Douglas and I

 Douglas and I

5/17/24

 Friday started out slow on Kettle Creek. The Kettle was higher than normal and running fast from the past rain I suppose. There was no use going downstream. With all the small creeks emptying into the Kettle would make much more higher water and faster current so I fished upstream. There weren't any mayflies flying around so there weren't fish rising. Nothing took my Woolly Bugger yesterday evening after I arrived and set up in the campground. So, I just figured the bugger was useless and Douglas and I would have to nymph fish.

  Trying to figure out the right combination of nymphs is like some kind of school science project. You're allowed up to three ingredients. One ingredient is good but two would be much better. Three would just complicate things. The other thing that is allowed is weight to get the project to mix well when agitated. It took a while and some thought to come up with the right combination.

 When I arrived Thursday there were a few sulfurs around along with a March Brown or two and a few Coffin flies that showed up. I started with a March Brown nymph and Hare's Ear but that wasn't mixing very well. I kept the Hare's Ear on top and dropped a Sulfur nymph below it. That drew more attention and Douglas and I caught a couple trout.

  

 Being it was slow going I decided to walk down creek a piece with Douglas.

 I found a shallow section, actually knee deep, and crossed to the other side. I headed for a section I had fished the past year and knew this side of the creek was easier wading and I would get a better drift. I already knew the right combination that should work so I felt pretty confident it was going to work here also. 

 I slowly took my time nymph fishing my way a few steps at a time. Having no noticeable strikes without an indicator I decided to give one a try. The indicator would keep my offering in the direction of the flowing current than without. This is why I use an indicator at times and this time it was helpful. 

 I made long casts towards the far bank. The indicator would go down, the rod goes up, the line tightens and a trout scurries about as the rod flexes. 

  Douglas roll casted fairly well with weighted nymphs. It was easy enough to cast out in a distance, where most of the hungry trout were, with a mend. Douglas was light in hand and flexible enough to make my job playing the trout easier.

 So, let me tell you about Douglas. My 4 weight, 9' fast action Edge rod broke about 3" from the tip top. I found it loose in the rod/reel case when I opened it up to use it. I'm not sure how or why it broke in the case. It was 5 weeks less than a year old. Edge factory warranty wasn't covering it. Kim, from the warranty claim center at Edge Rod, texted me that the rod was out of the warranty time frame. I thought different but who am I to argue? (Remember I said it hadn't been a year old yet?) They didn't even want to inspect it like most companies do to evaluate the break. With the cost of shipping both ways and repairs it wasn't worth the rod to be fixed. I started looking for a replacement within my price range and it surely wasn't going to be another Edge rod, sorry Gary Loomis!

 Checking reviews of both shop owners and guides they had plenty of good things to say about the Douglas rods. Some guides use them as loaners and the people loved the use of them. So, that's how Douglas and I met. The 4 weight, 9' 4 piece fast action rod arrived the day before I headed to Potter County to trout fish.

 The rod overall handled great. Roll casts well, even with weight. pleasing to cast anything from a #16 Sulfur, #12 March Brown or a #10 Green Drake. It was responsive on the hook set and flexed as needed. I liked the wooden reel seat as I do on all my fly rods. The double reel nut kept the reel in place and never loosened. The cork grip felt comfortable in my hand. I like it! Douglas and I became friends soon after it arrived and better friends when we fished together.

 On the way back up creek I stopped and fished the area I started from in the morning. I lit another stogie and figured I'd enjoy the cigar and leave when I finish  with it.

 

 There were a few Sulfurs coming off and a few trout started to rise. I didn't have to cast very far to the risers unless they were across creek under the low hanging tree branches. It took quick sidearm casts to avoid the brush behind me and the low hanging branches across creek. Douglas solved that problem well.

 I switched from a #14 and #16 Sulfur to a March Brown to get trout to rise. Kind of like trying to get picky kids to eat. One kid wants one thing and the next only wants something else and not what the other one likes! This amounted to a fair amount of rascally rising, fighting hooked trout.

 

  I watched trout rise and open their mouths as my offering drifted their way and into their mouths like a small broken piece of soap entering a bathtub drain. Swoosh, gotcha! Other trout grabbed the dry fly like a swift magician hand coin trick. Now you see it, now you don't!
 

 

  A little later on more coffin flies showed up and Drakes would appear and fly off. I knotted on a Green Drake and the trout were eager to take part in the feeding. Some trout rose to the big Drake pattern with a big splash and grabbed it like they were competing with another to see who was going to get the next Mayfly the quickest.

 

 

 All in all Douglas and I had a good day fishing together.

 ~doubletaper