Not QUITE skunked on the Caney- 10/06/08

[Worrgamesguy]

Well, since this is going to be a pretty negative post, I'll start off with the good parts first. Do you guys remember the first box of flies I put together? If not, this was it:



About 5 of those flies would work with trout, all the rest are pretty much warmwater stuff. I've been buying flies here and there for the past few months, and I finally bought a new fly box to top off my new assortment last night-



4x sz. 18 black zebra midges
7x sz. 20 black zebra midges
2 red zebra midges
2 cream zebra midges
1 chocolate zebra midge
1 olive zebra midge
9 olive midges
9 grey midges
Misc. scuds
BHPTs



Sz. 14 & 16 EHCs
Random dry flies including BWOs, Parachute Adams, Mosquitoes, etc.
And 4 San Juan worms

Also, there was A LOT of wildlife out today, most I've seen in years.

Now for the negative stuff...

Most of the wildlife was dead- deer, turkeys, dogs, cats, possums, skunks, you name it! I seriously saw roadkill about every 30 seconds going to the Caney, seemed like today is the National Wildlife Suicide Day. I did see many living animals, but I was shocked at all the roadkill.

We put in at Happy Hollow, and did not catch ANYTHING until the railroad bridge came into sight. That's a good 30 minute float of NOTHING. Highly unlike the Caney. I caught the first fish, a 6-8" brookie on a sz. 18 black zebra midge. I missed 3 browns on my EHC indicator, one being decent sized. I caught a bow on that midge, and then I fished for an hour with no strikes or anything. I switched to a red zebra midge, and caught 2 browns and that is all I caught all day. My dad didn't do much better, but he did catch this:

[golfballs03]

Is that a toadfish?

[Fishermansfly]

That my friends is a mottled sculpin.....Trey do you have any more pictures if that guy? How long was he? Lemme know and I'll send you a specially tied fly!

~Brett

[Flat Fly n]

Those sculpins will grow big browns!

[David Knapp]

Originally Posted by Fishermansfly

That my friends is a mottled sculpin.....Trey do you have any more pictures if that guy? How long was he? Lemme know and I'll send you a specially tied fly!

~Brett

I'm curious as well...looks like its time to head to the tying bench...

[Fishermansfly]

You knew where I was going with that! Great minds do think alike! October 15th man are you ready? I've got the ol calender marked. Dad is trying to get ahold of you about the 15th, give him a buzz.

~Brett

[Worrgamesguy]

Originally Posted by Fishermansfly

That my friends is a mottled sculpin.....Trey do you have any more pictures if that guy? How long was he? Lemme know and I'll send you a specially tied fly!

~Brett

One more. You can see the hook in his mouth, which is a size 10. I'd say he was 3 inches solid, maybe 4. I hoped that posting him here would help me ID him. My dad and I have caught a couple of these dudes over the years, I caught a 12+ one under the dam at about 4:00 in the morning a few years ago. We thought it was a walleye when we saw it swimming, but when we brought him out and looked at him we saw it was an "it." I've always known them as dogfish, good to know the true name.

[Grannyknot]

Maybe?
http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishin...culpin/banded/

This fish is listed as "rarely seen by anglers".
Good job!

[Worrgamesguy]

I dunno man, we've caught a few of these over the years and they've all differed. My dad was taking care of a rod on the back of the boat when he handed me his other rod to hold onto, and I felt something small bumping at it, not bumping on the bottom. I yanked, nothing, and let it sit again. Same thing happened, except this time he got hooked and I handed the pole to my dad. This was the first time I've never picked up a spin rod, so I was proud of myself.