Friday Variety Specials

 Friday Variety Specials

5/03/24

  I was driving my way down creek quite a ways from camp. As I passed a campsite I was surprised no one was there. Even not camping there's usually someone fishing this hot spot as early as daylight. Instead of continuing on, to where I was planning to fish, I pulled over and got my gear together. I knew I'd be making long casts at times so I took out my 9' 5 weight fast action Icon rod with WF5F line.

 The sun was high above warming the ground temperature already in the morning. There was hardly a cloud beneath the light blue sky. There wasn't much of a breeze to speak of. The trees that lined the creek looked much healthier in the sun as the olive evergreen trees looked much brighter and some of the hardwood trees were already budding and flowering. Even the banks were showing a springtime complexion after the lackluster colors of winter. I lined my fly rod on the bank, knotted on a Woolly Bugger, lit a cigar and stepped into the water.

 Interesting how a stream changes the flow of water over the winter months. What used to be deepening water near the bank was now pushed 1/4 the way cross creek. The riffling wavy water was still flowing  just not as wide a section as I remember. 

 I waded over the shallow stony creek bed in ankle deep water. Once I was in shin deep water I casted the Woolly Bugger out into the open water. The second cast I felt a bump but he didn't grab it hard enough for a hook set. There were a few caddis fluttering around like they weren't sure where they wanted to go. On my third cast I heard a splash and looking, across creek, saw a swirl expanding with the flow. I saw a fish rise soon after that and brought my line in. I wasted no time knotting on an olive body tan caddis. By this time more caddis were arriving like they've been invited to a beach party. Some caddis seem to be just enjoying this May morning warmth while others were teasing the trout tapping the water and then flying up out of danger. The unfortunate ones weren't so lucky and got gobbled up by a quick acting trout.

 I made my first cast towards a rise but it didn't enthuse its fancy. There were so many caddis at the party now that my imitation, no matter how much of an exact silhouette, wasn't any more enticing than the real thing. This made it harder to get a strike. I did hook up with the tan caddis before changing to a black deer hair caddis.

  The darker caddis seemed to be a better match or was easier seen under the bright sunlight. The trout were feeding at will like this caddis buffet would never end.  I noticed once a fish rose he wouldn't rise immediately afterwards. The trout weren't in any hurry to gorge themselves. Therefore when I did see a rise I didn't cast to it immediately. I would cast elsewhere and if I timed it right, cast back to it and get a hook up. 

  I would say this went on for an hour or so before the caddis were becoming bored and most fluttered upstream.

 Being there were less caddis on the water now my imitation was more likely to get a strike. I mean, there's a better chance of winning a beauty contest if there's less contestants. I was hooking up with trout whether I was casting upstream, across creek or letting my offering drift drag free downstream.

 

 Some were so hungry, and unaware of my presence, that they engulfed my caddis. I would have to clip my tippet not wanting to risk a tonsillectomy trying to get the fly out of their mouth. I'm glad I had plenty of Grannoms and black caddis.

 After the caddis just about all left, or got eaten up, no more trout were rising. I decided on knotting on a Woolly Bugger for any of the trout that didn't get their belly full and wanted meat. Casting out the bugger amounted to another half dozen trout or so that wanted more than a small measly caddis. Mostly I was catching rainbows but this one brown trout wanted meat also.
 

 When I wasn't getting any more hits on the bugger I decided to tie on a wet fly and knot on a San Juan. Anybody that fishes for rainbows should know they love red. My first cast, up in the oncoming riffles, yielded a rainbow on the San Juan.

 

I caught maybe 5 more on the San Juan before snagging up and losing the combination.

 I went back to the bank and rested on a downed tree trunk. I knotted on a new section of leader and tippet. I knotted on a BH Prince Nymph and another San Juan below it. I went back out into the water and nymph fished, which isn't my favorite way to fish but sometimes I'm forced to.  

 There was this one trout across creek that came up less frequent than the others during the caddis party. I tried for him many times but he didn't want anything I threw his way. I knew the vicinity he was in. It took a well placed long distant cast upstream from him but below the oncoming fast wavy current. Well, while I was nymph fishing I saw a good size trout come up in the wavy current cross creek in that vicinity. He porpoised like a dolphin after something and I was able to see his length. Maybe not a whopper but maybe the longest I had hooked so far. I already had a lot of line out so I brought the rod and fly line back and shot a single haul his way. I swear my offerings didn't sink below the surface very deep before I felt a strike. I reared back the long length of line and it tightened. That trout was pissed. He squirmed, head shook, tugged and fought all the way to the net. He had taken the Prince nymph.

  I lit up my last cigar and continued fishing. I caught a few more trout after that one before calling it quits.

 

 I caught trout on dry flies, buggers, nymphs, wet flies and a San Juan. It was like I was a variety store back near my home town!

 There was this one variety store in town that sold any odd thing you could think of that you wouldn't find in a general store. Most of his items were gag gifts like the little exploding cigarette loads. There were those things that you threw on cement and they would pop. Also who can forget the hand shaking buzzer? Whoopee Cushion? The snake that sprung out of the can of peanuts when you opened the lid? Yucky tasting candy? I was always able to find something I wanted to buy. I think he even had a dummy and a marionette on a shelf.

 Tootles!

~doubletaper

 

 

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 that will give me a 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. It was if there was a sign posted, ' 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 were 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 started 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