The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-07-04
Let's Go Fishing |
FLY ROD FAILS
WRITER; SHORT
POLE SUCCESS
Champion of Casting Art
Wins Temporary Edge
in Argument.
BY GEORGE H. DENNY
Times Fishing Editor


In all fairness to the boys that
have been kidding me about my
devotion to the fly rod for bass
fishing, I'll have to admit the long
rod didn't work so we'll on a recent
trip to the Tippecanoe river.
I made the journey with an ex-
ponent of the casting school and
I wanted. more than little, 10
show him what happens when two
or three pounds of river small
mouth squares off against five and
one sixth ounces of nine-foot Tom
kin cane.
Not that he doubted that the re-
suit would be all the sport that
I claimed. In fact, he indicated
that it might be more than the
f1imsy weapon and tapered nine
foot leader would stand.
But settlement of the argument
will have to wait for another trip.
because every fly. bucktail and
spinner combination in my box was
spurned in favor of my partners
porkrind lures until I joined him
with the short rod to keep from
being whitewashed.
That was the first time I've failed
to take at least one bass on a fly
in the Tippecanoe and natives
assured us that more anglers are
using this method each year. and
with consistently fine results.
A four-pound pike was taken
that day on a fly rod near where
we fished. We didn't see it but we
talked to the lucky man and he
was nightly pleased with the
scrap the twenty-eight inch warrior
gave him.
These river pike are the true
great northern variety and not
pickerel. Anglers of the region
have checked this fact with the
conservation department..
Soft craws are the favorite live
bait on the Tippecanoe at this time.
The idea is to throw it across cur
rent and work it down with short
jerks. Bass and red eye can't let
the morsels get past as several good
catches testified.
The disadvantage of soft craW
fishing is that many underSize fish
are hooked, often too deeply to live
after being released. For the sake Of
fish popula lion of the future, use
a large hook and hit the bass in
stantly at the start of the second
run. before the bait is deep in his
throat.
Speaking of redeyes, me coura-
geous specimen came at from UNI
der a log and fought a losing war
with a spinner and porkrind lure a
scant inch shorter than he. And
we saw a channel cat that was sure
ly a six-pounder that had been
coaXed from the weeds by a silver
spoon. Anything can happen on the
Tippecanoe.
Detective Chief Fred Simon, just
back from a few days at Little
Chapman lake, made quite a bit
fishing hay, but not while the SUI
was shining. Results were best late
in the evening and early in the
morning.
But the chief, a ,star caster, had to
fall back on live minnoWs dropped
on the edge of weed beds for most
of his seventeen bass. Then just
to show that he hadn't forgotten
how, he slipped down to Flat Rock
creek and took five nice ones by his
pet method.
This department needs and wel-S
comes contributions. Fire in youj
unusual angling experiences, bait
ties with big fish, or any tricks q !
kinks that have proved successful Z
Also, We'll try to answer yol E
queries about fish and fishing. Y
may not know offhand, but '
i