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  #1  
Old 07-05-2017, 10:44 AM
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Doc Marshall Doc Marshall is offline
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Default Tough Day on the Caney

Hey Y'all,

Over the past two years, I've dropped bass fishing out of a kayak in favor of wading and fly fishing for trout.

I've gotten to the point where I can catch 20-30 fish on a good day on the Caney.

Well, the past few outings have been tougher (working harder for 5 - 10 fish). This past Monday I actually got skunked at Happy Hollow. That hasn't happened to me in a long, long time. Just about every other fly fisherman I spoke to was having similar trouble ("I've just about used every single fly I got in my box" was a common refrain). I didn't even see a lot of fish in the water.

I tried small midges (size 20) in zebra, olive, and red. I tried wooly buggers in olive, brown, and black.

Any suggestions on what I could try next (besides m80's)? I know presentation is key, but I wonder if I'm simply not throwing what they're eating.
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Old 07-05-2017, 10:51 AM
Aquaholic Aquaholic is offline
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I doubt it has much to do with fly choice, and has a lot more to do with the amount of kayaks running over those fish every single day. The trout can't settle down and get into a feeding rhythm because kayaks are going over them all day. My .02
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Old 07-05-2017, 10:57 AM
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That makes me feel better, but I assumed those fish were accustomed to the traffic!
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Old 07-05-2017, 11:58 AM
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We kayaked up there on Sunday with a large group. I caught a few but not near as I normal would. I was using TM's. This time of year my best advice is getting out there as soon as you can comfortably see to wade in.




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Old 07-05-2017, 01:10 PM
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Thanks for the tip. My dad is visiting from out of town tomorrow and I wanted to show him how great the Caney is (was). I think an early morning start will be key.
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Old 07-05-2017, 04:00 PM
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lforet2002 lforet2002 is offline
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Oh yeah its been tough for me too this year in the Caney. I've been fishing in the pond by the dam in my yak.. It was pretty good down there early spring but yes now that the yahoos have taken over the river the fishing is a lot tougher. Last year I did nothing but wading down at the rest stop and Betty's island where I caught much bigger fish with better numbers. Plus the yahoo traffic is considerably lighter as most of them pick up at Happy Hollow. I don't think I'm gonna fish above Happy hollow anymore this year till the cooler weather thins out the yahoos.
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Old 07-05-2017, 05:53 PM
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Pinwheeled Pinwheeled is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Doc Marshall View Post
Thanks for the tip. My dad is visiting from out of town tomorrow and I wanted to show him how great the Caney is (was). I think an early morning start will be key.


Early morning definitely helps but I still did decent up towards the dam yesterday after traffic picked up. I was throwing a double nymph rig with a #16 bead head sow bug and a #20 zebra midge. I'd say 75% of them took the sow bug. Caught a few on a white stick bugger too in shallower areas. Biggest was only 16 or 17" though.


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Old 07-06-2017, 07:49 AM
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Saltwaterwalt Saltwaterwalt is offline
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I like October on the Caney.
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  #9  
Old 07-06-2017, 09:10 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinwheeled View Post
Early morning definitely helps but I still did decent up towards the dam yesterday after traffic picked up. I was throwing a double nymph rig with a #16 bead head sow bug and a #20 zebra midge. I'd say 75% of them took the sow bug. Caught a few on a white stick bugger too in shallower areas. Biggest was only 16 or 17" though.


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That's a big help too. I usually have a size 20 midge floating under a scud/sow bug.

I hope the weather stays decent tomorrow!
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Old 07-06-2017, 11:54 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lforet2002 View Post
Oh yeah its been tough for me too this year in the Caney. I've been fishing in the pond by the dam in my yak.. It was pretty good down there early spring but yes now that the yahoos have taken over the river the fishing is a lot tougher. Last year I did nothing but wading down at the rest stop and Betty's island where I caught much bigger fish with better numbers. Plus the yahoo traffic is considerably lighter as most of them pick up at Happy Hollow. I don't think I'm gonna fish above Happy hollow anymore this year till the cooler weather thins out the yahoos.


It has been a little tougher up around the dam this year but there are still plenty of good ones up there. I need to do a float here soon. Plenty of good areas above Happy Hollow but I've mostly been fishing the pond and around Lancaster. This fish came from the pond last weekend. I'm usually gone before most of the kayaks hit the water or already headed downriver. I try to stay out ahead of them.





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  #11  
Old 07-06-2017, 03:33 PM
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NICE FISH!

The Caney is generating all day tomorrow (midnight to midnight), so that doesn't give us a lot of options for my day off. Elk is sluicing 2400 cfs too.

[long, low sigh]
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  #12  
Old 07-06-2017, 07:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinwheeled View Post
It has been a little tougher up around the dam this year but there are still plenty of good ones up there. I need to do a float here soon. Plenty of good areas above Happy Hollow but I've mostly been fishing the pond and around Lancaster. This fish came from the pond last weekend. I'm usually gone before most of the kayaks hit the water or already headed downriver. I try to stay out ahead of them.





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I assume your there well before sunrise??
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  #13  
Old 07-06-2017, 07:50 PM
daniel daniel is offline
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anyone seen the Caney today is it muddy below stonewall ?

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  #14  
Old 07-06-2017, 09:32 PM
tcintn tcintn is offline
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I usually fish up near the steps and then down toward the bluff on the right and every day there has been very rewarding.Large numbers with some big fish. All of the bigger fish were Browns accept for one very nice RB. I have been very encouraged by the numbers and size we have been catching lately. Great river we have.
Will leave in a few days for the Little Red in Ar then San Juan in NM and then a few places in Colorado. Life is good when old and retired.
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  #15  
Old 07-07-2017, 01:45 PM
lupanfreitag lupanfreitag is offline
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Default Past Sunday

I caught around 35.
Biggest bow 20"
Biggest Brown 19" X 2.
Lost another over 20". Jumped 5 feet in the air.
He got off but it was almost worth it.
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