Ouch!

Stewart  sent me this picture. He was fishing with fellow club member Davy this week when the trip was cut short with a trip to A&E

Davy let a Pike slip out of his grip when unhooking the fish.... Stewart was unhappy to have the trip cut short as the fish were just starting to come on.  It's just bad angling, how could  you be so selfish  Davy ??

But serioulsy, its easily done. Spot the dodgy crimp tut tut!

FOR THE BIRDS!

Yellowfin tuna, dorado, marlin and sailfish provided constant action on the East Cape this week.  

We had a little different gig for a few days though.  Four years ago I was asked to take a group of bird watchers out on Jen Wren to sight marine birds.  To be honest I kind of thought it was joke and planned to take them over to the moorings where they could watch pelicans make a mess on fishing boat bimini tops.  That thought couldn't have been further from reality and my crew and myself got a heck of an education from the birders.

On this exploration four years ago birders known to be authorities on the subject of marine birds came from as far away as Europe.  I quickly found out southern Baja has been little explored and not much is known about what marine birds habitat or migrate through here.  We sighted several different species not know to frequent these parts.  The trip was a huge success and word spread rapidly through bird-nerd circles.

Since that time we have had requests to do bird watching trips every year.  Each trip birders have agreed that the Sea of Cortez is rich with life and has an excellent bird habitat.  It was interesting to sight and learn about the pink footed shearwater bird.  They are only known to nest in Chili.  I thought that was a long journey for a bird until sighting the south polar skua that came all the way from the Antarctic coast.

The most incredible sight we experienced this week was watching a south polar skua bird take down a boobie bird.  Not seeing it with my own eyes I would not have believed it.  I would like to thank John Shemilt for sharing some of the images he captured of this event while on Jen Wren III.

We witnessed this south polar skua come out of nowhere and knock a boobie bird out of the sky

The skua pounced on the boobie when it landed in the water

The boobie bird was in distress

Trying to fight back

The skua would have no part of it

The skua bird pecked unmercifully

The boobie tried to escape

The skua bird was just too powerful

What a battle!

In the end we drifted too close which distracted the skua.  The boobie flew away and all agreed our presence saved it's life.

Walking the beach in front of Rancho Buena Vista one morning I sighted this Yellow Bellied sea snake.  Never a dull moment in Baja!

For the latest East Cape conditions "like" www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing

Mark Rayor

teamjenwren.com

markrayor.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/JenWrenSportfishing

US cell 310 308 5841

Starting Tomorrow

CELEBRATE GOOD WORKS

Enjoy Ennis On The Madison

maybe win a very fine boat

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.. It's well worth punctuating the fishing season by going to the Labor Day shindig in Ennis, Montana.
.. Celebrating 10 years is a major accomplishment for the MADISON RIVER FOUNDATION.
.. This fund raiser and good time gathering is where the neighbors and friends of the Madison River will be this weekend. Good food, good speakers, good seminars, and just plain good time.
.. Help out:
==> Home Page,
==> Tomorrow's Events,
==> Join.

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Z Fish Report (8/30/12)

Roger Reese with Adolfo and an estimated
70 pound plus roosterfish

The blue water has moved out a bit to about the 12 mile mark, but what is astounding is the surface temperature is averaging between 84 and 85 degrees to out at least 30 miles and to the 1,000 fathom line. The sailfish action is still about 1 to 2 fish a day per boat, which is about average for this time of the year. The dorado action died off a bit this week, but it was on fire down at Puerto Vicente Guerrero. I was down there this last Sunday, and all the local fishermen were getting about 10 fish each, weighing between a respectable 12 and 20 pounds. I expect those fish to move up here any day.

Roger and Adolfo with some excellent eating

Roosterfish are still the main attraction, with Adolfo on the panga Dos Hermanos having them located down in the Petatlan area.

Early in the week Roger Reese, from Springfield Illinois, fished 4 days with Adolfo and got 7 huge roosters, several jack crevalle and 3 nice dorado. His first rooster of the first day was at 8:30 AM and estimated at over 70 pounds. Roger told me: “How could it get any better?”

Look how long and narrow Roger's rooster is.
It should weigh double of what it is.

Then fly fishing client Steve Skidmore and his spin fishing wife Alex, from Seattle, fished with Adolfo and I in the same areas south of Zihuatanejo as Roger had fished a couple of days earlier. But, every day on the water is a new day, and we had incredibly huge waves to contend with. When the sets came in, some of the waves had faces of 12 to 14 feet. This is not an ideal time to be too close to the shore. But, this is not Kansas, nor the East Cape of Baja. It is blue collar fly fishing, and we still got it done!

Steve Skidmore with his fly caught rooster

With Steve up on the bow, bracing himself as best as he could to cast the 10wt, and deckhand gorilla sitting up on the roof of the panga and making consistent 100 yard casts with the popper, we ended up with two spin rod roosters, 1 fly caught rooster, a nice jack crevalle, a couple of needle fish, and a lot of misses on roosters. But, it was Steve’s first time and there is a learning curve. When he comes back he will be ready, and absolutely amazed in the changed surf conditions.

Alex Skidmore actually tailed this rooster out of the water

Backing up a bit about Adolfo’s deckhand’s nickname. His real name is Jesus (Hay zoose). He is the best deckhand in the port for roosters, working for 12 years now with the best captain there is (anywhere) for roosters. He earned the nickname gorilla, not because he is built like one (he is actually built like an NFL guard, but shorter), but because he will sit up there on the top of the panga roof and consistently make cats of 80 to 100 yards, or more, all day long. He is in the hot sun, and it is incredibly tiring work to scream the surface popper across the surface. Yet, he does it all day long. The only time he gets a break is if the fly client hooks up. He will be so exhausted by day’s end; he stays on the roof and sleeps the 1.5 hours back to port.

When the surf is high, like it was for us, the roosters can handle the pounding surf, but the bait cannot. They have to move out to deeper water. Adolfo would spot the breaking fish and accelerate to full throttle, getting us there in time to have plenty of action.

Alex and her jack crevalle

Ironically, it was only when Alex went under the covered top to have a bite of sandwich did Adolfo spot the breaking fish. Naw…we aren’t superstitious. But, after the 1st huge melee, and some slack time afterwards, she said “It was the sandwich!” She went back, took a bite and it happened all over again. Go figure!

I think Steve and Alex had a good time

Steve did have several chances at roosters teased in from the surf, but most of our fish came off the roosters boiling on bait about 200 yards off the beach. In fact, Steve’s rooster was not off the teaser, but rather casting from the bow into the crashing fish. His first fish was a needle fish and foul hooked in the back, which was a huge disappointment.

The second time we came up on breaking fish, there were dorado, jacks, and roosters. And Steve got his rooster.

Ed Kunze (IGFA Representative)

For a better understanding of our seasons and species of fish here, please click on this link: http://calendarforfishing.blogspot.mx/

Doc and Jeff

Last week I got the chance to fish with my good buddy Greg also known as the "Doc" and his friend Jeff. We decided to go up the white for a change of pace. The water was low. The boys stayed committed to throwing foam and we certainly were able to force feed several nice fish but the majority of our fish were just good ole sassy healthy rainbows! Still fun watching some explosive strikes. Here are a couple of the better fish we got the chance to play with.

My Man Henry

Sunday and Monday I took my man Henry out for a little fishing. Sunday we worked really hard for a few fish..thunderstorms eventually blew us off the river around mid day. Monday however was a different game. Fished the same stretch of water and it was like a completely new river. Henry started the morning off with a nice brown and he ended the day with a nice brown. Plus lots of rainbows throughout the course of the day!

hidden gems

Illinois does have some real hidden gems. Cold water creeks with deep blue pools do exist here!

This certainly isn’t my spot. More a spot from a friend of a friend. I’m content just being allowed to capture some of it on film, but that’s all your getting from me.

If I ever go back to smallie fishing on spinning gear I’ll have to make a mental note to buy some chigger craws. Damien put on a show worthy of an T.V. advertisement with them.

Stay tuned as we wrap up our warm water wading season and stat to transition to our fall fishing haunts.

The Big Smoke

THE FISH DON'T KNOW

Your Eyes May Water

preparations for fall

HEGBEN BASIN SMOKESCAPE

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.. The west side of Yellowstone National Park, including the adjacent Hebgen Basin is enjoying our annual eye watering smoke from fires near and far. It neither enhances nor hampers the fish bite.

GALLATIN RIVER AND A SPECIAL TRIBUTARY

.. It does provide us with some interesting sunrises and sunsets. It does taste funny and certainly lets our eyes and lungs know what is going on around us.
.. It seems to have a singular positive affect on the west-side rivers. It filters the sun just enough to allow some minor cooling of the rivers. Temperature spikes, however, continue into the dangerous range on the Firehole River.
.. The closed rivers of the Madison River Drainage are showing a cooling trend that defies the air temperature trend. That's a good thing for the possible early re-opening of these rivers to fishing.
.. We are under a RED-FLAG WARNING and will probably stay that way for some days to come, (if not weeks.) Today's break in the current record and near-record high temperatures may continue for at least another week. That's good.

DARK SPRUCE FLY - REMEMBERED BY SOME

.. Significant cooling or precipitation may not occur until mid-September. That's not so good.
.. Most of the neighbors continue to fish the Gallatin River with good results. The lessor known tributaries are getting more attention than usual.
.. The upstream portions of the tributaries are still cool and serve some of our diehard neighbors the opportunity to try out their fall streamers.
.. It's amazing how small a fish will attack a very large fly. Keep in mind that it is sometimes hard to tell if you have a small fry on the end of your heavy line when Spey Casting the mega flies that are so in fashion right now.
.. The mama grizzly bear and her cub continue to visit with the visitors around Specimen Creek. You don't need to be in the backcountry to need bear spray. You do need to have it in hand when you exit your car.

LITTLE BROWN TROUT - EVER USE ONE ?

.. If you are interested in fires and weather we recommend the following links:
=> InciWeb for all fire information,
=> Yellowstone Park News Releases for fire, road, and fishing updates,
=> National Weather Service for national conditions, alerts, long range forecast,
=> Yellowstone Fishing Weather for current Yellowstone Park and West Yellowstone conditions and forecast.

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BULLS CHARGE - YIKES !!

.. Our ever-optimistic neighbors are busy tying flies for the Fall Fishing Frenzy. We've tried to convince them that it's not a necessary activity in the heat of Summer - they chide us and promise retribution in the form of fish stick totals. We listen patiently.
.. Some of the neighborhood fly masters are already tying streamers and other devices that are not available from the commercial feather merchants.
.. We'll save the full fall fly rundown until the elk have quit pestering each other. Yes the rut is underway despite the heat - it seems weird - but that's the way it is.
.. P.S. Gulpers still happening on Hebgen Reservoir.

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NEIGHBORHOOD FAVORITE GHOST - YOU CAN'T BUY THESE

27/08/12 - Lands End - Speci

Weight - 83lb 2oz
Catch - 12 Carp, 4 Bream, 3 F1, 3 Perch, 2 Roach
Weather - Cloudy, windy and showery
Match - Gary Wall Memorial - 9th out of 21 (4th out of 10 - lake)

The draw today was quite entertaining with Tom Thick as usual at the centre of much of the melay, but all good natured banter. It was good to see Tim Ford back and as he says he was just pleased be out fishing. It was also good to see Rod Wootton back after his spell in hospital and Mike Etheridge who I hadn't seen for ages, spending most of his time at Ivy House - why?

Being Gary's memorial match, a minutes silence was impeccably observed, although with Gary, swearing for the full minute may have been more appropriate.

With 22 booked in and 1 no show, Tony decided to let fate decide which peg would be left out and it turned out to be peg 15, giving Tom on peg 18 loads of space. As for me I was on 25 - Speci, which I was happy enough with. The weather forecast for today was horrendous, but fortunately the strong southerly wind was from behind, so no side ways wind to contend with.

For company I had Phil Harding on 26 and Paul Elmes on 40 opposite. As is usual the wind really kicked in on the all-in, although the rain wasn't as bad as expected, but we still had some heavy downpours.

My plan of attack was 4mm pellet and a few bits of meat regularly fed at 6m (which seemed to work on Wednesday) and a pouchful of 6s every 10mins over the 14.5m line in open water. I started down the left hand bank, originally on 8mm pellet, but that didn't work so switched to double caster. The margin down that bank is quite deep (3ft) and to avoid foul hookers I cupped in bait to get the fish on the deck. This seemed to work, but it was slow going with only a couple of carp, perch and F1s. After 2hrs Phil decided to go for a walk, because he was struggling to catch on pellet shallow and in the wind was finding it hard going at 17m to the point of the island. Paul opposite was also struggling, so I felt it was just a case of catch what you can, but I was surprised at the lack of small fish activity.

Phil had enough and went home after 3hrs. I had managed another carp from the left hand bank, plus a couple of big skimmers from my short line on 4mm expander. By this time Paul's swims kicked into life and he was catching down both margins.

So far I had left my long line alone and first put in with paste resulted in a carp. I kept catching over the next couple of hours, occasionally rotating my short line and left hand bank. On the long line I switched from catapulting bait to toss potting it with the paste. In hindsight this was a mistake, because I was still catching, including a big F1 and skimmers, but I would have periods when I would get loads of silly indications. When I went back to catapulting a pouch, sometimes 2, I started to get proper bites again. Unfortunately, I realised this 15-20mins too late, because I only needed another 9lb to sneak into 6th and some money. More ifs, buts and maybes.

Overall Speci Lake fished well and the fish seem to be spread out at the moment. Mike won our lake with 140-12 from p29,  with Paul Elmes 2nd with 89-2 and Martin Pettifer 3rd with 84-5. So all very close in the end.

1st 197-13 - Tom Thick - p18
2nd 140-12 - Mike West - p29
3rd 129- 9 - Craig Edmunds - p19
4th 128- 4 - Tom Mangnal - p21
5th 108- 4 - Rod Wootton - p3
6th 92- 5 - Allan Oram - p13

Silvers
1st 40- 1 - Tom Mangnal - p21
2nd 31- 8 - Nigel Bartlett - p38
3rd 28-12 - Mike Etheridge - p5
4th 18- 8 - Ken Rayner - p25

Derbyshire Wye fly fishing dry fly only...'perfect'

 

I had Tim Roberts one of the Islay lads on my case to take him for some river dry fishing, there was no other place I could show him some class fish other than the Derbyshire Wye..

This place is a hunting ground for me two seasons ago and I got to know many spots like the back of my hand, the place taught me how to match the hatch like no other....

I have always kept in touch with the river keeper Jan Hobat who always keeps me updated on how the wye is fishing and was buzzing when he told me that the hatches were high and the fish very looking up all over the river.

I met Tim at the sheep wash bridge, a absolute cracking spot to take a newcomer to show him the crack.

I did notice that the river bed had changed since my last visit and my old favorite pools had disappeared and new ones appearing so I was quite refreshed to find this new river!!

My plan was to not fish until I had sorted Tim out....Tim is a accomplished fly angler taking the plunge into rivers, it was going to be easy for me to guide him into the 'flow'

His first 3 fish turned out to be a grayling,wild brown trout and a wild rainbow trout all caught on a dry fly, wow what a perfect start...

It was now time for me to pick up my rod and go looking for fish....gone are the days where I will flog a river to death trying to catch huge amounts of fish, I find looking out for a hard rising fish and test my skills against it, that's what I love these days...

Pearing through a overhanging tree I saw a 2lb plus wrt holding in the fast flow a foot below the surface...she wasn't in water like that having a break and I waited and watched and before long she rose to a fully emerged blue winged olive..that's when my adrenaline kick in as i reach for my fly box...

A downstream cast was my only option and Tim and myself creeped behind a tree into position... My first cast supprisingly landed a foot to the left of the rising fish and sailed down drag free, the fish saw it and followed it all the way across and sipped it down cool as.... A short sharp strike and the fish was taken out of its calm feeding mode and shot into life jumping 3 ft in the air shaking its head,, ping the line went slack and my fly shot out.... I looked at Tim and his eyes were wide open shaking! 'that's what we get on this river mate' ...

Oh he was buzzing and so was I... It was good to be back...

In the evening I met up with rid regulars Trugg and Richard, they might be a year older than when I last saw them but they were still buzzing as we all looked into the air to see millions of different fly life all with sex on there mind!!!

We all set off to different spots, I choose one right down the section of town that has really give me some headaches over the years, I love it this way, rock hard fishing where you have to test your skills to the max,...

Tim set off down stream and i just sat on the beach pool looking...if there was every a tip I could give do not go rushing into a pool until you have seen what's going on...it's a good job I did as looking into the pool for a good ten mins I had worked out what was happening, quite mind blowing really.......

At the rear of the pool there were Grayling rising at the back end that looked to be taking tiny chromids, further into the faster water there were rainbows walloping pale watery Duns, and rightnt the top of the pool there was a brown trout that again was ignoring the pale wateries but smutting on dead diffiting chromids... This might sound mental but I have seen this happen so many times on this river, there is so much food around the fish will lock onto different patterns and only be yards apart!!! Casting the wrong fly will have you going home beaten...

If there is any fishing I love it's grayling on the dry fly, there is no other fish that can drive you to insanity, but there are good reasons for this that I will write in a future post...matching the hatch to a grayling in flat slow water is top draw stuff and if you are taking them you are certainly presenting correctly...

I decided to leave the head of the pool and have a crack at the grayling, this went down superbly as I took a few 1lb ladies of the stream.. In the corner of my eye I could see this brown starting to rise every five seconds and as the light was drawing I knew it was time...

Problem....

Two pools meeting eachother and the fish was rising in a flat spot on the far side!! Basically it's a nightmare of a pool and I had only a few chances before I put the fish down... Browns are not forgiving and one in this spot was obviously in the king spot of the pool so I knew it was gonna be that bit special....

First cast I always gets a feel and land it well short to get my casting bearings, never just try and hit first time unless you are a wizard at casting... I did thins a got a 100 mph scate with my fly!!!

Next one a bit further over with a slack line and the next one landed in the zone... I held my breath as it just fluttered about in its 300mm feeding zone!!! A pair of lips popped out with no effort and engulfed my size 22 midge...proper heart in the mouth stuff.... I paused and then smashed into this fish with no messing about...that amzing feeling when u feel the rod loop around.... Oh my god this fish went absolutely mental, like no other brown I have ever hooked, it gave me the feeling of a hook virgin... She jumped clean out the water twice as I struggled to get her under control... Then starting powering for the roots with deep runs... I really give this fish the full beans as it was proper agressive....

Tim came running over as I slipped the net under the angry brown

Lifting the net I saw the most amazing brown trout to have ever been in my net and I was as proud as punch..

The whole event of catching this fish was what I love about fly fishing...dry fly fishing to a rising fish in a food lane...in my mental world of fly fishing this is the real deal....

Can you imagine catching this fish using nymphing techniques? Boring!!!!!

Ltd

Glen

 

 

Glen Pointon 07973951352

The Insect Florescence

DEGREE DAYS

overlap with

DEGREE MONTHS

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR ENTOMOLOGY LESSON

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.. It's no large secret that right now there are bugs aplenty for the trout and the fly fisher to enjoy.

.. Whereas the earliest emergences of aquatic species are usually calculated by degree days for first appearance, those for terrestrial and arboreal species are generally subjected to the concepts of degree weeks or degree months.
.. Temperature and photoperiod bring on the bugs. We are now at, (or just a wee bit past,) the peak density of said bugs for our neighborhood. There is no time like the present to use "just any old fly" and have a good chance of poking a fish in the lip, (so to speak.)

.. As our neighbor Marybell has often said: "It takes not a trained observer to find out what bug to use, just check your car's grill." Thanks, gal.
.. Our upland meadows, transitional steppes, and vest-pocket grasslands are all lined with conifers, (Spruce Moths anyone?,) and other herbaceous plants of one sort or another. Where the myriad streams of Yellowstone National Park transect these environments, and their consequent edges, the diversity of fish fodder is immense.

.. It's all just another way of saying: pick your bug and pick your place, it's all good for now, (and a couple of more weeks.)
.. Just check the many merchant reports and fishing blogs for our region. The reports go something like this: "The __________, (pick your favorite stream or river,) is fishing well to _________, (pick your favorite aquatic bug,) and good activity with ____________, (pick your favorite terrestrial bug,) if neither works use _______________, (pick your favorite, nymph or streamer or attractor.)
.. This is not capricious reporting of what works. They all work. If anything it's capricious behavior of the fish with such a wonderful array of food to choose from.

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.. So then; the Gallatin River, Soda Butte Creek, Lamar River, and Firehole River, (above the falls,) are all fishing well to small hoppers. It is useful to trail a mayfly cripple or nymph on these rivers. Green and Gray Drakes are being eaten by fish on the Lamar River and on Slough Creek, you can also stick a good fish with a streamer or Prince Nymph if you choose.
.. If you persist in your endeavors on the Yellowstone River, a small yellow hopper or very large caddis should reward you with a fish or two per hour, (if you cover a lot of ground and water.) Fishing the Yellowstone River is akin to playing 18 holes of golf: walk a lot - hit a few.
.. Fishing Between the Lakes is always a good place to practice short casts between your friend's legs. Watch your backcast; the fedora you land may belong to a prized celebrity. Most terrestrials, aquatics, and attractors are catching the best fedoras.
.. Gulper fishing is steady on Hebgen Reservoir. Conventional Callibaetis Cripples are doing the job. A big Parachute Adams will also work. Floating a very light colored Feather Duster is also successful. If you find the right weed bed a small leech or Woolly Bugger will gather in a fish.
.. When in doubt tie on an Elk Hair Caddis followed by a Bead Head Nymph of your own choosing.

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CLICK ON IMAGE FOR ANATOMY LESSON

SW early Sunday morning

With the weather due to break on Monday with what looks like a particularly snotty forecast Jamie and I decided to fish Sunday early o’clock. This was a wee bit of struggle for me after fishing Saturday morning.

This fish took the SP confidently as it dropped into the water @ around 2am. There was a rock just behind me that made the self-timer picture easy enough.

It was a calm night and we both caught fish but wrapped it up at 5am with a strengthening northerly wind. By this point no amounts of Red Bull were working for me so we got the head down till 8am after a drive to mark B.

Jamie just happened to be next to me when this one hit the lure at range. There was a fair amount of activity from Terns, Sea Trout, Mullet and Bass given it was a smaller tide, hope we catch a break with the weather next weekend.