There are times when fishing a stream when there will be just as much action along its banks as within its waters. This gos on more times than not and it's only those few times that we are able to take advantage of these goings on. Such was the case the other day while I was fishing this stream. I was casting wet flies and they were not getting much attention at all. Working upstream and casting without even a bump you seem to get into a zone and your thoughts of fishing seem to just get lost somewhere in your mind. I was going through the motions when out of the corner of my eye I saw a chipmunk darting. Right away I was in focus again not with fishing but with the action along the bank. I watched this little fellow run down to the waters edge and slam on the brakes just just before he was to launch himself in to the swift stream. I watched him perform this action several times and he only stopped when he spotted me and ran for cover. I thought to myself was he trying to leap across the stream, or hell bent on suicide.
I moved upstream to a pace where the current had picked up a bit and ran along a solid rock wall. Not having much action on the wet fly I changed to a dry, an Ausable Bomber. I sent it down through the rough water and it floated like a dream. Several drifts later A fish came up and whacked it. I continued to fish this run and had multiple takes on the Bomber but no hookups, it was as if they just wanted to play with it. I went back up to the head of the run and changed to a soft hackle and started to work the current. Several casts later I was into my first hookup.
In a few moments I had a lovely brook trout at hand. It seemed that the Bomber had awakened the fish in this run.
Continuing my upstream movement. There are some nice pools there that have been good and not so good in several of my last outings. While moving to the first pool I encountered this nice lady who was out for a morning walk. She showed no sign of being afraid of me and I managed to get a few photos of her.
I continued to the pools and worked the soft hackle through them. One or two brookies found the fly to there liking including this one.
BRK Trt,
ReplyDeleteI know where you were! The fence and sign gave away your position. That's a great pool. I caught a huge wild brown there in the spring. An immense fish for such such a small stream. Once again beautiful photo journal.
Peter Carlson,
DeleteThanks.
That's classified now. It's true there are some very large wild trout in that little stream.
Absolutely spot on with your post, Alan. What goes on off the water wherever you may be fishing sometimes makes the day. Oh, aren't soft hackles just a killer pattern for small streams? Great job with the pictures.
ReplyDeleteMel Moore,
DeleteThanks.
That's a certainty. Soft hackles are very productive on little streams.
Well said. Just the other day I managed to observe a little Dekays brown snake taking a chilly swim in the pond I was fishing. Not what you would expect this time of year!
ReplyDeleteRM Lytle,
DeleteThanks.
Now that snake is a daredevil.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI have learned that when all flies fail, go to the Ausable Bomber, that has been my go to fly on the tailrace when things are slow. Beautiful trout and the deer image is nice. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell,
DeleteThanks.
There are times when perhaps they're not feeding, but the thought that such a meal was about to get away from them is to much to resist.
Thanks Alan. I'm often more interested or amused by my surroundings than I am the fish. Can't ever tell what you'll see.
ReplyDeleteHoward,
DeleteThanks.
That's true for me also. There's so much out there to keep us busy.
I was walking by my trout stream, coming back from a pool to the road, and almost stepped on a Timber Rattlesnake! I only noticed him After I walked right past him! Thank the weather for being cold and making that Rattlesnake sluggish, because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to write this. Love the blog, and read avidly. Small strteams are my softspot, and I never can resist fishing one when I see it!
ReplyDeleteFlyfi Sherman,
DeleteThanks.
Whoa man. You are indeed a lucky man. Snakes are one of two fears I have while fishing, the other, bees and hornets-wasps.
I was walking by my trout stream, coming back from a pool to the road, and almost stepped on a Timber Rattlesnake! I only noticed him After I walked right past him! Thank the weather for being cold and making that Rattlesnake sluggish, because otherwise, I wouldn't be able to write this. Love the blog, and read avidly. Small strteams are my softspot, and I never can resist fishing one when I see it!
ReplyDeleteThis is the kind of post that exemplifies fishing thin blue lines.....it's not always about just fishing. It is about the TOTAL experience of being in the woods. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteKiwi,
ReplyDeleteThanks.
You nailed it my friend. There's so much more to it.
That last brookie looks like it has been feeding well..You had very interesting experiences on this outing Alan..
ReplyDeletepenbayman,
DeleteThanks.
He was not missing many meals for sure.
Do you fish soft hackles under an indicator?
ReplyDeletetim,
DeleteThanks.
No I don't. I fish them by themselves, swinging them like a wet fly and then working them back slowly. The strike can come at any time, but it seems they take it best on the swing.