Happy in July

July has been a month of changes. The beginning of the month saw rather comfortable conditions and favorable conditions on the small streams...and then summer really took hold. High temps and low rainfall put a damper on some of the fishing. Some streams held up better then others keeping water temps in the low sixties and sufficient flows to keep the fish well. Unlike several years ago when a nasty drought took place and pretty much wiped out a lot of brook trout, this is really not bad. As I write this I can say very happily that a very good substantial rain event took place overnight and continues this morning. Some numbers tossed about have the amount so far upwards of three inches.

I take water temps every outing and you can see from my last one the water is cold.

The issue in fishing low water is finding the brookies. While the deep pools will usually give up some fish, it's the riffles and faster water that hold more fish. A problem fishing these areas of swift water is hook-ups. The fly moves by the fish pretty fast and while the brookies will see it and attempt to take it there are a lot of misses. But I still love those riffles.

A real dark brook trout taken in a riffle. This guy took a soft-hackle and did not miss.

Now this is not a fishing story, this really happened. You can see the large grass covered rock. To the left the stream is really pushing water over the cobble. Right below the rock is a deeper flat that appears to be gray in color. I drifted a fly through that spot and took a nice hit. Again the fly drifted a again a hit. Both times I missed the fish. Just slightly down from that rock I did find this....

...this jewel was holding in the riffle in a shade spot and did not miss the fly. Did I ever mention just how much I love this fishing and the lovely brook trout I find.

Pretty much all I needed that day...Purple silk and a pheasant feather.

William "Bill" Shuck

Can someone be considered a friend even though you have never met them? Can he be a friend even though you have never shook hands? I have such a person that I consider my friend and that friend just left this world.

William "Bill" Shuck is a man that I met online several years ago. He commented many times on my blog as well as conversing with me via email. Bill was a very talented fly tyer and fly historian with a passion for soft-hackle flies and flymphs. The man was an encyclopedia when it came to these types of flies. So many times he would email me with his thoughts on a particular fly and most times those thoughts were right on. Having known Bill for those few short years gave me a lifetime of expertise from a gentleman who offered it so freely. Bill Shuck thanks for your friendship, you will be missed.

The flies shown all have special meaning. They were tied by Bill and sent to me with a bit of history behind them.

Muddy Waters

One morning last week or maybe it was the week before, I'm not sure for certain. We had a pretty heavy rainstorm in the early hours of that day. Now most folks know how fast a small stream can come up during such times and how they can come down quickly. So with that thought in mind I set out to fish a little stream that I just knew would benefit from a surge of rain. Fast and deep flows will move fish around and that thought was first in my mind. As I pulled into the cutoff to park my car I could hear the stream. The dirt pull-off was real muddy with a few big puddles. It looked like the rain had just stopped. I got geared up and headed to the stream where I saw a fast moving stream of "chocolate" milk. I was expecting the stream to be this bad, like I said they usually clear pretty fast, not so today. Well Alan make the best of it.

I tried several flies of various styles and colors with no interest shown. So an article I read a long time ago in either Outdoor Life or Field and Stream came to mind. The author talked of fishing a very off colored stream. As it began to clear ever so slightly he said "it's time to fish"..the fly he selected was a Leadwing Coachman. A dark fly. Looking into my box a did not have a Leadwing Coachman but I did have a black fly. I tied it on and cast it out. On my retrieve I took a hit. That was the start of a good day with that black fly.

Most takes were just as the fly was being lifted near the surface.

I was right on the rain moving fish around. Several were caught where I have not caught them before....It rained substantially yesterday afternoon and last night?

A morning in the woods....

This is a place where you can find most of what you have been searching for. Here is a place where you are not judged. All that you see is real. Where what is seen and done is not scripted, directed or produced for vast audiences. This is a world that is closer then one would imagine. So please join me on a day I would like to share with you.

The lush green of a July morning. This day it was wet from a overnight shower.

The stream is fast here and flows into a deep undercut. These are places where brook trout lie and will pounce on food as it swings by them.

Taking my offering without hesitation.

A Kingfisher sat in the tree observing my goings on. He must have approved for the usual chatter of this fisher did not occur while I fished the stream.

How it piles up. Cold water and a hot spot together.

Odd looking red bug, make a note not to eat it again.

A small stream anglers dream. I observed several brookies rising. They were just braking the surface.

I managed to fool one. They do make a fuss when hooked.

Another open but tight spot. Is there a trout in there.

Yes there was.

I know when I saw this I was in for a treat. Places like this hold bigger fish. Many casts were made here without a response. Just as I was about to give up a rise and a take.

Not the monster I assumed would be in there but a nice wild jewel still.

My walk back to the car was gentle. Lot's of fine memories today.