Lyndsey's First Solo Fishing Experience

I’ve just returned from my first Solo Fishing trip. I was so proud of myself. You have to understand that over the years I have been lucky enough to fish with many great fishermen out there. Travis (my husband), Sam Sickles, John Garrett, Greg Darling, Tom Larimer, Russel Kleppinger and Greg Dini just to mention a few. While I have been lucky enough to not only fish a little locally but to also travel to Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, Yellowstone, Montana and Idaho as well.

While I’m proud to say that I have fished with all of these guys and they have taken such good care of me that I am sad to say that I didn't even have to tie on my own flies.

Well this year I have been wanting to change that and the only way to do that is to get out there and fish!

Our son Austin, which if you follow our blog posts at all as you have seen he has really taken to fishing this past year. He is now 12 years old and earlier in the Summer we went float tubing together. It was a great day, I by far out fished him. But, he is really into his casting so I may not be fully knowledgeable I do know you will catch more fish when your fly is actually in the water…..but he was having fun and that is all that mattered.

So on Monday when my new Sage Trout LL 590-4 fly rod arrived I had to go and fish it!! So I decided it was time to make my first solo trip. After getting home from work I packed the car up with all of my gear and decided once the kids were off to school in the morning I would head out to Laurence Lake.

Once I arrived at the lake, I realized that I was the only angler out there, there were a couple of hunters but other than that I had this place all to myself. In the back of my head, thinking ...I have a whistle if something happens. But, who is going to hear it?? That was not going to stop me, everyone knew where I was and I was a pretty good swimmer. I came all this way to fish!

I pulled up and proceeded to inflate my Outcast float tube, I love this float tube as it’s so light and easy for me to pack around. Being that I am not even 5 foot tall all of this makes a difference.

I strapped Travis’s waist pack full of all of my stuff to the back of the float tube along with the net. Put my rod together, tied on my fly and proceeded to the edge of the water after putting my waders and boots on. The lake is very low at this time of year so the edge of the water is a bit muddy but I was able to find a spot to put in, get my fins on and I was ready to fish.

I had tied on the same fly that had worked for me so well last time. A wine colored woolly bugger ...Austin says it works for me because I enjoy drinking wine. Whatever the case may be, it works so I went back to it.

I proceeded to fish with it, made some casts then trolled with it for a bit. Had a light take down, then my rod buried and I missed him… So I continued to fish and paddle around for about 35 minutes with nothing. I reeled in only to realize I did not have a fly on any longer…..probably fished that whole time without a fly. At least I was getting good exercise and it was a pretty day. All of the guys said it was a rookie mistake ...might have been but it will be the last time I do that. So I chalk it up to a learning experience.

After that I re-tied on the same fly and proceeded to fish for a while missed a couple of fish. Then I could hear some thunder rolling and the wind calmed down and the lake was so flat. It was quiet and I decided I should try to dry fly fish. I then changed my fly…..but I was having trouble. The knot was not holding. Why was it not working this time? I was thinking I was doing it the same way. I could not call anyone with no cell coverage, or ask since I was the only angler on the water. So I kept at it, finally. Got it to work and proceeded to dry fly fish. I missed a few more fish. Just not quite quick enough ...guess I will have to fish more to get better at that.

So I decided I was going to go back to my wine colored woolly bugger, it was getting later in the day and I had kids to pick up. Then after a couple of casts I hook into a fish. Land it, get some pictures. Then back to fishing! Almost immediately hooked another one. Got him to the boat and he was bigger and full of beauty. I had to get another picture...which is not the easiest but had to make sure that I had proof I actually caught fish. I ended up landing a couple more and then it was time to pack up and pick up kids.

Learning to do this on my own gave me great confidence. I’m excited for this new journey and look forward to my next fishing trip!
Cheers,
Lyndsey!