Surprise Giant Rainbow

 On one of my salmon outings this November, I was working my way through a shallow run that I sometimes move a salmon or two in with a conehead Ally's Shrimp. I must credit Ben Bilello for my knowledge and use of this fly, which has become a top five fly for me for CT broodstock salmon. When the water is low and warm I fish a very small unweighted version, but in the moderate to high flows that dominate November and December the conehead has the way to go. On this unfortunately sunny, breezy day the conehead Ally's had already moved one nice salmon that never actually touched the fly, nor would it come back. I'd tried to play the rest and re-tie game but that fish just wasn't having it. 

Now, working down this run, I was starting to think this day was going to end in a skunking. Then suddenly I was tight. The fish had hit in the deepest, fastest slot, somewhere there's often fish but in a place I've always had trouble fishing a fly well when the water is up, just due to the casting distance and angle. I feel like I've cracked the code now though, as I was able to make it work even with my 5wt by adjusting my position a bit. 

The fish was head shaking a lot and felt heavy, but wasn't acting out like some salmon do. I gained line as it lazily came towards me, throbbing a bit but seeming not to know what was going on. Once it got about twelve feet from me the fish came up, and instead of the colors and patterns I could expect to see on a broodstock salmon I saw an awful lot of pink. There was a short standoff in which time the fish gave me enough time to decipher that if was, in fact, a preposterous rainbow, before it decided to try to take some evasive action. Gigantic though she was, this was still a domesticated stocked trout and I made fairly quick work of her. 

What this really made me want was the opportunity to swing big flies for native rainbows, be they steelhead or just big non-migratory ones. These hatchery fish just don't fill the void for me. It's unfortunate that I have to to drive clear across the country for that. 

For now, though, if you want to pull on some of these guys, book a trip! They're decent practice for a lot of other fishing situations, especially now that they've settled into at least somewhat "natural" trout behavior. I spey cast for them, tight-line nymphs and streamers, indicator fish, and of course if they're rising some dry fly fly fishing is on the docket... either whatever method you'd like to focus on or whatever will work best that day, your pick. And although this particular day wasn't great for the broodstock salmon on the Shetucket and this season has been weird overall, if you book during warm and cloudy conditions I can probably get you on some fish. We're at least moving a couple on every trip.

Until next time, 

Fish for the love of fish.

Fish for the love of places fish live.

Fish for you.

And stay safe and healthy.

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