One day wonder

Saturday we had some people coming to our Nook, accommodation. Finnish couple, I took them and explained how things work in Nook. Just before leaving I told them that there is possibility that flying ants will flock around Nook in the evening if wind and rain stops. No reason to be worried just that you know if it will happen as it is always around mid August.

I went home and forgot whole thing. Sunday was slow morning for me, breakfast and coffee no rush. Weather looked okay as not raining anymore. I went shortly to farm and met couple with Satu, had short talk with them before they need to continue their trip. Satu suggest that I should go fishing as she would like to have some fish to eat on coming week. So that would mean fishing in our lake for rainbow trout. I went to see how it looks, and it looked good, rising fish there and there. There was something floating in some areas as ferry... so hatch or something was going on. 

Fast back home to eat some lunch and had cup coffee as I knew I might spend some time at lake. When I arrived back to lake some wind had come, yet not bad at all. I saw lot of rising fish and my plan was to take boat. That plan changed fast, as some fish start to feast close to fishing deck. I saw some small dark things on surface so I tied brown Dynamite Harry size 20 on line.

I have never been so fast to set up rod... I was like robot, fast and accurate, I was worried that I miss the whole scene. Closest fish were rising about 10 meters from deck, I made cast and other one, it was accuracy game now. Suddenly one fish started to rise about 5 meters from deck even closer, I made cast and got rise. I saw head coming and mouth taking fly, I set the hook carefully as fish was so close, I set hook too carefully as after short period it came off.

I made few longer casts as some fish rising there yet it was time to take boat. Main event was easier to reach with boat. When turning boat I saw a lot of flying ants around and against boat. And that didn't ring any bell up there.

I took boat and moved in area where fish were rising, drop anchor and started to fish. Quite fast I got fish rising on fly, I didn't see that coming as I was just looking around where they rise, yet I heard it and hook it. Nice fight and we had fish for two days to eat.

I continued fishing with Dynamite harry, I got rise yet it was rejection just under fly. So it was time to change fly. My first choice was  gnat size 18, they gave no interest on that. Then I saw some flying ants on surface and finally something connected up in head. Now I started to look flying ant imitation, I knew I have one or two yet couldn't find exact one so I went something look-alike. It didn't work.

Rises where getting less and less. Now it was basically accuracy and speed practise, I was not worried about catching fish. I wanted to train in real life simulation with accuracy etc. Wind started to rise more and it was killing even more the rises. Some rising fish on edge of wind, I changed fly again, no result, so still practice session.  Distance and accuracy, sideway accuracy was good but distance was always short on first cast as I didn't do false casting to get right length, it was more like estimate during first false and shoot. 

Wind got heavier, rises vanished. One day wonder was gone. I had great time for few hours, not only fishing but also casting practise in real life simulation where I don't care about if I catch. 

Each year these flying ants comes, it is always mid August or right after that. I have seen them often in the Nook flocking in August, and always missed them on lake. Now I was there, even little late yet still there.

Flocking flying ants are one day wonder here, if lucky two days. I cross fingers that they will do it again during weekend when rain is gone, yet I don't put much hope on that.

It was great one day wonder-day at lake. Now it is raining yet no wind, I think I go to check our lake if something is going on.

Have a nice weekend and go fishing

Mika the Legend