A Hidden Gem

Yesterday my dog and I went out to a secret spot out in the woods. There, a massive ridge overlooks two swamps and a potentially rich native trout stream. We pushed through what seemed to be impenetrable thicket and climbed to the top of the ridge. On the way we traversed the partially frozen creek, and watched a very big red fox scamper away (Buddy has never been a calm, quiet dog). The turkey, deer, and coyote tracks led us to an incredible view. The last time I explored this paradise I found a flock of turkeys at least 50 strong! The next time, I may be landing chunky native brook trout on dry flies midst the cool green of spring.

Was that a rise?

Buddy

Rabbit Strip Streamer

Red dumbbell eyes, purple rabbit strip, and white synthetic. 

Ice, Ice, Ice

Yesterday was warm, by comparison at least, and I headed to a little native brook trout creek. I wanted to break in my new reel. I had fallen and bashed the previous on a rock and bent the frame. When I arrived, I found it to be more iced over than I thought. Unfortunately snow melt and temperatures in the upper thirties didn't put much of a dent in the apparently frozen solid stream. I did get a few light taps on a pink worm fly in a plunge pool. I left slightly disappointing for not catching a fish, but glad to have spent some time observing wildlife in a cold, snowy, little valley.

Echo Ion 2/3 Weight

Wild Gold

(3/27/2019- This post contains examples of very poor fish handling. Use it as an example of what not to do. Thank you, 
R.M. Lytle)

I am not one to be very jealous, even over fish. One day two summers ago stands out though. Dalton and I went out to catch big brook trout where a feeder creek dumped oxygenated water into a big pool. I got a bunch of absolute honker brook trout, holdovers up to 18 inches. Then Dalton decided he would go up the little tributary and throw a rooster tail under a cut bank. He came out of the laurels holding, of all things, a wild tiger trout. I was pretty jealous, but was still happy that he had the luck to find such an elusive fish.

Chasing Shadows

Today I went to fish a small stream for wild trout with Dalton. I started in a deep old bridge pool with a woolly bugger when he arrived on his quad. He had decided to bring a spinning rod and some small panther martins. We worked over a mile of stream, and I only got one slash from a brookie on the Pinkie. We saw a pod of wild browns, but they were unwilling to eat our offerings.

Wish we could fish from the other side, but it is posted.

2013 In Review

(3/27/2019- This post contains examples of very poor fish handling. Use it as an example of what not to do. Thank you, 
R.M. Lytle)

I realized last year was certainly a fantastic fishing year. I think a review is in order!

Bass fishing with the fly was phenomenal during the spring and summer. 

Small stream wild browns were just as prevalent.

I landed an allusive tiger.

Crappies practically flung themselves to my feet on some days. 

The natives gave an appearance after opening day.

The local rivers produced well due to consistent rain from thunderstorms.

Although I didn't find to many big hatches, mayflies did give some brief flurries of activity.

Big panfish lead to summer fun.

I got to spend a weekend on a very high Farmington with my father.

I was very happy to get a native from such a big river.

I had so much fun in the kayak.

Plenty of fish tried to avoid a photo.

Smallmouth in rivers provided my good friend and me a blast in August.

Stoneflies caused a tad bit of fun action.

I caught hundreds of these!

What a hog that one was.

In the fall I found a fantastic pool and caught two beauties out of it.

Does a brookie get any more gorgeous?

The snow gave my a hard time.

...But I came back in a big way. The grand finally!

Streamers

Yesterday was dedicated mostly to tying assorted streamers. I whipped up some woolly buggers, leaches, and big pike flies.

Cloudy With a Chance of Brook Trout

(1/30/2018- This post contains examples of very poor fish handling. Use it as an example of what not to do. Thank you, 
R.M. Lytle)

I had a full day free today. The obvious decision of what to do was made: I would go hunt a small stream for it's wild residents.

It was cloudy and tolerably warm, and I hoped that would help me catch the shy trout that hide in my stream of choice. I started out using a dry fly, but blanked. I put on a sparkly little nymph and hiked way up to the upper reaches, a place where the stream was practically microscopic, and for all I knew, was only nursery water. I was glad to be proven wrong by two nice fish in the top of one run.

I continued up a little ways, then returned downstream to fish one of the tributaries. It is a boulder filled creek with plunges and hides down in a canyon. I cast into several pools before a fish showed itself. In a little bend a shadow inhaled my nymph and came flopping to my hand. This was followed by a loss and another to hand within the next 100 feet.

After that success I went even farther down, and two more fish came to the nymph. I missed a few hits, but that's O.K. I went home very satisfied.