Saturday, December 20, 2014

Small Stream Report 12-19-14

A stream in brook trout forest. This little stream that flows through some lovely woodlands, and in the past has been good to me. I had not been here since late August and did not know what to expect. The stream had suffered through a dry late summer and into fall. When I saw it in August it was almost dry in places, not a very good scene.

Since that time we have received ample rains and the stream has been replenished with the main ingredient needed to sustain wild brook trout. I had no idea on what the low water had actually done to the trout. I was hoping for a good day but I also expected little. The day was cloudy and cold with a sometimes brisk wind. The first fly up was a proven fish producer. After fishing it for a half hour without even a bump the thought was the brook trout had fallen on bad times and there numbers had dwindled. I moved upstream to a run/pool that has provided a fish or two on dry flies. I tied on a bomber, what the hell if your not catching trout on flies you might as well not catch them on dry flies. I sent the bomber on a drift and quickly a rise and a miss. Several more attempts and in seemed they liked the bomber.


Finally I was able to hook up. In a few moments I held a wonder. The brook trout was in almost perfect condition. The fish had survived a very bad period of low water as well as the spawn and came through in good shape.




I tied on a small yellow muddler and worked it the pool. Several casts later a brookie struck and soon was at hand.




With a short time left to the fishing day I decided to fish a few deep pools on my way back to the car. I tossed the muddler out and as soon as it stopped its drift a crazy brookie almost launched itself onto the bank to grab the fly. I said to myself no way is this fish coming back. On the second cast it did just that, this time he got stuck.


What the heck is a "muddler" Seems that this stream has a few survivors. Here's hope that this stream in brook trout forest is back.





22 comments:

  1. It's still amazing that fish can be caught in such small water. And the beauty of the fish is unbelievable. Thanks Alan.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howard,
      Thanks.
      That stream Howard has given up some really nice fish...big browns too.

      Delete
  2. Glad to see these brookies were able to make it through the brutal drought this year. These fish are simply survivors, and their instincts are amazing. That is why we need to protect these amazing trout! That last brookie had some size to him to go with his excitable personality.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RI brook trout,
      Thanks.
      They come through, meager food sources, meager water, and all of a sudden there they are.
      They seem to trying to put on some bulk to tide them over.

      Delete
  3. It is amazing how on a year when a stream appears to harden into nothing but gravel and stone... a little water... and wham - those fish appear from where ever it was they had found safety. Amazing how they survive!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation,
      Thanks.
      Will they have been doing this for centuries. They are truly an amazing char.

      Delete
  4. If all it took was a dry summer and fall to kill off a stream there wouldn't be brookies in any of the thin blue lines around here. They must just hunker in underneath rocks in those little pools and eat when the opportunity provides itself. Truly a miraculous species.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RM Lytle,
      Thanks.
      Very true in your statements. They are special.

      Delete
  5. Nice too see the brook trout still hanging on in that little stream

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark,
      Thanks.
      They are still there. That deep pool next to that large boulder, I believe there's a nice solid brown there.

      Delete
  6. Beautiful, as always. Glad to hear that the brook trout survived the times of low water. Nature is truly an amazing thing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Justin Carfagnini,
      Thanks.
      Justin it seems that nature provides for them, because if they go they could never be replaced by anything.

      Delete
  7. Good to see the muddler doing its thing. I've tied up a new one for my next run to Rocky Ford Creek.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim Yaussy Albright,
      Thanks.
      Jim that fly is a winner. I know of your love for that fly.

      Delete
  8. What's your method for fishing the small muddler minnows, Alan?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Klags,
      Thanks.
      Sorry for the late reply.
      I fish them in a downstream drift as a dry fly allowing the fly to float through a pool/run. Then I'll retrieve it back allowing it to be pulled just under the surface. A strike can come at almost any point.

      Delete
  9. It's posts like this one that make me long for my rod, some flies and a quite stretch of water. Thanks for letting me forget about the daily grind for a moment or two.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kiwi,
      Thanks.
      Sorry for the late reply.
      Chris we need to get you out.

      Delete
  10. I am late to comment here, Alan, but, I am here. Fly fishing those small streams for Brookies must be like watching an artist at work. The end results are so gratifying.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mel,
      Thanks.
      Sorry for the late response.
      Mel for a fisherman of so many years the gratification seems to increase on every outing.

      Delete