Today was a good day.

Tackle: Ross Flyrise 1.5, Greys GR30 5wt, Rio Connect-core Type III full sink, various custom flies

Funny pre-story: Had a job interview today, and it was about 1/3 of the way to Pass Lake, so why not bring my fishing gear with me? I got all formal like and loaded up my gear.

After a raging success in the interview booth, I moseyed to my parked truck, and quickly changed into my alter-ego: Fishing Ian (couldn't think of a better superhero name). It reminds me of a typical superhero movie. Anyways, I found it funny.

I got to Pass Lake at around 11:15 (late for me) and launched my vessel. 10-15mph crosswinds made casting and managing a pontoon difficult, and line tangles abounded as I do not have a proper fly fishing setup for my boat yet. The fly I started with was my rendition of the Pass Lake Minnow, a 2-inch rabbit-backed fly.

While casting to the shoreline, A massive wad of tangled line halted my progress, but 40 feet of line still casted and lay in the lake. I pedaled backwards with my fins (very useful for pontoon anglers too) to combat the wind, and while working on the gnarly tangle, my rod buried into the green waters and I saluted its charge with a hookset. This fish was a 19" Rainbow, a beautiful specimen. I don't feel like I deserved that one, I couldn't even manage my line properly. But I'm not complaining.

I worked out a better strategy and was soon able to start covering water effectively. I got one more 16" bow on the PLM, casting and stripping quickly back to the boat. I lost the fly in a tree overhang- making difficult casts is the name of the game, as these fish will tuck right up to the shoreline.

I switched to another Rabbit-backed fly, a 2 1/2" White streamer without a proper name. As I unsnagged the fly from a sunken log, I tossed it to the side into the water about five feet from my boat. Out of nowhere, a 20"+ Brown charges the fly as it sinks and nails it, but my hookset (somehow!) fails to connect. Disappointing.

Casting to the shore yielded three more rainbows of 17"-20", all super healthy, beautiful, and hard fighting fish. I forgot how much fun it is to fight these fish on a fly rod. All the while I battled the wind and line tangles, bottom snags, etc. It was one of the most frustrating days due to the hardships of controlling rouge fly line and snags and wind, but also one of the most rewarding. I was ushered off of the water by storm clouds and left around 7:00. A long day of pedaling, rowing, casting, stripping... I was worn out!

Side note: There are two Bald Eagles at Pass Lake. Anyone who has fished the lake likely knows about them. They love to swoop up fish that anglers are fighting. I had to fight one off as I brought a fish to the net: It hovered about 20 feet above me but I shoo'd it away with a million curse words and a death stare right into his greedy yellow eyes.

The pictures don't do the fish a justice. They are all big, beautiful fish. The coloration is unlike anything I've seen anywhere. With water temps at 67 today, and rising as summer goes on, take the time to revive your fish.

Give it to 'em.

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