February - Tenkara

[DanMarino]

Last weekend I got my January Tenkara fish, yesterday I caught my February one.
I went here. Used these. Caught this.
The river is still cold. I had hip waders on and didn't get in past my knees. Most of the time I was about shin deep. This was around 4PM. I noted some minnows in the gravely rapids that were scooting about on the bottom. Not sure what species they were. Only caught this one fallfish.

[Mark]

Tom,

Indeed, we finally have coldwater fishing opportunities.

After not fishing at all in January, primarily due to poor weather, I visited two different Eastern Shore ponds, one in Maryland and one in Delaware on 1 and 4 February respectivley.

I fished exclusively with flies from my kayak at both locations -- Bendback Minnows, Crystal Buggers and Articulated Crystal Buggers

The Maryland pond was stingy allowing me to catch only two 17-inch picks and a 9-inch golden shiner.

The Delaware pond was more generous. I caught 11 chain pickerels and two largmouth bass. But again the picks were small with none exceeding 18-inches and couple that were a mere 10.5 inches. I must have been fishing in a pickerel nursey! I moved on.

My last fish of the the day was this 15-inch bass that hit an articulated crystal bugger:

IMG_7017.jpg

After boating the bass, and with the sun dropping behind the trees, I paddled back to the ramp.

I had joined fellow FSFF anglers in Delaware. A few of them caught crappies in addition to pickerels and bass. The water temperature was 43 degrees.

It was a good day for us.

[DanMarino]

That is a great trip report Mark. Between Halloween and April fools day, I'm happy to catch just one fish on any outing. You had a bunch of action.

Hopefully the shad season will start up early this year and I can try to land a few.