Monday, October 15, 2018

One Fish

Did you ever have a day where frustration was the headliner? Where almost everything you decided on was not the best decision? A day where a heavy rain would be a blessing. Oh my...yesterday was such a day. Please keep in mind this frustrating day only encompassed my time on the stream, the rest of my day was quite lovely. I arrived at the stream and was soon walking along it's banks. Looking at the first photo you can see an assortment of foliage, quite thick I will say. It was somewhere in that foliage that some strange sounds were being heard from. I can at most times identify what I hear but these sounds are still a mystery. That little incident put me on edge somewhat. Now to add to this I realized I left a fly box at home. Not a big issue because it only contained a few flies that I had tied and wanted to try.



Walking along and fishing I felt like I had no fly tied on my tippet, the reason I thought that was I had not received a single hit. The fish were not being nice at all. I changed flies multiple times with the same result. Now let me tell you I had already fished for 3 hours with only a meager 2 fish takes and not a single fish to hand.


Look at that beautiful run. Now hear about the hell I endured trying to get to it. Looking at the far side of the stream it looks pretty easy, but I was on the near side. It was thick with blow downs, the soft mud was up to my knees. The footing when I was not knee deep was like walking on ice. To say I was frustrated is an understatement...but. Have I ever mentioned to you how much I love Fran Betters? Well it was his influence in the fly I was fishing that made my day.


It was that fly that so pissed off this fine wild jewel that he went for it three times, one of those times it stuck him and I actually was able to bring him to hand. As it turned out it was to be my only fish of the outing. It was worth the frustration.








20 comments:

  1. Ya! got to hate that "Murphy" guy. He can screw up the best of days. At least you didn't get skunked.

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    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark his law was in effect yesterday..the stink was held at bay.

      Delete
  2. Alan
    A skunk trip or even one trout can be motivation for the next trip. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill indeed. A few sunny days ahead..

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  3. Alan - Redemption in the end! But with all the rain we've had I don't doubt that the ground was very soft. Be careful out there!

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    Replies
    1. Mark Wittman
      Thanks
      Mark soft and deep. Lots of leaves and small twigs make for deceptive wading. I think the next time I'll chose the other side of the stream.

      Delete
  4. Good days, bad days. Everything tends toward the average. +/- three sigma Alan.

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    Replies
    1. John Dornik
      Thanks
      Yes sir buddy. Average is good.

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  5. That fish looks like he has attitude to spare. A frustrating day in a beautiful place ...still hard to go wrong.

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    Replies
    1. mike
      Thanks
      Mike after catching so many of these brookies you just know when you have one with a serious attitude, and this guy was one of them. Any day on the stream is a good one.

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  6. I feel your pain! I know the days average out, but it hurts when the fish either ignore you or got your number! "Walking on ice" -- I have to always have a wading staff with me or Isaac Newton tries to make me like the apple!

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    Replies
    1. Tom Davis
      Thanks
      Tom I have a staff in the car, I must learn to take it with me. I like the Newton reference.

      Delete
  7. A great looking stream, but looks mighty tough to fish. Props for getting the job done and connecting with a beauty, Alan.

    What do you figure that strange sound was in that foliage? That would have put me plenty on edge as well.

    Best, Sam

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    Replies
    1. Parachute Adams
      Thanks
      Sam the stream has it's rough spots, and our minds tell us those are where the fish are but that's not always true.
      It sounded like a grunt, whatever it was I could not see it.

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  8. Alan,
    The water looks delicious even though it was (or still is?) tough to get to! Mud is a real problem around our parts this past year....last two years actually! I love your reference to the "spunkiness" of this particular fish. I do run into this occasionally with my little darlings of the still waters, the Bluegills! Just like us they have different personalities and fighting abilities and attitudes! Unfortunately, I don't have any of the three afore mentioned characteristics!
    From the den,
    Doug

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    Replies
    1. Dougsden
      Thanks
      Doug the ground is so saturated, I'm not complaining though. It's much better than the alternative.
      I think the male brook trout are super aggressive at this time of year and that can turn into being sort of nasty.

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  9. Those strange sounds that you hear but you' know' you are the only person there... Beautiful fish though. Regards, John

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous
      Thanks
      John strange, unidentifiable, sounds shall not stop my pursuit. We all love a "mystery"....

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  10. Replies
    1. Michael Agneta
      Thanks
      No argument on that fro me.

      Delete