The changing face of park fishing

[Rog 1]

I turn 65 next month and have been fishing in the Park since I was 13...when I first started trout fishing the Park waters were stocked on a regular basis and the service even maintained their own hatcheries...there was also a closed season on trout fishing from September 15 to April 15...even into the late 60's and early 70's I can remember cutting classes in Law School to drive all night to be on the water for that April 15th date...those fish hadn't seen a fly in 6 months and made for some great fishing...both sides of the Park had "Sportsmen" streams where the minumum size was 16" to keep...the WPLP was just unbelievable back then in numbers and size....the number of locals that fished seemed greater and it was easy to spot them in their overalls and true "cane" rods....we grew up fishing under a threat of loosing our equipment and the right to fish if we broke the rules and there were backcountry rangers popping out of the rhodo to check on you...there also seemed to be more camping in undesignated spots in the backcountry...people fished to eat what they caught and I believe this kept the general size up before the fad of catch and release took hold...it wasn't until midlife that I even heard about a strike indicator even less saw one...good topic and brings back some great memories....thanks Jim

[tnflyfisher]

Originally Posted by David Knapp

I believe that we will see more people fishing tiny nymphs and midges in the Park as we constantly try to find that new method that will outfish others.

I agree. It may not be the "preferred" method and some may raise an eyebrow but you are covering almost 90% of what a trout feeds on and where it is looking for food by fishing subsurface flies. And yes, it is still flyfishing... If you want to catch more trout, learn about and match the underwater stages and you will be consistently successful. Then you can also throw dries for fun during some crazy hatch or just for a change of pace... that way you are prepared to catch twice as many fish and that aint a bad thing...

Originally Posted by PeteCz

This is an enjoyable web article on a bitter battle that took place 100 years ago in the UK.

http://midcurrent.com/history/halfor...he-both-of-us/

And the battle persists...

Great article! thanks for posting,

Tight Lines,

[JoeFred]

Originally Posted by Jim Casada

...
4. The changing nature of fishing. I see far more two-fly rigs, far greater use of nymphs, and less reliance on dry flies. A fair number of oldtimers of my acquaintance thought that nymphs were but one step removed (and a short one at that) from bait fishing...
Jim Casada
www.jimcasadaoutdoors.com

I much prefer using dries over nymphs, but my severely inadequate presentation and equal amount of discpline to learn to improve, usually results in my resorting to flinging the latter. Heck, I'd used only a split shot if that was the only way I could fish our waters... "fish" being the operative word.

[BlueRaiderFan]

Muh...as long as it's a fly that's hand tied, I don't care if it's dry or wet. I think that dry fly fishing is more of a challenge when going after larger fish, much more for me, but other than that there is no difference in my book.

[GrouseMan77]

Originally Posted by BlueRaiderFan

Muh...as long as it's a fly that's hand tied, I don't care if it's dry or wet. I think that dry fly fishing is more of a challenge when going after larger fish, much more for me, but other than that there is no difference in my book.

I get what you are trying to say but you really need to read more than the one book if you want to catch fish in the park.

[BlueRaiderFan]

Not certain what you are trying to say Jason. That was my personal opinion and not based on anything I've read. I have read more than one book on fishing in the park.

[adirondack46r]

When I started fishing in the park back in 2004 when I moved to Tennessee, there always seemed to be a BMW parked in my favorite spots on weekends, the guys fishing in the river below all looked like they had just walked out of an Orvis store (they jingled and rattled and had lots of cool stuff), tubers seemed to be everywhere, tourists would blow their horns and yell at me and sometimes take my picture, there would be sandals, Gatorade bottles, and t-shirts sunk in my favorite spots, and back then, I really didn't catch many fish.

Come to think of it, not much has changed for me.

[GrouseMan77]

I should have answered Jim's original question...

Backcountry trash and the lack of ranger presence comes to mind first. I've found and packed out lots of trash and have had to leave some behind (example: soaking wet 20x20 tarp full gallon coleman fuel containers). I attribute this to the occasional back country camper being in over his or head and thinking that the park fairy will clean up their mess. Seems to be an over all lack of common sense by a high percentage of visitors.

Also Seems like there are lots more motorcycles and loud pipes in the warmer months.

[JoeFred]

Originally Posted by BlueRaiderFan

Muh...as long as it's a fly that's hand tied, I don't care if it's dry or wet. I think that dry fly fishing is more of a challenge when going after larger fish, much more for me, but other than that there is no difference in my book.

BlueRaiderFan, you've published a book!?! For real?? I'm kidding, of course.
JF

[BlueRaiderFan]

How do I get into these things?