# Perfect Storm



## flyfishingmike (Nov 26, 2010)

Every now and then it all comes together . . . the weather . . . the water . . . the fish are in some kind of cosmic collision, and it all turns on. Today was that day.

Hit the San Marcos river about noon. The sun was shining, but clouds were building to the south. Checked the radar and weather report and it all looked good. Paddled my Diablo upriver from a gravel bar, headed upstream. Got out at the first riffle and pulled the kayak after me. Somehow, my 3wt rod tip got tangled and was suddenly modified from 7'6" to about 6'9". A quick surgical removal of another couple of inches and the third eye down became the new tip.

After a couple of practice casts, it was ready to go. A minute or so later and a fat bluegill attacked the fly. Then a Guadalupe bass smashed the popper/dropper. A big redbreast sunfish was next . . . then a beautiful Rio Grande cichlid. Fish were competing for the fly on just about every cast.

The 5wt, 8ft Pflueger was called off the bench and put into action. A larger popper/dropper was rigged to see if the bigger fish were active. Bam, a nice largemouth hit it right away, and a companion chased it back to the kayak. Another Guadalupe bass was next. 

Rounding a curve in the river, a log jam practically shouted out "FISH HERE". It looked like someone flushed the toilet when the popper hit the water. A silver grey swirl inhaled the fly and the biggest Rio Grande cichlid I have ever seen bent my rod in half. After a frantic fight, and a few quick photos, the monster was released to keep that gene pool going. Massive fish. 

About two hours into the paddle, I heard thunder over my shoulder and looked around to see what was up. The sky was as black as midnight and lightning bolts lit up the horizon. My pickup truck was downstream, in the direction of the storm. I got halfway there when the wind hit. It had to be at least fifty miles an hour, right in my face. Tree limbs were snapping off and falling into the water ahead of me. The river was only thirty feet wide, and there were whitecaps on the water.

Pulling in as close to the bank as possible, where the current is the fastest, I paddled hard into the wind. Down a rocky chute and into a pool of frothy water, my truck popped into view. A couple minutes later I was sitting in the front seat, catching my breath. WOW! That was close.

After strapping the kayak in the truck bed, and stowing my gear, it was time to get out of there. A big ugly cottonmouth stretched across the river bank in front of me. Thump - thump. Backing up, just to make sure . . . . yeh, the big pit viper head, yellow crescent cheeks, and black stubby body gave a positive ID to mister water moccasin. 

Today was the Perfect Storm. 

A day to remember.

Let's go fishing.


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## Meadowlark (Jul 19, 2008)

Great story...and pictures. How would you describe the fight of those cichlides? Interesting fish.


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

Now that sounds like a great day on the water. Congrats.


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## CFKBig57 (Apr 18, 2013)

awesome story! that sir is a big cichlid. coulda been a record. great pics as well. Hit em again tomorrow!


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## atxgolfer (May 27, 2013)

Wow, looks like you had a great day, looking at those fish had me ready to go try and fish the river myself but then i read your last sentence about the Water Moccasin and it gave me chills


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## flyfishingmike (Nov 26, 2010)

Cichlids are awesome fish . . . . then again, most fish are awesome. They are unique among our Hill Country pescados, not a sunfish, not a bass, not a catfish. Some folks call them "Rio Grande perch". 

They are heavy and thick. They strike with a swirl and go down for cover. If you can get their head turned to you, they wear down pretty quickly. If these guys fought like a sunfish their size, you would probably lose most of them.

From now on, I will target catch and release records . . . . and there was no one with me to witness the live release. (already have the fly rod water body record)

Thousands of trips fishing the Hill Country rivers, and plenty of snakes . . . . not once have they been aggressive with me. 

I have been "concerned" a couple of times when they (cotton mouth moccasins) got too close.

Can't fish in your living room.


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## CFKBig57 (Apr 18, 2013)

Rios are very beautiful fish indeed. Never caught one, but if i make a trip to san antonio, i will target some on the fly. Sunfish, ounce for ounce, i think are the hardest fighting freshwater fish. 
If a bluegill got up to 5 pounds, you would need a landing net and loose drag!


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## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Great story & pic....Congrats!


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## Unbound (Jul 12, 2004)

Hope you don't mind my saying, but it does look like that 3 wt had a few miles on it, and judging by your past posts it appears to have caught it's moneys worth of fish. 

It would be fun to start a new post on what new rod to buy and **** off Billy Baroo.


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## flyfishingmike (Nov 26, 2010)

Unbound said:


> Hope you don't mind my saying, but it does look like that 3 wt had a few miles on it, and judging by your past posts it appears to have caught it's moneys worth of fish.
> 
> It would be fun to start a new post on what new rod to buy and **** off Billy Baroo.


That 3wt had caught thousands of fish, including a 9.05 pound catfish. Too bad it broke on the kayak instead of fighting a fish. Still . . . . it was on the water, not sitting in a closet somewhere.

The new one went out with me yesterday.


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## CFKBig57 (Apr 18, 2013)

another awesome fish. i have the pfleuger 5 wt combo from BPS. i do want to get a smaller wt rod, when i get the money... oh and a kayak


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