Secret Weapon

I kick out and swing over to the spillway and the short stretch of shoreline next to it. This is a section that is at the end of my customary loop at Yellowwood, so I'm usually fishing this in the dark. There are fish in here then, but today, in broad daylight, I only manage a small bluegill.

I go back and start my loop. I play with that popper on down the shoreline with no results. But I enjoy the many tiger swallowtails attracted by the blooms on the water plants. 

I get to that stretch that has been full of suspicious splashes. Today I have a plan and a secret weapon. Success.

OK, a big purple worm may not be typically found on the end of a fly line. It may even seem to bend the rules regarding what is and is not fly fishing. But don't worry, these are Orvis worms.

No they aren't. They're Berkley worms. My son, who used these in Washington, has been telling me I should be fishing them. So I finally took him up on it and co-opted his supply.

I cross over and leave the worm on.

I find a couple of bass on this side, too. And I'm pretty sure some of those big bluegill over here are also giving that worm a pull.

At whip-poor-will time, I begin the kick in. It has been a productive afternoon on the water. The bass were on the small side, but they all knew how bass should act.

It makes me wonder again whether there are any bass in here of really good size. But I'm sure not ready to stop looking.