Sunday, December 14, 2014

The Light Colored Bottom and Gin Clear Water

This is a type of water that is hard to fish in. Shadows are all the more visible, and the fish can see a ways. The upside is that you can see all of the fish, even if it is just a glimpse as a fourteen inch native (cringe) races into an undercut.

Luckily with a lot of caution this can be overcome. If you are stealthy, keep a low profile, move at a snail's pace, and where dull colors you may get lucky and land one of the prettiest living things in existence.

That is how today went. I had a hard time catching the first fish, and then every one after that too. I saw over a hundred though. In the summer when this stream is low, I can catch hundreds in a day because they are concentrated in deep pools, riffles, and areas of coarse gravel. They are more predictable, more willing, and easier to approach. Also, the water tends to be tannin stained when their isn't much runoff.



There was a fish there...
 The first fish was caught on a wet fly, and a few others took that as well, but I really wanted to get one on a dry fly. So on went a Hendrickson and a few little wild gems came up to meet it.




I caught three today. I believe the next time I visit this stream there will be leaves on the trees, and the water will be very comfortable flowing around by legs. In the meantime I will visit streams with more colored water and dark bottoms!
Isn't anything funnier then a dog in a hat

4 comments:

  1. Witnessing the beauty of that fish is worth the challenge of bringing it to hand, I'd say.
    Buddy has always looked funny in a hat. :)

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  2. Great little stream. Nice to have a sunny day. Buddy looks like he would follow you anywhere, even if he did have to wear your hat. We had a gooooood laugh on this one.
    Fish on...

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    Replies
    1. The reason he looks so is because there is a bagel on my left leg. He isn't the most well behaved dog....

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