This weekend found meet toiling over the rod jig. I built three rods with one ready to share with the world! This build features a down-locking RL Reel Seat, cigar shaped grip, and H&H Xi Blank. The rod is available at Whitewater Valley Flies
Between filling fly orders and building rods for customers and for inventory I managed to find some time to do some fishing! Unfortunately we've had over 5 inches of rain over the past week and most streams are running high and chocolatey. You can always find water to fish though. When conditions are unfavorable due to rain/runoff look for shorter streams (4 miles or less) and streams with smaller watersheds. The best way to identify the size of a watershed is to look at topographical maps. The smaller the watershed the less water being funneled through, therefore less impacted by rain/runoff. Yesterday afternoon I found one such stream.
I was not expecting a numbers game but the fish were hungry. I fished with a Pink Squirrel of Prey with an Orange Scud dropper. Most fish took the dropper.
The lens on my camera didn't open all the way for this handsome brookie, the only one of the day. After catching this brookie I moved upstream to a promising run. I immediately hooked into a decent trout. After a good battle he swam into the net. While preparing my camera he flipped out of the net and into the drink! He was at least 17". My only problem with the "ghost net" is that the shallow basket isn't the best for holding onto larger trout. Speaking of larger trout...
This fish was a bit smaller than the above mentioned escape artist. He put up a great fight and swam off strong. This stream was still running high with a brown tinge to the green stain that usually marks ideal conditions. The stream was running at least a foot higher than usual as well. I found a few dead trout a ways up the bank where it appeared they were stranded when the flash flood waters receded. Judging by laid down vegetation the water flowed through at least 3-4 feet higher than I found it on this day. After working on fly rods last night and this morning I headed to another spot within a smaller watershed.
This stream was running about the same color as yesterday's water with a little bit less clarity. I started out fishing with a streamer and landed a few smaller fish between missing a few nice ones. After about an hour I lost my only streamer to a tree. I called an audible and found a nearby stream running cold and clear.
After hooking into a half dozen or so little brookies this brown had me thinking I had a good brookie! I continued upstream in this mucky little creek until I found a great little natural undercut bank. After rolling three smaller fish out of the pool I hooked into something a little more substantial.
As I fought this fish I stood in knee deep muck. As the fish tired I brought him to the net. He gave me one good lock and headed downstream. I pivoted and tried to lift my foot to turn toward the fish. My foot didn't move one bit but my body was already in motion. I lost my balance and fell in slow motion right on my ass...in knee deep muck. I managed to throw my camera to the bank and twisted my body enough that my cell phone and car keys didn't get wet! Then it started to rain. I played the fish to hand and after a few quick pics released him to the depths from which he came.
Stay tuned: I hope to get out a time or two over the next week as conditions should shape up well with less precipitation and cooler temperatures in the forecast. Also more fly rods will be posted for sale over the next few days!
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