Practice Makes Perfect SUCKER!

I spent the morning of April 22nd 2014 at a local river system nymphing for a fish that most anglers would consider garbage, that being the sucker. It seems to me that fly anglers are more relaxed to the idea of fishing for many different species compared to those who say spin cast but there is still a stigma with some species of fish. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I had friends call me crazy or stupid for targeting pan fish when bass fishing was all the rage on the rivers and ponds. While they sat at home because there was no "good" fishing to be had I was on the water catching scrappy gills, pumpkin seeds and crappie having a blast.

Since switching over to the fly I have put a large number of new species under my belt in a very short time. It seems that all the fly fishing techniques that I learn and try to master help me down the road when targeting all sorts of fish and each new thing I learn is just another valuable tool to keep in the tool box for when different situations arise.

My first time on the river this spring was the perfect example. A good friend of mine helped me to refine some nymphing techniques on pre spawn suckers that can be very finicky and technical. With a short lesson and some help setting up proper rigs I was into fish in no time and having a blast. I took the same techniques learned this day and used them a month later on a steelhead river with stone fly nymphs and had an unbelievable amount of success. For many fly anglers sucker are not an interesting species to target but I tell you these guys fight almost like salmon for the first part of the fight, freaking out and stripping line off at record speed and strength.

I started the day running 4-5X tippet before switching over to 6lb fluorocarbon to stop these tough fish from breaking me off. On the menu for the day was a tungsten weighted hares ear nymph and unweighted pheasant tail nymphs on the dropper. I am glad that I had the practice that day with suckers in order to take the same technique with me to nymph for steelhead. The first day using only this technique I must have hooked 40+ steelhead, I doubt the same thing would have taken place if I did not have that practice session with the "garbage" fish.

The point of my ramblings? Never turn down an opportunity to fish. All of the techniques and presentations that fly anglers use can be adapted to different species and situations so look at each time out on the water as an opportunity to learn, try something new and refine your skills for later battles.