed it. No worries… had fun with the Sunfish, Bluegill, and Longear Perch that were readily striking the tandem rig! Fun stuff! Click on pictures to see more about Cabela’s CGR Rod/Reel Combo and deals they are offering!

Stopped at Crowley Park in Richardson on the commute. Fished the 2wt Discount Switch Rod and a Foam Grasshopper to catch a Bass or two! Lotta fun… Bass tended to strike when the hopper was sitting still. Slow stop and go was the key! Fum stuff!

Tough round this go… a little Bass and a Bluegill after spending most of the time trying to get Bass protecting their bed to strike. Had one strike but missed it; else, the Bass were definitely wary! Overall, have been pleasantly surprised at the convenience of Tenkara and its simplicity. Definitely makes it easier for quick trips to fish local ponds while out and about and/or on a whim!

Was a tough start Saturday… windy and a little chilly, plus no shad at the boat ramp at Highland Park. Made the quick adjustment, and decided to head to calmer waters… Bratonia Park, and to the Branch Convenience Store for bait. No shad but they did have Nightcrawlers. Enough for us to get started setting out juglines. Luckily, did catch a few shad in the shallows as well. In short order, had our lines deployed. But, took almost two hours before the first bite… a Blue Catfish that went for Shad. After the first one was caught, bite stayed steady with several undersized caught and released; and then, we caught six Catfish – five Blue Catfish and one Channel Catfish, for the stringer for Dinner… Blackened Catfish and Shrimp Etouffee!

A follow-on video and podcast of our recent trip Tenkara Fishing a creek. In this fishing podcast, we talk about lessons learned tenkara fishing in close quarters where brush and overhead branches limit the use of fly fishing gear and have clobbered our back cast. Easily remedied with a fly rod and switch and roll casts, we wanted to try fishing with a tenkara rod… a 12′ tenkara rod lined with 12′ of fly line and 3′ of leader and tippet. We learned that the tenkara rod worked well fishing the creek especially the use of the “bow and arrow” cast. We also learned that shortening the fly line to 6′ would help in working the fly under the overhang branches in the creek. Do check out the podcast – be it the video or listen in at iFishNews.com to the podcast version of it!

Stopped by the Back Pond at Bethany Lakes this morning for a quick trip. Had about 20″ to fish before it was time to head to the “Salt Mines”. Regardless, caught a number of Bluegill using the Micro Fly Rod and an Elk Hair Caddis. Really liking the concept of an ultralight, collapsible fly rod that casts well and catches fish!