Theo’s been at it again. The early spring in Europe has the fish moving actively, and the anglers just as active in pursuit of them. The canal’s in Holland contain many northern pike, and they are a great fish to pursue with the fly rod. This 43-inch fish took a big streamer and fought powerfully. […]
The Polar Vortex rotated down over the US this year, giving Europe a very mild winter and early spring. Theo Bakelaar recently wrote that the daytime temperatures in Holland are near 70F, and the carp are moving into shallow water, seeking the warmth. Of course, that means carp fishing time. Carp are powerful brutes, and […]
Holland is warm enough that Theo could fish for pike this past weekend. And fish he did. The big female pike that he caught took his monster fly with gusto. And as Theo was unhooking the hungry female, he noted that it had a big fish in its gullet! That’s either hungry or greedy!
Fishing is in—at least in places where the night temperatures are not dropping to -40! Theo Bakelaar sent a great photo of a big rainbow that he took in a large Holland lake. The fish were exhibiting pre-spawn jumping activity, and it took an orange fly with a bead head—check out the fish’s mouth. Those […]
Northern pike occupy many waters in Europe and are great sport fish. Theo Bakelaar sent along some photos of a recent pike fishing outing in the small back channels off the canals in Holland. The pike take huge flies, and the challenge is to make true monster imitations without much weight, so they can be […]
Opportunistic feed is when fish literally eat whatever the opportunity provides. This is often the situation during periods between hatches. Selective feeding occurs whenever there is a super-abundance of one food type—such as occurs during a hatch. Then there is Semi-Selectivity. This is a type of opportunistic feeding during which fish feed preferentially on organisms […]
Fishing for cruising browns and rainbows in the near-shore shallows of lakes, like fishing for bones on the flats, is one of the most exciting of all fishing experiences. One sees the fish, one sees the take, and the fight is always fast and furious as the fish heads for deep water. It’s a time […]
My friend, Theo Bakelaar saw my notes on Argentina and the photos of me playing gaucho. He sent me a picture of a Holland gaucho with an average sized fish that they catch. Note, this fish was taken on a gold bead head fly–what else?
Our friend from Holland, Theo Baakelar, sent a picture of a pike that he recently caught. It definitely was turning up its nose at everyone else’s flies, but when Theo showed him the special pike flies that he uses, well, that pike just couldn’t refuse.
I asked Theo to please send along some shots of the long flies that they use for pike in Holland. He was kind enough to send them right back to me, along with some more pike photos. Note that these flies are big, as in really big, and have to be tied with plenty of […]