Pyramids vs Ice Cream Cones.

 

On September 30th last year I wrote a piece on mortgaging the future. I said this year would make most people happy because there would be more big trout in the WB than ever before, and there are. I also said that there would be fewer fish in the river this year and I believe that is true. Also said it will get worse before it gets better as the 2018 year class of browns treats bugs as hors d'oeuvre's and yearling trout as the main course.

Haven't talked to the DEC marine biologist yet, (hoping he returns my call tomorrow) but based on my personal experience in the last two weeks fishing the WB, the proportion of big fish is way out of line. One of the reasons the fishing is so hard is that there are very few two (11/12 inches) and three (14/15 inches) year old fish in the river. In my six days of fishing (three last week and three this week) 18 of the 41 fish I have caught (44%) have been over 17 inches long. For the individual fisherman who want to catch a "lifer" fish, this is a good thing. For the river system, not so much. Browns live a long time and they eat lots of fish. The near term prospects of a healthy pyramid shaped fishery where the most populated year classes are the younger ones, is probably not in the cards.

The sulfurs are hatching, more every day. Big fish are rising to them, with some of the subtlest rises you will ever see. Fished today in a "Sulfur Zone" pool with a dozen big fish within easy reach. In three hours I hooked and landed two that were both 18 inchers and had three refuse my flies. Did catch one eight inch brown. In the evening I hooked five fish, landed one yearling and two fish both over 17 inches. 

The big fish have learned from their mistakes. They are hard to fool. If you are able to get one to eat and bring him to net you deserve a pat on the back and a celebratory drink of your choice. If you like ice cream cones, stop at the Cow Lick and while your there buy me a cone with two scoops of pralines and cream. 

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