"Many are hooked here, but few are landed" I can't remember who said that, or where I read it but it sure applies to places like this. I did manage to take one brookie in this spot and although it did not seem overly hard to do at the time. Looking back at it now I feel a little different. I started fishing a dry fly, a foam black ant. I figured it was easy to see and it's been working well for the last few weeks and it just might be the easiest fly to work through the changing currents in this section of stream. Well common logic doesn't always work...one then two ants found their way into the wrong places. A very sparse soft-hackle was called upon and it fared better then the ants, but it did not work. It was at this time I pulled out a fly I don't often fish, a beadhead nymph. To be exact a beadhead hares ear nymph.
Fast water, changing currents and somewhat shallow water are problems when fishing nymphs. And to add to it I was fishing a 5' Tiny Tenkara rod. On the third drift a substantial strike took place, but no hookup. Several more drifts and a hookup.
Man what a beautiful wild brookie...Now I grant you this is not a "monster"...and I'm happy about that. A "monster"..defined as "an imaginary creature that is typically large, ugly and frightening"...none of that applies to this wild jewel.
I learned that nymph fishing with a Tenkara rod may be easier then fishing it with a conventional fly rod in small streams.
Looks like Nattie has led you over to the dark side Alan. :-) Glad to see you enjoying yourself no matter what the tackle.
ReplyDeleteHere it's supposed to be 99-103 degrees the next week so I'll leave the fish alone.
We're about 60 degrees in the UK at the moment, don'tcha just love summer!
Deletebillp
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The chance to try tenkara presented itself to me, and the price was right. So far it has been enjoyable...hot here 95...tropical storm for Fri. night and Sat.
Bureboyblog
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I love summer but hate temps in the 90's....
I guess we have to take the sweet with the sour.
Natty has that tendency..
DeleteNate that's a good tendency.
DeleteLooks fun, and challenging with those currents and that streamside cover.
ReplyDeleteHibernation
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Will the challenge was fun. Catching that brookie was awesome. I'm still learning at 74....
It's been really hot here for a week but we are getting rain today and the temps will be moderating. Should be good to go by the weekend. Be careful, Tenkara can be addicting.
ReplyDeletedpnoll
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Dave the rain will surely help drive the temps down. Luckily the streams here have been quite cold, 50 to 60 degrees.
Get out and fish....
You're making this Tenkara stuff harder to ignore...
ReplyDeleteBeautiful looking stream, Alan. Send rain if you've got any to spare.
It's a simple beauty, a fixed line with a variable tippet and your choice of trout temptation.
Deletemike
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Mike I could see you with that Tiny Tenkara. I know you have a few places where it would suit you well. Rain is on the way, here 2-4", and maybe you to will benefit.
Nate you put it quite well.
DeleteAlan, with tenkara I have tied/fished many nymph patterns, both modified/traditional and weighted/unweighted. I have found many unweighted nymph patterns tied with a long soft hackle forward (sakasa kebari) or short to matched soft hackle rearward (jun kebari) and fished as what I've been calling an "accidental dry" are VERY productive year round. When dry or dried, these will float on rough water for some distance. Whenever they sink, I change from a high stick drift to a tapping and jerky or pulsed subsurface drift. Either presentation will tempt the trout we seek.
ReplyDeleteIf you are hooked with the TinyTen Alan, I'd like to respectfully suggest the Bad Axe from TAO. It's a beautiful rod and while it's much longer than the 5' it is still completely adept at our small streams.
Nathan Camp
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Nate your thoughts are well taken. I also pulse drift-retrieve. I find that most always brings a strike. I also allow the fly to sit on the bottom for a few seconds, then I move it ever so slowly, and I am almost always greeted by a hard hit. I am quite satisfied with my five footer, but I did check out those TAO offerings and for the money they are quite nice.
G'Day Alan,
ReplyDeleteYou are having fine success fishing that Tiny Ten rod. It would be ideal for little waters. Beautiful brookies.
I chuck just about anything on tenkara rods--streamers included. The first time out with my little "Tiny Ten" like 5 foot rod I fished a Killer Kebari" and caught 3 nice nice brown trout out of the nearby Grace Burn. The Killer Kebari is like a Sawyer's Killer Bug with a hackle. A very nymphy, maggoty sort of fly.
A mild morning here in Healesville, Victoria--about 9C although it's been icy the last few mornings. No stream fishing until September and only limited still water options for me as there is a travel restriction due to renewed COVID19 restrictions. Eventually, we will return to some sort of normality. Gam zeh ya'avor.
Keep well everyone and thanks again, Alan, for taking us along the streams with you. I hope some day that I can return the favour.
Kindest Regards,
Steve.
Steve
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Steve I tossed a small streamer the other day, it worked fairly well although no takers. The Killer Kebari is a fly I've seen, in fact I may have one or two that were given to me. I'll look in a few of my boxes and give it a try. The warm weather is OK, the humidity just drains you. Summer is with us and deal with it we will...be well.
Alan
ReplyDeleteI have a feeling that you are becoming a little more familiar with Tenkara. I would think you could whole the fly in the fast water a little longer using the Tenkara as oppose to the fly rod? I never tire looking at those beautiful brook trout you land!!! great post thanks for sharing
Bill Trussell
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Bill yes each time out with the tenkara rod I feel a little bit more comfortable with it. It's fun...