A bright sunny winter day, a day when sky and water seem to blend into one. Last week I experienced such a day and here are some thoughts on that day. The stream was in prime condition. Water flowing over rocks and boulders. The brown of winter along the shore is only visible to the eye in a photo, a live observance erases all other color except the blue color of the water. It's said that sky and water have no color and that's probably true, but we as anglers may have different views on that.
The fishing on the stream was great but the catching was slow. That's OK though because I still found so much pleasure just being there.
There is a sense that I have that say's it will be just fine. Mr. Skunk will be avoided this day. In a soft spot in the stream the fly moved in a dead current. A movement could be seen under it. The fly was grabbed and the line tightened. The little pocket became frothy and soon the brookie could be seen. A moment later he was at hand. Oddly the brookie also displayed a royal blue color, fitting for such a day.
Color does it make a difference in how a fly looks to a trout? I think so. This spider uses blue silk for the body, a thin dusting of hares ear and a turn or two of woodcock.
Over the next few weeks I'll feature a few more of these spiders with various silks and hackles.
Pretty stream, flies and Brook trout Alan. Which Firehole Sticks are those on the soft hackles?
ReplyDeletebillp
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Bill those are Firehole 609, #12. They're a nice short shank hook that's perfect for these spiders.
Thanks Alan. I ordered some from JS Stockard to try out.
DeleteBill I see J Stockard is now handling Firehole...good move.
DeleteHi Alan,
ReplyDeleteThat is a really good looking stream. I love the pocket water and the broken down retaining wall by the feeder stream - I can imagine each pool holds at least one resident ready to pounce on a soft hackle or snatch at a bomber.
I use the a blue bodied soft hackle in the late spring and early summer to match the little gravel flies which are so abundant along several pools of local my stream. The recipe is similar except the hackle is partridge rather than woodcock. On warm & blustery days it is fantastic.
I managed to grab a couple of hours this afternoon on my local and landed my 1st fish of 2020 - a well conditioned grayling just over 10" on a 'Sexy Walt's Worm'.
Take care
Alistair
Alistair
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Alistair most times that stream does have fish in most pockets but that day they were not there or not hungry. I'll have to tie up a few with partridge. A fine way to start 2020...
G'Day and Happy New Year, Alan,
ReplyDeleteWater and the sky may not have any colour but seen through our mere mortal eyes they can be be beautiful. I've read and been told that a peacocks plumage has no colour and that it is the light refracting through the feather fibres. Too scientific for me! A peacocks display is beautiful. No explanation needed for me.
Beautiful photos, Alan. Thanks again for taking us all along.
Haven't wet a line in 2020 as yet. A combination of being way too hot and pain in my right hand due to a fall while wading about a month ago. Nothing serious but needed time to heal.
I'll try to send you photos of trout Number 1 for 2020.
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve
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First off I hope you are safe from those terrible fires.
Yes we do tend to see what we like, and most times that's for the good. Take care and I'll be looking forward to that 1st trout.
G'Day Alan,
DeleteThe bush fires that you have been seeing are mostly in the northeast and eastern part of Victoria, as well as large areas of New South Wales,Queensland and Western Australia. We have bushfires every year but this is a very extreme time. In February 2009, we had bushfire fronts on three sides of Healesville and it was only a change in wind direction that saved us all. A time of fear and uncertainty. We can relate to people affected by these recent fires.Fortunately, we are in no danger where we are at the moment.
Australia is a continent of extremes as described in the poem by Dorothea Mackeller:
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains,
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel sea,
Her beauty and her terror,
The wide brown land for me.
This verse of the poem sums up Australia and how most Aussies feel about this continent, admiring the beauty but at the same time respecting and at times fearing the devastation that can be unleashed at certain times.
On to lighter matters. I have about a week off work to allow this hand and wrist to fully heal. It's come pretty good over the last couple of days but I decided having a week off with no work related strain was a good idea.We have a lot of running around to do but I'll hopefully get to catch Trout Number1 for 2020 in this time. With a bit of luck I'll remember to take the camera!
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve, thank you for that explanation. I feel better now as do the readers.
DeleteThe poem really tell it all.
Alan,
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful steel blue brook trout. I am very happy to see your blue lines flowing so well. Love that first shot of the tributary coming into the main stream. Have you ever fished that branch? I wonder who built that retaining wall and for what purpose.
Regards, Sam
Sam
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Sam plenty of water, good winter holding. I have fished that trib. I have not taken a trout there but have spooked a few. The better part of that trib runs through private land. I have never seen anyone on the land but the amount of notices on the trees tells me to keep away.
That wall may something to do with a foot bridge near it. I'll check more into it. You know New England and these things are common from bygone years.
Alan - Beautiful stream and a nicely colored brookie. I have to admit that I have never tied a blue soft hackle and will have to rummage through my stash of Pearsall's to see what I have. Thanks for sharing the pictures!
ReplyDeleteNJpatbee
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Pat most times I think brookies don't really care about color, but being use to eating everything drab in color when they see blue it's like a fillet mignon. Tie some up buddy.
Wow, blue water, blue Brookie, blue fly, blue silk. Yep, a blue kind of day. Oh yeah, blue ice cream (container) below.
ReplyDeleteMark Kautz
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Mark it's all blue. By the way I wish you could try some of that ice cream. The best pistachio.
Alan
ReplyDeleteIt looks like this stream is full of pocket water. I have a feeling you know which holes are productive on this awesome looking stream. Thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill it's loaded with pockets. I can generally guess the right ones, but then boorkies don't always play by the rules. It's fun trying....
Nice brookie. I can't wait until I can get up to them again in the late spring. Hope the holidays were good to you and the family!
ReplyDeleteThe River Damsel
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Emily great to hear from you. All is good on my end, I hope your end is well. Spring is a thought now but soon it will become a reality, and those brookies will be attacking your stimulators. I miss you western guys.
Hi Allen and friends,
ReplyDeleteFWIW, I heard a presentation by Ed Engel last year at the fly show in Marlborough. He said he's started experimenting with bright blue-bodied flies for winter tailwaters in CO. He'd heard a theory that the color blue might be especially visible in winter because of the slanting light.
Best to all,
John
John Strucker
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John now that adds some expertise to the blue colored body. His thought makes sense.
Hello Alan and Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteThat picture of the real of Pearsalls Gossamer tying silk prompted me to let you know that although Pearsalls are dead - well at least from the fly tying perspective the product lives on! Pearsalls, became Langley and is now still available from another UK company called Morus Silk. There are a range of Pearsalls silk products available on the site, though the website itself is a bit of a challenge. I have requested a full list of colours, costs and volumes of availability - single spools, mixed boxes etc. I have also found an alternative to Pearsalls/YLI SILK called Kimono that I can get in the UK. Ii is close to identical, is very fine and comes in a wide range of colours.
Happy tying
John.
Grannom
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John I did not know that Pearsalls was still available. I'll have to investigate a little. YLI has filled the gap nicely and with the addition of Kimono the Pearsalls loss will be easier to deal with. Thanks for the heads up.
When blue is "on" it just is. Great pattern Allan.
ReplyDeleteRalphsFlyBox
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Ralph I've learned that blue is a favored color of Great Lakes steelhead...so the blue soft-hackle may be the ticket for rainbows.
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