    
Capt. Scott Sparrow
Unregistered guest
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 | | Posted on Monday, October 22, 2001 - 9:43 pm: | |
The high tides of September and October are finally giving way to average waterlevels, making the task of finding and sight casting to visible fish a bit easier. We have had four cold fronts, which is above average for this time of the year. These fronts typically blow out the fishing for the first day, make it challenging on the second day, and give way to "story-book,"unforgettable fly fishing on the third day, as the winds typically die and give way to the rapid warming of the air and water.
When the waters warm, the game fish spread out onto the shallowest flats. The challenge is stalking individual fish in a foot of gin-clear water, under full-sun conditions. It is both an ideal and a curse to have such great "visuals," for the fish benefit from the conditions,too. The fish seem to be feeding on: lug worms that burrow into the sand, shrimp; and small crabs. In areas where the finger mullet are thick, you will also hear the unimistakable explosions of reds attacking these three-inch morsels in the early morning stillness.
Fly Patterns: We've still been using tiny topwaters as an attractor in areas where the reds and trout are thick, but not showing us anything. Sight casting accounts for 90% of what we do, but in calm, early morning conditions where the fish are not showing, we can often draw strikes from 8-10 feet away with a small, but noisy topwater that lands quietly, but speaks loudly. I use a VIP popper that I've evolved over the years into a fly that I'd choose above all else for both major species down here. Instructions for tying this fly is at the Kingfisher website, www.lagunamadre.net, and e-mail me if you have any questions.
Later in the day, lightweight shrimp and glass minnow-type patterns are preferable out on the east flats for catching trout and reds. Ladyfish -- a magnificent fighter that likes a fast-moving flashy fly -- are still cruising with the game fish, but will soon be leaving the Bay as the water temperatures drop into the 70s. As usual, I use a Mother's Day shrimp pattern for most subsurface applications on the lower Laguna -- a pattern that, once again, has evolved over many years of fishing my home waters. Instructions are at our website for this fly, too. My friend Fred Arbona, who fishes on the "white sand" on the east side of the lower Laguna most of the time, favors a mylar minnow with a flourescent red head. This allows him to see the fly in relation to a pursuing fish, and to know what to do to draw a strike. and rewarding in the fight.
14-Day Forecast: The Carribean-like "white sand" is heating up with cruising reds and numerous big trout under optimum sight casting condition. Water levels are near-perfect for the resumption of tailing action on the west side, and in the grassy areas of the east side. and rewarding in the fight.
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