Specks in the mac.

[AmateurHourAngling 49]

Went down to macintyre by the golf course last night and ended up catching a couple specks!

I thought they were little rainbow because I didn't think they were in there..but when I got home I had to google it to make sure..still couldn't figure it out

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

There are specks. I've only ever caught 6-10 inches. I got one this spring on a glo bug. I don't know if there is anything of size...

[pastor norm 125]

That's my old stomping grounds! Glad to know there's still specks in there. And George Burke Park up to Baloski's. Specks up to 14 inches --- but mostly 7-8". I think the limit was 15 fish at that time. We'd festoon a little tree with them for a stringer and we'd carry it around like we were real pros. We cleaned and ate each and every one of them, too. Those were the days before video games, cell phones and a catch and release mentality. You had to go fishing or "someone" would give a list of chores to do because in those days there was nothing worse than a kid sitting on his @%% all day. In fact, it's what drives me to the present day. I remember coming home and mom would be so proud and dad was wanting to wring my neck . I often wonder if there are kids fishing those sweet speck hideouts today.

[AmateurHourAngling 49]

Are you kidding! I would rather fish then play any kind of games

[Guest Wes]

Every spring I usually catch a decent Brookie or two. One this past spring was 19". Obviously a coaster. Brook Trout are far and few between during the run but in the summer I would imagine the little guys are plentiful. Just as Norm, I too would catch a pile of Brook Trout in the Current River as a kid. A lot ended up in my fry pan. I developed a C&R mentality at a young age out of necessity. I became bored of always catching my limit so I use to have a couple of different lengths of string hanging in my shed. I would grab one at random and take it with me fishing. The fish had to be the same length of my string before I would kill it. I still came home with my limit but much less frequent. It was a tough day when I brought the 12" string

"Always catching my limit" <- I'd say that would fall under the "Good problem to have" category.

Wes

[eddylives 99]

Ahh the good old days of creek and river specks..

From about 10 to 17-18 yrs old myself and a couple of buddy's lived on the local water within bycicle ride lol

Some of the best specks were caught in the current r and wow they were thick in the McIntyre up in the dog Lk road area

The only issue we had was the land owners chasing us off when they spotted us

One land owner actually booby trapped the river with a live extension cord he hid in the water in an area we would frequent and walk through .

We were wondering why our buddy started to make funny sounds and dance around when he stepped over a rock ......he stepped on a live wire hehe

Very dangerous but as a kid it was as funny as hell and we took turns walking to it until you started to tingle...unfortunately he stepped right on it and was zapped full force

Makes me want to go speck fishing there again and see if its still as good as it was back in the early 80's

[fisherdude 69]

There's tons of little specs and rainbows all throughout the river, and all other local rivers to. Great fun on the fly rod. Up past the highway is a lot better though. You can get small ones behind almost every rock in some spots on the Mac.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

May I ask what type of fly you use for these little specks? I'm new to the sport and am curious.

[kbrest 151]

Yah I hit a couple small specks int he Mac during the steelhead run. I usually will get surprised with one or two. Brodie try a black muddler minnow or deer hair muddler. They have worked for me in the Mac and current. I have not really tried to much else for flies for specks during summer, they hit on the yarn flies or nuke flies I was using during the spring run.

[kbrest 151]

Yah I hit a couple small specks int he Mac during the steelhead run. I usually will get surprised with one or two. Brodie try a black muddler minnow or deer hair muddler. They have worked for me in the Mac and current. I have not really tried to much else for flies for specks during summer, they hit on the yarn flies or nuke flies I was using during the spring run.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Right on. I'm gonna tie up a few muddlers

[pastor norm 125]

We would boast about catching a "footlin" speck and because we were principled young people we would have a minimum cut-off size of 6 inches (the fish, I mean). The biggest surprise of all was hitchhiking to the pools that are now situated in the Emerald Greens golf course. We were professional worm dunkers, of course, and we thought we knew it all. But worms weren't working that day and there were gobs of big, three-tailed flies in and around the water. Fish were jumping everywhere. An old timer pulled over and produced a fly rod from the back of his station wagon. We told him what was happening and he listened quietly to us jabbering while he set up his rod. "What sort of flies you boys seeing? Flies like this?" We nodded because he was holding up an exact replica of what was in our heads like he was some sort of mind-reader. After he had tied the fly onto his floating line, he walked to the river bend with the big, lone rock on the bank. On his first cast he hooked and landed a 16 inch rainbow. He killed it swiftly and laid it on the rock for us. We just bowed down and worshipped it with our eyes. Then he proceeded to lay down one 10 -14 inch spec after another till he had six of them glittering along side that rainbow like wet jewels on that rock. He put his fish in a sack, stowed his fly rod, and wished us luck before he sped away. A week later each and every one of us broke the piggybank and bought our own a fly rod.

[Castnblast 86]

I grew up on the Mac as well - I have some dead speck Mac pix from the early seventies somewhere - I'll see if I can dig them up. Great river...

[kbrest 151]

Its really the way to go in a lot of cases. Match the hatch. I am relatively new to the sport as well but have been reading and learning and asking questions, all of which have resulted in catching more fish. Its a great hobby to get into especially when you start tying your OWN patterns of flies to match what the fish are eating. Nothing more satisfying than catching a fish on something you made yourself. I am starting to get into Fly fishing for Pike now, and wow, what a rush that has been so far.

[kbrest 151]

Right on. I'm gonna tie up a few muddlers

Keep them fairly small as well. I fished them on floating line and just do the same roll cast with the bottom bouncing rig, but you don't need the slinky weights. Just cast 90 degree upstream and let it take, line mending and what not....what am I saying you know what your doing already lol

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Haha hey man any tips help. Based on the materials I currently have I did just tie up some muddlers. To be more specific a marabou muddler, rather than squirrel as the underwing I used marabou. I got a couple in black and in dark purple now. I like tying them as I enjoy the art of spinning deer hair. I am def no pro lol but I am definitely getting the hang of it. Coming out nice and tight. May give one of the larger muddlers a shot tomorrow for smallmouth as well. Thanks for the tips dude.

[kbrest 151]

No problem. It does help to have a bunch of different ones tied big and small. I was hoping to get out for bass with them as well. Haha, when I line up maybe 10 of the first muddlers I tied you can really tell the difference between the first half and the second half. We'll get out there sometime and toss some flies around.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

For sure man. Most times when I mess up a fly its cause I crowd the eye, or under estimate the room I will need to finish the fly. Which makes it look like crap haha. Now I always give myself a little more space than I think I'll need.

[AmateurHourAngling 49]

Anyone going there today

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I may stop by there later.

[AmateurHourAngling 49]

Well then maybe see you there

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

Right on. If I don't end up goin good luck.

[Guest FreshwaterFisherman]

I checked out the Mac. Water was super high. Fished tamblyn for a bit. One tiny speck, about 4 inches lol. Dissapointing evening.

[Guest Beamer]

Lots of specks in the Mac always get some each year while steelheading

Here is one caught while drifting for steel

[Some Old Guy 968]

Gotta love that!

Nice picture.

Roger