July 2 Float/Wade Trip

[The Mad Duck 0]

July 2 was the first day of my yearly mountain fishing trip. We started off wading because the tailwater river we were fishing didnt start generating water until 11:00am. We dropped the boat in the water to fish about a 1/4 mile stretch to kill time until the generating started. While my buddy ran the truck/trailer up the road, I stayed with the boat and wade fished for 15 minutes or so. The 3rd cast with a little Beetle pattern, I caught about an 8 inch long Brook trout. I waded a little up stream and connected with a small Rainbow a few minutes later. When my buddy got back and asked if I had caught anything, I told him about the Brookie. He said there were no Brookies in this river. I guess the Brook trout didnt get that message.

We got in the boat and started drifting and immediately started catching fish. We managed 2 Rainbows and 2 Browns on that small stretch of river. We pulled the boat out and moved upstream,closer to the dam and put in again. 

As we drifted down, we started into a section that has mostly Brown trout. We caught fish on a steady basis all the way up to where we stopped for lunch. We were tossing either a Japanese Beetle pattern, a double nymph rig and had a rod strung up with a sulphur pattern. There had been several weeks of nice sulphur hatches daily.

We pulled up on a shaded bank and dropped anchor and broke out our sandwiches. This is where things got interesting.

About 1/2 way through eating and sitting there talking, a Brown trout about 14 inches long came up and slurped a bug, literally 4 feet from the boat, right on the edge of a seam or running and flat water. We sat there watching this little fish feed. At that point, I broke out  my camera and took a few photos.

This first photo is the fish just hanging out. The second photo is him, lining up to take a bug. The third is a miiisecond after slurping the bug.

We sat and watched this fish feed for 10 minutes. I told my buddy that I bet the fish would eat the sulphur tied up on the rod.Andrew eased the rod up and flipped the fly about 10 feet in front of the fish and the fish immediately lined up on the fly. When it got close, he rose up and ate the fly,in a violent manner. The 4th photo is the fish out of the water on the take. And....Off to the races.

[cphubert 0]

Nice!

[feathers5 0]

Great photos. Thanks for the story and the pictures.

[The Mad Duck 0]

More of the fight...and the end result. We watched more fish start to rise about 10 feet in front of where the initial fish was and cast to them. We pulled 4 fish total from our lunch spot. I had to put the camera down, so I could fish.

 

[The Mad Duck 0]

The last couple of photos are fish we caught right before take out.

Totals for the day

22 Browns

3 Rainbows

1 Brook Trout

[Steeldrifter 0]

Some great pictures there Ken. Really like the one of the brown lining up to take the fly.

[Poopdeck 0]

LIVE ACTION! Nice pictures, nice tale, nice trip, and a great day to remember. Good for you!

[Mark Knapp 0]

Yep, there are brookies in there. Very cool pictures, what a nice experience.

[mikechell 0]

VERY nice day of fishing.  It's good to see such pretty pictures of fish, fish fights and scenery.  26 fish total.  Those fish are as easy to fool as bluegill!

[Jacks Grampa 0]

I do truly enjoy sight casting to rising fish.

[niveker 0]

Great photos.  Sounds like a great day on the water.  

[MuskyFlyGuy 0]

Terrific report and photos. You have set a new, high standard for reports. Looks like you are off to a great start for your trip.  

[Sandan 0]

Fantastic day, photos and memories to have. Thank you.