One more last time

I read on the Fly Addict forum that fish were still being caught at the Salmon River, so I headed there this morning to see if I could coerce one to take a fly.  Unfortunately, I was not as lucky (or skillful) as the other anglers.  Rather than give up the opportunity to take advantage of the nice weather, I went to a nearby brook to see if I could entice any of its tiny residents to come out and play.  This time luck was on my side.  I had a few strikes and landed two of the brook's native browns.  Nothing to write home about, but nice little fish just the same.  I can now accurately say that I am done fishing until after Christmas.

Last trip before Christmas

I went to my favorite class 1 stream for one last fishing trip before Christmas (unless I can sneak out again).  The forecast was for sun, but as usual the forecasters were not quite right.  Limited sun was more like it.  The water temperature was a chilly 39 deg F.  This time I did not slip on an icy rock and fall in, like my last time out.  The fishing was very slow, although for the first time I did spot a number of fish.  My eyes must be getting better (more likely it was the lower water level).  It took a while but I did ultimately catch two browns, one on a San Juan worm and one on bead-head Whitlock's squirrel nymph.  Once again I ran into BRK TRT.  I hope that my preceding him down the stream did not ruin his time on the water.  Although the number of strikes and catches for me has declined dramatically, I am still enjoying my first fall trout fishing since I began this hobby more than 40 years ago.  Happy Holidays to everyone.

Cold but fun day on my two favorite streams

This morning I headed to my favorite "blue line" discovery to see if I could catch some brookies before the weather becomes less hospitable.  The brook was in great shape, running crystal clear and cold (~38 deg F).  As I made my way upstream I once again came upon a dressed deer carcass lying at the edge of the brook.  I guess I'll just have to get used to sharing the woods with people that don't have any aesthetic sense (putting it mildly).  At least my distaste for the former was offset by catching a few beautiful little brookies, typical of this stream.  The high point of the trip was when I slipped on an icy rock as I crossed the stream and ended up falling on my back into the water.  Adding insult to injury it was right at a small waterfall which I slightly slid over dunking my head.  38 degrees is cold!  Undeterred, I got up and continued to fish.

After enjoying my time at my first stop, I headed to my favorite Class 1 stream for a couple of hours.  When I got there I recognized the license plate on a car parked at the entrance and was pleased to finally meet the man whom I hold responsible for my recent trout fishing madness, BRK TRT (kidding of course).  The stream was running clear and cool (low forties), but not offering up any of its residents to either or us.  After we parted ways I went upstream and finally had some success, two small browns from the same pool using a tan birds nest nymph.  Hopefully the weather will not become an issue as I'd like to return before Christmas.

A couple more Class 1 natives

I returned to the same Class 1 stream, this time with sunshine in the forecast.  The water was cold (43 deg F) and flowing about as high and dirty as it was a couple of days ago.  I tried a few different flies (mostly bead head nymphs) but nothing was happening for me.  I finally had a taker after I tied on a bead head bird's nest nymph.  The second fish I caught revealed its position in the pool to me by rising for something right along the bank (just to the right of the foam).  It took a number of drifts but I finally got it to take the bird's head.  This pattern seems to be quite productive and will become one of my go-to flies in the future.  A different day produced a couple fish in different pools, but still no brookies to brighten the day even further.

Rainy day at Class 1 stream

Rather than wait until tomorrow's sunny but cooler weather, I decided to spend some time today in the light rain at a Class 1 stream.  Last night's rain had dirtied and raised the water somewhat, but the stream was really in good condition.  Every time I go there I seem to have a different experience, a fish caught in a different pool or using a different fly, and today was no exception.  While this trip was more productive than any thus far, six browns landed and gently released, I am still not catching any of the brookies that inhabit the stream.  I'm not sure why this is the case or what I am doing wrong, but I intend to keep trying.

Other fish that I am enamored with

Not only do I enjoy pursuing beautiful native trout, but I also have a fascination with koi.  I have a small backyard koi pond with five fish in it.  I also keep a 300 gallon quarantine tank running in my basement, which now houses one fish for the winter.  While the picture isn't great (no polarized filter), these are my two most valuable koi, in regard to price.  The top one is an Omosako showa, while the bottom is a Koda sanke.  This is another hobby of mine that can become an overwhelming obsession (and a real financial drain if one isn't careful).

Cool morning on a Class 1 stream

After waiting a couple of days for better weather, I headed to a Class 1 stream this morning to get a breath of fresh air and hopefully continue with my fall trout fishing education.  Initially I was having no luck, but with time I started to catch some fish.  I ultimately caught four browns using a Gartside Sparrow nymph (size 12), both dead-drifted and stripped slowly upstream.  I have become a big fan of this fly.