South Mnt - blue line

[tmurf]

Fished a wild stream at South Mnt on Friday.  Shared the stream with many hikers, a few dogs and a deer.  Water was low but there some nice deep pockets.  Began the morning with the my standard search pattern - brown ehc and a sz16 bhptn.  The Elk Hair brought a few rises, but no takers on the nymph.  Switched over to a sz14 black beetle - many more rises to that fly - not necessarily caught, though!  Most brookies were in the 5" range but did land a real nice 11 incher.
With the water lower than normal and running clear...I learned pretty darn quick that I had to be a sneaky guy.  Spent the remainder of the day slinking around rocks and hiding behind trees.  I can only imagine what I must have looked like from the trail.  But it improved the catching.
Probably lost...I mean 'long distance released'...as many brookies as I landed.
Attached a few photos.

[troutphisher]

Sounds and looks like you had a good day on the water!

[phg]

Yeah, low water makes for some great exercise.   Looks like you had a pretty good one anyway.  I wouldn't want to fish that way all the time, but once in a while, it's kinda fun....

[Rod Champion]

Pretty darn big wild brook trout. It is a wild fish, right?

[DarrinG]

Pretty darn big wild brook trout. It is a wild fish, right?

My thoughts too....I wasnt there....not meaning to insinuate anything, but if that top fish is a wild brookie, it's HUGE. Favors a hatchery fish from the way the picture looks. But what do I know?

[Mstash]

Depending on how high up he was above the DH water.
The DH hold over fish have run up to the first falls.

Regardless they are some nice fish. And the way you had to adjusted your fishing in order to catch um say's a lot.
A lot of people would have just kept pounding up the creek and would not have had as good a day as you did

great pic

Mstash

[Rod Champion]

Darrin- please let me know if the water clears up this week. I get to go fishing a couple of days. Matt has to stay in the shop... I got to get out of here...
Thanks Darrin,
RodC

[tmurf]

Pretty darn big wild brook trout. It is a wild fish, right?

My thoughts too....I wasnt there....not meaning to insinuate anything, but if that top fish is a wild brookie, it's HUGE. Favors a hatchery fish from the way the picture looks. But what do I know?

hey all.  i caught the fish in the wild section, so i figured that it was wild, but now that i think about it - it is totally possible that it is a DH stocker.  i was a few pools below the falls when i hooked 'em.  not really sure the best way to tell the difference?  colors? size?
i prefer to think that the brookie was wild...maybe just the romantic in me.
thanks for all the kind post's.  i had a lot of fun that day, but as PHG posted, i wouldn't - or rather my knees wouldn't - want me to fish that way all the time!

[calebB]

That looks like a DH brookie to me. ::)

[DarrinG]

Rod, Go for it. The water is slightly stained now. Depends on the rain we get this week, but if it stays clear (no downpours), it will be good to go. Give me a ring before you head up and I'll advise. Be warned....there is a fresh tree down, almost reaching across the river from the looks of it from the road.....

[Mstash]

 prefer to think that the brookie was wild...maybe just the romantic in me.
thanks for all the kind post's.  i had a lot of fun that day, but as PHG posted, i wouldn't - or rather my knees wouldn't - want me to fish that way all the time!

Thats all that matters

Mstash

[DarrinG]

Thats all that matters

Mstash

That's exactly right Rick. You nailed it.

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