Why I hate caddis.
Started the day by driving up to the Troutfitter in Deposit to pick up some fly float and tippet using their "curb side service". Worked like a charm. As long as I was there I decided to give the WB a try. Donned waders alongside a long time river friend and we shared the pool above the iron bridge in town. There were some apple caddis hatching and a few fish making splashy rises while chasing the emergers up through the water column. About the fifth cast one of the risers looked up and ate my caddis. A beautifully colored 16 inch brown that got the skunk out of my boots right away.
With no other fish willing to eat my fly I reeled in and drove down River Road to the Men's Club. At 12:05 there was an Armada of 13 boats (most with 3 people on board) anchored between the Men's Club and the sewage treatment plant, all ready to fire broadsides at any rising trout. There were also half a dozen wade fishermen trying to find a place between the boats to fish. I know, I know. There are lots of bugs and fish rising everywhere but combat fishing's not my thing. Headed for the UEB where the lower water has discouraged most driftboaters.
Drove from East Branch to Corbett without finding a pool without multiple cars. Took a decent walk to a harder to get to pool only to find that two anglers had parked next to a posted sign, walked across the owners land and stood waiting for "it to happen". It never did. As with my first stop there were apple caddis with a few fish feeding in the water column. My first cast at a riser got an 18 inch brown to eat. Not another fish ate my fly all day.
Why? Beats me. It air temp was 82 degrees at one point. The water temp was probably 6 or 8 degrees higher than it's been all season, the Hendrickson's didn't hatch in any numbers (at least where I was), the fish have been pounded the last three days and maybe, just maybe, things don't always go according to plan.
My day mercifully ended at 5:15 when my phone vibrated to let me know that there was a tornado warning for Delaware County. At the time of the warning there was a purple/black bank of clouds coming over the hill from the west. I reeled it in and headed for camp.
Perhaps tomorrow - -
With no other fish willing to eat my fly I reeled in and drove down River Road to the Men's Club. At 12:05 there was an Armada of 13 boats (most with 3 people on board) anchored between the Men's Club and the sewage treatment plant, all ready to fire broadsides at any rising trout. There were also half a dozen wade fishermen trying to find a place between the boats to fish. I know, I know. There are lots of bugs and fish rising everywhere but combat fishing's not my thing. Headed for the UEB where the lower water has discouraged most driftboaters.
Drove from East Branch to Corbett without finding a pool without multiple cars. Took a decent walk to a harder to get to pool only to find that two anglers had parked next to a posted sign, walked across the owners land and stood waiting for "it to happen". It never did. As with my first stop there were apple caddis with a few fish feeding in the water column. My first cast at a riser got an 18 inch brown to eat. Not another fish ate my fly all day.
Why? Beats me. It air temp was 82 degrees at one point. The water temp was probably 6 or 8 degrees higher than it's been all season, the Hendrickson's didn't hatch in any numbers (at least where I was), the fish have been pounded the last three days and maybe, just maybe, things don't always go according to plan.
My day mercifully ended at 5:15 when my phone vibrated to let me know that there was a tornado warning for Delaware County. At the time of the warning there was a purple/black bank of clouds coming over the hill from the west. I reeled it in and headed for camp.
Perhaps tomorrow - -
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