Wednesday, September 16, 2020

A Small Stream

It was up early yesterday for me. I had planned to fish a small stream that was about an hour and a half away. The morning was quite chilly and that first cup of coffee really tasted and felt good. So after some scrambled eggs I put the "little rod" the little line and a few flies in the car and set off to see how this stream was going to treat me. It seemed a bit odd as I pulled off the hard road onto the dirt road. The little pull off had a SUV parked in it. I tried to fit the Honda in there to but there was not enough room. I drove up a little further and found another nook that I was able to get the car in. This road does not get much traffic. The few homes and camps and the cars that belong to the owners are about all the traffic on that road. Maybe the SUV was fishing or perhaps scouting out some deer.

Geared up I walked to the stream. As you can see it was in beautiful condition. This area is kind of rugged and reminds me of the streams I fished in Shenandoah Nat. Park. The water was cold and clear and within seconds I scattered several brookies. I pulled out the "Tiny Ten", tied on a soft hackle and started to work the pool. 15 minutes later I realized I scared the fish into their under rock lies. Move on Alan.


In this landscape of large rocks and boulders, hemlocks galore and a few oaks for good measure I found this patch of wild asters.



This pool was amazing. It was deep, and a cobble bottom and a undercut. I fished it for a good half hour, changing flies a few times. I had several strikes and a few hookups but not a single fish to hand. The one thing about tenkara fishing is the fact that a net is mandatory if you want to photograph a fish. It is difficult to bring a fish to hand when you are unable to grab the line and gain control.


Fortunately I was able to accomplish one to hand without a net. A nice healthy brook trout. Unusual spotting on this one but it's green body was a sight I have not seen in some time. Most of the brookies were about the same size with a few smaller ones in the mix, which is a good sign.


I'll probable be back here in the weeks to come, both with Tiny Ten and the Small Stream Reflections bamboo.








14 comments:

  1. Pretty stream Alan, I can see why you'll go back. Went out Monday with a little help from my friend.

    Fished at a lake that was horribly crowded and missed a few hits on spoons. Went to a creek and released a couple. Water was so low you would swear there was nothing there, but there was. :-)

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    1. billp
      Thanks
      Bill I'm so happy your getting out. Lake or stream it's all great and beneficial.

      Delete
  2. Alan,
    Pretty spot. All those boulders does look like Shenandoah. Streams in Western NY are still very low so for the time being I'm fishing vicariously through. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. Beaverdam
      Thanks
      Joe some of our streams have fared well. I was visiting two today, not fishing but hiking and I saw lots of fish. The nights here have been real cool and that helps.

      Delete
  3. Makes me want to get upcountry. Too bad everything is closed (fire danger). At least I can go along with you (online).

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    1. Mark Kautz
      Thanks
      Mark we have been recieving some of that smoke. Sunny skies but they have that smokey haze. Fingers crossed that you get some needed rain soon.

      Delete
  4. Alan
    I know the feeling trying to photograph a slippery trout. Seems you guys are experiencing some fall weather early. When do you expect your first frost? Looking forward to your report concerning this stream. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill the last few nights have been chilly, and this weekend they predict daytime highs in the low to mid sixties...fall for sure. I say about the 10th of October for the first frost.

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  5. No one asked yet so here goes: what’s the recipe for the Big Jim Flymph? Looks great. Trying to get out in the next couple of days and may tie a couple up. Looks like some “Iron Blue” ancestry there but will await word from the Master!

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    Replies
    1. Ned Zeppelin
      Thanks
      Kevin there's nothing exotic in the material list. I love simplicity.
      Hook Firehole 609 #12, but you can use any hook you like. The thread is Pearsall's brown silk, but again any silk thread will do. The dubbing is life cycle nymph dubbing, this is one item that you should not skip, very good stuff for soft hackles. And the hackle is either a dark hen pheasant feather or a dark grouse feather. Have at it buddy, and I would like to know how it fishes for you.

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  6. What a "simple" but satisfying way to fish.

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    1. Bureboyblog
      Thanks
      The only focus is enjoyment. The complicated stuff not needed.

      Delete
  7. Alan, that is a beautifully marked and coloured fish. A proper little jewel, well, not that little. As always a pleasure to view. All the best, John

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    Replies
    1. The Two Terriers
      Thanks
      John I was impressed with the amount of green in its body, maybe it was the light. Jewels they are.

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