98th Species and the Countdown is On

Today was the DFF outing to the Brazos River.  Several attendees cancelled due to the rains that moved in 13 hours early.  It wasn't a heavy rain, a hard rain, or falling fast enough to raise the river water levels.  It did affect the water clarity, so it was a mostly blind casting kind of day.  That was okay by me, as I hooked five species, landing four, and none were Sunfish, except the odd Largemouth Bass that has a possible distended jaw and no traditional LMB markings.

I had seen what I though was a carp playing about in skinny water near downed trees holding on the upstream side of a bridge pillar.  I targeted it, but no luck, so I began fishing the waters behind a big boulder.  Nip, nip then a pick up and recast, and BAM, FishOn.  It what was a serious comedy of errors, I somehow managed to land the Bigmouth Buffalo and snap photos.  Still amazed the fish didn't come unbuttoned, but it didn't, and so, I hit the 98 mark.  I added a White Bass, a Channel Catfish, and a strangely marked Largemouth Bass, and then targeted one and enjoyed six additional hook-ups with Spotted Gar.  It was a marvelous day on the water!

LLELA

 The Dallas Fly Fishers held a Basic Fly Fishing Education class today at the Lake Lewisville Environmental Learning Area.  I brought my fishing rig to target those carp and buffalo that abound in the Lake Lewisville Tailrace.  I had targeted these species in the Spring after our entomology day but came up empty handed.

These species are everywhere, take just a bit to spook, and I don't think it was possible for me to catch one after the fiasco in the spring.

I fished for two-and-a-half hours before giving up and calling last cast.  I had hooked several, spooked dozens several times over, but I just wasn't feeling the love.  I used a brass conehead CodyBugger, cast one last time where I began my casting that day and yielded nothing for my efforts.

I don't know why now or what the combination was, but it was FIshOn!  Several others watched who had also fished for these oh so picky fish and hollered congratulations form the shore.

I netted it and took a weak selfie and added my 96th species to the list!