Untouchables

                                                                   Untouchables

5/15/25

 This story is about the untouchable trout. The trout that think they’re too far from casting distance or are under the impression that they have a hiding place that fishermen can’t reach or won’t try for. 

 The day before, while fishing Kettle Creek, a nymph fisherman said to me that upstream the water was too fast to nymph fish. Some nymph fishermen won’t fish shallow stony wavy water. Maybe because they’ll snag up as I have. These shallower waters or rocky runs are a good place for me to use a streamer especially a Woolly Bugger. They haven’t been fished much and fishermen will pass these areas by, fly guys and bait guys the like, to get to the deeper holes. These may not be the biggest trout in these runs but I like to catch trout. Sometimes I’ve been surprised how big some of these trout are in these smaller shallower runs. I also know for a fact that trout will come into the stony, rocky shallows to forge for food at times. Even holding in the shallows waiting for a mayfly or caddis to drift by.

 Early morning I was casting Woolly Buggers under hanging tree limbs in water no deeper than shin deep. Kinda surprised, I hooked into a rainbow trout around 10” or so. He didn’t look like a fresh stockie with his natural color. 

 Down further I casted the Woolly Bugger into the shallow, wavy current. The water didn’t look any more than knee high. I hooked up a half dozen times with small trout. They bit hard and was a challenge getting them to the net. Further on down stream I caught a couple of bigger trout on the bugger. One rainbow looked like it was dressed for a stage performance. He looked like the Arabian Knight with a bright red magic sash just above his waist line!

 Around 10:30 I decided to drive and venture a way down creek where I’ve caught many trout on dry flies years back. Usually around 10:00 is when the March Browns hatch and I was hoping they would be around.

 I walked up to the section of water I wanted to fish and there was already an older gentleman there fishing with conventional rod and reel. He was bait fishing. There was plenty of room for both of us. I fished up into the faster wavy current with the bugger but couldn’t get a trout to bite. Meanwhile I saw the bait fishermen catch a trout. Every once in a while I would look down creek to see how he was doing. In glancing his way now and then I caught sight of a fish surface just out from him aside the wavy current and caught sight of a fish down creek rise against the far bank. I wasn’t doing any good with the bugger and was wanting to dry fly fish anyway. There weren’t anything flying around near me and trying to see a drifting dry fly in the wavy fast current, both for me or a trout, wasn’t likely. I walked around the older gentleman and was going to catch me some trout on dries.

 One trout was coming up pretty frequently just out from a ledge of rock against the steep bank just out from the far side. When I was getting within easier casting distance I found that the water was too deep to wade out as far as I would have liked. There was one young branchy tree behind me that I had to be aware of on a long back cast. Which I did get caught up in twice. 

 I decided to knot on a big elk hair caddis even though all I’ve been seeing is small dark caddis and a few sulfurs. The elk hair caddis would be easier for me to see in the distance. Besides that, I’m not really sure those fish against the bank care what drifts down within their sight, as long as it looks like an easy meal. They probably feel safe from fishermen and untouchable way on the other side of the creek. As I was knotting on the caddis I saw a trout rise up creek from the one along the edge. To make this story not too long or exaggerated I’ll cut it short.

 I made a long cast towards the risers.  After the first hook up and missing one I felt like this was going to be enjoyable and lit a cigar to enjoy it even more.              

                                                                                            

 When I was able to make long accurate casts near the far bank and sometimes long sidearm casting under leafy tree limbs most of the trout grabbed my caddis without any hesitation. I’m sure I surprised the heck out of them when they felt like they got their lip pieced free of charge and there was a tug and pulling from the piercing! More often than not I’de hook into one of these trout. Sometimes they rose, in the slower current, and sipped it not knowing what the end result might be. Other times they would rise and gulp it down before it got swept away in the faster current. All in all they fought like they never been hooked before. They would jump out of the water like an Arabian horse that just got roped and then scurry around trying to get free. They had great stamina and bringing them towards me, with the long line out, was challenging.

 After the few I caught, as I waded down creek, the water became super rough in the shallow water. I decided to wade out and head to the truck. I decided to stop at one more spot before heading to the camper. I drove down creek a little further where I have done well with March Brown dries. I got out of the truck and walked down the bank. 

 Where I started was running too fast and wavy. I did catch a couple of nice rainbows on a Woolly Bugger but dry fly fishing in such wavy current wasn’t feasible. After awhile I called it quits and headed to the truck. I didn’t break down my 8’ 8” 4 weight just yet. 

 Yes, that’s right 8’8” Hardy Rod. Most American rod makers make rods in lengths like shoe sizes, 8, 8 1/2, 9, 9 1/2, 10, 10 1/2 and so on. I’m not sure but maybe rods made in England aren’t all that standard in sizes?

 There was a chance the area up from the bridge wasn’t arm in arm with fly fishermen as when I passed by. There was only one truck there when I drove back up and I only saw two fly fishermen out in the water. I decided to stop in!

 The two were nymph fishing the deeper areas. The one was doing pretty good where he was as I saw him catch a couple trout as I waded behind him. I knew exactly where I wanted to be and cast dry flies. I crossed the creek in knee deep water till I got within the far side casting distance. This didn’t mean it would be easy. There was plenty of water between me and the bank side that I knew there were trout and I wasn’t going to spook them.

 I have never saw any fishermen fish for trout near the far bank. Maybe because it banked up against a steep hill and walking to this area, along the bank, was a far distance from where a person could wade to the far side easily. Under the sunlight it only looked maybe shin deep at the most part. Maybe these trout are left alone on the far side of the creek? It was deeper between the far bank and me though. Well, I ended up netting 4 or 5 trout on my dry sulfur or caddis.  

  After catching a nice brown trout I called it quits. He grabbed the parachute sulfur I casted out like it was going to be his last meal of the day!  He fought hard trying to get unhooked fearing he was going to be my dinner time meal!

  I had been out since 8:00 or so. Casting flies, walking distances and keeping my balance on uneven, rocky creek bottoms. I was tired, hungry but happy with my accomplishments! By the time I got to the truck it was after 6:00pm. It was another good day. Especially catching those unsuspecting untouchables!!

~doubletaper