On The Fly Freshwater

A Photo Essay of Odd Ball Hook-Ups!

Featured photo by Polly Dean

By Jimmy Jacobs

September 3030

It is not particularly unusual when asking a conventional angler what he’s fishing for to get an answer similar to “whatever’s biting.” On the other hand, most fans of the long rod ordinarily are honing in on a particular species when targeting freshwater fish.

Still, sometimes when we feel the take of the fly, we get a surprise. Here’s a compilation of times when the catch was out of the ordinary.

On The Fly South Editor Jimmy Jacobs was targeting striped bass on Tennessee’s Hiwassee River when this spotted gar took the fly. The big, fuzzy streamer tangled in the critter’s teeth making it possible to boat it. Photo by Polly Dean.

Associate Editor Polly Dean was also after striped bass when this channel catfish attacked the fly on Georgia’s Etowah River. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.

This time the targeted species was peacock bass in the canals of suburban Miami. The fly, however, was inhaled by this exotic red Midas. Photo by Ron Sinfelt.

Casting for hybrid bass on the Chattahoochee River at Phenix City, Alabama produced this skipjack herring, which performed like a miniature tarpon when hooked. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.

Polly Dean was looking for Suwannee bass on their namesake river at Big Shoals near White Springs, Florida, when this prehistoric bowfin took the fly. Photo by Jimmy Jacobs.

By far the strangest hook up occurred when this soft shell turtle grabbed Jimmy Jacobs’ streamer while chasing white bass on Georgia’s Little River, just upstream of Allatoona Lake. Photo by Polly Dean.