It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over.

Went out in the yard early in the morning when the grass was wet with dew and applied weed and feed with  crabgrass inhibitor. Started a little before seven thinking I'd be done before Jean's eight o'clock phone call, but I didn't finish until eight fifteen. Called Jean and then tied up  some LaFontaine caddis emergers. They are hard for me to tie, and never end up looking like they are supposed to. (Perhaps I should commission Jim N. to tie me a dozen, they would, for sure, be tied exquisitely). 

With the temperature predicted to be in the 80's, (my car registered 86 on one of my longer drives), I packed my little cooler with cold drinks and at 12:30 set out to fish. A south west wind felt like a blast furnace and once again took finesse out of the game. Tried to fish riff water where presentation is not as critical but it didn't much matter because the fish were not interested in my newly tied emergers or anything else I threw at them. By 3:00 I had a total of one refusal which came from the only fish I had seen rise. From three until four thirty the action picked up as there were some apple caddis and a few Hendricksons hatching and I had fish eating emergers to throw at. Never got a look. 

Beaten and discouraged with the fishing I stopped at the Troutfitter where Dave said Matt, (the guide who works out of the shop), killed them yesterday. Not ten minutes later, in walked Matt who told me where he had seen bugs. He also said they were hatching in the evening, right up until dark. Encouraged by his report, I put my waders back on and gave it a try. Saw rising fish at about six but they were in a flat water pool and with the wind still blowing it was no contest.

Moved to a more sheltered place but at 7:00 still had not hooked a fish. Then the wind laid down, the caddis came out of the trees, paraleps and Hendricksons hatched, and magically I could fish again. In a little over an hour of somewhat frenetic fishing, (adrenalin is not the fisherman's friend), I hook over a dozen fish, landing seven including a spawned out, very sad looking rainbow that measured 20 inches on the part of the tail that hadn't been worn away while spawning. She was fish of the day.