Friday, March 13, 2015

Another fine day.....

Well I was out at it again Wednesday seeing how the weather was being so nice to this fellow. The stream was a lot wider with the snow melt but still very clear. The snow along the banks still proved to be a tough walk. This time though I wore my waders which enabled me to walk in the stream and that led to further exploration. Being able to try some new areas I went to work quickly. The fly on the line was a bomber and fingers crossed that today would bring a dry fly trout to hand. I worked the stream as well as the fly in every way I know trying to draw a strike, but to no avail. Still it was a sweet sight to see a dry fly floating on a ice free stream this March morning.

I reeled in the bomber and decided to fish wet flies and perhaps a streamer. As I was changing flies I caught some movement to the right of where I was standing. My eyes scanned the stream and along the banks. Suddenly this little fellow pops out from the water near a snow bank. He seemed to happy although a bit confused at the fact I was moving in on his pool he must have said this guy has no stream etiquette. So he said I'm leaving.


He could be the reason the trout were on high alert and not willing to race for the fly. I told myself that was true so as not to feel bad about not catching fish. But in reality that was not why. The air was warm which caused the snow to melt which made the water colder. Several times and places along the stream I took the water temp, the readings were from the mid thirties to one at 40. Cold enough to keep things slow.




I continued on enjoying this beautiful day. I went from pool to pool. I came upon this very interesting piece of water. There was a shallow riffle going into a slow deep undercut. Trout hideout for sure. I drifted the fly towards the bank and let it continue through the pool. I continued this several times letting the fly stop and just hang in the slow current. It seemed that no one was home, or was not hungry.

Before moving on I said to myself why not drift the fly through the shallow riffle, could be a fish there and if not so be it. So I backed up some and sent the fly down and across. Several more times I worked the riffle and suddenly a fish hit. Moments later I slipped my hand in the water a lifted a beautiful brook trout from the stream. It looked a bit pale, and on the thin side but none the less in strong fighting condition. A quick photo and off to find something better to eat.

I continued to fish for another hour and a half and was never to feel a fish take. A beautiful day for sure.





Check the photo of the day. A new one each day from the archives.

22 comments:

  1. Beautiful outing Alan! It's interesting how brook trout's colors seem to follow the seasons. Icy blue winter and spring, deepening greens during the summer, and amazing reds oranges, greens, and more in the fall. Awesome!
    Will

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hibernation,
      Thanks.
      They do indeed change with the seasons. Will I guess that helped them survive everything that was sent there way.

      Delete
  2. Very cool. It's really a pleasure to watch the the change over from Winter to Spring in your photos.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Drew LooknFishy,
      Thanks.
      Drew it's a pleasure to bring them to you.

      Delete
  3. On the news this morning, the weather guesser said that 12.8% of the country still has snow on the ground. You must be in that 12.8%. Fortunately the snow is melting quickly and you should be clear in no time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark Kautz,
      Thanks.
      Mark this is one statement the guesser got right. But it's shrinking.

      Delete
  4. Alan, thanks so much for posting this. I'm pumped up. I got a new prescription from the doctor yesterday. GO FISHING! 70s this weekend in my part of Colorado. I'm ready!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Howard Levett,
      Thanks.
      Howard a fine script. This is one I hope you'll fill.

      Delete
  5. Replies
    1. TexWisGirl,
      Thanks.
      Theresa this is the second one that I've seen this year. Playful little guys.

      Delete
  6. Glad you got one! Great wildlife photography as well, I've tried for years to get a picture of one of those little guys.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RM Lytle,
      Thanks.
      Like I mentioned to Theresa this was the second one I've seen since January.
      They put the fish on high alert.

      Delete
  7. Great that you were able to get one with the cold water...I recognize that wet fly from a prior post. Pretty soon they will be coming up to the bomber!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. RI brook trout,
      Thanks.
      At this time of the year it's a blessing to just fish, a tug on the line is a plus.
      Bomber time is getting closer with each day.

      Delete
  8. You and I both know that there were fish there. Some of those pictures just cried out, "Fish". Another day, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mel,
      Thanks.
      Mel "another day" I'm happy with that.

      Delete
  9. I'm envious of all that cold clear snowmelt your streams are getting. Nice shot of the mink.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Jim Yaussy Albright,
      Thanks.
      Jim usually when you get melting snows it will cloud up the water, but this is a slow melt and that helps.

      Delete
  10. Alan
    I see you were using your new glass fly, how was the action? Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell,
      Thanks.
      Bill it worked very well. But a true test will come when better weather is upon us.

      Delete
  11. Persistence pays off Alan..love the pic of that critter..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. penbayman,
      Thanks.
      Mike they are so cute.....they also love fish.

      Delete