I think it’s very insightful to watch how fish behave in rivers. Where there is no bugs and it’s cold they just conserve energy. When bugs appear they wake up and eat.
It’s not just rivers of course and it must be the same on lakes too. Which makes you realise how important being there at the right time is.
Grayling were feeding in the morning today but they shut down all afternoon. I managed to catch a couple of decemt ones at last knockings. But for most of the day I might have as well been fishing in a field.
Cheers, Paul
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
Really great to be back in Bosnia by the way. I’ve often considered if I make this one of my learning curves in FFing. Learn the lingo. Very manshit world. Here or Russia maybe.
It’s going to be difficult growing old. Imagine being 70, and having just sailed and fly fished the world for 15 yrs. What next? Done Stillwater Trout, NZ, Jungle Malaysia and Imaginary SW by then. Maybe a fishing lodge somewhere?
On the other hand, maybe I can fit two more learning curves in. With lodges
Here in Bosnia I learn a lot and the fishing is excellent - the most technical in Europe - and maybe worldwide. But the fishing in Malaysia is a 1000 times bettter. I suspect that the FFing I have right now in Malaysia is probably the best fly fishing in the world. It’s raw, uncut, unchartered. The difference is like being dropped on the moon.
Anyway fishing tomorrow with a master.
Cheers, Paul
It’s going to be difficult growing old. Imagine being 70, and having just sailed and fly fished the world for 15 yrs. What next? Done Stillwater Trout, NZ, Jungle Malaysia and Imaginary SW by then. Maybe a fishing lodge somewhere?
On the other hand, maybe I can fit two more learning curves in. With lodges
Here in Bosnia I learn a lot and the fishing is excellent - the most technical in Europe - and maybe worldwide. But the fishing in Malaysia is a 1000 times bettter. I suspect that the FFing I have right now in Malaysia is probably the best fly fishing in the world. It’s raw, uncut, unchartered. The difference is like being dropped on the moon.
Anyway fishing tomorrow with a master.
Cheers, Paul
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
I've always wondered about this. A few times (4) twice in US twice in NZ I've spotted a fish not moving. Put a "perfect" cast over it. No eat. Switch flies and repeat...no eat. After getting frustrated I've walked up very slowly behind the fish and gotten close enough to net it before it scurries away. I've always figured these fish were sleeping...
PS none of this was during spawning times so theres no way the fish were spawned out and sulking and all of these fish looked like they were in great condition when the swam away..
PS none of this was during spawning times so theres no way the fish were spawned out and sulking and all of these fish looked like they were in great condition when the swam away..
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
Zeljko once told me with big grayling he sometimes goes and wakes them up - ie spooks them - follows them, lets them eat a few times and catches them!
I’ve regular seen browns “sleeping” in NZ on flats during the day. I’ve woken them up too, but never caught them afterwards!
Cheers, Paul
I’ve regular seen browns “sleeping” in NZ on flats during the day. I’ve woken them up too, but never caught them afterwards!
Cheers, Paul
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
I remember seeing a good sized Grayling drifting downstream, gently turning with the current, on the R Lathkill (Derbyshire, UK). My only explanation was it was napping.
I almost stood on a big Brown Trout in very shallow pocket water in NZ around midday: not sure which of us was most surprised
I almost stood on a big Brown Trout in very shallow pocket water in NZ around midday: not sure which of us was most surprised
Interesting how much fish sleep!
Steelhead do it too. There’s a video somewhere of Jim Teeny throwing rocks at them to wake them up and subsequently catching them. I though it was a complete joke - until the first time I did it!
Seen fish sleeping in NZ too. Caught one by throwing tiny pebbles near to it until it woke up, then fed it a dry fly. Caught another by drifting a nymph right into its mouth. That woke it up. I don’t think it counts as a fair catch though.
N.
Seen fish sleeping in NZ too. Caught one by throwing tiny pebbles near to it until it woke up, then fed it a dry fly. Caught another by drifting a nymph right into its mouth. That woke it up. I don’t think it counts as a fair catch though.
N.
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Interesting how much fish sleep!
One would think that in this state they would expend very little energy. It always amazes me when I see a river in flood, with boulders and trees being washed down the river, thunderous noise, dirty thick brown water for days on end, flood is over and the fish are back to normal. What sheer hell it must be. The browns in NZ I've often found laid up in backwaters, or hidden amongst rocks in the edges (have caught them many times too!) but the rainbows just disappear. Maybe they're down there eating worms and dodging boulders!
I suspect that one of the reasons that there are so few fish in NZ backcountry is not because of poor spawning, but because there are not many safe havens from huge spates.
Cheers, Paul
I suspect that one of the reasons that there are so few fish in NZ backcountry is not because of poor spawning, but because there are not many safe havens from huge spates.
Cheers, Paul
Interesting how much fish sleep!
Interesting theory!Paul Arden wrote:
I suspect that one of the reasons that there are so few fish in NZ backcountry is not because of poor spawning, but because there are not many safe havens from huge spates.
Cheers, Paul
I have also wondered why the fish populations in NZ rivers are like they are. Possibly a subject for a new thread.