S6, Ep 120: Fall Fishing Tactics with Brendan Ruch: Navigating Clear Waters

Hey, folks, it's Marvin Cash, the host of the articulate fly.

And we're back with another ruche report with the man himself, Brendan Roosch.

Brendan, how are you doing?

Well, Marvin, sitting at a boat ram parking lot on the side of a highway.

Couldn't be any better.

How are you doing?

I'm doing well.

At least the sun hasn't gone down.

That makes it a little bit better, right?

Oh, yeah, yeah.

So good to see the changing leaves.

Yeah, there you go.

And so, you know, it's funny, since the last time we spoke, you know, you are definitely kind of cooling off and getting into kind of technical fall fishing in your neck of the woods.

What are you seeing on the water?

Uh, last week, we had a pretty sweet bump of water that gave us some more grass, like we've been talking about.

But, uh, fish were eating, like, pre spawn for a few days, and it was, it was pretty nuts.

Um, so it was fortunate to experience that.

And I.

Now we're kind of leveling out, and we'll start dropping again in a couple days here.

And the clearer water and the much cooler nights, I think we're going to be experiencing, like, an afternoon bite window, kind of right around when you want to grab for your sandwich.

But, yeah, fish should be potting up a little bit heavier, and you want to pause your.

Pause your streamers a little bit longer than you have been.

Got it.

And, you know, to deal with the clear water, kind of.

How do you handle that from kind of a tackle setup, but also an approach setup.

All, I mean, all you can do is longer leaders, longer casts.

But it's not going to be.

I mean, hopefully, it's not going to be like, super low and clear.

It's at a good average flow right now pretty much everywhere around here, so.

But, yeah, so we're going to be clear tip lines until those things are just too coily.

But that gives you an advantage as well.

Um, extend those leaders a little bit.

Kind of just maintain the same nine footers I've been running all summer.

And then, uh, yeah, keep the, keep the fry smaller.

Talking sub four inches.

And, uh, on the, on the gear side of things, the two and a half inch, 2.8 inch swim baits.

Ned ridge down the bottom fly is going to be throwing some flashy stuff.

If they're not responding to the flashy stuff, like the garbage, then going to some small finesse changers.

And if that's not producing and they don't want to chase it all, then we're going conehead or lead eye flies.

Got it.

And so, you know, on the streamers, I know smaller.

Do you also maybe change the material so you have stuff that's just not going splat on the water when you cast it?

Yeah, I definitely think flies with buck kale.

Like when it comes to low water, the merch minnow is so good because it lands so softly.

Those flies that have a lot more material, especially palmer material that absorbs or doesn't absorb water but it holds water, um, like in between the fibers that's generally going to slap a lot harder if you don't give the fly time to drain.

Um, so yeah, fox.

But you can fish a six inch foxy changer in super clear water because that thing's not going to make a sound when it hits.

Um, whereas a craft fair changer is going to spook a fish in a 30 foot radius.

So, yeah, that's, that's a good question.

Material selection definitely is important when you're, when you're fishing clearer water.

Got it.

And got a, got a question on the lighter side of things from Frank.

He wanted to get your thoughts on the best brand of hair clipper for trimming a doodle.

You know, I'm, I'm going to go with the Phillips Norelco.

I've been to, been working on my own hair, you know, buzzing, buzzing the old head for almost a year now.

And for avid his doodle that he's referring to, I think that would be an appropriate fit.

They got a hard time cutting all his hair at once, so he, a little bit of a patchwork style going on.

But it's a great look for him and I think he's a good looking dog.

Yeah, I thought maybe there's a tying story in there somewhere.

Well that's, I mean he's a black doodle, so that's where most of Frank's night flies come from.

Master splinter with labradoodle.

Yeah, he's got mostly doodle hair veiling, finesse, chenille.

That's most of his flies right there.

Maybe a deer hair head.

Yeah.

That's an interesting take on the veil and support system.

Yeah.

So you know folks, we love questions on the articulate fly.

Uh, you can dm me on social media, you can email me whatever's easiest for you.

And if we use your question, I will send you some articulate fly swag.

And then there's an awesome swag pack from Brennan where you're gonna get, you know, rouge, angling stuff.

You're gonna get log jam stuff.

And house fly stuff.

And, uh, Brendan is always, do, uh, you want to let folks know where they can find you so they can get in the boat with you?

Uh, I don't know.

Gosh.

Got a, I don't know what, two or three weeks left of, you know, smallmouth before you probably shift over to Muskie.

Yeah, yeah, it won't be long now until bass are a little too potted up to warrant going out in the drift boat, but, yeah, you can reach me at Brendan Roosh on Instagram, ruchanglingmail.com, and ruch angling on Facebook.

Yeah.

And are you already booking your musky days?

Yes.

Yeah.

A little bit of side work involved in there as well, but, uh, yeah, mosquitoes in Pa as of right now.

Yeah.

And so also, too, as I always ask you, you know, where can your drawing fans find you on the road?

You know, see you get another prison tattoo, all that kind of good stuff.

Uh, as of right now, staying, staying local.

Gonna hit.

Gonna hit jersey next week before we talk again.

Hopefully have some striper stories on the next cast.

Yeah, you know, pa, Ohio for some.

Some free time.

Yeah.

And, you know, for the holiday season, folks.

Remember, you know, organic pineapple and pecans, one of Brendan's favorites.

So, you know, if you need to get him something for Christmas, hook him up there.

Yeah, the freeze dried pineapple killer.

Yeah, you need to go to costco.

Well, folks, is I always say yo, it to yourself to get out there and catch a few tight lines, everybody.

Tight lines, Brendan.

Take care, everyone.

Thanks, Margaret.