Specimen fishing

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Thanks for the World of help, I am now wondering if the Sparr isn't what You called Hamarr. Either way to advoid confusion in My counts I will name it as the people who stocked the lake named it and be glad to catch it. Today I switched off of My redtail redhorse sucker hunt as I saw them getting pounded off to the side. Forgot My zonkers at home but managed 7 pike and one walleye on bunny leech and My pathetic looking first bunny craw. As I switched over I began to see a ton of redtails, it always seems that way. 1 sucker species will have to do this year unless I fluke one later. Whitefish in both Wabamun Alberta and Sylvan lake Alberta are caught at dusk on dries mid Summer but out a ways from shore, I wonder if that will be a possibility in Manitoba.

 

Anyways My goal was 30 species on MY 10 year old 5 wt before I retire it and I now have 27 more to go. Thanks again all for the great feedback. Not monsters, but then that wasn't My goal so both fish were released and extremely appreciated.

[shezli 0]

I don't doubt that the sparr and the hamarr are the same fish. There are often lots of names for a fish. Just look at burbot, also known as maria, eelpout, lota-lota, I could go on but I think you get the idea.

Anyhow, keep us posted!

Thanks

S

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Thanks, as the season closes I may have to scientifically name all of the fish, for now though I'm just gonna have fun, catch fish and give My old 5 wt the best retirement party it could ever ask for. I do take along the new 7wt though for a back up should My 5 retire early. We haven't begun going into Manitoba yet where We will aquire most of our species, but I will for sure keep updates on the quest going. As much as I want to just move on to the next species after catching one in a spot, its really hard to leave a spot where pike are hammering Your fly, I will likely spend one more day there this Year. I am trying to get access to the resevoir in town here since it is quite small, easy to cover and shallow, with pike, walleye and burbot. Maybe My best chance for a burbot. The problem is that when the fishing derby is on every year it is keep only because they want the fish out of there, perhaps I could let it slip out of My hands shortly after the picture though.

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I got My Tiger Trout today, a 20", not much color but a welcome addition to My 30 species Year hopes. I am guessing this is a naturally bred fish and the colors dissipate the further they get from the original hybridization. Species number 4 and 26 to go. One guy on the shore told Me they don't reproduce but the last stocking was 2002 and We saw clearly 5 different generations today in a tiger trout only lake. It was lacking color but what a thrill to catch something I have just learned existed. I caught Him on a new pattern and the fry went nuts over it as well. A copper bead head olive bugger but with peacock ice chenille body, sz 6 2x. Anyways, I missed a few not having started with smaller hooks but it really only was a silly idea for a pattern, I will go to the bench and tie a dozen tonight though. Much to My dismay, the leeches did nothing at all and the scuds drew a little attention but no big fish today. I learned a ton about these fish today, I feel the next trip will be way better as We will be out on the water and not shore confined. Can't wait to get on to minnows soon.

[shezli 0]

Nice!

Congratulations on the new species!

That looks like a pretty nice fish to me. Glad to hear your quest is going well.

At this rate you might be able to catch more then the 30 you set out for.

S

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It was a beautiful fish indeed but seemed to be missing that brookie orange, as an aquarium fish breeder I know that wild fish are at their brightest then every generation down the color slips a little. I did see a beautiful orange belly roll not too far out, so I know they are in there. Over 30 species that would be awesome. I managed to save the fly from every species so far to go up in My case with the 5 wt and pictures. The species I wasn't too sure of seemed to come too easily. The problem is the wife didn't get one so We are going back and the locals said backswimmers out from the weed edge. I have no problem replacing this photo with a bigger brighter one lol. One guy there caught a 27" and the belly and patterns were sooo defined. Catch and release lakes mean that he's back in there so a fishin I will go.

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Good day today, picked up a rainbow, brown trout and yellow perch. I actually managed 12 rainbows, 15 perch and 1 brown all on the backswimmer that I made with the inlaws cat fur. Nothing too big but a species is a species. 23 more to go!!!! At the end of the day I gave the fly away to a Young kid there just beginning fly fishing so I'll have to use another for collection.

[shezli 0]

It sounds like you had a blast!

That's some gang of fish.

 

S

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It totally was but I'd have caught more trout if the perch were gone. They were even hitting topwater. I switched to a bigger backswimmer and caught a few the size of My size 10 2x beetle. I am seriously considering eating a few perch this Summer, as many as possible. The lake has a 1 trout limit but as a pest I will stick to perch. This Weekend, as I can see by the rain is the Trout Festival so those fish are gonna get schooled pretty well this weekend. For the trout festival they stocked 55 Adult Browns again. I am hoping to fish the other side of the derby if possible as the lakes are across the road from one another. Several Master angler awards have been caught in there and I have a touch of Brown Trout fever after catching My first. That is specimen 8 and 9 on the year, only 21 more to go and Fall is not here yet. Found it strange lately out here though, Pike are in the spawning bays kinda late. Carp are revving up for spawn as well and the crawdads are spawning which is driving the carp nuts and shallow, shallow enough to get a fly to them on a windy day.

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Last day out was a Carpy day, 10 carp in 5 hours the biggest welcome was the mirror, only My second ever and I am dying to put a fighting butt on the fly rod about now. The triple yellow craft ball on hairs AKA corn hair fly worked well but got really muddy so I may have to scotch guard them so they keep their color. Biggest was 35" and there were atleast 5 on the day over 30"

[shezli 0]

Holy crap man, that carp is HUGE! It looks like its belly is down right square.

Still going strong I see.

Keep up the good work.

S

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Well the excitement is still geared towards giving the trout a bit of a settle till they come to life in fall but I did manage a brookie finally after much concern. They aren't in many waters out here. It's soon time to hit the minnow pools and hopefully some dam fishing will add a few more sucker species and with any luck a burbot, which I still claim will be My toughest to catch on the year. Here is species 10 not a big one but a brook trout My guess was between 10 and 12". The cage in the photo is what I have been using till I get My camera set up, this fish is happily back in his water. Time to set the macro on the camera, for My minnow adventures, chubs and shiners can be a blast, too bad I don't have a 2 wt.

[oxquo 0]

Holy crap man, that carp is HUGE! It looks like its belly is down right square.

Still going strong I see.

Keep up the good work.

S

It's been a blast, but I'm having troubles getting out enough. Work is getting in the way, lol. The hardest part is just moving on, I could fish carp daily I think and the trout have been a lot of fun yet nothing over 18.5" for rainbows or browns, locals say those are more common in Fall while they rush the minnows along the shores. I have done a tonne of scouting though and next year I intend to pursue bigger fish. We even stumbled onto a lake that has no name or access but holds fish, I am guessing trout but I won't fish it in case its a rehab project. I certainly have found some gems as far as lakes go and can almost plan a whole year next year via My journal.