"Mossy Pool"

I am not very good at identifying wild flowers, but do enjoy them so very much. It seems as though I see a different type every time I visit a stream. I guess it doesn't matter what they are just that they are there.

"Mossy Pool" is located on a wild brook trout stream I frequent. Having fished it many times over the years and in every season of the year I have learned much. It's a deep pool with a nice steady flow and undercut banks. The banks on both sides are lined with a beautiful green moss. A carpet of felt. The head of the pool has a faster flow with two good sized rocks on either side. It then flows into a slower pace to its end. Wild brook trout can be taken at various points throughout the pool. At times it's almost easy to bring one in and at other times it's an impossible task.

On this day brook trout could be seen rising. I believe they were taking ants or a caddis emerger for there were a few caddis in the air. I had no ant patterns so on went a EH caddis. The fly went through the pool several times and brought one small response. The brookies kept rising so my assessment of what they were feeding on was right...ants. Looking in my fly box I saw a hopper. It was tied on and pressed into service. As the hopper cleared the large rocks at the head of the pool a brookie rose and took the hopper. He was the first of several to come from "Mossy Pool" this day.

There is someone watching the goings on at the head of "Mossy Pool"

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Wonderful Happenings

Yesterday morning we arrived at a stream that is rumored to hold a few wild brook trout. Saturdays rains were finished and from the looks of the small stream the rain was of little help. A check of the water temp showed it was 62 degrees, and it stayed much the same as we moved upstream. The air was cool and the forest damp, the smells of nature are many everything from decaying matter to the fragrant pine and hemlock.

So many colors along the stream. No cultivation here, only wild.

An elk hair caddis was given the first assignment and compleated it.

There are lots of places to escape to. And they also provide an excellent place to ambush a meal.

I came upon a long glassy pool. It was jammed up at one end from a log and some debris. I had put on a hopper and was about to let it drift when a brook trout was startled from the movement of the fly. The trout shot upstream and was gone for the day so I thought. No sooner than the time I finished my thought this brook trout races back down stream past me and nails the hopper.

As I held and admired the wild beauty for a few moments I wondered how a fish like this could make it in such cramped waters. As I placed the hopper in the hook holder I said I don't know how he managed to survive, I was so very happy he did.

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