We Could Sure Use Some Day Time Bugs.

 

Spent the morning picking peaches, and pruning limbs from the peach trees that had either been broken by the weight of the peaches or by the deer. With the bright sun I was in no hurry to go fishing. At 2:30 I checked the freestone water temps and felt it would be OK to fish them. It's supposed to get to 86 tomorrow with thunderstorms. If it's sunny most of the day the freestones will probably end up over 70 degrees and should not be fished.

Drove east on seventeen and got off at East Branch. Happy to report that the UEB has finally cleared. Debated giving it a try, but opted to continue exploring pools on the BK. It's down under 300cfs and at that level you are able to fish all the pools with ease, (just don't step on the big flat yellow/brown rocks). 

The fishing - It was hot and sunny. There were no bugs of any kind until after seven o'clock. Found lots of wild yearling trout, (now 9 to 11 inches long) and almost no older fish. Saw just a few iso husks on rocks along the shore. Fished two pools on the BK, two pools on the EB, and one on the WB. Caught fish on every stop, (keeping in mind that fish can be both plural and singular). At 7:00 I drove through swarms of those wee little ants that I did so well on a week or so ago. Never got to throw at a rising fish until after 7:30. At eight o'clock my biggest two fish, (17 & 18 inches), were fall fish. I caught trout ranging in size from 9 to 14 inches blind casting. At about 7:30 the ants hit the water and trout started to quietly sip them. I never even thought about tying on my string thing or one of the two ants I tied to match the hatch. Why? The light where I was, was wrong, wouldn't have had a prayer of locating my fly. What I did do was throw a small olive at the fish out in the heavier current eating pseudos. Caught three, the last of which was the first and only good fish of the day. It was an 18 inch rainbow that made two runs that came within a few turns of the reel of being into the backing, and then came quietly into the net. Saved me from having to give the 18 inch fall fish the fish of the day award.

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