If A Tree Falls In The Woods, Will It Put The Fish Down?

 Clearly we are, if not around the bend, at least entering the turn. Haven't been up to Long Flat and Powerline in a while, if anyone wants to report on the drake hatch up there, please do. My sense of "things" tells me that it is still a thing, but I won't stand in line to fish it and that it won't last much longer.

Spent the afternoon "hatch", (if I could make the print on hatch any smaller I would), fishing an area that sees constant pressure, up in Deposit. There were a smattering of Hendricksons, a few non descript caddis and some Invarias. The sun was bright and it was hot. The fish were having none of it. Saw a handful of rising fish for not more than fifteen minutes. Totals for the two hour effort, three refusals and one nice 18 inch rainbow. Went back to the Estate and fell asleep.

Awoke at 6:15, uncertain whether I wanted to fish or not. Mapped out a drive-by route of four places I would fish, if there were no other anglers fishing. First spot there were so many cars and trailers I couldn't get close enough to the river to even look. Second stop had three boats anchored with two wade fishermen above them. The third place, I've tried to fish two other times only to find both boats and wade fishermen there. This time the coast looked clear until I geared up and walked down to the river. There were three boats anchored along the near shore that couldn't be seen from the road. 

The Boats - First, let me say that nobody likes to share a pool with strangers less than me. Second, the three boats were no problem, they moved on down river as soon as I fired the three warning shots. It was the three pontoon boats that came down the river between 7:30 and 8:00 that caused my consternation. I'm not claustrophobic, but they boxed me in and I hate that. The late arrivals are regulars there, and they consider my presence  an invasion of their space and they made sure I knew it.

The fishing - There were bugs, a good mix, that had fish up and feeding, quite a few of them actually. There was no wind and I put the fly in front of lots of fish. Got too many refusals to count, felt three fish that didn't hook up, hooked ten fish, landed but four. The fish I lost all gave a good account of themselves, jumping and splashing near the pontoon boats before coming unstuck. No one said a word, the guy below me landed one fish, none of the others even hooked one.

I read the comments in yesterdays report, and yes, I also prefer to fish alone, but I have to admit that once in a while I get a perverse pleasure in kicking ass in the presence of people who, for some reason, don't want me there.

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