Slowdown, Relax, And FISH!

Slowdown, Relax, and FISH!  That's my advice to all you.  I know that you didn't as for my advice but I'm giving it to you anyway.  Step away from the everything that crowds your day and find time to fish.

The other day I got home from a trip I took my own advice.  I dropped my stuff right inside the front door, grabbed my fly rod, and hit the pond. This is only the second such trip for me in as many months due to the heat and the snakes and it has been far to long.
Now with the kids back at school and the temperatures coming back to levels more tolerable I feel the tug of a gill on the line bringing me back.  Even the snakes have started to come out of their aggressive mood and retreat back into the tall grass.

For my trip to the pond on this overcast day, I started off like I usually do with a few fancy flies and buck tail streamers.  Unable to hook into any of the still lethargic fish I again grab one of my Junkyard Wood Dowel bass bug and gave it a few casts.  Once again this little bug strikes hard.

I don't know what it is about this little bug but the bass really love it.  I have caught big bass and small bass, bream, sunfish and crappy on this little guy and it is now my go-to little bug.  Today the big boys stayed away down deep in the cool waters of the pond but I did manage to hook some young bass that where cruising the grass beds.
After the bass I decided to have a little fun with the small sunfish that were darting back and forth, probably dodging the same bass that had took my wooden dowel.  I tied on a #14 caddis and gave a flick of the fly out to the edge of a small grass bed.  The result was possible the smallest sunfish I have ever got on a fly.  The tinny catch might be considered bait in most circles, and the truth is I have cast larger flies than this guy, but for me it was the most memorable of the day.

The Smallest Sunfish I Have Ever Caught

After a few hours, a few fish, and the falling of a few raindrops, I pack it in and head home happy and my hand smelling life fish.  My wife might not like the smell but for me there is no better proof of a good day on the water than the sweet smell of fish on your hands.  You can get beat down by hassles at work and the endless amount of chores that always need to be done at home but if you take the time to hook into a few fish on a solitary stretch of water, all those stresses seem to disappear for a little while.   My advice: Go out and get that fishy smell on your fingers and enjoy yourself!