02-08-2004, 01:31 AM
[cool][blue][size 1]Hey O4T, glad you could sit through the history class without nodding off. Us oldtimers tend to get carried away at times.[/size][/blue]
[#0000ff][size 1]After posting the previous answer, I looked back through some of my scanned pics in my archives and will attach three pics from that first Deer Creek ice fishing trip. As I mentioned, the ice was new...clear and no snow on it. But, at daybreak, before the sun ruined it, much of the lake was covered with "ice flowers"...frozen water vapor like you see on your windows sometimes. Later it disappeared, but in the pics with the perch and the brown, you can see the ice was pretty clean.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Next week begins my annual fishing onslaught. The series of fronts and other factors have kept me off the water. TubeBabe and I headed out this morning to survey a couple of potential spots for next week. Found the water still ONLY 55 degrees (eat your heart out), so the bass are not yet staging for the prespawn. Nobody from bank or boat had any success we could tell through the binoculars or talking with those close enough to chat with.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Thought I had seen it all until today. Walked down to check the success of a couple of Arizona "tanglers". One of the guys asks me if I knew how to fly fish. When I said yes, he asked if I would teach him. Simple enough, right. Only took me about 50 years to learn and I'm still learning. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Then I looked at his rod. It was a fly rod alright, with a single action reel complete with fly line. But, he had both sinkers and a big float on the end, ahead of a baited hook. He demonstrated a cast...his way. He stripped off about thirty feet of line, reared back and let her fly. The cast went all the way to the end of his stripped out line and the sinkers sunk the float out of sight. He proclaimed that was the best he could do with a fly rod. I agreed that it would probably be difficult to do any better and beat it back up the hill before he demanded a demo.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Saw some wild burros and a fat coyote...along with an assortment of birds. Beautiful sunshine and 70 degrees. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Next week we are planning to hit Alamo Lake, about 3 hours to the west northwest of Phoenix. It is not heavily abused and is a small lake full of several species. Since it is at a lower altitude than the Phoenix area lakes it usually warms faster and starts kicking out nice crappies and largemouths earlier. We plan to contribute to a good report next week.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The catfish down here are as wimpy as the other fish. Heck, I used to catch channels out of Willard during snowmelt runoff before the end of February. Down here they don't have their butlers wake them up until the water hits 70 degrees. Part of my game plan this spring is to pursue some big flatheads as they are waking up. I have several up to 30 pounds, but want a 50 this year. That should tow me around for awhile.[/size][/#0000ff]
[signature]
[#0000ff][size 1]After posting the previous answer, I looked back through some of my scanned pics in my archives and will attach three pics from that first Deer Creek ice fishing trip. As I mentioned, the ice was new...clear and no snow on it. But, at daybreak, before the sun ruined it, much of the lake was covered with "ice flowers"...frozen water vapor like you see on your windows sometimes. Later it disappeared, but in the pics with the perch and the brown, you can see the ice was pretty clean.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Next week begins my annual fishing onslaught. The series of fronts and other factors have kept me off the water. TubeBabe and I headed out this morning to survey a couple of potential spots for next week. Found the water still ONLY 55 degrees (eat your heart out), so the bass are not yet staging for the prespawn. Nobody from bank or boat had any success we could tell through the binoculars or talking with those close enough to chat with.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Thought I had seen it all until today. Walked down to check the success of a couple of Arizona "tanglers". One of the guys asks me if I knew how to fly fish. When I said yes, he asked if I would teach him. Simple enough, right. Only took me about 50 years to learn and I'm still learning. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Then I looked at his rod. It was a fly rod alright, with a single action reel complete with fly line. But, he had both sinkers and a big float on the end, ahead of a baited hook. He demonstrated a cast...his way. He stripped off about thirty feet of line, reared back and let her fly. The cast went all the way to the end of his stripped out line and the sinkers sunk the float out of sight. He proclaimed that was the best he could do with a fly rod. I agreed that it would probably be difficult to do any better and beat it back up the hill before he demanded a demo.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Saw some wild burros and a fat coyote...along with an assortment of birds. Beautiful sunshine and 70 degrees. [/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]Next week we are planning to hit Alamo Lake, about 3 hours to the west northwest of Phoenix. It is not heavily abused and is a small lake full of several species. Since it is at a lower altitude than the Phoenix area lakes it usually warms faster and starts kicking out nice crappies and largemouths earlier. We plan to contribute to a good report next week.[/size][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][size 1]The catfish down here are as wimpy as the other fish. Heck, I used to catch channels out of Willard during snowmelt runoff before the end of February. Down here they don't have their butlers wake them up until the water hits 70 degrees. Part of my game plan this spring is to pursue some big flatheads as they are waking up. I have several up to 30 pounds, but want a 50 this year. That should tow me around for awhile.[/size][/#0000ff]
[signature]