to find a special treat left by Santa, he didn't forget about me after all,
Walk on trams are awesome!
Kristian Jelm and Jessica Wastell wait for another tram.
Kristian and Jessica getting a little air time.
This time around I got Friday off from work, so I headed out Thursday night to the Dagobah System, and this time I had three days to fish. The first weekend was not a battle for fish by any stretch of the imagination. I averaged 20 fish an hour for the first two days. These three days I think it got down to about 10-15 fish an hour. The fish seemed to be tired; having sexy time will do that. They were not hitting just any fly; they were more selective this time around. I played with a lot of different patterns but when it all broke down the Raggedy Andy was there to produce.
A really cool story about the Raggedy Andy... The Raggedy Andy came to be because I was fishing a small stream, turned over a rock and saw something I hadn't seen, nor did I have a pattern that matched it, so I went home, and with my minimal tying skills tied as close to what I saw as I could remember. The result of my efforts turned out to look nothing like what I had aimed to replicate, but all the same I brought it back to the original stream and it worked. Over the last few months that little nymph turned out to have some legs, then wings, then legs and wings. I started fishing it everywhere and it worked everywhere as well. Even though many people scoffed at the fly, it's raggedy look, and messy tie, it worked to their surprise, yet to my confidence I know it is a fly that works... everywhere. At the end of my first weekend I gave Yoda a few flies, the ones I had used that weekend that worked. Yoda gave me the three flies he uses for that stream, the three he has used for years. As I awoke Friday morning and spoke with Yoda he showed me a fly he had been tying during the week... the Raggedy Andy! He liked the legs and look, the small amount of flash, and he never has used bead heads before. His version of the Raggedy Andy looks more like the 'Tidy Andy', all clean and neat looking, like someone knew what they were doing when they tied a fly. He also told me he fished it, and that it had fished well. He said he now has four flies for the stream; the Raggedy Andy was on the guest list. For me, this was one of the best compliments I have received in fishing. I may have a sloppy cast, whack style, small knowledge, and a distorted view of my skills, but as I tell people, "I am not really good, I just enjoy fishing, and I just catch fish." But I know my bag of skills is a small one, I know, but to have someone who has got the skill set and know-how to fish, tie, and live the sport to take my little fly and duplicate, and then use it, and then swear by it, it was a wonderful compliment. Maybe I am reading too much into it, big deal... someone tied the fly you created, but for me it felt great.
Back to the Dagobah System. I now followed my routine, wake up, Mountain House eggs and bacon, which contain enough sodium and cholesterol to kill a stable of horses, coffee, and rolled out. My plan for the three days was to try and hit all the water I could. So I started at the end and over the next three days I fished up. As I said the fish were not as active as the weekend before. You could still stay put and catch fish, but now it was even more little guys, so when something big came along I pounded them until they took it. Yoda told me if I want the fish don't give up just keep casting, and eventually it will hit. Well, he was right, you could cast at a holding trout 20, 30, 80 times and eventually "bam" they hit it. I don't know why... I think they finally just get tired of you bothering them and hit it so you'll just go away; well that works for me. The weather was beautiful, and got warmer throughout the weekend. I hit most of the river, but didn't get to all. I slowed down as the fish slowed down. By third day the weather made a turn, almost 70 degrees, and very very windy. It's hard to cast a small rod, light line, surrounded by casting obstacles like trees, bushes, branches, my backpack, and other things. It got frustrating with the wind challenging me, and I don't need extra challenges.
Now this part of the story is both legendary and unbelievable. At the end of the second day I had my usual rap-up with Yoda and we swapped stories. He told me how he had broke off on a fat 20+ incher, and lost a Raggedy Andy. I told him that I was going to fish that section Sunday and that I would get his fly back for him... ha-ha. Now, something strange happened. As I was walking down the dusty dirt road to the stream a big hawk flew overhead and bellowed out a "caw-caw." Every time this happened to me in the past it turned out to be a great day, a great omen of the things to come. Well this was no different. I saw what I thought was a big fish hanging in some tail water; I made a cast... good drift... and nothing. So, I cast again and slapped it onto the water hard just a few feet ahead of him and BLAMO!! He hit it hard and running. I brought him back from the undercut bank, and then pulled him out of a log pile. As I brought him near to my feet I reached back, pulled my net and scooped 'em up. As I did I saw something small twinkle, and falling leaf through the water, I thought I had knocked my fly out of his mouth with the net, but nope, still attached. So I removed my fly, snapped a few shots and sent the fish on his way. I looked into the water where I had seen the twinkle and no B.S. there was Yoda's Raggedy Andy, I had got his fly back for him, and landed the fish that broke him off. At the end of the day, we wrapped it all up and discussed the upcoming week's weather and it looked like it was going to turn, and if it did Yoda was heading back home, and I wouldn't not be coming back if it looked poopie. As I turned to walk away, I said "oh yeah, I almost forgot, I kept my word, here is your fly back." We both looked at each other with a smile, and said goodbye. We agreed to keep in touch over the winter, and I was invited to meet him next summer in another state, at another secret hole, he didn't say why he invited me to his summer spot, but I am going, he said small fish, but a lot of them, and it was fun. If I know anything about Yoda it is that he only tells you some info, and 1/2 of it is a white lie, so I will be headed out next summer to meet him and probably catch some small stream monsters!
Here are a bunch of pictures from weekend two: enjoy...
