Monday

I returned to the Class 1 stream today with the goal of fooling (and hopefully catching) what I believe is a nice size fish that lurks in a challenging but beautiful pool  (first picture below).  During my last visit I had the pleasure of enticing this fish to hit a wet fly three times, but each time the hook failed to do its job.  Suffice is to say that today the fish in this pool once again proved to be elusive.  On my way downstream a fish rose to a wet fly, but vanished into the depths.  Returning upstream I couldn't resist giving it one more attempt.  This time I allowed the wet fly to drift farther downstream (a few feet beyond the end of the log on the right) and as I slowly stripped it back was rewarded with a strong strike and brief tussle.  Clearly this fish is smarter than I am.  I am definitely not done with this pool.  Adding to my frustration, while I was attempting to coax this fish into striking one more time a furry creature came swimming upstream (beaver or otter) and vanished into the brush behind the large tree on the right side of the pool.  If I didn't put this fish down, then surely the hairy monster did. 

My luck was a little better in other areas of the stream. A few rainbows fell for the bead-head GRHE wet fly, obviously not wild but trout none the less.  More importantly, a few nice wild brookies and a brown came to hand after attacking both bead-head GRHE and BWO wet flies.  Seeing those gems more than made up for my bad luck with the pool above.

Walking through a field on my way upstream I spotted a large bird sitting on the ground.  As I approached it took to the air with it's prey grasped in its talons and flew to the bank at the far side of the stream.  When I say bank, I really mean the water's edge, as it literally dropped into the edge of the stream and spread its wings.  It stood on its prey in the water while I approached and then took off upstream, still grasping its meal.  What a sight.  Now I have to identify it.