Memorial Day Weekend – Golf, the Brickyard and Fly Fishing

Wow….can you believe all us “Hoosiers” had to do over Memorial Day Weekend? It seemed like everywhere I turned there were outdoor activities…from golf to racing to fishing…and probably lots more that I wasn’t even aware of.

Jonas, Dad and I were up early on Saturday; we drove south like many others did and participated in the Senior PGA Event at French Lick. After a short bus ride up the big hill we exited and since we were there just after 6:30am…found a ride up the big hill, all the way to the driving range. Most of you know that golf is kind of our family sport and for the past 20 years we have been tuned in to various levels of golf; it would have been impossible to have been in the golfing world over these many years and not have known Sir Nick Faldo. As we neared the driving range I could see a large man dressed to the nine’s…yes, indeed it was Nick. He was scheduled to tee off at 7:08am and thus all three of us made our way up the hill to watch at number one.Jonas and I followed Sir Nick all the way through until hole 14 and I must say it was one of the most enjoyable days I have had on a golf course. If you were able to attend…then you know just how immaculate the grounds were. If you haven’t yet seen the course then please put it on your bucket list and find a way to enjoy one of the premier new courses built in the US…and here in our own backyard!

Sunday found me up and off to church. Another great day to live in Indiana as the world would be turning its focus on Indianapolis and the ‘yard of bricks’. By the time the race had begun I was on my way to Greene-Sullivan to do some fishing…just listening to the many ceremonies was inspiring and took me back to my days in Wyoming. While out west, listening or watching the race was tough on an Indiana kid. I was usually fine right up the point that Jim Nabors sang, “Back Home Again in Indiana”. I would get teared up and yet on Sunday I found myself driving along…listening to IU’s own “Straight No Chaser” and having the very same feelings. I guess it was sentiment while in Wyoming and just good old pride this past Sunday…either way, it is a song that really moves my emotions.

My first stop was at Airline Lake/Pit. I removed my 2-weight from the rod holder, strapped on a crème colored trout candy and began to cast to…and catch both bluegills and smaller bass. Airline is a gorgeous lake; the water is crystal clear and this makes for some fun follows and takes.

The beauty of a float tube is…easy in and easy out. A few minutes later and I was shoving off from Black Cat with my big 6-weight and my 10-weight rod. Yes, I had went from a 2-weight to a 10-weight in about an hour’s time. If you don’t know fly fishing then just picture the 2-weight rod being the size of a pencil and the 10-weight the size of a pool cue. I had a new line for my 10-weight that was a type III line; meaning the line sank at a rate of about 6-9 inches per second. I needed the line this heavy to get my shad colored streamer down to a depth of 15-20…where the big fish would be lurking.

I kicked all the way to the far side, the western edge of Black Cat and started making casts. I purposely casted perpendicularly to the shore and slowly stripped the line allowing the fly to fall downward in front of the line of weeds. By do so slowly the fly acted much like a dazed or injured baitfish or shad. I have found that the big fish will lie in wait using the weeds as a means of concealment and when a fly is presented to them…they race out, follow for just a split second, then jump on it. The fly I was using was large, it was a 5/0 hook and about 6 inches in length. My hope was to eliminate the smaller bass and present a meal large enough to invigorate one of the ‘big boys’ to come and eat.

I had went about a half an hour when I had my first hook-up…it was a big bass, but it spit the hook before I could land him. This success told me that I was on the right track. A few casts later and once again I felt a big tug on the other end and quickly strip set on what would be a 22 inch largemouth bass. The fish put up a good fight but with my 10-weight in hand it wasn’t too much of a contest. I ‘lipped’ the bass and placed him on my stringer, took a few photos then released him safely back into the depths he had come from.

Watch Jeff’s video of the big bass by clicking here.

After returning to my put in spot I once again packed up my boat and moved a few miles away to Island Pit. It was now 7:30pm and I took a few minutes to sit, relax, eat a sandwich and enjoy the lake and the warm breeze that was blowing across it. By 8pm I was once again kicking backwards, shore to my left side and this time I had my 6-weight and type I sink-tip Rio fly line in hand. The sun was now below the horizon and there was enough chop on the water that I thought the fish would move up in the water column.

I was throwing a smaller version of the earlier shad pattern tied on a size 6 hook when I saw a wake and felt a large thump on my fly line. I once again strip set and could feel the weight of a nice fish. What turned out to be another 22 inch largemouth bass had me fooled at first because it stayed down, deep in the water column. The M.O. of the fish had me thinking catfish…but after a minute or so I could see the head of a large bass surface and I quickly lipped my second of the same species over five pounds in one afternoon.

What a great day…and what a great weekend it had been. Yes, indeed, Memorial Day Weekend in Indiana provides us Hoosiers with some awesome outdoor opportunities. Golf, camping, racing, fishing, nature watching…all of this allows me to Enjoy the Great Outdoors.