Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 31

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!

Blue River Oklahoma Fishing | Two Trout This Round

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!

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 30

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)

Fun with Spreadsheets | Texas Parks and Wildlife Winter Trout Stocking Schedule for 2020-2021

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

DIY Wooden Trout Net | Do Over Anyone?

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.

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 29

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.)

Blue River Oklahoma Fishing | First Trout Limit for 2020-2021 Season! #oklahoma #rainbowtrout #season

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!

Blue River Fishing Oklahoma | Trout Season FYI

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!

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 28

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)

Blue River Fishing | Preseason Scouting Trip | #maxcatch #switchrod #opstcommandohead

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!

Fly Fishing Tips | Casting 40 Feet in 4 Seconds?

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

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 27

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)

Where To Go Fishing This Weekend?

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.

Denison Dam Fishing | Catch and Cook Striped Bass | #flyfishing #stripedbass #catchandcook

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 / Model TLR-1106-4)
• Rio Switch InTouch Chucker Line #5: http://amzn.to/2r2wRth

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 26

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)

Denison Dam Fishing | Lots of Stripers on the Fly!

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!

Trinity River Fly Fishing with the MaxCatch 2wt Fly Rod? #switchrod #flyfishing #trinityriver

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

Fly Fishing Tips from the Little Red Book of Fly Fishing | iFishNews Fishing Podcast 25

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

Fly Fishing Tips | Pointing and Your Thumb?

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!

Simple Fly Tying | Mickey Finn Variant

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!