Marcel_Karssies
08-08-2009, 09:40 AM
Yesterday I went on a late afternoon fishing expedition into Germany. It was very hot and sticky and according to the weather forecast the day would end with rain and thunder.
When I walked to the stream it was clear that we had entered late summer, most of the fields where harvested.
The only crop standing was corn which would last until late fall.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0358.jpg
The blackberries where almost ripe, there where still flowering plants along the roadside.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0361.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0365.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0367.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0372.jpg
Along the road.
When I arrived at my good spot it looked like the shrubs had grown at least a foot since my last visit.
This time I had the short 6 ft. rod with me which was not a wise decision.
In front of me a school of about 100 shiners was moving back and forth near the willows.
I tried to launch a dry fly but of every 10 casts 9 landed in the trees.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0374.jpg
Roach.
I did get a few nice hits on the dry fly but missed every strike.
The funny thing was that the fish would only go at the fly as soon as it hit the water, once the fly drifted perfectly it was left untouched.
The rod I used was just to short to fish the dry there so I tied on a nymph and launched it in the middle
of the school.
Fish where racing towards the nymph and I caught a couple of nice Roach.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0376.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0378.jpg
Roach.
It turned out my secret spot was not that secret after all when another fisherman appeared, something black with feathers.
One of those darn cormorants shot into my school of fish.
When the cormorant saw me he doubled back as fast as he could, a wise decision.
The fish where gone so I had to search for a new spot.
Further upstream there was a small weir where the current flowed a little faster over the stones.
I could spot several fishing hanging in the fast current so I tied on a heavy nymph and probed
the depths.
I soon caught several Roach and also some very nice Dace.
The Dace was usually a fish we would pursue with dry flies, those fish where lightning fast to reject
flies so always a challenge to catch.
On this day all the Dace where feeding deep.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0379.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0383.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0384.jpg
Dace.
Soon the fish where on to me and the bites ceased.
The pool below the watermill would be my next target.
With the water so low and clear I could see that the pool was not that deep at all.
I dragged a streamer through the deeper parts of the pool in hope of a remaining trout or a perch but nothing happened.
I did see fish rising in one corner of the pool but those where shiners again.
When I positioned myself near the location of the rising fish it was clear to me that I could not reach them due to lack of space for the backcast.
If I had my waders with me things would have been different but alas.
During all this fishing dark clouds began to develop in the sky.
At a certain moment the light breeze that was present during the early hours just fell
away. With showers and lightning eminent I decided to call it day and head home.
When I walked to the stream it was clear that we had entered late summer, most of the fields where harvested.
The only crop standing was corn which would last until late fall.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0358.jpg
The blackberries where almost ripe, there where still flowering plants along the roadside.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0361.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0365.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0367.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0372.jpg
Along the road.
When I arrived at my good spot it looked like the shrubs had grown at least a foot since my last visit.
This time I had the short 6 ft. rod with me which was not a wise decision.
In front of me a school of about 100 shiners was moving back and forth near the willows.
I tried to launch a dry fly but of every 10 casts 9 landed in the trees.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0374.jpg
Roach.
I did get a few nice hits on the dry fly but missed every strike.
The funny thing was that the fish would only go at the fly as soon as it hit the water, once the fly drifted perfectly it was left untouched.
The rod I used was just to short to fish the dry there so I tied on a nymph and launched it in the middle
of the school.
Fish where racing towards the nymph and I caught a couple of nice Roach.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0376.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0378.jpg
Roach.
It turned out my secret spot was not that secret after all when another fisherman appeared, something black with feathers.
One of those darn cormorants shot into my school of fish.
When the cormorant saw me he doubled back as fast as he could, a wise decision.
The fish where gone so I had to search for a new spot.
Further upstream there was a small weir where the current flowed a little faster over the stones.
I could spot several fishing hanging in the fast current so I tied on a heavy nymph and probed
the depths.
I soon caught several Roach and also some very nice Dace.
The Dace was usually a fish we would pursue with dry flies, those fish where lightning fast to reject
flies so always a challenge to catch.
On this day all the Dace where feeding deep.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0379.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0383.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Marcel_Karssies/2009/Beek-X-07-08-2009/IMG_0384.jpg
Dace.
Soon the fish where on to me and the bites ceased.
The pool below the watermill would be my next target.
With the water so low and clear I could see that the pool was not that deep at all.
I dragged a streamer through the deeper parts of the pool in hope of a remaining trout or a perch but nothing happened.
I did see fish rising in one corner of the pool but those where shiners again.
When I positioned myself near the location of the rising fish it was clear to me that I could not reach them due to lack of space for the backcast.
If I had my waders with me things would have been different but alas.
During all this fishing dark clouds began to develop in the sky.
At a certain moment the light breeze that was present during the early hours just fell
away. With showers and lightning eminent I decided to call it day and head home.