Stick Fish

[Stan Wright]

This is a new species on a tenkara for me anyway. We call it a Needle Fish or Stick Fish. It was probably released into the lake when someone dumped their unwanted tropical aquarium fish. I've foul hooked them on lures, and caught them using small live bait, but never was able to hook one in the mouth on a fly before. And this is the only fish I caught all day.



They do have a set of teeth don't they?


This is suppose to be smallmouth water, but they sure weren't home today.

[Ken]

What small live bait did you use to catch them in the past?

I have had them chase after larger topwater, but of course it was difficult to hook them.

Want to catch one next time. I didn't really pay any attention to them the last two times we fished at the lake, but I know there are lots of them around.

[Stan Wright]

Easy to catch them. I used a #10 AH hook and small medaka (mosquito fish) for bait. The trick is to use some kind of a floater, because you want to keep the live bait close to, or right at, the surface.

[Ken]

That's what I suspected. Perfect! Thanks Stan.