Adventure Sunday

 Adventure Sunday

4/28/24

   Sometimes I just got to adventure away from the crowds. Away from any easy roadside access or stocked trout dumps. I'll never know what I'll find? Maybe a pod of unmolested trout? Maybe one more colorful hold over trout from years before tat will give me  wild ride?

 I started fishing where I saw a golden trout the other day. I tried for a few minutes but he didn't want anything I had to offer. Like a sign ' Do not disturb!'. I did catch a couple of rainbows on a Woolly Bugger though.

 

 It was a gray sky gloomy day. The brightness of the sun wasn't over the hillside treetops just yet but with the looming gray sky I wasn't sure I'd actually see the sun. Maybe only a glow within gaps of the clouds? The water felt warmer than the last few days. Probably because the overnight temps were no less than 45 degrees. There was a report of possibly 60+ today but possible rain and even a thunderstorm in some areas. There was a feel and look of possible rain so I did wear my fishing rain jacket and dressed warm in the chilly morning.

 On the way, wading down beyond the calmer water, I did catch a few trout on a bugger but there were a few trout breaking the water surface. 

  Lately, the last few days, trout have been breaking the water surface sporadically as if taking emergers. There have been a few small caddis flying around but nothing major. Being there were a few trout within my casting range I decided to try and pick'm off. I picked a small elk hair caddis from my fly patch and knotted it on 6x tippet. They didn't want the caddis on the surface but when it submerged, near the end of the drift, they whacked it as though it was going to get away. It took me a couple of misses to realize what they were doing. Anytime my caddis submerged and I saw a swirl on the surface I'd pull the line back quickly and set the hook. This amounted to 3 netted and a couple on and offs after fighting with them.

 

 

With no more rising I clipped off the 6x and retied on 5x.

 I was far down from camp and the road was above at a distance. I figured not too many fishermen ventured down this far. Maybe a canoe or a kayaker now or then but maybe not fishing. The first wide section of creek was shallow riffling water but looking towards the far bank looked like a deeper run. I casted the bugger towards the far bank and let it drift into the deeper wavy pocket. Wham, a trout grabbed the bugger like it was the first meal after being stranded on a desert island. He hit it so hard I'm sure he set the hook on himself! Cautiously I got him up through the the oncoming fast current and netted him.

 After the second trout grabbed the bugger in the same manner I knew I found a gold mine in rainbow trout form. 2 down and I was sure there were more to follow. 

 It wasn't every cast I caught a trout but every drift through kept me prepared. It was like I was giving out free samples of chocolate fudge at a wine tasting event!

 Trout after trout whacked the bugger till the palmered feather came undone and the chenille body was ripped showing the lead wraps around the hook shank. I clipped it off and tied on another. "They liked the new one as much as the old one!" 

 

 It took a while before they quit biting or they all had sore lips.

  I continued on wading and casting the bugger down creek hoping those trout I hooked didn't starve the rest of the day. I know after going to the dentist to get a tooth pulled or a cavity filled I don't feel like chewing or eating anytime soon!

 When I got back to camp there were more trout rising. I just couldn't be satisfied with today's catch so far so I went back out and caught a few more on dries. This time they were sipping anything on the surface floating their way. 

~doubletaper

 

Pissed Rainbows

 Pissed Rainbows

4/26/24

 I'm not sure if the rainbows wee caught before, there was no signs of ripped lips, or they were pissed because they got caught? Maybe they have been just minding their own business since the opening day of trout? Whatever, today they were pissed when I pierced their lips. They would jump 1, 2 and sometimes 3 times going airborne trying to throw the hook. Once airborne they made acrobatic moves more then any acrobat on the Gong Show. They fought wildly like Sam Elliot, in the movie Shadow Riders, when 4 hillbillies were trying to hang him.

 I got out early in 40 degree weather early Friday. That didn't stop their feeding frenzy until it warmed up. They took my Woolly Buggers on the drift as if they thought it was going to be the only big meal of the day. For about 3 hours they took my streamer offerings continuously with little pause. Even in the net they squirmed and flopped around as if looking for a hole to escape out of.

  Within the quick current it was hard to tell how big they were as they fought their way against the current towards me. They slapped the surface water, as I was bringing them in, as their silvery sides flickered under the morning sunlight like aluminum foil skipping across the ground being blown by the wind. They twisted and turned on the surface as well as just beneath it.

  I was all by myself, smoking a stogie, catching trout and enjoying the warmth of the sunshine once it showed up. I listened to the birds chirping, watched ducks as they flew by, and enjoyed the outdoors with no one else around.

 In the afternoon the bite slowed down with the streamers. I lit another cigar and I decided to nymph fish for the time being in the same place I had been catching trout on the streamers. 'Maybe the trout want a snack or two?" I thought.

 

 It took me some time to find the right combination of nymphs to get their interest. A simple Pheasant Tail Nymph and a bead head Hare's Ear got their attention. Those two nymphs are like a deadly combination. Nothing fancy! No extra glitter, no eye catching variation, or fancy name, just two simple down home, old time patterns. I'm not the best nymph fishermen, missing quite a few takes, but it was fun action trying to hook them. It reminded me of the fun it was throwing baseballs at the stuffed clowns on a rack, at the carnival, just to see if I could knock down three in a row? I did hook up with a half dozen or so.

 

  Finally getting a snag and losing both nymphs I called it a day. I got back to the truck around 4:00, tired but in good spirits with the days action.

 I got a campfire going after grilled venison back-straps for dinner and relaxed with a beer and last cigar of the day before turning in.

 

 

~doubletaper

Hardy Ultralite NSX SR 8'8" 4 weight Review

 Hardy Ultralite NSX SR 8'8", 4 Weight, 6-Piece fly rod

  I received my Hardy rod in the mail the other day after joining to be a life member of Trout Unlimited. The Hardy reel was back ordered but that wasn't going to stop me from trying the fly rod out.

 Opening the case and unwrapping the rod sock I pulled out the 6 sections of rod. The Pearl Olive blank sparkled under the sunlight. The thread wraps over the titanium stripping guides and durable recoil snake guides look as tough this was a one piece rod. I always liked wooden reel seats so this was a plus. The cork grip was something different. It looked like a reversed half well grip but with an indent for your thumb and index finger. The cork itself was smooth and looked quality cork. It's claim to be a medium fast action rod which I would soon find out for myself. When I put the pieces of rod together I was surprised at how light it was for having so my sleeves. I fitted the rod with an Orvis reel with WF4F line and took it out for a spin.

 Out on the water I had no problems or concerns how it handled. I casted Woolly Buggers, small dry flies and tandem nymph. It was an ease in casting with a flexible tip section that I could feel the rod load behind me. Even when a breeze blew by this rod handled a shooting cast threw the wind well. It roll cast with a little extra effort. I think for being so light, but roll cast well enough to get my flies out where I wanted them.

 Most 4 weights are considered small stream rods. At 8'8" it would fit well into that category. As far as thinking this is only for those smaller fish in small streams go..?  Well, I caught a nice hefty brown on the first outing and, though it might not have tired the trout out as quick as maybe a 5 weight or heavier rod, it stood up to the task of getting the brown to the net with 5x tippet.

 I have no complaints and is a well welcomed fly rod in my fly fishing group of fly rods.

 

 ~doubletaper

 

A Hardy Brown

 A Hardy Brown

5/01/24

 I had just got my Trout Unlimited 6 piece 4 weight Hardy Ultralite 8'8" fly rod in the mail. The reel was back ordered but that wasn't going to stop me from trying it out.

 I got to the parking area of the section of creek I wanted to fish. I opened up the case and unwrapped the cloth rod sock. The pearl olive blank sparkled under the afternoon sunlight. The wooden real seat is a plus and the cork handle was near a half well but with an indent for your thumb and finger. The thread wraps matched the rod blank perfectly so it looked like a one piece rod from the distance. I fitted the 6 pieces together and was surprised at how light it was. I attached my Orvis fly reel with WF4F line. The leader was only about 6' so I knotted on a section of 4x tippet and to that a strip of 5x tippet to make the length as long as the rod. The reason being is so when I net a fish I can keep the fly line loop, or my nail knot, from going into the tip top eye preventing it from catching in case the trout decides to take off. I put a couple of stogies in my vest pocket and headed out to the creek.

 Caddis were flying around like a bunch of bumble bees in a flowering field collecting pollen. There  were already fish rising to emergers or sipping down caddis off the surface. I knotted on a caddis and tossed it out to the risers.  I missed the first trout but after that no other trout attempted to take my imitation. I tried a couple of other caddis imitations but still no trout took any. I was casting across creek and letting the fly drift down stream, drag free, into their zone but they didn't want any part of it. Frustrated I started to try and catch one of the fluttering caddis in my cap. 

 In the distance I know anyone watching me probably though I was swatting flies from attacking me. I finally caught one in my cap and noticed the body color and size. I tied on an olive body elk hair caddis and casted it towards a riser. I caught a couple but when I casted upstream and let it drift down is when I had more success. 

 The section I was fishing was calm gently flowing surface water. The trout had plenty of time to examine my imitation but it fooled many a trout. I was having fun puffing on a cigar, casting to rising trout and fooling them time and again.

 I saw a rise just out in front of me a ways and like before I casted in front of him as to not let him see the line splash. As I watched it approach a nose came up, casually, and mouthed it like a well trained sitting dog being fed a small treat. The trout was probably surprised when it felt its lip being pierced but more surprised when it felt resistance and a pull from the arcing fly rod. I was as surprised as he was when he took off feeling that weighty trout on the other end pulling line off the spool. The battle was on!

 He stayed low not rising to the surface like the rainbows. I figured it was a brown trout. He took the line down creek with a couple of head tugs. I turned the rod upstream but he wasn't budging and continued battling down creek. I finally convinced him to swim upstream but maybe he was just heading that way anyhow because I didn't feel like I had control no matter which way he decided to swim. He tugged now and then but it was his weight that kept me from getting him closer.

 He started to swim in a big circle out in front of me, like a goldfish in a huge round fish bowl. He finally swam close enough that I could see he was a hefty brown staying close to the creek bed. I was in water up to my thighs and the nearest bank was too far to try and get him to it. The way things were going I didn't think he was going to cooperate anyhow. I had to figure out how to get him up in the water column so I could reach him with my net.

 Each time he circled, and stated coming up creek, I'd raised the rod higher to try and coax him from the bottom. He'd start his circle up creek, swim outward and then swim downstream with a couple of tugs. As he circled upstream again, out in front of me, I'd raise the rod again. With that, each circle he rose higher in the water column. Swimming upstream I finally got him within net reach but I let him swim by. The next circle I moved the rod downstream and tried to move him closer. As he turned, swimming upstream I brought the rod up creek letting him swim with the tension of the arcing rod and tight line. Once in front of me I quickly brought the rod down creek, above and then behind him with a little more force. I had my net in the water and when he turned with the pressure of the arcing rod I bent over and scooped him up. He was surprised and flopped around in the net a bit. He calmed down quickly as if to admit 'you got me'! I got my camera out and got a quick picture in between him wiggling around. I reached my forceps into the net and unhooked the caddis from his jaw. I lowered the net into the water and he swam out with a healthy tail swat.  That was an unexpected surprise! 

 

 When no other trout were rising I lit another cigar and headed down creek. I waded over the shallow stony bottom riffles until I came to some deeper water. I caught one trout on a Woolly Bugger but for some time didn't get another hit. Then caddis started to flutter around and trout started to rise. I knew I had the right shade body but knotted on a #14 caddis to make it easier for the trout to see in the wavy, quick moving current. I was pinpointing my casts upstream from every riser I saw and letting it drift into their zone. It would be like hitting the corn hole board with every toss and having it slide into the hole for a score. I fooled almost every riser I saw into taking a caddis imitation. I was having a grand old time giggling with each trout I fooled.

 Well, the new Hardy fly rod was enjoyable to cast with no complaints. It was as if going on a blind date and being joyfully surprised with the outcome!

 

~doubletaper

 

A Week Late

 A Week Late

4/29/24 

  I was ready to do some dry fly fishing so I took out my G2 Scott fly rod. There was hardly a breeze and the medium action 9' rod would be more relaxing casting than the two fast action rods I've been using in windy conditions the past couple of days.

  I looked out over the water and already I saw a couple fish rising. There hasn't been much bugs flying around lately. The Grannom hatch seems to be over but there still is a few small caddis flying around now and then. I think there was a Blue Dun hatch the past week but wasn't really sure about what the little mayflies were. They definitely weren't Blue Wing Olives.

 I was knee deep able to cast near the far bank if need be. I had a Woolly Bugger on to start with, as always. When I saw two trout break the surface I nipped it off and knotted on a section of 6x tippet. I had caught a few trout the other day on a black elk hair caddis and a few on a dark olive tan elk hair. I knotted on a #14 tan elk hair to make it easier to see. The sun wasn't quite over the cliff side forest trees just yet but it's brightness shown only half the width of the creek. The couple of risers were on the dark side.

 I pulled line out and made false casts letting more line slip through my fingers. I could feel the medium action rod load behind me and gave a relaxing cast upstream from the last riser. It took a few drifts for encouragement but he did end on the end of my line. The other riser wasn't easily fooled and wouldn't bite.

 More fish started to rise, mostly taking emergers I presume, though I couldn't see anything on the surface they may be taking. There was a few small caddis flying about but when one hit the water surface no trout nabbed it. I wasn't having any takers on the tan elk hair so I knotted on the black body elk hair caddis. This was the ticket as some would say!

 I felt like the only ice cream vendor at the county fair on a hot summers day. That little #18 caddis was just what the trout wanted, big or small. Nothing in my birthday trout range but some quality fish slurped it up as if licking ice cream off a sugar cone! I would move around, within distance of the risers, which kept me busy for some time. When the wind picked up, in spurts, it was a little harder to place my offering where I wanted it but I managed.

 

 Now, I said I hooked many but getting them into to the net wasn't a finishing touch. Many of the trout came unhooked once I got them close. Unless I had a good hook set in the side of their mouth that little #18 hook didn't grip the fish lip skin enough to hold them. No matter, I was going to release them anyhow. The pleasure is finding the right offering, fooling the fish and hooking them with a fair fight. 

 Satisfied, and not seeing anymore risers I went back to the camper. Checking the time it was only 1:30. I took a break and relaxed in the camp chair. I ate a couple of granola bars and drank a bottle of cold spring water. I know I hadn't taken many pictures but I was kind of tired doing so. Besides, except for their size, they all looked the same..except one! After a relaxing break I figured I'd drive down creek and finish the day off.

 I got down to the water and found rising trout in a fast wavy riffle across creek. I couldn't wade upstream or down stream for better casting because the water was too deep. I had to make long casts over a cross current flow. It was tough and I missed the first few that came up quickly in the fast water. There was a couple that came up downstream where the water wasn't as wavy and I was able to pick a couple up on a caddis.When I didn't see any other risers I knotted on a Bugger but that didn't last too long because nothing was biting. I thought for a moment and figured trying to nymph fish. Maybe a wet fly of some sort above a Hares Ear might attract a hit. I've caught a few trout the other day on a Hares Ear so I just thought maybe?

 I knotted on the two with a Picket Pin on top. I was casting in deep water downstream from the faster run I saw fish rising earlier. I casted upstream and let it drift downstream with a mend. I wasn't using an indicator so I kept my eyes peeled on the floating fly line to detect a strike. After the line passed me, from the corner of my eye, I saw a yellow oblong shape swimming upstream. He was very apparent in the dark water. I had thought my drift had already passed him when the trout disappeared in the deep darkness of the water. I felt a pull, the line twitched outward and I jerked the rod up and back. I knew I had a trout on. All of a sudden, to my surprise, the golden yellow trout appeared heading down creek with my tight line following. I had him!

 I know I have fought some tough battles with big trout but I just couldn't remember when. This guy was no easy pushover. Each tug was a handful that had me gripping the cork grip tightly. At times I had to let tension line out when he so desired as the rod bowed deeply with each wrenching tug. He swam outward toward the far bank and turned sharply tugging at will. I had him swimming upstream across from me a couple of times, after a fierce battle down creek, and I thought he was tired out. When he saw how close he was he turned away angrily, pulling and tugging as if trying to yank the rod right out of my hand. I gave him tension line as he swam away with the tip of the rod pointing in his direction as the line cut through the surface water like a a crating knife through packing tape. Three times I had him near me and three times he shook his head harshly and pulled away. I was in knee deep water and thought I could get him in shallower water behind me. He was downstream putting on some shenanigans when I spun my body and rod towards the near bank. He followed unwillingly as if to see what I was up to. Once he realized he was in shallower water he spun with his head up shaking the line furiously as the rod flexed and arced like a limb of a snare trap, with a wild rabbit trying the get loose. He was on too long and I know I had lost many a trout break free this long. I just had to be patient and wear him out a little more. 

 Well, I finally got him to cooperate, not to his satisfaction of course, and got my net under him when he least expected it and scooped him up. He was a handful. Trying to keep him in the net was another challenge. He was weighty and built solid like a training body builder. He flopped around heavily and didn't seam like he was going to quit. I never talked to trout before but I was trying to tell him I was going to release him and he wasn't going on the wall attached to a piece of driftwood. When he finally settled down enough I got a picture before pulling the Hares Ear out of his jaw. 

 

 I'll admit it took some time for him to swim off on his own power. I faced him into the current to revive him. When I felt good and sure he was going to make it, feeling a tail swat, I released him from my grip. He didn't dart off but easily swam away into the current and disappeared beneath.

 Come to think of it I hadn't caught my birthday trout as of yet. A week late but hey, better late than never!

~doubletaper

 

 

 

White Belly Rainbows

 White Belly Rainbows

4/23/24

“I was picking off white belly stocked rainbows like swatting pesky flies on the window sill!”

 

  I woke up early but it was only 30 degrees outside so i decided to make breakfast to pass the time till it got warmer. Well, the wait after breakfast didn't last too long cause i was anxious to hit the creek after trout. being the water has been high the last couple of weeks i figured the trout should be scattered. I dressed warm, put on my chest waders and boots outside my camper and walked down to the creek. I think it may of reached 42-42 degrees y then but i didn't care.

 I started wading out casting a Woolly Bugger. Maybe it was the third cast and my first trout was on the line scurrying about. The second trout came pretty quick in the same way. Both trout wee only about 6" at most. I think the Fish Commission should be ashamed stocking trout so small. Still fishing with the bugger, out and about, I was picking off white ell rainbows like swatting pesky flies off a window sill! 

 

 After about the 9th trout I hooked the bugger to the rod hook keeper. I reached into my jacket and pulled out a CAO stogie, bit the butt end and lit it up. So what it was only 900 in the morning? A morning stogie never hurt anyone I know of. i took a puff and for a moment looked at my surroundings.

 White translucent clouds streaked above beneath the robin egg blue sky. The cliff, across the creek, leaked water and tumbled down the rocky shelves and emptied into the creek with audible splashing. Large bare trees limbs branched over the creek banks and small twigs, looking like an old witches fingers, extended off of scraggly branches as if from weary fragile arms. Young trees could be seen already blooming looking like white Jujubes dangling from their thin branches. I took another puff of the cigar and watched the smoke waver away with the slight breeze. The sun wasn't quite over the hillside tree tops but its rays reflected off the clouds and sparkled the subtle wavy surface current. The water was cold as if from a snow melt. 

 

  I made long casts across stream and watch my line drift in an arc with the current. A sharp pulling tug and I rear back setting the hook. A trout shoots up creek in a heap as the rod tip points towards the victim. He scurries about as I bring him to the net.

 

 It appears the under current is a lot stronger than what the surface looks. Every trout seams to be a lot bigger fighting them against the current.Sure I miss one now and then but I don't hit every fly on the first swing either.

 

 As the wind picks up, gusts swoosh upstream causing all kinds of mishaps while my lines in the air. Wind knots appear and sometimes the bugger somehow gets itself wrapped up around the leader and tippet looking like a wasps caught in a thick spider web. I'll take my time unwinding things or if too bad just cut it off and tie on new tippet.

 Come noon the bites aren't as frequent but I continue wading down creek casting and will get surprised by a lonesome trout away from his buds.

The last few were so hungry they gulped the bugger and I had to do a little maneuvering unhooking the bugger from the inside of their mouths.  

 

  I took a short break around 2 at the camper before walking up creek to a new section of water. I lit my last cigar on the bank before wading into the thigh high water.

 

 My third cast, with a yellow bugger, yielded a quick strike and healthy rainbow came to the net. It would take another 10 minutes or so for my next strike.

 

The wind was now forceful and some of those feeble ranches were now falling into the water and tumbling downstream on the surface. Casting became too cumbersome and at times useless so I waded out and called it a day. 

 It was near 430 when I got back to the camper. I was tired and figured I'd take a shoet nap before dinner.

 And that's my White Belly Stockie story!

 

~doubletaper