[Chase Creek]

Caught a new species (for me) while annoying some Bluegills at a local pond yesterday evening. On a back cast, I felt a pretty good tug on the line, and turned to see I had caught a Sparrow. He/she put up an admirable battle, but was no match for my 3wt and years of angling experience.
When I finally landed the little guy, I found he was not hooked, rather the leader had wrapped around him. Being ever the true sportsman, I released him to fight again.

Rig - 5'-6 3wt rod / wf floating line
Fly - Stewart's black spider (an oldie, but effective, as you can tell)

[Gustav F.]

Congratulations to your new exotic species

[Old Hat]

I caught a bat one evening. It actually was hooked in the mouth. I reeled in until the line was in then cut the leader. I wasn't getting near it. Then I dispatched the bat. I knew it wouldn't make it with a hook and leader. I felt bad for weeks. Glad to know the sparrow was well.

[BigDaddyHub]

Funny you should mention bats, Carl. Fishing in the Mid South, I have hooked numerous bats. The bats start moving as early as late Feb. and usually don't "cave up" until mid November. I have caught them, like you, with fly in mouth; snagged in the wings, snagged in the ears; even had one take a caddis fly off the surface of the water on the Tellico River in east TN. Hate it when the little guys are injured, but what do ya do? There was a neat write up article in a recent issue of either American Angler or Fly Rod and Reel discussing this same topic, but I digress.....glad the bird lives to sing another day! Have had coots and mallards on ponds dive down after poppers and sliders.....that's a hell of a fight...it usually ends up with me trying to net the bird or throw a jacket over it to keep it from killing itself and ripping my gear apart! Ever catch a water snake? That can be fun. Have had a few real brutes hooked on decievers and other small baitfish patterns.....sorry, just rambling now...Was it this past spring that our own Fred H. post pics of the gator he landed in his pond?

[PA Dave]

When I was very very young I caught a duck, but that was on conventional gear. He put up a horrendous fight with a lot of splashing and noise. Uncle Art had to get him off the hook. I didn't fish again for 30 years.

[lykos33]

[quote name='Chase Creek' date='Aug 14 2010, 11:55 AM' post='428713']
Caught a new species (for me) while annoying some Bluegills at a local pond yesterday evening. On a back cast, I felt a pretty good tug on the line, and turned to see I had caught a Sparrow. He/she put up an admirable battle, but was no match for my 3wt and years of angling experience.
When I finally landed the little guy, I found he was not hooked, rather the leader had wrapped around him. Being ever the true sportsman, I released him to fight again.

Rig - 5'-6 3wt rod / wf floating line
Fly - Stewart's black spider (an oldie, but effective, as you can tell)
[ /quote]


Mighty sporting of you to c & r ...I probably would have been thinking, " Hmmmmm, free feathers!"

[TroutBum]

I hold the IGFA record for catching a 4 lb. Loon on a fly rod. It took a chartreuse and white Clouser. Lucky for him it was barbless.