Brook Trout on the Dry

Brook Trout on the Dry
May 19th, 2018

  I was tired of casting Woolly Buggers with a ton of weight on the leader to get them down deep in the high and fast running current. I was bored with the rhythmic motion of nymph fishing and wet fly fishing. I came to Potter County for dry fly action but because of the high and fast current from the week day storms there wasn’t much of a hatch and the trout weren’t rising on Kettle Creek. Saturday evening I decided to go to a smaller creek in hopes of finding rising trout or at least water conditions that were much more in my favor.

 In the smaller stream I found myself thigh high in colder water and looked over the situation of what I would decide to tie on first. This creek was on the high side also but the current wasn’t so fast and since it wasn’t as deep there might be a chance for the trout laying on the bottom to rise to a Mayfly. There were a few small Sulphurs coming off the surface now and then like hot embers rising from a campfire flame. I didn’t see any trout rising though. One of those sulphurs got close enough to me and I was able to catch and cradle it in my hand. It was about a size #18 with a light olive segmented underside and faint yellow above. It almost looked like a grey fox but the thorax was a distinct orange/sulphur color with dun color wings. I knotted on a Sulphur para-dun when I seen my first rise near the far bank.
 My casts to the far side were long as I didn’t want to disturb the midstream water where other fish might have been holding. I missed three trout before I realized what I felt I was doing wrong. I figured the trout rising were just small brook trout but any fish rising I was ready to go after. Because of the long line I had out I was trying to set the hook with just a wrist set. By the time the length of line got off the water and straightened out the hook set was late. I decided to rear back on the rod with more force and try to set the hook more quickly. Once I got the hang of it I hooked up with these little beauties more often. I had them skipping across the surface fighting the 4 weight. Others would dart beneath as I was bringing them near me fighting the line trying to get free. 

  I had to go down to a size #20 midge at times to get a trout to rise when I didn’t see any more sulphurs on the water.

 

  I only seen one Gray color May fly which may have been a Quill Gordon or Hendrickson. I knotted on a similar imitation and ended up hooking a nice size brook trout in the process.

 I was having fun but the cold water was taking its toll. It wasn’t long before my whole body was chilled from standing thigh high in the cold water. There were still a few risers down creek a bit but I decided to call it a day. I was getting hungry and thirsty and I was pretty sure the trout won’t be going anywhere overnight and maybe I’ll be teasing them in the morning.

 

 Back at camp I cooked up some trout fillets and pork and beans for supper. A little BBQ sauce in the beans added flavor and Old Bay on the fillets is a must!

 

 

  For the night cap I enjoyed an Railbender ale and sipping some bourbon. While thinking about the days fishing and tomorrows possibilities I sat back and lit up a Arturo Double Chateau sun grown. I definitely finished off the day of trout fishing to the finest.  

 

~doubletaper