Last week Jake started a series of posts about what it takes to be “fishy”. I wanted to include one of the biggest tips that I feel has elevated my fishing game and has made me even more “fishy”.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX!
When I first started getting serious about the fishing game, a employee at one of our local shops, Willy, told me I needed to think outside the box and go against the grain sometimes. That advice was given to me four years ago.
Since then, when I’m having one of those days on the water, I pull out the box and tie on the fly that has sat there for a couple of seasons. I have no “faith” in it and could care less if I loose it. I’ll start casting closer to the bank, fishing in poor water (does that even exist in Montana!?) or add more split shot to really drag the bottom of my nymph rig. Hell, I’ll throw a articulated streamer at noon in July.
Just last summer, I watched my cousin hook and land a 24″ brown, at 1pm, on the Yellowstone, in July, on a caddis, in a foot of water! That was thinking outside the box! About 5 minutes before he hooked the fish, he said “I doubt anyone fishes this water. Don’t front row, lets fish it.”
I’m not saying to throw a grasshopper during the Mother Day Caddis hatch on the ‘Stone. But change it up and show the fish something they don’t see from every boat or wade fisherman.
So to end this, when the fishing sucks, tie on something funky or flashy, fish water you’d usually pass on, maybe put split shot on by your hopper and sink it a bit or bust out the 8 weight and throw some meat in the sun!!
