Not a Bad Start

Thanks to the mild winter, my fly fishing got an early start this year.  As such, I’ve had some early successes and I hope that translates into good fishing all season long.  I’ve got some trips scheduled that should be great.  For now, though I’m very satisfy plying my local waters for the many species that swim there.

I’m a fly fishing list guy…I like to track how many different species of fish I’ve caught in a lifetime, a year or even a day.  My best day is eight different species.  I’ve caught at least 16 different species out of my home river, the Eno.  Periodically I get to travel and add species like bonefish or tarpon.  I’ve caught six different species of trout, four different species of black bass, nine species of sunfish, not to mention carp, chubs, suckers, various species of catfish all on a fly and fly rod.

I’m not trying to brag here…or maybe I am…but I’m intrigued with adding new species to my life list or seeing how many different species of fish I can catch on the fly each year.  So far 2012 is stacking up to be a good year for my species list.  To date I’ve caught chain pickerel, black crappie, white bass, bluegill and red breast sunfish…and we are just getting started.

Today I fished for white bass again, but had little luck…no white bass and no new species, just a bluegill and crappie.  Once the white bass run is done, I’ll focus on spawning runs of hickory shad and striped bass.  I’ll soon set my sights on largemouth bass from the Eno and my favorite the Roanoke Bass.  I’ll mix in trips to the mountains for native brookies , wild rainbows and browns.

There will be the inevitable trips for carp and of course one of my favorites smallmouth bass.  I’ll no doubt head to the coast and chase redfish, speckled trout, Spanish mackerel, and false albacore.  We’ve got a family trip planned to Colorado this summer…perhaps I’ll get a shot at one of the cutthroat species native to Colorado which would be new to my life list (I have caught the Snake River species).

So whether its bragging or not, I’m excited at the prospect of catching different species of fish on my fly rod.

This year is off to a good start.

And say…if find yourself in my neck of the woods, I’d like to challenge you to beat my one day total.  Are you up for it?  If you are, we’ll finish the day working on my other favorite list…different local brews.