DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 2 Happy New Year all! Here's a review of my '24 season. First I'm a catch and release guy and for the past 10 years I fish barbless only. Why? Well, There is no ethical environmentalist doctrine with me- I simply don't care for how they taste. Now If trout tasted like lobster things would be different. Also Barbless not only come out of the fish easier but me as well. I'm ok with the elevated rate of fish lost that comes with using barbless hooks. I lose roughly 2 trout to every 1 landed. Most do to mistakes on my part but barbless flies don't help. . I don't keep a fishing log beyond a photo before releasing the fish. At the end of the season, just for fun I can count the photos and compare my tallies to years past. The '23 season was my personal best year for fish in the net, although I didn't look good in the beginning. I lost my first 11 fish that year. I started this season a little earlier than usual, with my first outings happening in February and I even managed to put a few sluggish winter trout in my net-a good sign for the coming spring. March through June was on fire, I had netted 3 times as many fish as I had to the same point in the 2023 season. In the hot summer months I like to focus more on Smallmouth fishing, swinging and stripping flies. I did so..... and that's when the drought started. Every succeeding week saw my Smallie river drop and within a month it was so low and slow that the deepest holes were less than 3' and not moving. Fish move to deeper water in times of drought but wherever that was, I couldn't find them. Tailwaters are a sensible choice during drought. Our local tailwater, the Swift River is only an hour drive away. With its constant dam-controlled flow and constantly cold temp it's been pretty drought proof over the years. The problem is that during drought it's the only flowing water around. The last time we had a significant drought the Swift attracted what seemed to be ever fly angler in the state and more than a few with spinning tackle. I made the mistake of fishing there on a Saturday and there were anglers every 20'. Dealing with fellow anglers is one thing but by late morning the Kayaks and Canoes full of college kids party floating and playing loud music ended it for me. I didn’t make that mistake this year. The only nearby option left was my local spring creek and its small natives or still water bass and bluegill fishing. I made the best I could out of both. I did all right with the spring creek until even that ceased to flow and I decided to leave its wild fish alone. The leaves began to fall and finally they covered almost all of the fishable surface. Without moving water, there, they remained for weeks. There just wasn't anywhere to put a fly- and still no rain. Finally in late November we got some actual accumulating rain. The local rivers now seem to be back to normal flow level. I have even had a few trout in the net and lost a nice Rainbow on December 30th after a brief fight (see barbless hooks comment). I’m really happy to have my streams back but I have to wonder how the ’24 season would have turned out fishing wise if we only had some rain? Anyway, that’s how my season went. How did yours go? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted January 3 Sounds like a good year, well, except the first 11 fish lost that is 😆 It happens though. Hope you get some snow over the winter to put some water in those streams for you for 2025. 20 hours ago, DFoster said: Anyway, that’s how my season went. How did yours go? Can't complain. This year I didn't get to do many trips at all. But the one main trip was my normal June trip to the Au Sable and it was 3 weeks alone this year so can't complain about that. Also got my biggest river brown on a dry fly this year at 25" so that is something I can't complain about either. So didn't get the quantity of trips this year, but did get the quality. Hoping to get out a bit more in 2025. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 3 4 hours ago, Steeldrifter said: Sounds like a good year, well, except the first 11 fish lost that is 😆 It happens though. Hope you get some snow over the winter to put some water in those streams for you for 2025. Can't complain. This year I didn't get to do many trips at all. But the one main trip was my normal June trip to the Au Sable and it was 3 weeks alone this year so can't complain about that. Also got my biggest river brown on a dry fly this year at 25" so that is something I can't complain about either. So didn't get the quantity of trips this year, but did get the quality. Hoping to get out a bit more in 2025. 3 weeks of fly fishing! A great day for me is when I can put together 4 hours without a call from the "fun police". Not too much snow lately, It's been mostly rain over the past 6 weeks and the rivers are getting back to a healthy flow. Happy New Year Steve! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RickZieger 0 Report post Posted January 3 We are in a drought so I did not cat very many fish. Algae was heavy in the ponds so lost many fish trying to bring them through that. Many of the ponds were down 3 to 4 feet in depth. Rick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
flytire 0 Report post Posted January 4 0 days on the water in 2024 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 4 In the winter of 23/24 my friends and I put 1540 fish in my fish house (ice fishing). That's just a boast (Although it is true), so please forgive me. I admit, I get to fish more than most, but that's just because I'm crazy. On strictly fly fishing I'd have to say that I caught hundreds of fish from grayling to halibut. I haven't gone through the logs though. I have to tell you that I have no responsibilities, no kids, no grand kids and no other things to keep me home. My wife encourages me to go so I stay out of her hair. I know it's not fair. Last year I spent 47 days straight, just fly fishing for sunfish, bass and stripers. It sounds bad enough, so I won't even count the days in salt water fly fishing (36), Blah, blah, blah.... Sorry. Oh, but what about the pike trips.....never mind. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steeldrifter 0 Report post Posted January 5 All those in favor of banning Mark, raise your right hand 😂 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RickZieger 0 Report post Posted January 5 Will have to think about banning, but I assume his wife would like sympathy cards. I will go back in my room now. Rick Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 6 I don't take banishment well. I would be so lonely. Can I pick the time? March 22 for two months.😀 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DFoster 0 Report post Posted January 6 On 1/4/2025 at 4:49 PM, Mark Knapp said: In the winter of 23/24 my friends and I put 1540 fish in my fish house (ice fishing). That's just a boast (Although it is true), so please forgive me. I admit, I get to fish more than most, but that's just because I'm crazy. On strictly fly fishing I'd have to say that I caught hundreds of fish from grayling to halibut. I haven't gone through the logs though. I have to tell you that I have no responsibilities, no kids, no grand kids and no other things to keep me home. My wife encourages me to go so I stay out of her hair. I know it's not fair. Last year I spent 47 days straight, just fly fishing for sunfish, bass and stripers. It sounds bad enough, so I won't even count the days in salt water fly fishing (36), Blah, blah, blah.... Sorry. Oh, but what about the pike trips.....never mind. We hate you Mark. 😉 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mark Knapp 0 Report post Posted January 6 4 hours ago, DFoster said: We hate you Mark. 😉 I get that a lot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
