It's been a very odd summer this year. Usually I have to hang up brook trout fishing by mid July because of low water and temps, but can probably find brookie streams to fish this year all through summer if conditions continue. SNP on the other hand is about done for the summer. I give it about another 1 to 2 weeks and most of the brookie streams will be unable to fish without killing the trout. Looks like either the south end of the park is missing a lot of the rain or the ground is soaking it up quick. The stream I fished was very fishable, but still on the low side, and the trout are in summer mode. They are just sitting on the bottom of deep pools sulking. Lots of fish were caught, but mostly dinks and even then had to be worked for.
Question, I've noticed some behaviour I've never experienced in wild brook trout. I ran into three pools that had a large number of pod of brookies just sitting in the bottom. They were easily over 200 in one big pool with at least ten over 12 inches. One was modestly 14 to 15 inches, was an absolute pig. But they wouldn't hit a fly when I approached the pool and was out of sight and even when they saw me they just sat at the bottom and didn't care. I threw everything and the kitchen sink at them and only managed a couple dinks. I literally walked through the pod of trout and they scurried around me and then back into their positions. I have never seen wild trout act like this and don't know how that many trout can find food to survive summer in one pool. Sure they do this to survive low waters, but I have never seen this (I usually don't fish summer low waters though). Anyone else ever seen them behave like this?
On to da pics.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1880_zps7e12653f.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1880_zps7e12653f.jpg.html)
Weather was pretty clear on the morning drive.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1882_zpsbd8c47ed.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1882_zpsbd8c47ed.jpg.html)
Until I hit Skyline, luckily as soon as I got to the stream it cleared up for the rest of the day.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1881_zps76a155e9.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1881_zps76a155e9.jpg.html)
Local's sticker.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1884_zpsbb4a5b4c.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1884_zpsbb4a5b4c.jpg.html)
First fish was a dace
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1885_zps28d60f5c.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1885_zps28d60f5c.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1887_zpsb2561e3f.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1887_zpsb2561e3f.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1888_zps1a4721b0.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1888_zps1a4721b0.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1890_zps2e0342e2.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1890_zps2e0342e2.jpg.html)
This fish was an interesting one. He was hiding in a little crack in a rock in a glass still small side pool that I cast in not expecting anything. Darted out and took the fly.
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1891_zps5dcd2667.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1891_zps5dcd2667.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1893_zpscc4b2bd9.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1893_zpscc4b2bd9.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1894_zps34827c29.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1894_zps34827c29.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1895_zpsd5600972.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1895_zpsd5600972.jpg.html)
(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll121/BigJSV/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1896_zpsc7af97aa.jpg) (http://s287.photobucket.com/user/BigJSV/media/Trout%20Fishing/IMGP1896_zpsc7af97aa.jpg.html)
Learned a lot this trip and had a nice day off from work yesterday. Most of the fish were caught on dries and some of the deeper pools I worked some nymphs through.
Glad you got out. I hope to do the same tomorrow. I'll stay down here, though. -0-
I've seen them do this when the water starts to shrink and temps go up. They seem to slow their metabolism down and don't exert much effort to survive until better conditions. I think it's similar when the water is high and cold, they go deep and wait for better conditions.
I think many of those streams run stronger underground than on top. The gauges say they should be pretty good, but........
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--fYr5pEu53k/UguExUqLmGI/AAAAAAAAILA/H9vAl38jeuI/w726-h532-no/Fullscreen+capture+8142013+92256+AM.bmp.jpg)
Nothing beats a break from work to catch some trouts. /'/
As Doug said, that behavior seems normal to me too. They basically do the same thing in winter, get low and "hibernate" if you will. I've seen it both times of year. It is a little frustrating when you first encounter it because you think you could move them to eat, but usually it is a futile effort.
I was guessing this is what they were doing. Just had never seen it. And Ben, it is very annoying to be staring at a 12 plus brookie that is not spooking and just looking at you with a screw you look b';
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
Quote from: The Dude on August 14, 2013, 10:52:58 AM
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
'c;
Quote from: The Dude on August 14, 2013, 10:52:58 AM
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
Which includes a green weenie, correct? Or even a brace of the darned things?
Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on August 14, 2013, 13:23:08 PM
Quote from: The Dude on August 14, 2013, 10:52:58 AM
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
Which includes a green weenie, correct? Or even a brace of the darned things?
how about a treble hook green weenie?
Quote from: Grannyknot on August 14, 2013, 14:12:54 PM
Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on August 14, 2013, 13:23:08 PM
Quote from: The Dude on August 14, 2013, 10:52:58 AM
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
Which includes a green weenie, correct? Or even a brace of the darned things?
how about a treble hook green weenie?
You may be on to something.
The way I figure it, in NC at least, you can rig up 3 green weenie flies back to back to back (double nymph style but with like zero to no leader in between), I think that gets around the legality of single hook flies only. How the hell you cast it is your problem.
Quote from: benben on August 14, 2013, 14:29:02 PM
You may be on to something.
The way I figure it, in NC at least, you can rig up 3 green weenie flies back to back to back (double nymph style but with like zero to no leader in between), I think that gets around the legality of single hook flies only. How the hell you cast it is your problem.
Chuck n duck/lots of untangling :o
Quote from: benben on August 14, 2013, 14:29:02 PM
Quote from: Grannyknot on August 14, 2013, 14:12:54 PM
Quote from: Mudwall Gatewood on August 14, 2013, 13:23:08 PM
Quote from: The Dude on August 14, 2013, 10:52:58 AM
That's when you put on the snagging rig............................
Which includes a green weenie, correct? Or even a brace of the darned things?
how about a treble hook green weenie?
You may be on to something.
The way I figure it, in NC at least, you can rig up 3 green weenie flies back to back to back (double nymph style but with like zero to no leader in between), I think that gets around the legality of single hook flies only. How the hell you cast it is your problem.
Here's another idea.
An articulated green weenie. Multiple green weenies attached together.
It would be like one of those "Sex Dungeon" Streamers, except we could call it the skull fock weenie, or maybe something less graphic.
Sorry to hijack your trip report Big J.
It was a good one. What were those things that looked like pee-hole barnacles? Caddis shells?
Quote from: Grannyknot on August 14, 2013, 16:24:42 PM
Here's another idea.
An articulated green weenie. Multiple green weenies attached together.
It would be like one of those "Sex Dungeon" Streamers, except we could call it the skull fock weenie, or maybe something less graphic.
Sorry to hijack your trip report Big J.
It was a good one. What were those things that looked like pee-hole barnacles? Caddis shells?
Thread hijacking is fine, half my threads get turned into surfing or something political it seems like, at least this one is still fishing related.
And yes, Caddis casings. Wish I could of been on the water when they were out.
Quote from: Big J on August 14, 2013, 16:31:13 PM
Quote from: Grannyknot on August 14, 2013, 16:24:42 PM
What were those things that looked like pee-hole barnacles? Caddis shells?
And yes, Caddis casings. Wish I could of been on the water when they were out.
empty cases of
Psilotreta
I've always wanted to surf! Where's a good spot???
Ok, just playin BigJ!!
I loved the TR!! Makes me wanna go blue lining tomorrow!! (Damned chores and adult like responsibilities!!)
Oh yeah, and fuck Bush!!
I'll tag my report onto J's, even though it's not the SNP. It is August, though.
Now, enjoy some white folks dancing!
http://youtu.be/wSnQ0bdHW0s (http://youtu.be/wSnQ0bdHW0s)
I'm planning on fishing Saturday, but the forecast is going south. Sooo, I planned a long lunch today on a nearby stream.
We've had a lot of rain, but not WNC lot of rain. This stream can stay up after a rain and it's J's favorite stream to rag on.
Water levels were great. Boom. Bang. The brookies were in fine form. Plucked at least one from every sink sized pool and larger.
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PUNyP9Xx4z8/Ug0mB3h8ldI/AAAAAAAAIOg/Q2RHnWYglPg/w450-h534-no/048.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BwcqOXGIQQM/Ug0l-R0QfVI/AAAAAAAAIOI/CEezOlE7nNM/w712-h534-no/043.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-fOuHse1-ZI8/Ug0lvH_mjbI/AAAAAAAAIMY/AaEPp59dhv8/w594-h534-no/019.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-LwS5GDbyy8M/Ug0luAx0HxI/AAAAAAAAIMU/Iz2_V9qCLI8/w712-h534-no/018.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_Su2UYCM4Fc/Ug0lxbrwHqI/AAAAAAAAIMs/LirikJD04U0/w712-h534-no/021.JPG)
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wS7kM5-x_oA/Ug0lyNfc1YI/AAAAAAAAIMw/6dCBWepulC0/w712-h534-no/023.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-i-ciYsxTcjo/Ug0lwesUs4I/AAAAAAAAIMk/6ywaUpp3k4M/w401-h534-no/020.JPG)
Punes to brutes(9" was the biggest). Dry and dropper. There was nettle involved. I hate nettle.
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Ayi8ZqkDDYk/Ug0ltcCYU6I/AAAAAAAAIMM/ehnHS35N6ls/w712-h534-no/017.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-6blQfX45YVo/Ug0l0qLbRgI/AAAAAAAAINA/M6VHn-L8gjI/w712-h534-no/025.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PSZYCqwPWLE/Ug0l1_kEMXI/AAAAAAAAINM/ZHLgcv4wClU/w712-h534-no/026.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UQIbiW7ArmI/Ug0l4AWIuSI/AAAAAAAAINc/eDHHQw2eQCY/w677-h534-no/031.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-oipdoC-WPuo/Ug0l63qEKrI/AAAAAAAAIN0/urakgQ0-bY8/w712-h534-no/037.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZQlJKmMsSH8/Ug0l5z5zGAI/AAAAAAAAINo/znkZoAMp5qU/w712-h534-no/033.JPG)
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-uIA7Colal4A/Ug0l7_4AtkI/AAAAAAAAIN4/jMJD0t7gxX0/w712-h534-no/040.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--SA8KI27lsc/Ug0l9ZFRChI/AAAAAAAAIOE/6yUVZmXOGOA/w712-h534-no/041.JPG)
I fished this section in April and almost got washed away.
I fished the same 200 yards in 2 hours and caught 30-40 brookies.
In August. Normal water levels. It's freaky, so enjoy it folks!
0:0
Good stuff. Mike liked that section too. I must say too, I'm more and more impressed with that stream every time I fish it. I'll be calling in the next couple days to talk you into heading to south VA sometime soon -0-
Nice looking fish guys. I blue lined today but it wound up turning into a flatline!
Nice Doug.
Nettle blows.
Nice work dingleberries! bd;0