Hurricane Fishing

Fishing With Michael... The Hurricane

Oct 11, 2018

October 10-11, 2018 will be remembered for the strongest hurricane to hit the Florida Panhandle in history. 
It will be known for its devastation and catastrophe - winds were so strong they knocked an entire train off its tracks!
But, for me, I'll think of Michael as the first time I've ever fished the immediate backside of a hurricane. 

I had the day off from work because of the storm, so after sitting around the house for a while with the power out, I had a brainstorm: walk down to the pond and see how things were looking during the tempest. 
So I put on my rain shell jacket, donned my mud boots and grabbed my fly fishing stuff. 
Hey, you cant go to the pond without a fly rod, tools, and fly wallet, right? 

The low, grey clouds whisked by overhead, the wind gusted in the tree tops, and a steady rain was soaking all around. 
"What the hell," I said aloud, "The two best days to go fishing are when it's raining - and when it isn't. And I have the first one a'plenty, so lets get to it." 

Murray Hackle Fly

Murray Hackle Fly
The first fly I tied on was a my own, "Murray Hackle Fly," aka, "The 5 Cent Fly," and sometimes called, "The Laughing Fly."

Why so many names?

The name 'Murray Hackle Fly,' is an homage to my home lake where I first tried it - Lake Murray, South Carolina. 
I also call it the '5 Cent Fly,' because that's about all the more it costs to tie one.
Finally, I call it, 'The Laughing Fly,' because it's so ridiculously scruffy, I laugh whenever I see the thing. Ugly is the right word.
But when it starts catching fish  - and it always does - I laugh a good bit louder.

And it didn't disappoint. It caught two rocket bass straight off, with both ending in Long Distance Releases. 
"Both got off? What the heck gives?" I wondered.

When I looked at the fly, I knew the answer - it had a nub for a point.
I had failed to inspect and sharpen the hook before use. Talk about a rookie mistake. Since my hook hone was back at the house, I reluctantly took it off and switched to my second fly.

No 2 Fly

Fly #2 
This one has no name and I don't think I've ever fished it before today. 
But the sky was dark and the water turbid, and I remembered the bit of lore that says some golden flash is a good thing under these conditions. 
The fly itself is just a small hair wing job - some gold fibers stripped from a Mylar tube, a few bits of crystal flash and a dull-yellow bucktail wing.
But two fat bluegill liked it enough to jump on and give me their verdict of the fly - THUMBS UP. 
Or should I say LIPS UP?

Honestly, this was probably just some tying vise experiment that went awry, but ended up in my fly wallet. I don't really know when I tied it, or what is inspired me to make it. 
But I'm inspired now, and will tie a few more. 

Calm Descends
After a few hours, the wind died down to a light breeze and the rain stopped. The storm was passing, like a wall going away. The water turned smooth, and all was calm, if soggy and dripping wet. 
After a few minutes, I heard frogs taking up their choir, and a few birds started to sing along. The storm was leaving and the change was upon us.

Then I spied some fish feeding in the shallows at the other end of the pond, right in among the stickup branches. I reckoned it was a good time as any to put on a top water bug.

The Bass and The Gurgle Pop
This would make Fly #3 - a Gurgle Pop. 
All rubber legs, sparkly chartreuse foam and dubbing, it was one of the few surface flies I had with me. It would have to do. 
And it was the ticket. Quite  few fish went for it, but mostly half-heartedly...

"Bluegill smacking at it," I muttered.

Sunfish like to "smack" at a bug in the water with their tail or mouth, in an attempt to stun it. Once dazed this way, they can take their time and see if it's something to eat. These false strikes are obvious when you get used to them, but aggravating. 
Switching up, I moved over and cast right up into the back of the stick ups where I had seen the feeding activity.

My line laid out right over the branches, and the fly alighted right in the pocket I had chosen. 
Good cast, but it was going to take some cool nerves and careful retrieving to keep from hanging up. 
But that never happened... the bass nailed it after two or three "pops." 

The fish had been in the back, I'm sure, staked out in about 18" of water and waiting for opportunity to knock.
And Opportunity, Thy Name is Gurgle Pop.

In the Back Lies The Bass

I played the fish and got it to hand. My soggy fingers were able to get a picture and back went the bass -  its catch and release, here.

Bass And Gurgle Pop

I missed the pics of the bluegill for whatever reason but got a few others while I was out...

Rainy Turbid Pond and Stick Ups

Hurricane Michael is passed. 
But it will dump more rain and wind on its way through North Carolina and Virginia, before heading out to sea. 
I hear it's going all the way to Spain before petering out. 
But I'll always recall the day I fished the back side of Hurricane Michael, and won.

Lessons Learned 

1. Get ye some decent rain gear. 

A rain shell isn't much use in a heavy rain.
A mid-thigh length, parka and bib pants is probably best.

2. Fish bite in the rain. 

Pretty darned good, to be honest.

3. Fish probably bite better on the back side of a major storm front.

4. Find where rain-swollen water runs in to the lake or stream and fish there. 

The end of the pond with the stick ups has a small wash running in.

5. Heavy rain, and wet fingers aren't conducive to touch screen picture taking.
Bring a button actuated camera.

Thanks and Tight Lines,

David

Palmetto Fly N Fish, ©2018

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