I know most of my posts are about brook trout and small streams but there is another side to my fishing. I will seek and I must say be surprised by some of these fish as to where I catch them. As to favorites I will say brookies are number one but a close second is the sunfish. The pumpkinseed you see in the first photo can rival the brookie both in color and fighting ability. These fish will bend your rods. Most times I will choose a pond or lake to fish for sunfish but I have taken them in small streams right along with brookies.
While you can take brookies on an assortment of flies, dries, nymphs, and even streamers I think the best offerings are soft hackle flies. Drifted, twitched on just allowed to sink to the bottom and then moved ever so slightly will bring a a severe strike.
The "redfin pickerel"...I love these guys. Most times when I fish slower pools with a bit of underwater vegetation I'll catch a redfin. The one in the photo is about as large as I've ever taken. I find these in brook trout streams. They are lightning fast and strike the fly hard.
The Red and White bucktail is a god fly for the redfin. The same colors as the Dardevle spoon, which I consider the best pickerel lure ever.
Pan fried rib pork chop with green peppers and onions and a few tomatoes.
beautiful specimens and a good option also to catch another type of fish from time to time ... Bon Appetit Alan ...
ReplyDeleteArmando Milosevic
ReplyDeleteThanks
Armando they are a good choice when not trout fishing. Eat well my friend.
Alan
ReplyDeleteWhat a healthy meal----thanks for sharing the image of the colorful Pumpkinseed gill, which is a rare find fishing Smith Lake here.
Bill Trussell
DeleteThanks
Bill when native veggies are in season you'll find them on my plate. Pumpkinseeds are a colorful breed.
G'Day Alan,
ReplyDeleteThat redfin pickerel looks an interesting little fish--like a mini pike. There have been many European and American fish introduced into Australia--trout, salmon and many species of "coarse" fish as they get called in the UK but no pike.
The pork chops with vegies looks delicious. I slow roast pork chops and just have them with some fried caramelized onions.
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve
DeleteThanks
Steve the redfin is in the pike family but never does it get very large. Fish breeds that became naturalized.
Caramelized onions are to die for.
Nice redfin pickerel! I see them occasionally (usually as they are darting away) but have never caught one. Do you sometimes catch them on soft hackles? Or only on streamers?
ReplyDeleteShawn
DeleteThanks
Shawn they spook quickly. I don't catch very many of them, I'm certain a few have hit my soft hackles. My success with them usually comes with small streamers and the "pinkie"....
Alan,
ReplyDeleteI am really enjoying your posts lately and always of course especially this one! From the awesome pumkinseed to the delicious looking pork chops with peppers, onions, and tomatoes! Yum! You indeed live simply and well!
The red fin pickerel is an interesting fellow! If he's anything at all like his larger cousins, he will fight hard and smart!
Fascinating posts Alan! Please keep them coming!
Doug
Dougsden
DeleteThanks
Doug I can't remember the chef that said good food is no expensive food, and the way it's cooked need not be elaborate. I think that chef was my mom.
Echo all of the above, great post, great change of pace I need to catch a redfin and I swear I can smell those pork chops, peppers and onions sizzling in my cast iron frying pan.
ReplyDeleteAdd the summer homegrown tomatoes from a roadside stand “pay what you want” put it in the Ball jar.
Kevin
Ned Zeppelin
DeleteThanks
Kevin, cast iron frying is the "best". I have a little Lodge cast iron fry pan and I cook almost everything in it. It does a great job with corn bread. I love tomatoes, must be the Italian in me.... Next time get your self some "ripe" tomatoes maybe a half dozen, cut them in small wedges. Take several cloves of garlic and slice them thinly. In your fry pan put enough olive oil to cover the bottom and a bit more. Place the garlic in the oil and cook it until soft, do not bur it. Remove the pan from the heat and put in you tomatoes place the pan on the heat at a low heat stir the tomatoes until soft. Add salt to taste, black pepper, crushed red pepper, a sprinkle of oregano and some grated romano. Now this can be served over pasta, and it's awesome when placed on a crusty sub roll.
I had to do a double take on that redfin pic. What a crazy looking fish! I've never heard of that one.
ReplyDelete