High pressure be damned!

Woke up this morning to find the BK was blown out and muddy. The EB and BR were rising rapidly and would both be too high and muddy to fish. Was I upset? Not in the least. After fishing two "split days" I was tired. The forecast called for bright sun, high pressure and a 15 to 25 MPH wind. I've seen that mix all to often this season and it hasn't been kind.

Decided to do yard work, tie flies and take a nice nap. If the wind layed down - maybe - but if not it would be a DNF (did not fish). By 5:00 o'clock I was a bit antsy (it's tough to go cold turkey). Took a drive to better evaluate the situation. Outlook, bleak - BK, BE and BR all high, muddy and unfishable. Was surprised to find the UE also muddy/stained up as far as Harvard. There were fishermen from Harvard upstream trying their best to fish in gale force winds. Turned around at Corbett and drove to Deposit where the same wind was (at 7:00) still blowing. Most of the fishermen there had called it quits.

Enough is enough, I headed for the camp, but somehow I missed the Hancock exit because the first sign I saw said "Fishs Eddy" and wouldn't you know, the wind seemed to be laying down. Continued on to East Branch and then up 30 past Harvard looking for
clear water and rising fish. Found swallows over the water and an empty pool, parked (it's now ten of eight) and hurried down to the river. There were bugs hatching, spinners in the air and more importantly, rising fish. Helped, no doubt, by the increased flow of stained water, I was able to convince many of the risers that my fly was the one to eat. For a solid hour and a half it was crazy fun!

The rivers are rapidly subsiding. They were in need of a freshening and got it. The WB has sulfurs up at least to Deposit, big bugs are still in the lower and middle sections. UE has sulfurs duns and march brown and gray fox spinners along with black caddis (didn't see any drakes). Bk had drake spinners two nights ago in the lower river. BR had Cornuta and a big yellow stone fly hatch yesterday. BE has had drakes and isos with some sulfurs and cahills continuing to hatch.

There are bugs hatching everywhere. Most of the hatching is after seven PM. Some caddis, olives and spinners are around on calm sunny mornings. It's a great time to be on the river.

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