"Old Dam Brookie"

Over the years I've attended many fly fishing shows, and most were quite interesting. Then they seem to have taken a high end commercial feeling and I don't care to much for that so I no longer attend them. There was a show I did attend at the Catskill Fly Fishing Center some years past. The gathering was small and friendly and featured everything from flies to bamboo rods with books and art work. While looking I spotted a nice art print it featured a fly angler fishing a lovely pool below an old dam. The angler was into a nice fish, one could tell by the bend in his rod. The print was titled "Fishing Below The Old Dam" by Arthur Shilstone.

Monday found me angling about a lovely little stream. A bright sunny early November day which would bring about some delightful temps. I have fished this little gem a few time but have not ventured very far up. This day I would try it and see what it held. Fishing as I moved upstream I was given the pleasure of catching several feisty brook trout. These fish were not fussy, and took most all my offerings.

As I moved into new territory I spotted the remnants of a washed out dam. The pools and the little falls were such a pleasure to see. One of the pools was quite deep, and shadows of the breached dam walls made it nice and dark. Looking at the pool I knew there had to be a trout holding there. I positioned myself and sent the parachute looking for a taker. It did not take long for as soon as the fly hit the water I had a rise, but a miss. Several more casts produced nothing. I tied on a Elk hair caddis and on the second cast the fish rose again, the result was the same, a miss. I changed to a small Mickey Finn and worked the pool. The streamer was not hit but its red and yellow colors managed to show me the trout that held in the pool. He followed the streamer and I saw him, a beautiful colored brook trout.

I went into the box and pulled out a bomber and tied it on. Waiting a few moments to allow all to settle down, I then sent the bomber flying. The fly landed softly and was sent turning by the swirling waters. From the dark pool came the rise, the strike, the hookup. The fish was on and he used all of the pool to seek his release. The finish is what I hoped for. A quick photo and a fast release along with a thank you.

A small stream, a memory, and later some reflecting on what a beautiful day this was, at "Old Dam Brookie"