Trip Report: More Fishin'

Last Sunday I did an on call shift for work so I didn't get in any fishing but I did build a fly rod!

This is a 9 foot 4 wight built on a graphite blank. This rod turned out beautifully. My only regret was purchasing a maple colored reel seat over a darker brown which would have matched the blank and thread colors. After Sunday I was eager to take it out. I decided my first few trips with this rod, named the Trout Whomper, would be to streams that required long casts. Without time to fish during the heat of the day I decided to try early and late for risers on a few buggy streams.

This guy along with a few more hit on a size 24 parachute trico that I tie. He put up a decent fight but proved no match for the Trout Whomper! The fish fell for the trico but Pale Evening Dun were primarily coming off the surface. On this evening I tied into a number of decent fish but straitened the hook or missed the strike on most. My next opportunity to fish came before work one day. I hoped to find a good trico hatch and was not disappointed. 

A buddy joined me for this outing! We fished upstream for a half hour or so until the trico (and a small brownish mayfly pattern) hatch became apparent. My buddy tied into a number of fish before I found my groove.

 These smaller browns came from crystal clear water so they were ultra spooky. The Trout Whomper was able to cast far and soft enough to land without scaring 'em. After missing a bunch more strikes I tied into the biggest fish of the day, a colorful and sturdy brown.

He put up a great fight but was unable to straiten the hook. I missed a really nice fish on a perfect cast. As it landed the line swung around some vegetation that hung in the water and landed within two inches. As the fly drifted drag free around the plants a beastly brown smashed the fly without warning. I set the hook and after feeling the slightest pressure that line went limp. Oh well! Stay tuned, I hope to get out a few times before next Friday when I have the day off and will certainly be chasing big trout with big hoppers.