Nothing specktacular TR

[The Dude]

Got out today and enjoyed some very fine weather.  The fishing wasn't all that, but it was still a fun trip.

The morning started off below freezing, but it warmed up quickly.



A blurry cell phone photo of some leftover snow up on the Parkway.



I saw a bunch of turkeys and a couple of mountain grouse on the drive down the mountain.



I actually started fishing around 9AM at around 3000' elevation.  The air temperature was around 36 and the water temperature was holding around 47.  But, once the sun came up, the air and water would end up warming nicely.

I quickly caught a small rainbow in a swift, but deep run.



Then came a few brown trout.





And even a small brook trout.



As I fished my way upstream, I noticed a small feeder coming in and I had a suspicion about what was happening up its length.  I walked along it for a bit and saw the tell-tale signs of fanned out redds.  I could see some browns hanging out near the redds, but not on them, and not necessarily paired up.  A few of the browns had some size and I'd estimate them to be around 11-13".  I moved up further and saw more browns and finally I spied a couple of nice sized brook trout acting frisky.  They weren't on a redd, but the male was nipping at the female near the tailout of a small pool.  I attempted to take some videos, but they didn't really turn out.  Feeling good about what I saw, I decided to head back over to the main stream and get back to fishing.

Around 1PM, I finally started getting some fish to rise to my dry fly (mostly rainbows and a few browns), but they mostly just bumped the fly or nipped at the rubber legs.  I was too lazy to change up my fly to try to find something they wanted better, and I really was just happy to watch them rise up, regardless if I hooked them or not.  I did catch a few of them, and I had one brown that was over 12" swat at it.  I missed the hookset on the dry, but my dropper snagged it in the tail.  Unfortunately, the hook came free after a few seconds of fighting the fish in the current.  I would like to have caught that one.

I fished upstream further and eventually came to a deep, slow pool.  I could see a nicely colored brook trout at the bottom.  Not seeing any "mates" in the pool with him, I decided I'd make a few casts and try to catch it.  The first cast was a good one and I watched at the fish rose a about a foot off the bottom and took my dropper about 2-feet below the surface.



I went a bit further and caught a handful of small brook trout and decided to call it a day.  On the way out, I was crossing over this little trickle and saw a small (4-5") trout dart out from under the leaves. 



Not much or a report, but it was still good mental therapy to get me right for another week of work.

[Get Bent]

Nicely done. I smite you now. 

[benben reincarnated]

good chit man, good chit.   


that big brookie has some nice color on it.

[Transylwader]

My mate, always regal in your dept. Send my finest to my furry brown bear. Hope Bucky gets better soon.
Respect JH

[blue ridge angler]

Good shit dude.. 0:0

[OldDominionAngler]

Looks alright to me.   

[Woolly Bugger]

yeah, good stuff 4 sure, fall is here, winter just around the corner, it was 27 in Newland when I went over the hump the other morning!

[Aka]

Nice TR, I'd say that last brookie is looking mighty specktacular.

[Holmes]

I do dig the colors on that brook. Good shit dude....

[tattdflythrower]

nice fall slam 0:0