Good afternoon folks, once again I am AirborneAngler and I will be debriefing you on the 18-Jan confirmation patrol code named: Crawdaddy. This patrol was an ad hock event with limited daylight and unseasonably warm January weather. Getting off of work early and traversing an hour’s worth of traffic- I was working the two minute drill hard to rig up and hit the water fast. I was anxious.
I had three major objectives. First and foremost: fish and relax. Quite frankly work had been wearing in and I needed this; even if just for one hour, R&R. Objective two: test the new reel. It was a $12 garage sale special that was sure to be better than my busted-no-drag reel. Lastly, had my new crawfish self-tied fly with 2 confirmed catches actually been battle tested, or was it a fluke? I had to confirm or deny and there was no place other than the water in the Colorado to find out.
I was feeling particularly good. New fly, new, reel, and I had a new swag scally cap. If you haven’t seen Jazz and Fly Fishing’s Jazzcam’s “Les Vaches et les Mouches“, I suggest you watch it. Great fly fishing vid and we should all be so well dressed on the water. Me, I had my hat. Holla Player!
No, I don’t really talk like that.
Anyways, I was excited. I was so anxious to get waste deep in Colorado river my hands were shaking rigging up. As bad as they were shaking I was still determined to salvage the slowly fading daylight. My hands completed their knots only because of the constant drilling over and over on knot after knot. Rookies like me take note, practice your knots- it pays off.
Finally set I trudged down the path to the river. The old antic is “slow is smooth and smooth is fast” right? I snuck in that water like a ninja with his ass on fire; silent and in a hurry. This surprised me because I am usually a clumsy grunt but a large catfish proved otherwise as he non-chalantly cruised by unalarmed. Scouts honor within arm’s reach. Like I said, ninja.
It wasn’t long while working an island-split deep run that I felt that gleeful pull-tug. Props to Dave for teaching me that you can always hook set twice if your first set was limp wristed. Sometimes I half set not sure if it’s fish or water weed. I know! I’m working on it! Set deliberate! The water was cold so the hit was light, but once we both knew that it was fish on- it was a fight.
Yeah, I won.
I snapped a few pics of the bass as the light faded. But I had my intel and my mission was completed. I had blitz rushed to the fight and won. Sadly though, it came at a cost. Here we go again. Mmmmmmmedic! Fly down! Fly down!
My Crawdaddy is now retired and will need replacements retied, (say that five times fast). The last cast signaling me to return to base caught a limb from a BCFB (back-cast-bush-fish, again five times fast). A big one. It proved to be the breaking point for his hook shank. So, pending your comments and questions I will conclude with this final citation for my first self tied Crawdaddy; river tested and bass approved.
Attention to orders! The Department of Fly Anglers awards the Purple Shank Award to Crawdaddy, wounded in combat against a hungry foe while bringing fish to hand. Crawdaddy displayed the fortitude required in a rookie tied fly to catch fish and bring knowledge to victory. His actions bring great credit upon himself, crayfish patterns, and Fly Anglers alike. Given on this 18th day of January 2012.
Signed,
AirborneAngler, Fly Fisher
Texas Hill Country
-See you on the high ground.