How many Zee's can you find hidden in my report?
It's June 10th. The last two days of bright sunshine and 80ish temps put the water in the freestone portions of the river system close to the 70 degree "do not fish" mark. My log books tell me that the fish will in all likelihood be heading to thermal refuges within the next two weeks.
With the weather person calling for a cloudy day with morning drizzle turning to a steady rain there was no doubt where I would fish. Departure was delayed when my limimg of the yard turned into a more time consuming project than I anticipated. Was not on the big river until ten. The cornutas (a big olive that often hatches mid morning this time of year) were hatching and the fish were eating. Cornutas taste good and the fish dine on the emerging nymphs before even looking up to eat floating duns. My late arrival spared me the early hatch frustration as the fish were happy to eat my dun.
Just as the hatch was ending (it doesn't last very long) it started to drizzle. For once I remembered to walk to shore and put my raincoat over my vest, only problem was that with all the fly boxes you need to carry, the raincoat wouldn't zip up. The rain was accompanied by an upstream wind which caused instant drag. With few risers, no flies hatching and adverse weather conditions, things went downhill. Lost three of four fish I hooked (two from fishermans errors) before calling it quits and returning to camp (at 2:00) for a midday snooze.
Evening segment of the split day was shortened when I realized that the somewhat blurry road signs were not caused by a bug smeared windshield but by the fact that I left my glasses on the table in the camp, 12 miles away. After retrieving the glasses I opted for a pool on the EB where I had found bugs and fish a week ago. It was 7:30 when I arrived and was asked by the landowner "Does the rain ever deter you?" He knows I'm crazy but not really how much. The fishing was surprisingly good. There were a few bugs hatching and in the near pitch dark an unexpectedly good (given the rain) sulfur spinner fall. The fish ate real flies with gusto along with some of mine (refused some too). Unfortunately in my frenzy, I lost more than I landed.
Would I take a day like today on a steady basis? Every day of the week.
With the weather person calling for a cloudy day with morning drizzle turning to a steady rain there was no doubt where I would fish. Departure was delayed when my limimg of the yard turned into a more time consuming project than I anticipated. Was not on the big river until ten. The cornutas (a big olive that often hatches mid morning this time of year) were hatching and the fish were eating. Cornutas taste good and the fish dine on the emerging nymphs before even looking up to eat floating duns. My late arrival spared me the early hatch frustration as the fish were happy to eat my dun.
Just as the hatch was ending (it doesn't last very long) it started to drizzle. For once I remembered to walk to shore and put my raincoat over my vest, only problem was that with all the fly boxes you need to carry, the raincoat wouldn't zip up. The rain was accompanied by an upstream wind which caused instant drag. With few risers, no flies hatching and adverse weather conditions, things went downhill. Lost three of four fish I hooked (two from fishermans errors) before calling it quits and returning to camp (at 2:00) for a midday snooze.
Evening segment of the split day was shortened when I realized that the somewhat blurry road signs were not caused by a bug smeared windshield but by the fact that I left my glasses on the table in the camp, 12 miles away. After retrieving the glasses I opted for a pool on the EB where I had found bugs and fish a week ago. It was 7:30 when I arrived and was asked by the landowner "Does the rain ever deter you?" He knows I'm crazy but not really how much. The fishing was surprisingly good. There were a few bugs hatching and in the near pitch dark an unexpectedly good (given the rain) sulfur spinner fall. The fish ate real flies with gusto along with some of mine (refused some too). Unfortunately in my frenzy, I lost more than I landed.
Would I take a day like today on a steady basis? Every day of the week.
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