I had the opportunity to pick up the fly rod over the Labor Day weekend and chase some fish at a few of the urban ponds around Phoenix. I learned my lesson last year, and decided that on Memorial and Labor Day weekends I should avoid the high country. The roads up there become parking lots and there are people everywhere. So, I met up with a few buddies at first light in search of some warm water fish. Things started very slow until we switched up ponds and found what must have been recently stocked tilapia. The fish were podded up and actively taking bugs off the surface.
We were able to pull a couple of nice fish in by using parachute Adams and even a “bread” foam fly that my friend Jason showed me. We switched it up a bit and went searching for some carp but the water is up about a foot and all the old reefs and hangouts are no where to be found. By 8:30 the sun was getting pretty warm and we called it quits. I really cannot wait for the triple digit heat to leave town.
Mmm… What a beautiful lunch…
They sure look nice, but these fish smelled something terrible. I don’t know if I will ever order tilapia off a menu again.
Ben
It’s funny how the smelliest fish (walleye, tilapia, bluegill, crappie) are the best tasting…