Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Brookies on Bamboo

Little known fact: I actually first started teaching myself to fly cast with a bamboo rod with no guides aside from the last and a silk line tied to that. I stood out in the yard and taught myself how to make perfect tight loops with that short piece of line. And yet, until today, I had never caught a fish on a bamboo rod. I've had one for a month or two, not a very good one but usable after some work, I was just waiting for the right day. 

Today clearly fit the bill. I severely needed to get in my happy place, which is of course any place where wild brook trout live. So packed up the bamboo rod and a box of flies and headed out to some local streams. The first stream has some nice brookies but the numbers have been in decline over the past couple years, so I was happy to get there and see fish had gone to work and there were lots of fish on the redds protecting them. I took the opportunity to just walk and watch. 


After a little while I decided to visit another stream that typically has a later spawn and a better fish population. Those two factors mean I'd have a better shot at finding some fish off the redds. I did. I got a pair of beautiful wild brookies on the Cinburg and the bamboo rod. It felt magical.



That makes 21 months of trout on dry flies. Let's see how far I can take this streak... 

8 comments:

  1. Well done Rowan. The Cinberg is a favorite of mine.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mine too. It has accounted for more than one very good day on a small stream!

      Delete
  2. Nice job Rowan!!! It is good to see that the brookies have survived in low water conditions. Congrats on 21 months on dry fly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Pete,
      Atleast some have. The first stream I fished has clearly suffered some losses.

      Delete
  3. That was great! There is something about bamboo that works great. Love those streams. Way-to-go !
    Tie, fish, write and photo on...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's different, that's for sure. You have to be more careful. It has a slow action that is not as forgiving as graphite. It does not cover up your faults.

      Delete
  4. Nice going Rowan! - the dry fly streak is fun to keep going especially in winter

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Mark,
      This winter should be more interesting... last one was a breeze!

      Delete