Human Once Again

  Mar 30, 2018 (update Feb, 2023)

I woke up feeling human, at last.     5 days of the "stomach bug" were apparently behind me, and all I could think was, "Hooray!" (It sucks when you're afraid to pass a little gas....)

    Sipping coffee on the observation deck, I stretched and breathed deep the clean, brisk air. A Spring cold front had passed the night before, bringing rain showers and leaving the land with a delicious, scrubbed feeling. Being human again was nice on such a day.

    And that meant the pond, aka, "Fly Lab II", well, it needed me to pay a visit.

    A light breeze ruffled the pond's surface, and both water and air were cool. It was the sort of morning that held a hint of promise, but not too much.

    Because of the front that passed over night, I expected I'd mostly be practicing my casting at this early hour. "Tomorrow will stabilize and be better," I mumbled, but I wasnt going to let my good feeling get away.

    Initially, I got a big fat nothing on the popper from last week. We had a brief warming spell over the previous period, and small poppers were working. It is usually a good idea to start with what last worked - except for those times when it isn't. This was one of those times.

    But, there's always Plan B, and an entire water column to work with. So, if topwater isn't getting a rise, you go below with a slow nymph. And that was the trick.

The Teeny Nymph        A nymph pattern I've tinkered with on and off over the years (mostly off) is one called, "The Teeny Nymph."

fly courtesy of fishingopedia link in references

    The Teeny Nymph, for those who don't know, is the brainchild of famed American fly angler, Jim Teeny. The fly is one of those patterns that is so basic and simple, you just know it will be a killer. It is nothing more than some pheasant tail fibers, strategically wrapped on a hook. I add a contrasting color on the head; in this case, chartreuse.

    And the Teeny Nymph started taking strikes immediately.

    They were very subtle takes, though. Later in the year, the fish will yank the rod from my hand on this kind of fly. But cool, early-spring water slows the fish down, and the bites were just light pickups. The line just stopped coming, as I worked my slow hand retrieve. The first one made me think I had snagged a branch.

    Luckily, I sometimes catch on to what's happening, and soon had this figured out.

    Both bluegill and bass liked the Teeny Nymph, and I landed several of each on it.

    I've known about Jim Teeny's nymph pattern for years, but have never really given the Teeny Nymph much attention. It seems there are always more complex flies to tie, more gaudy and showy offerings to tinker with. But I may force myself to go TEENY more often this season.

    With some fish now caught and the skunk off my shoulder, I settled in to study the situation more closely.

A New Challenge     As the sun brightened the world around me, I noted swirls and signs of fishy activity around the pond. This action was just the kind fly anglers yearn for - right in among the shore weeds and shallows... and I mean 6" of water.     I thought it might be a bit early for serious breeding to be underway, and that is usually done further out, anyway. No, I suspected this was fish chasing small prey.     In particular, I imagined the victims were from the living necklace of tadpoles that ring the shore this time in Spring.

    So, how to get these foraging fish to bite?

    I couldnt fish the Teeny Nymph in there; it would instantly hang up on the weeds and sticks. But a floating fly could at least get in close.

    With that in mind, I put on another favorite fly of mine that I dont use as much as I should - Bart Lombardo’s triangular "Delta Bug."

Disclaimer: I named it the, 'Delta Bug,' when Bart first unveiled it. That name is my own - Bart calls it the 'Triangle Bug.'          This fly is made from an elongated diamond of 2mm craft foam, folded end-to-end legthwise, then tied at the rear of the hook shank. It has rubber legs, a rear end of kiptail, and a unique 3-sided shape somewhere between a popper and a slider. It fishes naturally, in the film, instead of atop it.

fly by Bart Lombardo, link below

Here is the Triangle Bug - on Barts site, "Panfish On the Fly":

https://www.panfishonthefly.com/.../1/9/the-triangle-bug

    Because of the hairy tail, and air-catching dangly bits, The Triangle Bug tends to cast a little like a badminton birdie. A small one, anyway. You must execute forceful, tight loop casts to lay it out, and a little haul on the forward stroke helps. But this is not severe, and it is a peach to use.

    And the logic for using it proved to be sound... The fish liked it as well as anything.

    Placed either off to the side and away from where they were feeding, or beyond and worked through, they would hit it one out of three attempts. Like with the nymphs, it was also a light, almost tentative strike..., more quick slurp, than cannon-ball attack.

    Once taken, you hang on your tip-toes and wait for the line to tighten just a bit - then set the hook.

What you don't do is holler, "Hoo-ya!" and rear back on the rod like a too-caffeinated YouTube googan. Pause for a moment when you see activity!

    This is necessary because the fish often grab just the legs, or merely swirl at the bug, leaving you excited..., but with no fish on the line. So, you must have a seconds worth of patience to make sure the fish has taken the fake before you strike.     Yes, it's better to feel human again, rather than like a bog troll on the toilet half the day. But Life throws these little challenges our way to make us appreciate the good things.

    Like catching fish on great flies. Many thanks to Bart Lombardo.

Writers should always strive for a job well done... even mediocre ones like me. So if you found value in this article, please like, comment, and share it. 

Would you like to add the catching pattern(s) seen here to your own fly or tackle box? Do you have questions, gripes, or suggestions?
If so, email me at...dahutist@gmail.com

If you appreciate a no-drama, no-hype Facebook group, follow this link and come join us at:  Palmetto Fly n Fish

Thanks so much for reading, and...

Tight Lines,

Dave Hutton

© All rights reserved, David Hutton/Palmetto Fly N Fish 2018, 2023
 

references 
1. https://www.fishingopedia.com/flytying_2/teeny_nymph.html