Sunday, December 6, 2015

Welcome back brookie

After spending a fishingless week in southern California, the cool morning weather was not going to stop me from getting back on the water.  Although the water level has dropped, I was able to admire two of this small stream's residents with a little patience.  The first was a colorful holdover stocker that I have now caught three times and in three different stretches of the stream (not pictured).  It's probably been there for a couple of years since it hasn't been stocked in ages.  The second was a beautiful wild brookie that fell for one of BRK TRT's dry flies while being stripped in (both pictures below).  The fish revealed it's presence to me by rising for something at the edge of the light foam at the tail of the pool.  It wasn't until I drifted the fly to the edge of the denser foam cover and began to retrieve it that the fish decided it was time to eat.  I'd gladly accept cold feet every time to catch and release unharmed a beautiful wild fish such as this one.