Sunday, a little snow, a little red soft hackle and a brown trout.

The possibility of an outing last weekend had been in the works for about a week. I was going to meet up with Kirk on Sunday and we would fish a small stream. Every thing was set and the day was to be pretty good weather wise, but for one issue, the forecast was for snow on Saturday. The weatherman said that it was not going to be an issue, and it wasn't if you lived in Virginia. It snowed all day Saturday, a wet sticky snow the kind that coats everything it touches.

When we started our walk to the stream the sun was in force. It was a bit cold, and the new snow was slippery. We split up and I started fishing a dry, because I had a feeling. A half hour later and nothing. It was cool with a breeze and I had some ice form in the guides, so with that I tied on pinkie.

Working pinkie through a few slow runs I managed to draw a few strikes but no hookups. Working upstream I finally had a hookup. As I brought the fish in he managed to say goodbye with pinkie in his lip, "learn how to tie a knot" Alan.

This endless winter, still manages to paint a pretty picture. I had tied on a soft hackle and worked it along the likely looking places. It was a good choice. Lots of action on it, and a lot of LDR's.

By this time Kirk had met up with me. I asked how he did and he said he had taken a brown. "Whats he eatin" I asked and he replied "Pete's Special" which is a "beadhead soft hackle pheasant tail".

I stayed with my soft hackle red and continued to work a pool with some swirling currents. As the fly bobbed up and then was pulled under a dark fish rose up under the fly as it was drifting up. This guy wanted that fly. He was hooked well and put the glass 3wt to a test.

Has my hand slipped into the cold water I was thinking winter's not that bad. A quick photo and the healthy wild brown was on his way.

A red soft hackle. So simple.