Good morning. Breakfast this day, and a good start to a fine day. Here at the homestead it's sunny with a strong breeze, very pleasant. Last week i visited a lovely small stream that has endured some hard times. The heat and droughts of a few years ago took a toll on the brook trout that live here. I'm happy to say that the stream and it's natives are doing just fine.
The stream is lined with hemlocks...many trout lillies were in bloom this day.
Fishing the runs and pools that normally hold fish I encountered several willing natives.
A well fed healthy brookie. No dry flies this day.
Parts of this stream are a pleasure to walk along. Many clearings and almost no brush.
Another fine brook trout. They were in the mood for a purple and starling soft-hackle.
On this stream there is a place known as the "black hole" it is a deep pool with a rush of water at the head and a massive log jam at the tail. There are some impressive brook trout in the black hole, they can be seen from time to time....seeing is one thing, catching is another...one day my friends.
I did manage one from the black hole this day. A beautiful fish that took a soft-hackle.
A fly for perhaps an evening on the black hole?
Nice post Alan. Thank-you. I fished a pool yesterday that was full of fallfish. Managed one trout and countless fallfish on a quill gorden dry. The fallfish were so much fun I wasted 20 minutes fishing for them. The takes were ultra fast and you had to be on your game to hook them.
ReplyDeleteJohn Dornik
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John I fished the Willimantic yesterday morning 'til the rains came. I had a blast with the fallfish. They are like salmon...they strike hard, leap, and put quite a bend in a rod.
They truly are an underrated fish.
Another lovely piece of water, Alan, of which you seem to have an endless supply. The brookies you show look especially healthy, with excellent colors and markings. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWilliam Shuck
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Bill lots of places to seek these wild guys. For the most part they are a quarry that is not to fussy on what you offer them.
I'm glad to see that stream is doing well again, I have to pay a visit soon.If it is the one I think it is, I've fished it, but only where it empties into a lake. There were brook trout there at the mouth but they were not of the wild variety.
ReplyDeleteRM Lytle
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Rowan not sure it empties into a lake, but much of it's flow comes from a top water release from a good sized lake. Part of the problem is releases, lake homes and cottages like there lake full even when there is no rain.
Alan
ReplyDeleteIf camping is allow on this stream, then the "Black Hole" is where I would pitch my tent; beautiful brook trout taken--thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill I have never seen anyone camping, but there are no signs saying you can't. Beautiful area, lots of hikers.
Alan
ReplyDeleteFinally a nice brookie from the "Black Hole'. A beauty for sure. Good to see that they are surviving after a few years of drought conditions. Maybe all this rain we had will keep them going.
TROUT1
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Pete as many times as I have fished the black hole I've yet to take one of those giants swimming it's depths. One day.
Alan , I have a similar place at home that has a small waterfall that plunges into a deep hole. For the life of me I've never had much success. This year I finally was able to catch one of its jewels. I guess persistence pays off. Your black hole really looks fishy. I'm glad the stream was able to recover, so many don't . Thankyou for the journey.
ReplyDeleteBrad Basehore
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Brad your area sounds very much like the black hole.
As you have said "never had much success", but they are there and one day you'll be shocked when you tangle with one.
Alan, My post disappeared but the gist was what a beautiful place. Your neck of the woods looks a super place to visit, the streams are a real treat to look at and quite inspirational. As Mae West must have said 'size isn't every thing'. Absolutely delightful, thank you. Those trout have a serious mouth on them too. Beautiful creatures. All the best, John
DeleteThe Two Terriers
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John the spring season is going strong, and it shows. It's amazing the numbers of wild flowers about.
A small stream guy never takes size into consideration. The large heads and smaller bodies is common at times, I guess it's a lack of food.
Alan, I said time again how beautiful those little streams are...but just once take a picture of a fly hanging in a tree. I know I can't be the only one. ;)
ReplyDeleteHoward Levett
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Howard my contribution of flies to the local tree bank is unbelievable. I love the fact that I tie, and that saves money. Doesn't it?
lovely fish and post as always alan, well done mate
ReplyDeleteGeorge
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Appreciated buddy.
We all come across deep holes that look so fishy but often draw a blank. There's a couple of deep pools in the creek behind me that I've yet to get even a slash at my flies.
ReplyDeleteLovely looking stream and brook trout, Alan. I do like that fly. Does it have a name?
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve Hynes
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Steve some streams are mysteries, and that can be a good thing.
The fly has no name. It's a soft-hackle using a peacock breast feather. Great movement and color in the water.
Alan - Great pictures of the water and some beautiful brook trout! Given the proper conditions brook trout can be very prolific and recover nicely as you have shown.
ReplyDeleteNJpatbee
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Pat they amaze me with their tenacity. Two years in a row nature kicked the hell out of them, and a year later they have rebounded.