A Tiny Stream In The Woods

A sweet little stream nestled in a deep forest of of hardwoods and hemlocks. The shade it provides keeps its waters cold and offers protection. Walking a path along it I felt so good knowing I might be in a brook trout heaven.

The stream is a tough one to fish, and fumbling through the thickets and trying to present the fly was a challenge. A few wild brook trout could be seen darting as I looked into the stream.

Places as these offer one time to reflect on what a beautiful piece of earth it is.

A decomposing log. Most would not even notice it as it returns back into the soil that gave it life.

A dark deep pool, well hidden with lots of cover. It is the ideal place to find a trout in waiting. It is a spot that is full of little tricks, an angler could get very frustrated trying to drift a fly here. It is all part of the absolute beauty of small stream fly fishing. When all things are done right, and a whole lot of "Luck" one can hold a special part of the wild.

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A Bacon Classic

Truly one of life's simple pleasures is bacon. The belly of the pig, cured and smoked then sliced and pan fried to a crisp. Just some thoughts on this delicacy. First buy slab bacon, not packaged. When you bring it home unwrap it and put in the refrigerator and allow it to dry out a bit. In a cast iron skillet place the strips of bacon and don't crowd it. Turn on the heat and allow the bacon to cook, and don't turn it to quickly. When the bacon is brown on one side flip it over and allow to cook until brown and crisp. I like mine on the real crisp side. Remove from pan and drain on paper towel.

Bacon, lettuce and tomato. A classic.

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"Mossy Pool" an Enigma

This is wonderful pool found along a small stream we frequent. I have fished it many times over the years with varying success. It's a beautiful section and often wild brookies can be seen rising in various sections of the pool. Kirk had given a name to this pool, "Mossy Pool". Friday morning Kirk and I met for a few hours to fish this stream. Upon reaching "mossy pool" Kirk said you fish it, that pool owes you a nice fish. I drifted the caddis and within seconds a brookie of generous proportions struck the fly, and missed. I continued to fish the pool with numerous rises. Finally I was able to bring a nice brookie to hand.

"Mossy Pool" can be at times a bit strange. Trout can be taken at various areas of the pool from the head, middle, and tail, right or left side. And there are times when you can fish it and never have a strike, as if it were barren. Thus somewhere along the line Kirk said that pool is an "enigma". And this day showed why at times it's just that.

Having fished the stream quite away upstream. I had to get moving on home. As I fished my wat down I came to "Mossy-enigma Pool". Again armed with a caddis dry I floated the fly through the pool. Not a look. I did this several times with the same result. On a last cast, as the fly reached the very tail of the pool a fish rose and hit the fly. I had been to slow to set the hook, but as I started the retrieve the fish struck again this time the steel struck struck home. The trout did a tailwalk that was awesome. He covered just about every inch of the pool trying to shake the nasty bug that bit him. Moments later a beautiful wild brown was at hand. His striking spots and color rivaled the brookies of this pool. Again a big thanks to both brown and stream were said, and off he went into the pool. A pool that is truly an "Enigma"

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Beauty

I was able to free up a few hours Tuesday afternoon. I visited a stream that I normally fish mid day so I wasn't sure what to expect as far as how the fishing would be. Well the fishing was super and the catching matched that. The stream was a bit low, but cold with a good flow. There were a few rising fish but they were rising in some pretty odd places. I can usually place a fly most anywhere but not in this case.

Fishing only dries I had an enjoyable time with the brookies, and a small wild brown also. The Bomber and a caddis worked best. Every time out I manage to find some new wild flowers. The woods are really starting to put forth their Spring colors.

The Trillium are still in blossom and seem to show up in some beautiful locations.

The stream will benefit from the rain coming our way.

The brook trout were scrappy this day, and also beautiful.

I spotted these flowers in several different places. I'm not familiar with them, but as you can see they're beautiful.

Beauty comes in many forms along a small stream. The woods, waters flowing over countless rocks, the flowers, and a brook trout to hand from time to time.

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