Yard Sales

 Yard Sales

5/21/24

 I went to fish a new section of water on Kettle Creek. It's the same stream I've been fishing the past few days just a different section. It's like using the same roadway each day just stopping at different yard sales. Just because you find something worth your while at one yard sale doesn't mean if you go back to the same place the next day you'll find something different. So I'm fishing the same water just at different stops along the way for different scenery and different pleasing outcomes.

 I parked along the road and took the long walk down the private, walk in only, drivable lane. I passed camps along the walk and then walked upstream to the section I wanted to start fishing. When I got there I was alone. I threaded the weight forward fly line through the guides and eyes of my Icon 9' 5 weight fly rod. Looking over the creek the water flowing into the deeper section was very wavy with white caps. I knew, from experience, in this kind of choppy water condition trout will be holding in the calmer water cross creek. The trick is cast with plenty of slack line and hope a trout takes the dry before the faster current sweeps it down creek swiftly. I didn't even put a Woolly Bugger on first but went right to a long body March Brown parachute. I dabbed the body with liquid gel floatant and made a long cast, over the wavy current, to the calmer current on the other side. A trout rose quickly at my lone imitation. I was ready and jerked the rod back for a hook set. The fly line shot up out of the water and the line tightened to an angry trout. It was tough going getting him across the heavy undercurrent but I managed to get him to my net safely. He must have been pretty hungry for my fly was inside his mouth. I carefully pinched the hemostats on the hook bend and unhooked the fly.

   Continuing to cast to the calmer water cross creek I managed one more rainbow on the MB imitation. I thought my performance so far was excellent. Two for two on risers, hook sets and netting!

 Being I was alone I had lots of room to take my time slowly wading down creek and casting out hoping for a rise. Kind of like checking each booth at a flea market, from a distance, hoping to spot something interesting that raises my enthusiasm.

 I was making long purpose casts across creek and watching the white parachute stem of my March Brown dry. Any indication of it disappearing on the subtle waves or a splash I was ready to rear back the 9 footer and set the hook.

  Downstream a bit the water flowed more towards the far bank. Between there and I the water was much calmer and deeper. The far side rippled in smaller waves where I watched my dry fly bob up and down on the riffles. I stood in the morning sunshine whereas, because of the trees on the far side, the sun rays threw shadows on the rippling water surface. At the time I had plenty of room for a back cast to make a decent long cast to the other side. I wasn't in a hurry so I took my time to cover the water thoroughly. 

 Down creek I saw my first rise just before a white blossom tree that was over hanging the far bank. I was anxious to get within casting range but didn't want to skip over any uncovered water. When I was finally able to cast near the blooming tree I missed a rise three times in the area before no trout came up again. I couldn't understand how I missed the takes. I continued on casting till the wavy water petered out and became a wide section of flat calm water.

 Now I'll be casting upstream as I wade back up to where I started. I made a long upstream cast and my dry landed near the far bank. It dropped just downstream from the blooming tree. I took in line as needed as the dry drifted down with the flow. A mouth rose on the surface and snapped at it like it was waiting to be fed. I pulled in line, raised the rod up and back and got the hook set and a tight line. I'm not sure if it was one I missed earlier a couple of times but I said to myself 'gotcha this time!' 

 He struggled beneath trying to unhook himself. He raced through the deep section and up into the faster undercurrent. He was a mean cuss and not like the two rainbows I caught earlier. I got him turned down creek and he raced down so fast I couldn't keep a tight line on him as I pulled in line and reached the rod higher. I thought he had managed to get loose. When I got all the line in the rod bowed downward with a tight line. He was still on but not happy about it.We battled a bit more as he thwarted beneath. The 5 weight flexed and rebounded with each jolting tug. I got him within net reach and guided him into it. What a fine specimen! I'm not sure if he was stream bred but he had the looks of one. If not he was definitely in the creek for many full moons ago. He had recognizable orange dots scattered along his side. His sandy belly and dark complexion told me he wasn't a fresh, this year stocky. 

 Continuing wading and casting up creek, in the riffles, I caught another brown trout on the March Brown. He looked more like a newbie to the water. He had a white belly and lighter complexion. He didn't earn any orangish spots just yet which usually only appear on long time members of the Brown Trout Club. 

 

 Back up where I caught the two rainbows I tied into another wild brownie on the March Brown. He also gave me a good tussle. When I finally netted him I saw my dry MB neatly hooked in his upper jaw like a well placed piercing through the upper lip. He too looked like a distant cousin to the older brown I caught earlier.

 I caught another rainbow and another brown trout before wading and fishing my way downstream.

   The section downstream was wider and shallower. the water roughened with tumbling waves over and between half exposed rocks. Having fished this section last year I knew there were deeper pockets within the shallows. I caught quite a few brook trout and small brown trout within the shady far bank under and near the hanging tree limbs. I figured, with the deeper water this year, the trout may of come out of their safe place and ventured out midstream for some food.

 I  positioned myself half way between both banks and slowly waded and fished both sides. I casted out the March Brown about especially concentrating near the far bank. My surprise, letting the March Brown drift midstream, I had a couple of takes. I missed the first quick nab for it but got him on my second cast. The grab was quick like a brook trout in a narrow mountain creek snapping at anything that looked buggy on the surface. The trout was no match for my 5 weight so I got the little guy in pretty quick. Looking at him in the net I swear he was a stream bred brook trout. He had the light yellow halos spread across his bluish silvery body. Little orange spots were sprinkled throughout his sides like they were splashed on from a painters brush. The definite orange fins are a trademark of the brook trout that no other trout have.

  The large March Brown looked out of place as it was pierced just left of center of his upper lip. 

 

 I released him and continued on casting more often midstream. I caught a couple more dinks and missed a few quick snaps at my March Brown. The ones I caught were lil brookies and lil brown trout and by the quick rises to my MB, that I missed, I figured were little guys also.

 Looking down creek I saw a flat rock beneath the surface water. It was just out from the shadows of the trees and under the sunshine. It looked at the most knee deep and for some odd reason conjured up a memory of catching a couple of lil brookies around it before. 

 I made a cast down creek well up from the flat rock as to not scare any trout near by. I had enough slack in the line following my March Brown as it drifted drag free towards the rock. First drift, nothing. I casted again and let it drift through. Still nothing. 

 One thing I do where no trout are rising with no Mayflies around is cast at least three times within the same location. The first cast I figure might be a surprise to a trout and pass him by before he can get a bead on it. The second drift through, if he doesn't take it, is either not liking the looks of it or figures it is just out of place but may get his appetite back?  The third drift is usually my 'what the heck' drift but sometimes encourages a strike.

 I drop my third cast a little closer upstream from the flat rock. I watch the March Brown float towards my side of the flat rock. A mouth comes into view and sucks it in like it had been waiting for a slow moving, appetite appealing, Mayfly to pass by. I yank the rod up and back and the line tightens once again. This time the trout doesn't follow the arcing and pull of the rod like the smaller trout. The rod bows more deeply and the fish on the other end pulls line off the spool down creek through my tensioned fingers. I knew right then that I had something larger than those little guys. He put up a short struggle and I was able to get him into the net quickly in the shallower water. I was surprised and didn't expect such a larger brown trout holding in the shallow waters with the little guys. He also looked like he was stream bred or a hold over from years past.

   I was pretty close to my exit point. The water below was slow moving flat water clear across the creek. Under the sunshine I didn't expect any surface activity or any surprise takes on such slow moving conditions. I waded to the bank and headed to the truck. 

  Every year I come up to Kettle Creek I have to stop at the Cross Fork Restaurant and get myself an oyster burger and that's just where I was headed. I don't know where they get their oysters but they make a good sandwich and I had never got sick on them.

 Back at camp I took a nap and finished off the evening snacking on smoked cheese, dried salami, a stick of pepperoni, crackers, Greek olive mix, etc. I finished off the bottle of white wine, with my snacks, that I had leftover from Sunday's pasta dinner. 

 It was another good day of dry fly fishing and good eats!

~doubletaper

 

 
 

Shame on Us

 Shame on Us

5/20/24

 I got to the creek around 10. That sounds late but I found any earlier I'm dead tired with a back ache by 3 and besides that it makes for a long day. The first few days no trout were rising and no mayflies were seen till around 10:00 so I figure 10 is a good starting activity time. Sometimes I'd only see a couple mayflies around 10:00 but that's all I have to see to knot a dry on.

It was a bright warm morning. The sky was blue with no heavy cloud cover at all that would block the sunshine rising up behind me. The water was high though and flowing pretty fast with rolling waves. Two guys were using conventional rods and some kind of bait. I assembled my 9' fast action 5 weight Allen Icon fly rod and went down the bank to the water. The section I was fishing usually holds lots of trout and they always seem ready to rise to the occasion. When I stepped into the cold creek water the one fisherman commented he hadn't caught a thing. Watching the other guy downstream didn't appear he was doing any better. I knotted on a bugger, casted out and let it drift. The two left shortly and I was alone for a while. 

 Not getting any taps for about a half hour I decided to go on the dark side and nymph fish and wet fly fish. Still no hits. I was deciding what to put on next when a Sulfur fluttered by and then a March Brown in flight. I knotted on a March Brown and tossed it out. Not too far, down creek some, I saw my first rise. He wouldn't take the March Brown so I knotted on a Sulfur imitation. It took a few drifts for convincing and he got himself hooked. 

  I caught another down creek a ways just blind casting here and there like throwing acorns in a cut corn field just to see if I could scare a rabbit out.

 Well, that deserved a cigar. I pulled out a Fuente Deluxe out of my vest and lit it up.

 

 While I continued to blind cast out in the open wavy water a few fishermen showed up. They fly fished for about a half hour and left. Another guy stood on the bank looking out as if searching for a lost bobber. He didn't have a rod in his hand and I was pretty sure he was looking for trout rising or maybe a heavy hatch of some kind. Not seeing anything he was interested in, he left.

 By now the sun was overbearing. No bugs were coming off the water and I hadn't got a strike for sometime. I went up to the truck and decided to drive down creek.

 There were only two guys fishing with spinning rods in the wide section of open water. Not another soul around. The wavy water reflected the bright sun rays like stainless steel pots and pans hanging in the kitchen of a fancy restaurant under bright overhead lights. Across creek was shaded along the bank from overhanging tree branches and tall brush. There was a stream of water entering the main body of water from a creek that flowed down from the mountain side. There was no doubt in my mind that there were trout around there, out of the bright sunshine and in cooler water. I assembled the 9' fast action rod again and entered the main body of water. Knee deep to thigh high water I made my way across the wavy current within casting distance of the far bank. I saw a couple of Sulfurs come off and one March Brown. There were a bunch of tiny bugs flying just above the water surface but not causing any activity on top. Seeing the Sulfurs I knotted on an imitation. While doing that I saw my first rise. Casting out I missed two subtle takes. I brought the line in and saw my Sulfur and tippet were somewhat tangled. After untangling the mess I started casting out between me and the far bank.

 I always figured if there were a few Mayflies in the area the reason the trout aren't rising is because none are within their sight. I continued to cast the Sulfur out and made a couple of trout rise and got themselves hooked. One was a decent rainbow. The Sulfur imitation was snugly hooked in the rainbows lips.

 Not having anymore takes on the Sulfur I switched to a MB para dun. Under the bright sunlight, wavy glaring water and bank side shadows it was easier to see. During the week there were MB's always appearing. Not many but they would appear out of nowhere. Being so, I was pretty confident my #12 MB would entice a strike from a trout that wanted more than an afternoon small #16 Sulfur.

 I made a long cast and my MB landed just out from the far side bank. I watched it drift from the dark shadows into the sunlight. A trout rose and grabbed it, with a splash, like a crocodile coming out of the water at a young zebra crossing the river. I reared the long length of line back and the line tightened with an angry trout tugging and wrestling the tight line on the other end. With a little guidance I guided his way to my net.

  Casting within the shady areas and cooler water amounted to another half dozen or so hooked trout.

  When they quit rising to the MB parachute I switched to a Catskill tied MB. That amounted to a couple more gamers. It was harder to see in the distance but if I saw a splash I'd rear back on the rod to set the hook. Being there were no risers anywhere else I knew they were rising to my offering. One rainbow grabbed the MB at the end of the drift that surprised me. I wasn't able to see my dry but I knew it was out there near the end of the drift. The trout took it so quick and unexpectedly my wrist jolted downward with the heavy jerk from the take. I played him up through the shallow wavy current and another rainbow fitted in the net nicely. 

  

 After the other two guys left I continued wading downstream casting out the March Brown but had no takers. I got back to the truck around 3:00 under the hot blazing sun. I was taking off my gear when a white pickup truck pulled beside my truck. He asked me how I did. I told him I caught a half dozen or so on dries. He asked if there was a hatch and I told him no, I made them rise. He told me upstream that they saw fish feeding mid surface as if taking emergers but they couldn't catch any. I asked him if they tried a dry fly and he said no because none were coming to the surface. After they left it got me thinking about today and the last few,

 I watched fly guys constantly nymph fishing and never try a dry fly. Even if there was just a couple of Mayflies about. If they didn't see trout rising they weren't going to try one. So, if they won't try, how do they know if a trout will take their dry or not? Now, I know trout usually feed on nymphs but how does a fisherman know if the trout are feeding beneath unless he tries fishing underneath? My thought process is the same about dry fly fishing. If I know there was a hatch or I see a few Mayflies around the only way to see if the trout will rise to a dry is to give them a chance. I figure the only reason trout may not be rising is because there's no surface activity within their sight. And this thing fishermen say 'the trout aren't looking up' is funny. Any fish I ever caught has the same expression on their face. Their eyes are wide open and they never look like they are looking up, down or sideways.

 I don't come to Kettle Creek every year to see how many or count how many trout I catch. I don't consider it a competition. I don't come up here to fish beneath the surface unless I feel I have no other choice to catch fish. I come up here during Mayfly season to catch trout on dry flies. There are so many more hatches usually going on near the same time in May that I'll find trout rising or make them rise.

 Shame on us for offering dry flies when there's no big hatch and trout aren't rising. Shame on us for not deep sea fishing for trout below the surface with nymphs, wet flies or streamers like everyone else seems to be doing with a fly rod because they don't see fish rising. Shame on us for going out dry fly fishing instead of thinking I'll be just wasting my time. Yes, I'll admit I'm a die hard dry fly fisherman but I'm not going to waste my time on the bank looking over the water to wait for fish to rise. I'm going to make them rise!!

 So I will say, sitting by the evening camp fire, drinking a beer and smoking a cigar grinning, Allen Icon and I had a shameless dry fly fishing outing!

 

~doubletaper

 

 

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

 

Honey Browns and Healthy Rainbows

 

Honey Browns and Healthy Rainbows

5/13/2024

 It was a gloomy, misty Monday morning. Gray clouds moved slowly across the pale blue sky in bundles. I hadn’t trout fished for over a week because of moving to a new house. Unpacking boxes and trying to figure out where to put everything. And then there’s the yard work. Well, I had enough and needed to pause and relax. I made myself an excuse, from such, and decided to go on out and fish. I was headed to Potter county in a few days, for a week, and told myself I need some practice.

  I really didn’t need any practice. It’s like hunting all your life and going to the gun range just to shoot. Maybe take a rifle you haven’t shot for a while to get a feel and make sure you’re on target. Kinda the same with fly fishing. Once you’re good at it and like it, it’s still fun. Casting a different weight, action or length kinda like shooting different rifles though. Getting a feel for the rod and seeing if you can pinpoint the target zone.

  I made sure I had all my trout gear in the truck and took off to the Allegheny National Forest. I pulled off the side of the road and put together my 7’6” 4 weight Powell’ rod. The creek I’d be fishing is just a narrow mountain creek with plenty of bank side overhanging hazards. No need for a long rod or weight forward line. I attached a reel and threaded DT4F line through the eyes. I put on my gear, grabbed a couple cigars and followed the path through the forest to the creek.

  On the bank I looked over the wavy, riffling current. The water was pretty much in perfect condition as far as I was concerned. Clarity was good and not too shallow. I’d have to make lengthy casts so the trout don’t see me and wade slowly as to not stir up the creek bed. I knotted on a Woolly Bugger and stepped into the cold water.

  The creek was lined with brush and leafy tree branches in some areas. The wet pine boughs glistened under the sun when it did appear. Tiny raindrops fell from the sky but not enough to discourage me. I was going to fish, rain or not. Listening to the forest birds chirping told me it wasn’t going to rain for long anyway. I carefully crossed over to the other side of the creek for better drifting angles. I pulled line out of the rod and made my first cast across and down stream and let the bugger drift with the current. On my way down creek I had a couple of short bumps but noting hard enough to set the hook. I got to a deeper section, this side of a downed tree limb that laid along the bank across creek. Rough water banked and wavered along side as it calmed down and flowed into a deeper pool that I’m sure a trout or two would be waiting for breakfast.

  I don’t usually fish on Mondays being I always figured the weekend warriors would have the trout all stirred up and spooked come Monday. I wasn’t expecting to catch many trout but I already told myself it was for my sanity and relaxation just to get out.

  I casted the Woolly Bugger up from the downed limb and let it drift with the current. The arc in the fly line pulled as the bugger wasn’t even at the end of the downed limb. I yanked the rod and line back and my first trout was on a tight line. The 4 weight bowed good as the trout fought in the current with good force. After a bit of a battle in the deeper section I lead him up through the wavy current. He followed with head shakes keeping his distance as I brought in line. I swung the rod back and he followed ahead of me. With my net in the water I slowly brought the rod point down and he swam back right into my net. My oh my! I was surprised to see a somewhat decorated brown trout. This wasn’t a recently stocked trout by no means. He’s been in here for a year or two by the shade of his light honey color belly and dark complexion. He was even developing some small ruby dots in some of his honey color circles. I unhooked the bugger from the side of his mouth and released him. 

 

 I caught a small rainbow where the wavy water flowed into the deeper pool before I hooked another trout that fought a lot harder in the current flow. The rod flexed into the mid section with each forceful tug. After another downstream battle I got him coming up and through the wavy riffles passed me. Again I lowered the rod and he slipped in. I was surprised again with another brown trout. Though not as dark as the previous one but showed more ruby spots over a lighter complexion. Light shades of honey looked as though its been brushed along its belly up to its gill plate. He must have been real hungry as the hook was lodged in its tongue but came out easily. He evidently has been around for a year or two also.

 

  I only moved a bit downstream to get my bugger to pass through the deeper section. I had caught 2 rainbows that looked as though they were stockies from the last recent stocking. I reached into my rain jacket and pulled out my first cigar of the day and lit it up. 

 

  The blueish slate gray clouds were still hanging around but the rain had stopped. The birds continued to chirp as the morning got lighter. There was no signs or traffic noise or stale air. I took a puff of my cigar and listened to the morning calmness of the forest.

  Continuing on I just casted the Woolly Bugger across creek and let it drift with the current. Wham, a trout grabbed and pulled the line like it was trying to pull a stuck apple from a tree branch. The rod bowed, like a branch being pulled, and then relaxed some pointing to the culprit that was steeling my Woolly Bugger. He fought well and ended up in my net also. Another holdover trout. Not so colorful as the last two. Maybe he was a new member of the Millstone Trout Club that hasn’t earned his long time membership pin yet?

 

  I got down to where a branch of the creek flowed into the main section. I usually catch quite a few trout in this section. Casting out and letting the bugger drift accounted for a few more trout. It’s as if the honey browns didn’t take up residence here. Hearty rainbows were the main take.

 

  I fished down a bit further. The sun was well out now bearing down heat. I had dressed warm for the chilly morning but now feeling too much heat beneath my Gortex rain jacket. I felt like I was in a sauna. I waded to the bank and made my way to the truck. Unclothing some, I got into lighter clothes and drove down creek.

 I parked along the creek and got back into my fishing gear. I walked down to the creek and crossed over. This section of creek was one that I know gets fished quite a bit because it’s so close to the road with easy access. I’m sure the stocking truck stops here and buckets quite a few trout in this section. I didn’t expect to catch many trout here but that wasn’t the case. It’s not that the bite came one after the other but the trout here were hungry and its if they heard, from the first released trout, that there was an afternoon food vendor in the park!

 

  I was hooking up with some nice healthy looking rainbows until the bite stopped. I slowly waded down creek through the shallow riffling section to a deeper section. There were a couple of guys fly fishing the the flow where the riffling water got slower and deeper. They had moved down creek by the time I got to where they were. Nice of them!

  Continuing on with the bugger I caught a few more rainbows that they hadn’t hooked.

 

 I’m not sure what they were using or if they caught many but they left me some hungry trout that wanted my Woolly Bugger.

 

  It wasn’t long after they left I waded down stream, to shallower water, and called it a day.

  The sun was still shining bright and I had a good fishing outing catching. I still had things to do back home before nightfall. The camper needed waxed before heading to Potter County to fish Kettle and Piney Creeks!!

~doubletaper

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