Happy and Sad

Friday was my initial trip to the Blue River in OK.  Boy was I glad to hop on the bike for the ride into the C&R.  Excited enough to forget my rod tube as I turned the bike around to go back to the truck and get it.  As I approached the water a new trout season on the Blue was before me.  Man what a sight to be back and I could not wait to get a line wet.  Many fish would find my net on the day and I snapped a photo of the first one taken with a Jig.

As you can tell by the pic, the water was murky and stained.  Maybe a foot of visibility but that did not stop the fish from eating my many offerings on the day.  I found fish in the many holes that I have grown accustomed to and I found that gratifying.  What else I found, was honestly, kind of sad. 

The drought has taken its toll on our beloved river and I stopped fishing for a moment and prayed for rain.  The river could sure use a good flush and restore the flow to the falls.  It would also create so many other areas to find fish.  As I explored the river, I found a few fish out of the few deep holes but not many.  I snapped a couple of pics of the river levels, hoping by season's end, we get the rain to fill up the river.

I also found another hungry friend left over from the warmer season.  It was a nice tug and he sure was pretty.

It sure was nice to back on the Blue.  Like the title of this post, I sure was happy to fish again, but I sure was sad to see the state of the Blue.  Lets all hope for rain.  I would love to have to sacrifice a few days fishing for the rain our Lady Blue needs. 

Cheers,

Merc

Fall on the Juan

Another great trip with friends and strong San Juan fish.  Browns are on the move and the fall colors were off the charts.  I will let the pictures do the talking.  Lookout Oklahoma trout, your are next on the radar.

Cheers Everyone and Good Fishing,

Merc

Been a While

Well folks it has been a while since my last post.  Living here in Texas and being a coldwater fisherman, summertime turns to work and golf and fishing takes a back seat.  Well kinda.  I had the blessing to have an invite to go on my first trip to Alaska this summer and I will be back soon.  Like next year.  What a place and as I have told many, the ecosystem up there is what resonates with me.  Just wonderful.  If you have not done it, do it.  Pay the man, it will be money well spent.  Here are some highlights.

 Fabulous place and we'll put a wrap on that.  It's about 1 week to the first fall San Juan trip and trout season in Oklahoma is starting November 1, so I will not be a stranger.  Look forward to seeing friends on the river and finding friends in the river.



Cheers,

Merc

1 Weight Heaven

Got to Rush Creek this am for about 2 hours of fishing before yardwork and the Masters.  First cast and this little bluegill blew up the Miss Prissy.  What a fun rod to fish.  The 6'9" TFO Finesse.

I have seen and caught some good bass in the creek and have spent some time sight casting to them over the last month.  I was stripping blind in a nice hole when all of a sudden there was the Toilet Bowl Flush !

What a fun morning with about 30 to hand in 2 hours.  Still more creek to explore next time.

Cheers and good fishing everyone !

Merc

LMRF One Fly

The last couple of years I have gone up to the Lower Mountain Fork Foundation One Fly Fundraiser.  It is a fun event that raises money to put to river projects and other river enhancements.  It is also a chance to get together with some darn good friends and I always try to make a few more every year.

This year was no different as I got together with Eric Jackson and David Dillow on Friday night after fishing.  David is kind enough to offer up his cabin to Eric and I so the least I could do was burn some steaks for Nic, David's wife and the boys.  Eric brings the Scotch and all be darned if I did not come home with it ! 

Friday fishing was good as I got there in the PM and met David and Bree ( the cool fishing dog ) for some Oklahoma trout.  We explored the Evening Hole as most of the crowd had not shown up yet and the trout were cooperative on Soft Hackles, Midges and Pheasant Tails.

Saturday was a early wake up call for the One Fly.  We hit registration for the fly of choice.  This year was a tough one as we were given a size 16 Parachute Adams Dry Fly.   Oh yeah, it was sunny and the fish were NOT looking up.  I realized right away we were going to have to sink this bad boy and fish it sub-surface.  It did not take long on the 4th drift to hook a 17" bow in Lost Creek.  I have never spent much time on the Creek and it has never been that good to me, but all my fish in the tourney came from the creek.  Very surprising to say the least.  The pic below is not a great pic to say the least, but this male was a really cool looking fish.  You'll have to take my word for it.

Everyone had a good time at the One Fly and lots of money was raised for the river.  Many thanks to the ODWC, LMFR Foundation Directors and Menbers who participated in the event.  One thing I want to add.  The Department has done a wonderful job with the redo on Spillway Creek.  The habitat there looks great.  If we only had some regs on that stretch of the Fork.  Fished it PM Saturday and when the fish are able to stay in the river instead of being harvested left and right, it fishes great.  The work there is wonderful and should be mentioned. 

Cheers everyone and good fishing,

Merc

PM on the Paluxy

With the Trout Derby this weekend at the Blue and my aversion to crowds when fishing, I opted for a little Friday afternoon fishing down on the Paluxy River.  One of the hidden gems of Texas rivers, the Paluxy holds numerous species of fish.  Black and Spotted Bass, Perch, Pumkinseeds, Bream, Gar, Catfish and Carp are all occupants of this pretty piece of water.

My agenda for the day was to scout for some Carp in the waters an hour and half from my house.  As I parked in the new and very nice Glen Rose Park, I was excited with my five weight in hand to see if I could chase some "freshwater bonefish".  As I eased to the water what I found was an aquarium of shallow water Perch and Bass.  The Bass were picky but the Perch and Pumkinseeds proceeded to hammer the Miss Prissy.  Over and over again.  Alot of fun, unless you are holding a five weight expecting a fight with a Carp, but tugs nonetheless.   I did have get a couple of small bass to cooperate like the one below.



I eased down the road to find some shade because it was down right hot.  About 82-85 degrees and no wind, I was looking to keep the temps feeling springlike.  Headed to a piece of secret water, got a couple more perch to hand and found a hole I had not discovered before.  This moss hideout held no less than six 2-3 lb Bass.  Been a while since I have been this frustrated as time and time again one of those picky Bass would swim up the the bug, look it in the eye, and never eat. 



               

 

What a nice afternoon to spend some time on a pretty river.  The big Bass did not cooperate and I failed in my mission to find some carp water, but I really enjoyed the time getting a little warmwater fishing in. 

The hot day finally cooled as I eased home with Coors Banquet.  

   Thanks Mr and Mrs Perch.  

You made the day a blast.

Good Fishing Everyone and Cheers,

Merc

A Pristine River

Leave it to old man winter to make you feel like you're going back in time.  This is how I felt yesterday riding into the C&R.  I have never seen the river so beautiful.  Yes, she is still a little low, but with the snow on the banks and animal tracks everywhere and none of a human,  I felt like this was a river that never had been fished.

With the snow and ice over the last two weeks, the middle section of the C&R showed no evidence of human history.  I thought of Matt Gamble as I have never seen so many ducks.  Multiple species just sitting there in a couple of my fishing holes as if they had never seen a person.  They would always be around after I jumped them, flying overhead and making soft landings all day long.

It seemed as if the fish took some time off too as fishing was tough.  The water was cold as I made a smart move wearing base layer and fleece under my waders.  Lack of tugs did not worry me, as this was a blue bird winter day.  Just before lunch, I had just landed the first five fish of the day.  Some in the channel pocket water and a couple in the deeper water down from the falls.  Something just told me the fish were sluggish, so I took a water temp.  38 degrees. Yes 38 degrees.  That my friends is cold as the San Juan in the winter has never been below 42 on my thermometer. As I put up the rod for a little cold fried chicken by the river, I had five fish to hand courtesy of the jig.

The sun sure felt great on the bank and I saw a spin caster catch and release a fish.  Until then I had the Blue to myself.  I then saw a couple more gentlemen head to the upper section and not another soul the rest of the day.  The day heated up as I finally found the bugs the fish wanted.  The Prince Nymph, Zebra Midge and some Baetis nymphs were the ticket as I quit counting around 25.   At long last the tugs were plentiful and made the cold water bearable.  It was also nice to see some fish back in a couple of my favorite spots for the first time this year.

The good news is I thought the river was up a bit.  It sure looked like it.  The water is still low, but it seems old man winter has helped a bit.  Boy what a couple of inches of rain would do over the next couple of weeks.  The delayed harvest is around the corner so get out there and enjoy this place.  What a great day it was to be alive.

Good fishing everyone !

Cheers,

Merc

Blue and Numb

Met my buds Ryan Yarberry and Scott Spradling up at the Blue on Friday.  Man was it cold.  17 degrees as we hit the parking lot at the Corrals.  Hit the C&R in the am and the action was okay.  Couple of fish early and the first fish of the year at the upper falls as Ryan and hit the foam line.  Tugs and fun to wrap our visit up North.

Hit Scotty's for a great burger at lunch and then hit the South.  Just too damn cold all day to take pics but did manage a few.  The jig was the ticket in the South as these were the only pics of the day.

And some nice tail

Always good to be not working and until my next visit to the Blue, I hope there is more Blue and less Numb.

Cheers and good fishing,

Merc

Where Have I Been ! It's 2011

Where has the time gone.  I am a winter trout creature.  Jobs, Heat, College Football.  A lot of things get in the way of fishing

Its time to get back to the action

Good to be back.

Winter Trout in Oklahoma

 

Back soon with more. 

Good fishing Everyone and Cheers,


Merc