The Landen Fishing Reports for 2023 below
April & May Fishing Report 2022
One of Ronny's catches
I typically stop fishing from mid April to after Mother's Day in May. This was something Kenny taught me, because of their spawning season. We didn't want to cause anymore stress to the females laying their eggs than necessary. Once they're done laying their eggs the females seek deeper water to re-cooperate while the males protect the eggs from predation. When the females are well rested, they come back to the shallows and they're hungry. This is the good time to fish.
Ronny wanted me to remind everyone that is fishing around Landen during this pre-spawn time...to try and return the fish as close to where they were caught, as you can. It helps preserve the reproductive patterns of the species.
4/10/2023 Joyce and I were out this sunny, warm day and I decided to get out my little telescopic , fishing rod and tie on one of the red and white Crappie Spins while driving around Pond Woods. I walked out onto the little dock and made a short cast towards the dam-side wall and WHAM, first cast and I had a nice little pound and a half Bass, It might have weighed more. I had to reset my drag and walk the fish over to the wall before I could lift it out of the water. That was my first catch of this season.
4/11/2023 Ronny was out catching a few Largemouth Bass these past couple on nice days. He was using a Wacky Jigged Worm and a Jerkbait and I believe he was catching in the Upper Farm Pond.
4/20/2023 Ronny was out in his boat today and caught this beauty on a Texas rigged worm.
5/5/2023 Bob was out in his boat today. He said he caught a couple one and a half pound bass but I forgot to ask what he was using?
Take a Kid Fishing
Nuff said
Take a Kid Fishing Some parents, that enjoy the outdoors and fishing, often times try taking their kids fishing with them. Between the sellection of rods, reels, weights, line size, bobbers, hooks and the knots used to tie the line to the hook, plus baiting hooks with worms, little chunks of hotdog or dough balls from slices of bread and if lucky, taking the fish off the hook for the youngsters, not to mention teaching how to cast and the snags that might occur, the parent doesn't get any quality time for fishing themselves and is usually frustrated by the end of it all...making what could be a less than favorable fishing experience for the kid.
Keeping it simple and focusing on the kids When you take a child fishing...take "them" fishing and you make sure their fishing experience is a good one. Don't even bring your pole. Focus on them. If you're taking a child fishing that is under the age of 6, or maybe their first time fishing experience, try using the top half of a cane pole with a 4 foot length of 6 pound test line and a barbless hook tied properly to it. Then you can just use tiny doughballs from a loaf of bread, pinched around the hook or tiny chunks of hotdog or try a jar of panfish power bait (from a local retailer) and lower your offering into the water, off a dock. If you're fishing from the bank, you may want to incorporate a longer length of line and use a bobber. Always keep a hemo-stat (or small needle-nose pliers) handy for removing hooks that have been inhaled too deeply or swallowed. (always try not to hurt the fish when removing hooks) When a child gets older and still shows an interest in fishing, graduate to a light or medium action spinning rod and reel combo. (I would never subject a kid to using a Barbie, Spiderman or Scooby-Doo Zebco Fishing set) This is the time when you take a kid fishing with you as a partner, when they can manage pretty much, on their own...and only need your help, netting the big ones. ------<*)))))))))))><
Keeping it simple and focusing on the kids When you take a child fishing...take "them" fishing and you make sure their fishing experience is a good one. Don't even bring your pole. Focus on them. If you're taking a child fishing that is under the age of 6, or maybe their first time fishing experience, try using the top half of a cane pole with a 4 foot length of 6 pound test line and a barbless hook tied properly to it. Then you can just use tiny doughballs from a loaf of bread, pinched around the hook or tiny chunks of hotdog or try a jar of panfish power bait (from a local retailer) and lower your offering into the water, off a dock. If you're fishing from the bank, you may want to incorporate a longer length of line and use a bobber. Always keep a hemo-stat (or small needle-nose pliers) handy for removing hooks that have been inhaled too deeply or swallowed. (always try not to hurt the fish when removing hooks) When a child gets older and still shows an interest in fishing, graduate to a light or medium action spinning rod and reel combo. (I would never subject a kid to using a Barbie, Spiderman or Scooby-Doo Zebco Fishing set) This is the time when you take a kid fishing with you as a partner, when they can manage pretty much, on their own...and only need your help, netting the big ones. ------<*)))))))))))><
Let's get this 2023 Fishing Season Started ! January, February & March
Mark shows his latest catch of this lLargemouth Bass
I'm not able to get out and fish the way I use to. So far this winter has been pretty mild. I'm surprised I haven't seen anyone out fishing down along the dam and overflow area for Crappie and Bass on the slow n light bite.
I rely on others to get out there and do the catching and report back to me. I like to know what you caught, where you caught it, on what bait or lure and if you were in a boat or fishing from the shore? You can My Email me or message me through FaceBook and attach photos and details of the catch. I'll post in the Report and in the Fishing Photo Gallery.
Tight Lines Y'all ---<*)))))))))))))))))><
1/3/2023 Mark was out fishing the Upper Farm Pond and caught a Largemouth Bass and Crappie on a soft plastic, curly tail grub.
1/4/2023 Mark was out today in one of his secret fishing spots fishing and caught a Hybrid Striped Bass using that same, white, curly-tail grub.
1/6/2023 I stopped in at Pond Woods and wet a line with a hair jig tied on. I dabbled around a little and noticed the Crappie were only coming up and holding the tail of the jig in their mouth and not taking the hook. Now yesterday, Zach was out and fishing the same area and said he was also fishing for Crappie but had also hooked into a good size Largemouth Bass but it got off before he could land it.
1/7/2023 I went back over to Pond Woods with my Float n Fly rig and managed to catch one small Crappie. I think when I released it, it went back to the school and told the rest of the class to stay away from my offering.
1/19/2023 It was such a gorgeous day today, I just had to wet a line. I thought I'd try Mark's Secret spot and I had sucess, right off the bat! I hooked into a Striped Bass on my Float "N" Fly. It was a heavy fish and I knew I wasn't going to be able to lift it out of the water with my light line. I was going to have to bring up to the shoreline and try to lip it but all of a sudden, my line broke where the line was wrapped around the shank of the bobber. The float was still in the lake and my jig, probably still in the Striper's mouth.
2/9/2023 Mark went fishing off the Clubhouse Bridge and caught at least one bass and a crappie. Mark says he was using a soft-plastic curly-tail,swim bait and a Roadrunner type jig with spinner. He says he passed Ronny coming to fishing as he was leaving. I haven't heard from Ronny.
2/10/2023 Mark was out in his boat today and caught three Largemouth Bass. The biggest being three pounds, is pictured above. He was using ajig with a soft plastic, curly-tail grub to catch them all. It sure looks like they're eating well and healthy.
3/1/2023 I saw Chad out fishing today. He said he caught a couple, one fifteen inches long and the other was seventeen inches long. Both caught on a black jig.
LANDEN LAKE IS PRIVATE PROPERTY FOR RESIDENTS ONLY. GUESTS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY THE RESIDENT AT ALL TIMES. THE USE OF CAST NETS IS PROHIBITED.
Selections of Food, Poppers & Flies to use for Bass, Bluegill, Carp, Catfish & Crappie !
Cane Poles, Spinning, Baitcasting, Fly Rod & Reel Combos
These are the 4 types of rods and rod & reel combos I would suggest for fishing on Landen Lake. For kids under the age of 6 I'd suggest the cane pole and let the kids dabble a little. My Favorite is the Spinning Rod & Reel and my choice for everyday fishing. I also like using the fly rod (and need to use it more) and finally you have the Baitcaster for the serious angler (more difficult to cast and sometimes aggravating with backlashes in the spool). I would never buy a ZEBCO Spincast reel for anyone to use. Nothing like the BARBIE or Scubby Doo or Snoopy Catch Em Kits !!! Just my opinion !
October, November & December 2022 Fishing Report
Ronny has been out fishing the ponds during these milder temperatures of December.
10/3/2022 I'm surprised parents aren't purchasing a simple "Cane Pole" from Wal-Mart and taking their kids out fishing for Bluegills. One hook, and either a slice of white bread or a Zip-Loc Bag with some Golden Whole Kernel Corn in it to use as bait is a fast, easy and clean way to get a kid interested in fishing.
A lesson I told Stef about in the olden days was, that fish like to use any cover available to shade their eyes from the sun. In the case around Landen Lake, this is mostly the shade of the docks. The big dock, down by the boat ramp is a real good location to catch Bluegill. Don't cast your line out into the lake, just lower it into the water, right next to the dock and out they'll come.
10/5/2022 We saw Mark out fishing from his kayak today and was able to talk to him. He said he was catching some Largemouth Bass but nothing of any size. He was looking for Bass in the 4-5 pound range. He said he had been catching the ones he had caught on a shallow running, square-bill crankbait.
Ronny was out casting in the Upper Farm Pond and said he had caught a few. I think he has been using a jig and spinnerbait.
10/12/2022 Mark was out in his kayak again today and said he caught five Bass. Nothing huge, but fun to catch. He was using crankbaits and spinnerbaits, due to the blustery winds blowing him around the lake.
10/16/2022 Mark said he was out fishing in the sun and wind today and caught a few nice size Crappie and some Largemouth Bass. He caught the Crappie on a tiny jig with a curlytail grub and the Bass were caught on a mixture of spinnerbait, crankbait and soft plastics.
10/19/2022 I hadn't seen Ryan for more than 2 years. I saw him and a friend walking to the lake with fishing poles in hand. He is still using a jig to catch Bass. He says he's been catching but hasn't gotten anything big lately. But he keeps trying.
11/23/2022 Even though there was ice on a lot of the lake's surface, Mark and his fishing buddy got out and did some casting in the open water areas. They caught one Largemouth Bass, one Striped Bass and four Crappie on an assortment of lures. Mark also reported the water temp was 42 degrees.
12 1/2022 As the lake is being lowered, Ronny is finding Bass biting in the ponds around Landen. I know he said he caught four Bass, using a lipless crankbait and had switched over to using a jig. He caught this big bass, pictured above, on a lipless crankbait.
12/5/2022 I stopped off at Pond Woods today and flung a line in , in hopes to catch some Crappie. Joyce waited for me in the car, so I didn't fish long. In the short time I did fish I caught eight and missed six Crappie. I dabbled my Float N Fly rig in the water around the dock for maybe fifteen minutes.
12/8/2022 Although chilly and drizzly, I still went over to Pond Woods and dipped a line in to catch a few Crappie before going home for the day. They weren't big but it was fun seeing them and catching some on my Float N Fly.
12/10/2022 While out for our daily drive, I have lately been stopping in, over at Pond Woods to wet a line and dabble for Crappie, off the little dock. Today I changed the color of my jig and only caught two Crappie but saw a lot of other one swiping at it under water. I know Ronny was out but haven't heard if he caught any at the Uper Farm Pond. When I saw him, he had a large jig tied on and a plastic, creature type trailer.
12/13/2022 I would have liked to have wet a line today but didn't. I saw Ronny fishing over at Pond Woods and the lake but didn't have any luck. It looked like a teenager was also fishing at the lake, but I didn't see him catch anything before he moved up along the north shore.
A lesson I told Stef about in the olden days was, that fish like to use any cover available to shade their eyes from the sun. In the case around Landen Lake, this is mostly the shade of the docks. The big dock, down by the boat ramp is a real good location to catch Bluegill. Don't cast your line out into the lake, just lower it into the water, right next to the dock and out they'll come.
10/5/2022 We saw Mark out fishing from his kayak today and was able to talk to him. He said he was catching some Largemouth Bass but nothing of any size. He was looking for Bass in the 4-5 pound range. He said he had been catching the ones he had caught on a shallow running, square-bill crankbait.
Ronny was out casting in the Upper Farm Pond and said he had caught a few. I think he has been using a jig and spinnerbait.
10/12/2022 Mark was out in his kayak again today and said he caught five Bass. Nothing huge, but fun to catch. He was using crankbaits and spinnerbaits, due to the blustery winds blowing him around the lake.
10/16/2022 Mark said he was out fishing in the sun and wind today and caught a few nice size Crappie and some Largemouth Bass. He caught the Crappie on a tiny jig with a curlytail grub and the Bass were caught on a mixture of spinnerbait, crankbait and soft plastics.
10/19/2022 I hadn't seen Ryan for more than 2 years. I saw him and a friend walking to the lake with fishing poles in hand. He is still using a jig to catch Bass. He says he's been catching but hasn't gotten anything big lately. But he keeps trying.
11/23/2022 Even though there was ice on a lot of the lake's surface, Mark and his fishing buddy got out and did some casting in the open water areas. They caught one Largemouth Bass, one Striped Bass and four Crappie on an assortment of lures. Mark also reported the water temp was 42 degrees.
12 1/2022 As the lake is being lowered, Ronny is finding Bass biting in the ponds around Landen. I know he said he caught four Bass, using a lipless crankbait and had switched over to using a jig. He caught this big bass, pictured above, on a lipless crankbait.
12/5/2022 I stopped off at Pond Woods today and flung a line in , in hopes to catch some Crappie. Joyce waited for me in the car, so I didn't fish long. In the short time I did fish I caught eight and missed six Crappie. I dabbled my Float N Fly rig in the water around the dock for maybe fifteen minutes.
12/8/2022 Although chilly and drizzly, I still went over to Pond Woods and dipped a line in to catch a few Crappie before going home for the day. They weren't big but it was fun seeing them and catching some on my Float N Fly.
12/10/2022 While out for our daily drive, I have lately been stopping in, over at Pond Woods to wet a line and dabble for Crappie, off the little dock. Today I changed the color of my jig and only caught two Crappie but saw a lot of other one swiping at it under water. I know Ronny was out but haven't heard if he caught any at the Uper Farm Pond. When I saw him, he had a large jig tied on and a plastic, creature type trailer.
12/13/2022 I would have liked to have wet a line today but didn't. I saw Ronny fishing over at Pond Woods and the lake but didn't have any luck. It looked like a teenager was also fishing at the lake, but I didn't see him catch anything before he moved up along the north shore.
August & September 2022 Fishing Report
A Shovelhead Catfish swimming in shallow water.
8/10/2022 So far this month I have not seen or heard from any of our local contributors that fish around Landen. The ponds have had a lot of algae or moss growing on the surface which makes it difficult to fish. I have noticed a lot of kids and sometimes parents fishing at the lake and they report catching Bluegills and small Bass.
8/26/2022 Ronny Sent me photos of him and a fishing buddy, out on the lake fishing. It looks like they caught at least five largemouth bass but I haven't heard what they were using yet.
8/8/27/2022 Mark was out fishing Saturday & Sunday and caught a few nice keepers on plastics
9/1/2022 Today Chad got out for the first time in a long time. I think he stated in his first hour he caught one Largemouth Bass that weighed 3.7 lbs and another weighing 4.2 lbs. He said he caught them both on a black and purple jig with a soft plastic trailer.
9/17/2022 Today we drove over to the Landen Deerfield Park and saw a guy fishing. I called out to him and said, "Hey, are you the guy I hear is catching all the fish ?" He answered YES !!! And told me he had caught a fourteen pound Shovelhead Catfish. Then he proceeded to walk up to our car and showed us the picture he had taken of it. I forgot to ask him what he was using for bait or to even get his name. But he did say he caught it down by the overflow, in that pond.
9/21/2022 I found out that they "Shocked" the lake today and took a census on the types and size of fish found in the lake, along with clearing out, a lot of Common Carp. I heard reports of Hybrid Striped Bass found up by Columbia Road Bridge that weighed 4-5 pounds. The largest Largemouth Bass were in the 4 pound range. Tons of Bluegills. Grass Carp were not removed. I didn't hear anything about Crappie, Catfish or Walleye.
June & July Fishing Report 2022
Mark's neighbors, catching Bluegills
6/1/2022 Mark was out fishing after lunch today. He said he caught four Largemouth Bass all on soft-plastic worms and all the Bass were between two pounds and two and a half pounds.
6/11/2022 Nathan has been fishing and catching in the Farm Ponds around Landen. He is catching numerous Bass and Bluegill on live Nightcrawlers.
6/12/2022 This week has be quiet. None of the neighbors that usually tell me their fishing reports, have reported in.. Maybe Friday I saw a guy out in a pedal powered kayak that said he had already caught ten Bass.
Then we saw a teenage girl pulling a carp out of the North Cove, while her boyfriend tried to net it. They said they had caught several Bluegill, small largemouth Bass and Rock Bass on whole kernel corn. I suggested other types of bait and maybe moving to the Upper & Lower Farm Ponds, since it seemed fishing in that spot had slowed down.
Then we saw a lot of younger boys fishing off the docks by the clubhouse and the boat ramp, all using nightcrawlers and saying they too had been successful, catching Bluegils.
6/25/2022 Zach and Nathan were out and took a friend of Nathan's out fishing today. It has been reported that 20+ Bluegills & Bass were caught. Zach says Nathan and his friend were using Nightcrawlers and he was using a Rooster-tail spinnerbait.
7/8/2022 As we were driving around Landen today, I did see four teenage boys fish down at the dam. They said they weren't having any luck. Too bad!
7/28/2022 Mark took a couple of neighborhood girls out fishing for Bluegills. He said they were using meal worms and caught 30 Bluegill. Then while Joyce and I were driving around, we met Camen and Abrem (sp). They were using soft plastic swim'n shad lures and catching some decent 12-13 inch long, Largemouth Bass, to the left of the Clubhouse dock.
Stefs' Wish
Stef & me (a long time ago) with her cane pole & bluegill
One Saturday afternoon, over thirty years ago, a month before her third birthday, my neighbor stopped me and said. "You'll never believe what Stef wants for her birthday." "What?" I asked. "She wants to learn how to fish." He went on to say that he had never been around anyone that fished and didn't know how. He asked me if I ever fished and could I help him out. I told him that I loved to fish, to the point that Joyce often thought of me as obsessed with the hobby. I told him not to worry, that I would take care of all her fishing needs for her birthday.
The next weekend Joyce and I found ourselves at the local discount store. I wandered over to the sporting goods section and started looking over the cane poles and cheap assortments of multi-colored flies that you find in a dial up type of round container. "What are you going to do with those." Joyce asked. "This is for Stefs' birthday," I answered. A smile crossed her face as she exclaimed "you’re awfully good to her."
The day of Stef's Birthday finally came. Joyce and I presented her with the cane pole and box of flies. Stef's eyes lit up as she unwrapped our gift and the rest of the presents and celebration were put on hold. She asked if we would take her fishing right away? So with pole, flies, a bag of bread, and a camera to record the moment, the five of us went over to the lake.
I had never dealt with a three year old before, in regards to fishing. When we got to the lake and parked the car, we saw a number of other children with parents in tow, fishing from the dock that we were heading towards. It was a local Cub Scout Pack working on their fishing merit badge. As we stepped on to the dock, I asked if anyone was having any luck ? The reply was negative and Stef's parents had a slightly worried look on their face after hearing that no one was catching fish.
I sat down on the dock and began to tell Stef how fish relate to cover and shade to protect their eyes from bright sun, since they didn’t have eye lids to close or squint. I went on to say that since all the other kids were casting their lines out, away from the dock, in open water, and not having any luck, I would bet that all the fish were hiding under the dock waiting for her to catch them. Amazingly, she understood. I pinched a small piece of bread around the hook of the fly and she dipped it into the water. She saw the bluegills come out from under the dock to look at her offering and got very excited just seeing them. When the first one grabbed the fly and ran, she squealed with excitement. She lifted the fish out of the water and let me take it off the now barbless hook. Stef wanted to release the fish. She cradled it in her hands and bent over the side of the dock and bid the scrappy little fighter farewell.
While all this was going on the other children on the dock made sure that their parents were aware that “she” had just caught a fish and they too wanted to catch fish. I pinched another bit of bread on the hook and Stef lowered the offering into water. "I have another one," she exclaimed. We repeated this process a couple of dozen times within about a thirty minute time span. The other children on the dock were getting upset and their parents were getting a little annoyed. Finally the first brave soul swallowed his pride and walked over to where we were fishing and said," you sure are having good luck fishing today." "What’s your secret?" We showed him what we were doing and Stef offered them a fly to use and a slice of bread. While I tied the fly on his kids line, Stef began to tell them where the fish could be found. I looked up at the father, only to see that he was barely paying attention to what Stef was telling him. "I would suggest that you listen to her," I told him. " She knows what she's talking about, and she's telling you exactly how to catch these fish." For only being three years old Stef spoke very clearly and directly. The father asked her how she came to know so much about fishing?
"Scott taught me, he knows everything about fishing." she said. At that point I think I might have blushed a little, but realized what a good listener, she was. She had repeated everything I told her, exactly, to the boy and his father.
They dipped their line into the water along side the dock, just like Steff had told them to do and within seconds they had a fish on. We helped them take it off the hook and release it and Stef was patting the boy on the back telling him what a good job he had done. It was funny to see this three year old little girl congratulating the seven or eight year old boy on catching the fish. It wasn't long after that, when the other Cub Scouts and parents came over to us to ask for help on catching fish. Again Stef offered each of them a fly from her box and a slice of bread. While I tied on all the flies, she held the fishing seminar, right there on the dock, explaining how fish needed shade for their eyes and that's why they would find the fish hiding under the dock.
After two hours we decided maybe we should head back to the house for the birthday cook out with cake and ice cream. Stef only had three flies left in her box. She had given most of them away so other children could have as much fun as she was having.
Shortly after that Stef and her parents moved to Strawberry Hill . We would see each other and get together from time to time but never found the opportunity to go fishing together. Seven years later we got together and they announced that they were being
transferred to Colorado and were leaving in a month. Stef said that we had to get together and fish at least one more time before they left. We made a date for that Friday night after I got off work.
Joyce and I went over to their house and had dinner together. It was almost seven o'clock and Stef asked if it was time to go fishing yet. "Yes," I said, "you'd better get your tackle together. As she turned to get her stuff, I asked what kind of pole she was using these days. "The one you gave me for my birthday when I was little," she replied. "Oh!" I said," you're getting too big for that." "Why don't you let me teach you how to use a spinning rod and reel." Stef thought that sounded great and wanted to go out in my kayak as well. I agreed to all her conditions and we set out for the lake. Once there and out in open water away from any obstructions I gave her a quick five minute instruction on how to cast and use a light action spinning rod and reel.
She quickly discovered that even though she was right handed, that she preferred to cast to her left side. So I made the adjustment with the kayak to put her in the most comfortable position for casting. I had already rigged the rod with a four inch plastic worm and was in the process of putting the kayak in position when Stef said," I think I have one." I didn't even know that she had made a cast! I looked at her in surprise and said," well set the hook!" She popped the rod tip up and noticed that she had slack in her line. I instructed her to take up the slack and reset the hook if she really thought she had a fish. She did so, and much to my surprise, the rod bent down under the boat. She held the rod tip up and reeled in a nice chunky twelve inch largemouth bass. Her first big fish. Stef brought along a little disposable camera for the moment. I took the fish off the hook for her and showed her how to hold the bass for the picture and then she released it. I showed her how to re-rig the worm and she was casting again. Casting the worm up near the bank and lifting the rod tip to move the worm slowly across the bottom, we both noticed that the line had stopped. "Fish?" I asked. "Nope... rock." she replied, and with a little twitch, lifted the worm over the rock and proceeded to fish. A huge smile crossed over my face with the thought of how well she was doing, her first time out and how she could distinguish between the strike of a fish and an obstruction. Every time she said she had a fish, she was right. We fished for two hours that evening and took six pictures. Stef caught and released seven largemouth bass and three good size crappie. Her largest bass for the evening weighed two pounds. Pretty nice, for her first time, fishing with a rod and reel.
Over the next few weeks I found myself drawing simple pictures of common lures with Paint Brush on my old computer and adding text below each one on suggested conditions and retrieves. Each time that we got together to go fishing, I would give her more to read about and study. I bought her, her own light action spinning rod and reel, a small tackle box and filled it with lures. Each time we went fishing, she would experiment with the different lures and remembered what I had written about them with the pictures. She used everything… from spinnerbaits, floating minnows, and deep diving crankbaits to rigging worms, grubs, and even using surface baits. She caught fish on almost everything too. The largest fish that she had caught before moving to Colorado was a nice two and a half pound largemouth bass on a surface bait in the early morning hours when the mist was on the water. I told her this was "Magic Time !"
Stef is out in Colorado now but we have sworn to get together again on the water. This time she is going to be the teacher and I will be the student. She is going to teach me how to fly fish for trout in the Colorado, streams. I just hope that I'm as good as student for her, as she was for me.
Written by J.Scott Keniston
The next weekend Joyce and I found ourselves at the local discount store. I wandered over to the sporting goods section and started looking over the cane poles and cheap assortments of multi-colored flies that you find in a dial up type of round container. "What are you going to do with those." Joyce asked. "This is for Stefs' birthday," I answered. A smile crossed her face as she exclaimed "you’re awfully good to her."
The day of Stef's Birthday finally came. Joyce and I presented her with the cane pole and box of flies. Stef's eyes lit up as she unwrapped our gift and the rest of the presents and celebration were put on hold. She asked if we would take her fishing right away? So with pole, flies, a bag of bread, and a camera to record the moment, the five of us went over to the lake.
I had never dealt with a three year old before, in regards to fishing. When we got to the lake and parked the car, we saw a number of other children with parents in tow, fishing from the dock that we were heading towards. It was a local Cub Scout Pack working on their fishing merit badge. As we stepped on to the dock, I asked if anyone was having any luck ? The reply was negative and Stef's parents had a slightly worried look on their face after hearing that no one was catching fish.
I sat down on the dock and began to tell Stef how fish relate to cover and shade to protect their eyes from bright sun, since they didn’t have eye lids to close or squint. I went on to say that since all the other kids were casting their lines out, away from the dock, in open water, and not having any luck, I would bet that all the fish were hiding under the dock waiting for her to catch them. Amazingly, she understood. I pinched a small piece of bread around the hook of the fly and she dipped it into the water. She saw the bluegills come out from under the dock to look at her offering and got very excited just seeing them. When the first one grabbed the fly and ran, she squealed with excitement. She lifted the fish out of the water and let me take it off the now barbless hook. Stef wanted to release the fish. She cradled it in her hands and bent over the side of the dock and bid the scrappy little fighter farewell.
While all this was going on the other children on the dock made sure that their parents were aware that “she” had just caught a fish and they too wanted to catch fish. I pinched another bit of bread on the hook and Stef lowered the offering into water. "I have another one," she exclaimed. We repeated this process a couple of dozen times within about a thirty minute time span. The other children on the dock were getting upset and their parents were getting a little annoyed. Finally the first brave soul swallowed his pride and walked over to where we were fishing and said," you sure are having good luck fishing today." "What’s your secret?" We showed him what we were doing and Stef offered them a fly to use and a slice of bread. While I tied the fly on his kids line, Stef began to tell them where the fish could be found. I looked up at the father, only to see that he was barely paying attention to what Stef was telling him. "I would suggest that you listen to her," I told him. " She knows what she's talking about, and she's telling you exactly how to catch these fish." For only being three years old Stef spoke very clearly and directly. The father asked her how she came to know so much about fishing?
"Scott taught me, he knows everything about fishing." she said. At that point I think I might have blushed a little, but realized what a good listener, she was. She had repeated everything I told her, exactly, to the boy and his father.
They dipped their line into the water along side the dock, just like Steff had told them to do and within seconds they had a fish on. We helped them take it off the hook and release it and Stef was patting the boy on the back telling him what a good job he had done. It was funny to see this three year old little girl congratulating the seven or eight year old boy on catching the fish. It wasn't long after that, when the other Cub Scouts and parents came over to us to ask for help on catching fish. Again Stef offered each of them a fly from her box and a slice of bread. While I tied on all the flies, she held the fishing seminar, right there on the dock, explaining how fish needed shade for their eyes and that's why they would find the fish hiding under the dock.
After two hours we decided maybe we should head back to the house for the birthday cook out with cake and ice cream. Stef only had three flies left in her box. She had given most of them away so other children could have as much fun as she was having.
Shortly after that Stef and her parents moved to Strawberry Hill . We would see each other and get together from time to time but never found the opportunity to go fishing together. Seven years later we got together and they announced that they were being
transferred to Colorado and were leaving in a month. Stef said that we had to get together and fish at least one more time before they left. We made a date for that Friday night after I got off work.
Joyce and I went over to their house and had dinner together. It was almost seven o'clock and Stef asked if it was time to go fishing yet. "Yes," I said, "you'd better get your tackle together. As she turned to get her stuff, I asked what kind of pole she was using these days. "The one you gave me for my birthday when I was little," she replied. "Oh!" I said," you're getting too big for that." "Why don't you let me teach you how to use a spinning rod and reel." Stef thought that sounded great and wanted to go out in my kayak as well. I agreed to all her conditions and we set out for the lake. Once there and out in open water away from any obstructions I gave her a quick five minute instruction on how to cast and use a light action spinning rod and reel.
She quickly discovered that even though she was right handed, that she preferred to cast to her left side. So I made the adjustment with the kayak to put her in the most comfortable position for casting. I had already rigged the rod with a four inch plastic worm and was in the process of putting the kayak in position when Stef said," I think I have one." I didn't even know that she had made a cast! I looked at her in surprise and said," well set the hook!" She popped the rod tip up and noticed that she had slack in her line. I instructed her to take up the slack and reset the hook if she really thought she had a fish. She did so, and much to my surprise, the rod bent down under the boat. She held the rod tip up and reeled in a nice chunky twelve inch largemouth bass. Her first big fish. Stef brought along a little disposable camera for the moment. I took the fish off the hook for her and showed her how to hold the bass for the picture and then she released it. I showed her how to re-rig the worm and she was casting again. Casting the worm up near the bank and lifting the rod tip to move the worm slowly across the bottom, we both noticed that the line had stopped. "Fish?" I asked. "Nope... rock." she replied, and with a little twitch, lifted the worm over the rock and proceeded to fish. A huge smile crossed over my face with the thought of how well she was doing, her first time out and how she could distinguish between the strike of a fish and an obstruction. Every time she said she had a fish, she was right. We fished for two hours that evening and took six pictures. Stef caught and released seven largemouth bass and three good size crappie. Her largest bass for the evening weighed two pounds. Pretty nice, for her first time, fishing with a rod and reel.
Over the next few weeks I found myself drawing simple pictures of common lures with Paint Brush on my old computer and adding text below each one on suggested conditions and retrieves. Each time that we got together to go fishing, I would give her more to read about and study. I bought her, her own light action spinning rod and reel, a small tackle box and filled it with lures. Each time we went fishing, she would experiment with the different lures and remembered what I had written about them with the pictures. She used everything… from spinnerbaits, floating minnows, and deep diving crankbaits to rigging worms, grubs, and even using surface baits. She caught fish on almost everything too. The largest fish that she had caught before moving to Colorado was a nice two and a half pound largemouth bass on a surface bait in the early morning hours when the mist was on the water. I told her this was "Magic Time !"
Stef is out in Colorado now but we have sworn to get together again on the water. This time she is going to be the teacher and I will be the student. She is going to teach me how to fly fish for trout in the Colorado, streams. I just hope that I'm as good as student for her, as she was for me.
Written by J.Scott Keniston
Craft Hair Jigs (Float N Fly)
Multi-colored Float n Fly Craft Hair Jigs
This time of year is what the Float n Fly was created for.
Made from everything from craft hair, to fox, rabbit, deer, horse hair, feathers, and even nylon, these jigs range in size from 1/32oz up to 1/2oz and more. I have been using a type of hair jig that is called the Float 'n' Fly that is made with craft hair and designed to catch winter smallmouth bass in Tennessee. I figured our Landen Bass wouldn't know that and have been using these for a couple weeks now, catching huge crappie and a largemouth bass every now and then.
A local authority on hair jigs recomends the pop-eye jigs and perfers the white leadhead jig with black hair or feathers. I'm using a chartreuse for the crappie I'm catching, and I'm catching 15-16 inch Crappie and have also caught one that was so big I couldn't lift it out of the water. As I went over to lip it, it scraped the line over the sharp edge of a rock, snapped the line and slid into deeper waters, never to be seen again.
Notice the pear shaped bobber, in the middle of the multi-colored hair jig or flies. This is the type bobber recommended by Charlie Nuckols himself. He used a 3/4 inch diameter bobber for the 1/16 ounce jig and the 1 inch bobber for the 1/4 ounce jig. Suspending the jig a couple feet under the bobber, making long casts and painfully slow retrieves and allowing the wind and wave action to do most of the enticing of the bass and crappie.
Solution for Suspenders
The float 'n' fly system was developed by eastern Tennessee angler Charlie Nuckols as a method of teasing sluggish smallmouth bass to bite in clear, frigid water. Nuckols, owner of Bullet Lures, knew that once the water temperature dipped below 45 degrees in winter, the bass in his local reservoirs became so lethargic they were virtually impossible to catch. Nuckols could see fish on his graph. He just couldn't catch them by conventional means. The bass suspended in the water off rock bluffs or deep points. He tried to catch them on a jigging spoon, but even this old winter standby would falter once the water temperatures dropped into the low 40s. Sometimes the bass wouldn't budge regardless of what the angler did to elicit a response.
Nuckols suspected that the answer to the slow-bite riddle would be a small lure fished for extended periods at the depth at which the smallmouths suspended. Instead of trying to trigger reaction strikes, Nuckols decided a soft sell was better. He started experimenting with tiny crappie jigs dangled under a bobber and soon began catching bass. The more he refined the concept, the more fish he caught, until he eventually arrived at what many bronzeback aficionados feel is the ultimate system for big smallmouths in cold, clear water: the float 'n' fly.
Charlie Nuckols drowned in a boating accident in 1996, just as his revolutionary bass system was gaining a following among smallmouth anglers.
How it Works
One reason for the float 'n' fly's popularity, beyond its effectiveness, is its simplicity. The float 'n' fly system consists of three basic components:
1. A tiny leadhead jig, or "fly," tied with craft hair (a crinkly man-made material frequently used in the toy industry). When suspended beneath
a bobber in clear water, a craft-hair jig will puff out, or "breathe."
Consequently, the small jig (usually 1/16 ounce and 2 inches long) resembles one of the diminutive lake minnows that suspending bass feed on in winter.
2. A small (¾- to 1-inch) plastic pear-shaped bobber. Float 'n' fly fanatics insist on a stationary float as opposed to a slip bobber. The float is clipped onto the line from 8 to 13 feet above the fly. The float bobs on the surface and keeps the jig suspended at the desired depth. It's simple, but effective. I have only been suspending my fly 2 feet below the bobber and catching nice, slab crappie.
3. A long, flexible spinning rod.
Anglers proficient with the system use two-piece rods 8 to 11 feet long. The rod should have a super-soft action,
almost like a flyrod, to cast the lightweight jig and float long distances and to provide the shock absorption needed to prevent huge bass from
popping light line. This rod is paired with a spinning reel loaded with small-diameter 4- or 6-pound-test monofilament line. I have had good success making two-handed, side-arm casts of maybe 75 feet or more and slowly...very slowly retrieving the jig. I use a 9 foot Silstar rod I got from Dicks, many years ago
The Big Chill
The float 'n' fly method is most effective in clear water with a temperature between 38 and 48 degrees. It absolutely shines when the water is in the low 40-degree range-a period when many reservoir smallmouth anglers have traditionally hung up their rods. When the water is extremely cold, suspending bass are in a totally neutral mood. Their metabolism is cranked down so low and their digestion process so sluggish, they don't feed very often. But they will strike a tiny lure dangled right in their faces.
Made from everything from craft hair, to fox, rabbit, deer, horse hair, feathers, and even nylon, these jigs range in size from 1/32oz up to 1/2oz and more. I have been using a type of hair jig that is called the Float 'n' Fly that is made with craft hair and designed to catch winter smallmouth bass in Tennessee. I figured our Landen Bass wouldn't know that and have been using these for a couple weeks now, catching huge crappie and a largemouth bass every now and then.
A local authority on hair jigs recomends the pop-eye jigs and perfers the white leadhead jig with black hair or feathers. I'm using a chartreuse for the crappie I'm catching, and I'm catching 15-16 inch Crappie and have also caught one that was so big I couldn't lift it out of the water. As I went over to lip it, it scraped the line over the sharp edge of a rock, snapped the line and slid into deeper waters, never to be seen again.
Notice the pear shaped bobber, in the middle of the multi-colored hair jig or flies. This is the type bobber recommended by Charlie Nuckols himself. He used a 3/4 inch diameter bobber for the 1/16 ounce jig and the 1 inch bobber for the 1/4 ounce jig. Suspending the jig a couple feet under the bobber, making long casts and painfully slow retrieves and allowing the wind and wave action to do most of the enticing of the bass and crappie.
Solution for Suspenders
The float 'n' fly system was developed by eastern Tennessee angler Charlie Nuckols as a method of teasing sluggish smallmouth bass to bite in clear, frigid water. Nuckols, owner of Bullet Lures, knew that once the water temperature dipped below 45 degrees in winter, the bass in his local reservoirs became so lethargic they were virtually impossible to catch. Nuckols could see fish on his graph. He just couldn't catch them by conventional means. The bass suspended in the water off rock bluffs or deep points. He tried to catch them on a jigging spoon, but even this old winter standby would falter once the water temperatures dropped into the low 40s. Sometimes the bass wouldn't budge regardless of what the angler did to elicit a response.
Nuckols suspected that the answer to the slow-bite riddle would be a small lure fished for extended periods at the depth at which the smallmouths suspended. Instead of trying to trigger reaction strikes, Nuckols decided a soft sell was better. He started experimenting with tiny crappie jigs dangled under a bobber and soon began catching bass. The more he refined the concept, the more fish he caught, until he eventually arrived at what many bronzeback aficionados feel is the ultimate system for big smallmouths in cold, clear water: the float 'n' fly.
Charlie Nuckols drowned in a boating accident in 1996, just as his revolutionary bass system was gaining a following among smallmouth anglers.
How it Works
One reason for the float 'n' fly's popularity, beyond its effectiveness, is its simplicity. The float 'n' fly system consists of three basic components:
1. A tiny leadhead jig, or "fly," tied with craft hair (a crinkly man-made material frequently used in the toy industry). When suspended beneath
a bobber in clear water, a craft-hair jig will puff out, or "breathe."
Consequently, the small jig (usually 1/16 ounce and 2 inches long) resembles one of the diminutive lake minnows that suspending bass feed on in winter.
2. A small (¾- to 1-inch) plastic pear-shaped bobber. Float 'n' fly fanatics insist on a stationary float as opposed to a slip bobber. The float is clipped onto the line from 8 to 13 feet above the fly. The float bobs on the surface and keeps the jig suspended at the desired depth. It's simple, but effective. I have only been suspending my fly 2 feet below the bobber and catching nice, slab crappie.
3. A long, flexible spinning rod.
Anglers proficient with the system use two-piece rods 8 to 11 feet long. The rod should have a super-soft action,
almost like a flyrod, to cast the lightweight jig and float long distances and to provide the shock absorption needed to prevent huge bass from
popping light line. This rod is paired with a spinning reel loaded with small-diameter 4- or 6-pound-test monofilament line. I have had good success making two-handed, side-arm casts of maybe 75 feet or more and slowly...very slowly retrieving the jig. I use a 9 foot Silstar rod I got from Dicks, many years ago
The Big Chill
The float 'n' fly method is most effective in clear water with a temperature between 38 and 48 degrees. It absolutely shines when the water is in the low 40-degree range-a period when many reservoir smallmouth anglers have traditionally hung up their rods. When the water is extremely cold, suspending bass are in a totally neutral mood. Their metabolism is cranked down so low and their digestion process so sluggish, they don't feed very often. But they will strike a tiny lure dangled right in their faces.
Lets review some of the fish caught around Landen in 2020
Just a reminder of how good a 2019 Fishing Season we've had in Landen
A Fishing Weather Poem
Largemouth Bass sizing up a Bluegill
When
the wind is from the East,
‘Tis neither good for man or beast;
When
the wind is from the north,
The skillful fisher goes not forth;
When
the wind is from the south,
It blows the bait in the fishes’ mouth;
When
the wind is from the west,
Then it’s at the very best.
the wind is from the East,
‘Tis neither good for man or beast;
When
the wind is from the north,
The skillful fisher goes not forth;
When
the wind is from the south,
It blows the bait in the fishes’ mouth;
When
the wind is from the west,
Then it’s at the very best.