Lessons Learned for 2010

[John Killinger]

Don't know if everyone will be up for this topic, but I'm always up for information exchange.

Looking back over the past year of fishing I feel like I managed to get out enough, would have liked to get out more, most importantly, review things learned over the past year to help future fishing success.  Don't know about everyone else but fishing outings are very precious to me and I want to make the best of all of them.

Here are a few things I learned this past year which I need to try and remember not to duplicate in future outings;

Float the curly in flat water!!!!!  At least try the flat water before walking by it if it looks good. Not totally sure what tippet length should be yet.

DON'T forget sow bugs in spring creeks and tie them on the ancor position with a heavy ancor on the dropper position.

Walts worms really work.

This one cost me what I think was a big fish and very important, get the fish on the reel ASAP! Don't get use to catching small fish and get complacement but pulling them in by hand with the fly line.

Most important- This one cost me a torn meniscus in the knee. Don't get lazy buy not your putting waders on and try and step on the loose rocks on the edge of the stream.

Use good hooks-wild trout are hard to keep on with cheap hooks.

Spend the gas money to run to state college to fish. It's worth it!

Try and remember to use the stomach pump when fishing gets hard.

Don't watch your backcast it causes neck pain.

Thats all I can think of for now

Almost forgot steelhead are alot of fun!

[Devin Olsen]

Here's what I can think of right now

From Poland: 1. Though a downstream dry fly drift might be the most natural, grayling are hard to hook this way.
2. Never let a grayling get at all downstream of you if you want to land it.

From the America Cup: 1. Still have to do some work on a happy medium between managing slack and getting the best possible drift while nymphing. Improved afterward but have to commit it to complete habit for comps.

Stillwater: I need to figure out how to get fish to eat suspender style pupae. Too many fish eating midges in the film and not enough positive reaction especially with the way suspenders are lauded across the pond. Overall, more work needed on risers.

Random: Know when catching enough steelhead is enough as pushing it will contribute to tendinitis that will send you to the orthopedist and make fishing much more painful.

[Sean Crocker]

Here is my 2cents for 2010
1. When you get to your beat don't rush to get your line wet. Take the time allowed to look at the water and get a game plan.

2. Keep an eye on your controller, don't assume they know where to be. I had one walk right through the run i was going to fish while I was fixing my leader.

3. When running back to your controller with your fish don't thrash the water too much. I scattered a bunch of fish on a tough beat this way.

4. I lost allot of fish on streamers getting them to the net. I really need to work on my conversion rate.

Well I guess its time to practice

[Paul Bourcq]

Things im working on.

1. Trust your gut.  In the cup i stayed on certain runs too long when my gut told me to fish the shallow C-water that was probably missed.  Once I switched to the shallow (>6inches) i caught 4 fish in my last 10 minutes. 

2. Trying to "detune" my nymph reflexs vs. my dry fly reflexes.  I missed 3 fish on a tough session on the Blue at the Cup on a small Baetis dry by ripping it out of its mouth early.  Which brings me to my next point.

3. Fish dries downstrem more.

4. opposite hand fishing.

5. longlining with various sinking lines.

[Jim Frazier]

devin ,

i would love to have a case of that tendinitus you mentioned ! i learned that i am NOT a fly designer and now after a massive house cleaning of my boxes i now have the general patterns i didn't want to use cause i wanted to find something different nobody else had ..now i realize the reason everyone else is using them is cause they work so damn well ! HAPPY NEW YEAR & TIGHT LINES !