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10/21/12

fly fishing hawaii:

lake check.

 

one of my hawaii spey brethren deano just got back from his go at steelies in oregon and checked in with some pics.  although he faired a bit better than i did this year, he said it was still pretty tough sledding.  meanwhile i took a break from bonefishing this week and fished an afternoon on the lake with craig.  apparently the lake is in full fall mode which is good and bad.  peacocks are largely schooling in the deeper parts of the lake as they tend to do around this time.  the upside is if you can get into busting fish it can be the most exciting fishing the lake has to offer.  the downside is that if they are not busting shad on the surface they can be really tough to get on.  i ran into guides opi and chris who both told me that tuesday was the day and fish were busting all day like crazy.  unfortunately for craig, opi, myself, and everyone else on the lake, it was wednesday.  the lady of the lake had decided to bring the beat down on all who dared to pound.  apparently there was still a little activity on the water in the early morning but that did not help us either as we got on the water about twelve thirty.  but if there is anyone to have in your boat when the fishing is tough and you gotta play the hand you’re dealt, it is brother craig.

 

the busting had all but subsided by the time we got out.  we watched howard (another lake guide) get his clients into probably the last bust of the day but they failed to hook up... probably a “tough bust”.  the tough bust is the one where you get your fly or lure right into a pile of busting fish and still don't get bit.  it does happen, but i still like my odds if i can get into the thick of it.

 

we proceeded to hunt the shorelines for red devils which peculiarly were not present in numbers either.  the lack of busting fish did not surprise me as it is often more of a morning thing and the afternoon is a bit of a crap shoot.  i was a little surprised that we were not able to find more red devils.  maybe they were all in the deeps with the peacocks.  maybe the bass guys are getting their way and the devil numbers are dwindling (probably the former and not so much the latter).  anyway we pounded the “good woods” which seemed devoid of life except for schools of tiny, very ambitious, peacocks.  we pressed on, fished hard and managed to get a few peacocks and red devils but it was not easy.  we stayed to see if the peacocks would start busting again in the evening... no such luck.  when the lake is like this, it is kind of an all or nothing deal.  you could get that crazy busting day and hook ridiculous fish at will or, get comfortable, ‘cause it’s gonna be a long day.  whatever the case may be, one thing is for sure... you’ll never know unless you go.  i’ll see you on the water.

 

hey, that looks like the view from my seat!

 

nice meiser rod and nice steelie deano!

 

harold... pounding some steel.

 

they can't all be big.  deano and the trout.

 

yikes... not everything is good about fishing the deschutes in warm weather.

 

deano breaks in his bob clay bamboo two hander on oregon steel.

 

 

 

wish i was there but i was here...

 

 

 

 

doing this.  sometimes the going gets tough and i need to pull a rabbit out of a hat.  i look to my "go to lake rod" the g loomis classic glx 5wt.  none better.

 

it was slim pickin's for red devils but we managed to find a few "eaters".

 

there are lots of chunky monkeys schooling up in wahiawa.  you just gotta be out there on the right day.  good fishing... tough fishing, all part of good times.

 

clay.


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