Got suited up and on the water by 3:30pm. There was only one car in the parking lot but I can't see anyone fishing. Great! More waters for me to cover.
I made a beeline to my favourite pool and started with a #16 elk hair caddis. Eventually, after a bunch of casts, the fish revealed their locations to me.
It was a tough go. I had them smash my fly with vengence...but I can't hook any of them. After about an hour and a dozen of hit and runs, I finally hooked a little brook trout at about 5-6". The sun was at too high of an angle and it was hard to take a good pic...I ended up with only one blurry pic before I felt the fish was handled for too long and was promptly released.
Well, it took an hour to hook up that one fish...time to explore. I waded downstream and covered the water quickly. A few drifts with the dry fly and I would move on.
I went around the bend, down through a set of riffles...and found a little bit of deep water below a tree. I casted and had one great drift. At the end of the drift, I was looking for the next place to cast and my fly got smash...just when I wasn't paying attention
The fish hit so hard that it yanked my rod...but I missed it.
Another cast delivered to the same spot and I got a smaller one to rise...missed it too...
I waded further to this nice slow bend pool with lots of shade. The first cast into a likely holding spot...and at the end of the drift...WHEN I WASN"T PAYING ATTENTION...SMASH!!!
I had it on for 2 seconds just for a couple of headshakes...and off...F&#@!!!
Tried some more and had one half-hearted surface take...and I kept exploring.
I waded to some waters below a debri dam...and the first drift into a likely feeding lane...smash! Fish on! Fish off! Again...WHEN I WASN'T READY...
Fished this area well and got nothing...so keep going. I reached a pool right under a bridge where I had some good luck in the past...and about 10 drifts later...smash and a miss...
Okay...I gave up with the dry fly...I just can't set the damn hook!!!
So I put on an indicator and nymphed...and got zippo.
So back went the elk hair caddis...and went back to the debri dam after letting it rest for 30 min. First cast back to where I had the previous fish...a small gentle but noticable rise. I got it...and fish off in 2 seconds!!! F#$%!!!
It's about 6:00 now...so I went back to the first pool where I started. Now the river have 4 people spreaded out all over...and someone fishing "my" pool...so I fished some dead water and waited for this person to leave. Finally at 7:00, he left. Alright! It's mine now.
There's quite a mayfly hatch going on...I think some are pale evening dun, some light cahill and some very small mayflies.
I started with the #18 elk hair caddis that I had on...but nothing. So I tried to imitate the larger of the three by fishign a light cahill. After 15 min of nothing, I put on a #18 blue-winged olive. That was THE fly! I had over 2 dozen rises between 7:30-8:30...but none hooked
Some of the hits came from fish that looked to be 10-12"!!!
I got chatting with someone and I told him I was done. He had put on a parachute blue-winged olive and proceeded to hook a 5" brookie on the second cast...and a 6" brookie on the 10th something cast...I gotta work on my hooksetting skills...
In all, it sounded like I was complaining...but I had a great afternoon. I only landed one fish...but I fooled enough of them to make it a fun day. If only I know how to get the hook into them...
On the way home, I timed the drive...50 min only from parking to parking...and only $15 worth of gas there and back! SHWEET!!! I'll be fishing it more often if gas prices continue to rise