Strikeout. Goose eggs. Whatever you choose to call it, a skunk by any other name still stinks. And I’m no stranger to defeat, especially when visiting the evil and cold-hearted temptress known as the Yakima River. Because of that I’m always looking for something to increase my odds of success reduce my odds of failure. Shy of power bait, I’ve not come up with many solutions.
However, I recently stumbled upon (not using Stumbleupon.com, mind you, but rather just surfing the old-fashioned way) something I felt compelled to share with the ten of you.
Something about this pattern stinks.
The image comes from a website titled, PikeFlyFishingArticles.com. Now, I’m not a pike fisherman. Never even seen one of those toothy critters, although I did fish the lower Bitterroot River this summer, where Pike are known to be found. I did not find one. But to say I got skunked while pike fishing would not be accurate, either. We were fishing for trout, in water that just happened to also have pike. I did not get skunked while trout fishing, fyi.
One look at the “Feathered BW Streamer” tells me two things: First, while descriptive, it was misnamed; and secondly, it looks like a pattern that would catch fish. Big fish. After all, it takes a big fish to munch on an animal the size of a skunk. Even a baby skunk would be a mouthful for all but the nastiest of carnivorous trouts, like, say, a Hawg Brown.
I realize that using artificial scent on an artificial fly is either illegal (depending on regulations) or at the very least frowned heavily upon, but a little dab of something from the south end of a skunk would really be icing on the cake when fishing with the Skunk Express “Feathered BW Streamer”. Luckily you won’t have to go out and harvest the stuff yourself–you can buy it in a bottle. I imagine you wouldn’t want to spill this stuff in your waders, so be careful when you use it.
The best way to fight fire is with fire. The same should work for fending off a skunk, right?
This puts an interesting twist on “matching the hatch.” Good stuff.
It’s what we do, isn’t it, Jay? Match the hatch? Maybe we shouldn’t always strive for perfection…thanks for stopping by.
sure looks skunky!
Admit it, Mike- you’re gonna tie some up. Aren’t you.
One question…is this Hawg-Brown approved?
I doubt it. That guy, or fish, or whatever–is an ass.
Now that isn’t coming on the clearwater trip….is it? Unless you want to dump some in the ‘roe’ boat.
No, but I may bring bananas. I hear bananas are OK to have on the boat.
Please bring bananas. I want to hear about it. Just make sure to wear your PFD.
I’m a big fan of bananas, Fred. They ward off the cramps. Admittedly the peels can be slippery when stepped on, even with felt soles, so I never bring them near a boat. I know better.
I cant believe I got this website. Thought I googled Skanks..
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You’re a lousy fisherman. I don’t understand why you would think that a skunk is something you could ever hope to avoid?
You’re an ass.
Right. Makes sense enough to me. And now I want a baby skunk…
They’re so cute when they’re little. Then they just grow up to be skunks. I wonder if they stink when they’re baby’s- even just a little?
I think you’re on to something…I can see it now, throngs of shoulder to shoulder fly fisherman lined up on the banks of the Yak, all dunking the skunk in search of Roderick…
I see this as a very real, and likely, possibility Sanders. However, with one caveat: the Yakima has no browns, let alone Hawg-Browns. It contains wild rainbows and native cutts in decent numbers, and a brookie has been caught from her cold waters as well. But no browns. I wish it did. Oh, and she has plenty of whities, too. And a few squawfish.