Thursday, January 28, 2021

The "Pool".......

On a recent outing I found some willing brookies in an unlikely place. The day was sunny and rather bright. The air temp was enhanced quite a bit from the strong rays. On days like this I tend to fish the dark places in the stream, areas that have decent cover for the brookies. I will from time to time try other areas and on this day I was fortunate to find some willing fish. I had on a soft-hackle fly, a Partridge and Green. I came up on this pool. It was not deep but had enough water to hold a trout. The log laying in stream provided some cover and there was enough woody debris in stream to make the fish feel safe. I cast the fly and allowed for a short drift. As the fly neared the log I stopped it and began to lift it up toward the surface. As it reached the surface I saw a brookie come up and swipe at it.

Several more casts and another one swiped at it. The pool was clear so I could see the action. These fish were coming right off the bottom.  The soft hackle fly was pulsating as if it were hatching I could see it doing what it was supposed to do.
 

 

 

Partridge and Green.
 

These are a couple of the brookies I brought to hand. I estimate there were at least ten brookies in that little pool. Again very healthy well fed fish.
 

This guy looked like something tried to make a meal out of it.
 

 

23 comments:

  1. Ouch, he looks like he got skinned. Can't imagine what would have done that.

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  2. Hi Alan,

    It's great when the conditions allow you to see the trout making their way off the bottom to intercept your fly - the ultimate proof that your efforts in matching the local life in and around the stream were worth it.

    Keep the post coming, the weather is awful here, we are locked down (again) and I am struggling to stave off the 'shack nasties'!

    Take care and stay safe

    Alistair

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    Replies
    1. Alistair
      Thanks
      Alistair I was thrilled to observe them attacking that soft hackle.
      No covid restrictions here but the cold has taken hold. 0 degrees here and the warm day of the next few is 10. Lots of shelf ice.

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  3. Replies
    1. Tom
      Thanks
      I don't know the meaning of your comment.

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    2. Super Fish! Beautiful colours ! A very nice blog. I added it to the watchlist! :) Regards

      Delete
    3. Tom, thank you for explaining. Glad you like the blog and hope you'll comment often.

      Delete
  4. That is some clear water for sure! Glad you enjoyed it, got some fish, and just got some fresh air to boot.

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    Replies
    1. Hibernation
      Thanks
      Will getting out to fish has been a great equalizer in this time of covid. Fishing is a natural stress reducer.

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  5. Props for getting out, Alan. Water is going to freeze up pretty well with this shot of cold. Spring isn't far off though! Good to see that brookie escaped from whatever had hold of it.

    Best, Sam

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    Replies
    1. Sam
      Thanks
      Sam this weekend will be the coldest for us this season. I hope the cold snap is short lived. That little guy had some nasty scars "toughie"...

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  6. Alan
    I've been reading about trout activity in the winter months. After reading some articles I've read that trout usually hug the bottom in cold weather. They tend to be more dormiate during the winter months as well. Next time I go back to the Sipsey I will be fishing deep, when the rain stops. Thanks for sharing

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    Replies
    1. Bill Trussell
      Thanks
      Bill that's true. They try to conserve energy but will respond to a fly presented close to them. Also a few degree change in water temps can cause a pretty good feeding spree.

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  7. G'Day Alan,
    Lovely looking pool and brookies. That second little bloke looks like he's been through the wars! I've caught trout that have had pretty nasty looking healed scar wounds but they obviously had enough spunk to recover. Cormorants and pelicans often can make a big dent in a fishery. I once saw a flock of pelicans virtually clean out a small farm dam which held little uncoloured goldfish. They swam in a line, fluttering their wings and herded the fish into the shallow end of the dam. Then it was on! The next day there were no pelicans and very few fish.
    I should fish soft hackles more often. I have a collection of North Country Spiders that I bought from an English fly shop some years ago. Whenever I have fished them, they have worked well for me in still and running water. Simple is good.
    I baked some "cricket flour" scones yesterday. What we call a "scone" you call a "biscuit"--I think---at least that's what Robert Redford called them in "Jeremiah Johnson". A great film--can watch it again and again. SR white four, cream, a little salt, milk and a couple of teaspoons of the cricket flour. Baked up quite nice. My son wanted to try it with all cricket flour but I advised him not to. "Why?"---"Just trust me, I'm a baker!"
    Lots of rain here in Victoria, OZ. I'll let the creeks settle down before I head out fishing again.
    Kindest Regards,
    Steve.

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    Replies
    1. Steve
      Thanks
      Steve cormorants do raise hell with a fish population. Soft hackles/spiders work so well. I consider them "go to" flies.
      Jeremiah Johnson one of the best movies ever, and Johnson does call them biscuits. He was also told he fishes poorly. Hot biscuits and butter...

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    2. "The way that you wander, is the way that you choose,
      The day that you tarry,is the day that you lose,
      Sunshine or thunder, a man will always wonder, where a fair wind blows."

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  8. Great content as usual. I also really like your motto: "Take the time to slow down on the water and look to the grand beauty out there in its most simple form."

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    Replies
    1. Kierran Broatch
      Thanks
      Kierran that's been the concept of this blog from the beginning. Nature changes, sometimes dramatically sometimes it's subtle. But one constant is its beauty.

      Simplicity in itself is a thing of beauty....

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  9. We have tons of blue herons and while I respect their regal stature and natural beauty I also am aware of their heron herl being an important, if off limits ingredient for a few North Country Classics (the Old Master comes to mind) and worry about their effect on wild trout populations given their preference for trout in their diets!

    Welcome Kierran my son has same name, only 1 r.

    Kevin

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    Replies
    1. Ned Zeppelin
      Thanks
      Kevin herons are hunters. We have them around the pond here at the condo. I've seen them not only taking fish but also baby muskrats. Mergansers can also raise hell with trout.

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  10. For another snowy day I think this is a video everyone who enjoys this blog will also enjoy, an ode to simplicity send to me by a friend, you will love Arthuro:

    https://www.patagonia.com/the-complete-fisherman.html

    Kevin

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    Replies
    1. Ned Zeppelin
      Thanks
      Kevin that's a wonderful piece. I would love to share some pasta with Arthuro. Any one that lives his life as simple as he does is inspiring.

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