Shiloh, Illinois

I wish I had filmed a release video for this guy! Took off like a rocket and shot himself up the other bank onto the shoreline! Had to flop around for a minute before he figured out which way it was the water and got back in. Comedy Gold.

This guy absolutely exploded on me right at the shoreline! Not much time for a fight, and I was using my angling rod so he would have lost anyway. The more I fish with my fly rod the more I get the ultralight movement. My ugly stik GXP is great, very sensitive, but once you get used to something like a fly rod it feels like a rod of iron. Still, no complaints. Lovely catch and a lot of fun. Beautiful day!

Last catch, biggest fight of the day! This guy put on real bursts of speed towards the center of the pond and I had to let him run and then bring him back several times. So much fun! I thought I had shot a video of a lovely release, but I guess I had my phone on picture instead of video. Alas!

I didn't take pictures of all of them but I caught about five blue wheel as well, I think this was the largest?

This guy gave me an awesome fight! Even briefly got me tangled on a snag but then I managed to get loose without losing the fish. Landing a fighter is so much fun on the fly rod! Just a ton of play in the rod itself allows you to really feel what the fish is up to and work him out of the water rather than just ripping him out.

Finally made it out to this pond that I have been meaning to hit for a while after I got permission. I did not know that you could catch catfish on the fly!

The picture doesn't do this beauty justice! It's like a pastel canary yellow!!! 😍

Guys, the sunfish at Three Springs are PRETTY!!!! 😍