finally on the board in 24

Started by Woolly Bugger, January 05, 2024, 08:57:08 AM

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Woolly Bugger


#24 - 1 / Gas $2.89 Cloudy 37

With my regular river flowing above wading levels I've not been fishing this year, as an alternative adventure I took a trip to the raptor center to deliver my stash of frozen trout as I knew it would be a while before I would be able to harvest more trouts. They were happily received by the technicians at the care center. We decided to take a walking tour of the birds at the center. There were many birds including Ravens, Eagles, Vultures, a Condor, Hornbills, Owls, and Hawks housed in shelters along the three-quarter mile trail. 

@RiverbumCO called and asked what I knew about a small tailwater that I've fished in the past. He was headed up to give it a shot. The next day he gave me a report on nine wild fish caught. That got me thinking and the next day I decided to give it a try myself.

The temps dropped down to 37 as I drove up into the hills. The wind buffeted the car as I drove up the valley and I questioned my decision to fish today. That was reinforced by the blast of wind as I geared up. I took the euro, hoping to limit out in short order, but the fish didn't cooperate and as I was moving up to some primo spots I got high holed by a carful of spin fishermen who jumped into the best spots. I managed two fish to hand and culled one for the birds.

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I bought a vacuum sealer to better preserve the frozen fish.

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ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger


#24 - 2 / Gas $2.89, chilly at 37 degrees


@RiverbumCO gave me another access point where he scored some fat stockers, meh. I took a look and moved on to another spot where I hooked a fat rainbow stocker, meh. Worked the water, took a look around, decided that the fish were "hole oriented", as JT would say. I moved on and found another spot with a decent wild brown. As the sun went donw it started to get real cold and I bailed. Time to break out the electric socks.

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I told Erik that I was going to let this one go, but the tippet was all wrapped around the fish, and I couldn't get the hook out, as I was working it free, I impaled the dropper into a finger and that is when I decided that this fish would become food for the birds.

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ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

streamereater_101691

Well, I can promise you'll never see douglas at that place!  :laugh: 

Onslow

#3
I don't understand why Erik is fishing there.  I sure wouldn't waste my time unless I caught an 18" wild brown on the first outing. It is neat to see wild fish on an accessible stocked river, but one will be hard pressed to catch any of any size where the river is accessible. Best I've been able to do on the Middle Fork Reddies is 7" (wild browns) although I did loose one about 13".  Same for Meadow Fork. The best place to catch fish in high pressure areas are segments adjoining backyards of homes. Most don't have the nerve to stay and fish.


Woolly Bugger

#4
Quote from: Onslow on January 07, 2024, 19:58:49 PMI don't understand why Erik is fishing there. 

Eric is looking for a close to home dry fly bite, BWOs midges, etc.
ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Big J

#5
Quote from: Woolly Bugger on January 08, 2024, 12:10:35 PM
Quote from: Onslow on January 07, 2024, 19:58:49 PMI don't understand why Erik is fishing there. 

Eric is looking for a close to home dry fly bite, BWOs midges, etc.

Erik aging that quickly that he is going to become a regular on the Smith now?

Woolly Bugger

#6

#24 - 4
Mid 50s and sunny

Needed to get out, hit the creek in the valley. Caught an ugly stocker and a couple of wild browns — tried a few new spots without any luck.

That is all.

ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger


#24 -- 23 60ish mostly sunny

I hooked a fish in a run and it felt like a good one, there were trees above the run and behind me, I used side pressure to get the fish in to shallow water where it broke the surface and the hook popped free and euro rod flung the jig nymphs up and around a tree branch, lost two flies and a fish. That's how most of the afternoon went. Flies in trees and fish unbuttoning. But I did net a nice brown after picking off a handful of punes.



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ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!

Woolly Bugger

#8

#24 -- 24 70s sunny Gas $3.12

With the Smith flowing high for a while longer I headed out to a small stream with the 2wt Superfine Glass rod and a box of dryflies looking for some brookie action. I hiked it about 3/4 of a mile and began fishing a couple of spots where I've found fish before. No luck to start out but I finally got on the board with a pune rainbow. I worked my way up to the homestead and after not getting any love on the surface I tied on a dropper and hooked a couple of pune brookies who wriggled away before photos. The two weight will fling flies up into trees on missed hooksets just as well as a 9 foot five wight. Rigged with another dry, I fished a log jammed run where there had to be a fish. After 4 or 5 most excellent drifts I saw a fish rise right in front of a snag. A few cast later I got the drift right and the fish smashed the fly, but my reflexes were too quick and peppery and that 12 inch rainbow only felt the sting of the hook.

The forest floor was littered with bloodrook, a few blue bells were out and dutchman's britches will follow soon. The trees are budded out but the is no shade and rays of the sun hit with full force. I should have wet-waded but didn't prepare properly and had the wrong boots. 

It was slow going for me and I was done after three and a half hours.

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DSFK
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Tearing up mountains to 4 lane 58...
https://www.vdot.virginia.gov/projects/salem-district/route-58-widening---lovers-leap-in-patrick-county-ppta-project/
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ex - I'm not going to live with you through one more fishing season!
me -There's a season?

Pastor explains icons to my son: you know like the fish symbol on the back of cars.
My son: My dad has two fish on his car and they're both trout!