Flyfishing FWSW

I had planned some river fishing today over the border in Germany but with the low temperature
and constant rain I decided to ditch that plan.
It was quite cold and so I made up plan B to go to my perch spot at the end of the day
when the temperature would be at its highest.

My hotspot was a canal and although that water held perch and also pike you had to find
the fish otherwise the exercise would be pretty useless.
As the algae bloom had stopped a while ago the water was very clear and I could see the small streamer I fished from miles away.
What I did not see where signs of life = fish of any sorts.

I systematically fished the canal with a 4-weight rod boasting a full sinking line and a small barbless streamer.
When I came near the next road bridge I spotted fish.
Hordes of roach where at the surface and when that surface began to boil I suspected the fish where
corralled by the perch.
A few casts later my hunch was confirmed as I caught a decent size perch.
The second fish was a monster, never seen such a big perch in real life and I was very happy when I
finally landed the fish, that perch had put a serious bend in the four weight rod.

Off course I had hoped the action would continue non-stop but alas that did not happen.
One small perch made the tally three in total and that was it.
The roach where still splashing about even as the light faded but the perch did not fall for the
streamer anymore.

As the Asps where still milling in my head I had to go back to the big river.
A little search on the internet revealed some information that should have
been helpful  to improve my chances.

One of the things written was be early on the water and so I was at the big
river somewhere around 5.30 ish.
Off course no people, no shipping traffic and thus clear water.
What I noticed where fish in the surface … small stuff … and maybe the
bigger ones would follow.
It stayed quiet however although I spotted two big swirls between the groins …
be it during several hours.

My first fish contact came at the inside of a groin and behold I actually hooked
a fish … ok not exactly the target species and of debatable size but heck … a fish.
And that was it … could not get anything after that anymore.
In the meantime the guy with the spinning rod was hauling in an Asp, guess
they were not surface feeding.

Somehow I did not think the fishing would get better as rains started to pour.
Maybe it was time to check out the overflow area.
I tossed the Clouser of my Asp setup (6-weight rod, floating line)  at the end of
the overflow area and started to retrieve.
Suddenly … bang … fish on, but not the Asp, Ide or Perch I had hoped for but
a darn pike.
Off course fishing without the trace meant it all ended in a disaster … gone baby gone.

Now forewarned I got out the trace and continued to fish the overflow area.
Now and then I would see the fry jump out of the water so that was a good sign.
The water was clouded but I could still spot several bream moving in the surface.
Halfway to the railway bridge something very odd happened … my fly was gone and
the trace was frayed … river monsters ?  who knows …

It was not going well, so on to plan B – the full sinking line.
The sinking line had not the desired effect … I parked too many streamers on the river
floor.  In the meantime the rains had made the rocks on the groins slippery as hell because
the clay mud had been lubricated in a dangerous manner.
I called it a day and after staring down some cows that where blocking the exit gate I
went home … bugger.

With all the low water at the home stream I decided today to head in the
opposite direction aka west to try my luck on the big water.
I opted to go to the Ijssel river or as the Romans called it “Isala”.
Big, wide, strong current and so on, a whole other dimension than what I
am normally used.
My timing was a bit off meaning late as it was a beautiful day and the spot
I picked was a favorite for the towns folk to bathe and let their dogs run around.

I was not sure to start with nymphs or lures so I tried nymphs first but that
quickly changed when I saw the water explode at the first breakwater.
Without a doubt Asp where hunting and it was a pretty obvious that they
were out to make short work of the baitfish.
Several attacks followed but my lure went untouched, must have been to
slow with my retrieve I guess.
Action died down quickly and the Asps where gone.
I fished several breakwaters and got one strike but no fish stuck.

As the beachgoers came in droves I decided to head back home but first
took a few pics of my old office which was right on the river.
I also checked the old city moat with its exceptionally clear water but could not
see any fish (had hoped for Rudd) so that was a bust also.

To avoid skunk I visited a local canal and tossed the sinking line and a small lure
in the drink only to see a micro perch attack the lure that was bigger than the fish.
Hope faded but by more luck than skill I hooked a nice perch at the end of the
stretch I intended to fish.
I even got a little one as bonus so the day was saved.
I might go after the Asp later in the season maybe when it is no beachgoing
weather, early morning and evening should be the best time according to the
literature.

Today my friends and I tried to catch a seatrout (searun browns) at a coastal lake that is part in
a pilot project to reintroduce migratory fish to the northern part of the Netherlands.
We where hoping to run into one of the searun browns or at least get a flounder or an ide (shiner)
but the weather was against us.
It was cold, the wind had stirred up the sediment of the lake causing the visibility to drop to zero.
While wading we could not see an inch into the water and as the area was unknown to us with the
exception of some sketchy info it was tricky to move around.
We could not spot any fish with the exception of the ones caught by the crested grebes,
obviously better fishermen than us.

The lake used to be an estuary but was now used as a discharge point for freshwater into the sea.
The sluices in the dam discharged freshwater at low tide and stayed open for a short while at high tide to let in migratory fish
that had been waiting at the seaside.
Fish species would be searun browns, stickle backs, smelt, flounder and a host of other fish.

Maybe we where a tad too optimistic to expect fish but I was glad we went there to check the place out.
Hopefully we can return there again when the conditions are more favourable.
Location was the Lauwersmeer, before 1969 known as the Lauwersea.