Sunday, February 21, 2016

Clear Water and Pretty Fish

I spent a couple of hours today at the stretch of creek I fished with the New Year's Day crew. I was hoping that the warm temperatures (the water was getting close to 40 finally) would convince the brook trout to rise. Unfortunately there wasn't much insect activity, but a few small grey mayflies were hanging out on the shoreline. I didn't see any rises but stubbornly stuck with the dry flies. An ant got no reaction, a caddis didn't work, but eventually I got a take on the Bomber. The pool was flat and slow, and maybe three feet deep. The fish took with a gentle dimple rise, and I was not expecting it to have much size but was presently surprised when it began to battle. It was a stunning brooky, and to catch anything like it on a dry fly in February is wonderful.



From that point on it was difficult fishing. I worked the pools and riffles with very little action. I changed to a Something or Other wet fly, then to a Green Weenie, and that got eaten eventually.

I came to a place where the stream divides into a series of different channels, and where the two bellow come together was very deep and fishy looking. I let cast the line up the small channel and let the dueling currents pull it to the bottom, where the Green Weenie got weenied by a good fish. It was quickly apparent, however, that it was a fall fish. That's fine by me, he actually fought harder than the brooky, jumping twice and running hard.



With the water so perfectly clear I think the fish were a bit shadow shy today. The warm weather has done it's worst on the ice, and tomorrow may well be a pickerel or carp outing, depending on the wind.

10 comments:

  1. A beautiful, healthy looking brook trout along with a nice fall fish. I have caught a few fall fish in the past and find they fight real well too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks,
      Fall fish are great, one of my life goals is to get a fall fish over 20 inches on a fly.

      Delete
  2. Even with the warmer temps I'm finding lots of shy fish.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think they've quite put the feed bag on again.

      Delete

  3. Nice looking Brookie!! Good work Rowan. I am hoping to get out soon myself, hopeful that the recent warmer weather helps to stimulate the fish!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks,
      It should have improved their mood a bit.

      Delete
  4. The water looks great and I enjoyed that adventure! The Brookie looks good. It will get better when the hatches start.
    Tie, fish, write and photo on...

    ReplyDelete
  5. RM
    Looks like you were fishing super clear water most of the time--beautiful trout--were you wading or bank fishing? Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks,
      Very clear! I waded when I wasn't concerned about sending ripples that cold spook the fish, but for the long shallow sections I tried to fish from the bank.

      Delete