wademaster
Guest
I had to get out today. Should've gotten out the last few weekends but I've had to finish up on the house and baby stuff. I've read reports from the Ararat for months now and they've seemed to be almost all unproductive. Lots of guys say they didn't see any fish or they've all been poached in public waters. I think to get a true account of anything you need to put the footwork in and form your own opinion.
I stepped in the water before the sun was up this morning around 6:55 and the temp was 21 degrees. Eyelets and reel froze up until about 10 or so. This is one of the biggest pains ever. It made for aggravation. I toughed it out.
I had action on a black woolly bugger, a black hares ear and also a slump buster. I found it productive to work an area that looked good then change to a different tactic/fly and hit it again after a bit. Caught multiple fish in the same areas like this. It only takes a minute to change flies/tactics. It's worth it. I caught fish drifting nymphs, drifting the streamer and by letting the slump buster reach the bottom in large deep pools. I caught quite a few, lost quite a few and lost the largest one mid battle. It looked in the vicinity of 16"-18". Oh well.
I grabbed lunch and went to explore other areas I won't name but had to cut that short due to a worsening headache. I toughed it out until about 3 then hit the road.
P.S. In my opinion most places aren't as poached/fished out as most folks like to claim.
Sent from my kayak...
I stepped in the water before the sun was up this morning around 6:55 and the temp was 21 degrees. Eyelets and reel froze up until about 10 or so. This is one of the biggest pains ever. It made for aggravation. I toughed it out.
I had action on a black woolly bugger, a black hares ear and also a slump buster. I found it productive to work an area that looked good then change to a different tactic/fly and hit it again after a bit. Caught multiple fish in the same areas like this. It only takes a minute to change flies/tactics. It's worth it. I caught fish drifting nymphs, drifting the streamer and by letting the slump buster reach the bottom in large deep pools. I caught quite a few, lost quite a few and lost the largest one mid battle. It looked in the vicinity of 16"-18". Oh well.
I grabbed lunch and went to explore other areas I won't name but had to cut that short due to a worsening headache. I toughed it out until about 3 then hit the road.
P.S. In my opinion most places aren't as poached/fished out as most folks like to claim.
Sent from my kayak...
Last edited: