Posted on October 18 2017
I admit it. The last two days of fishing didn't sit well with me. I had some good fish rising Monday that I couldn't fool and I fooled some good fish Tuesday that I didn't land. Gave it a little thought, tied up a few new olives, re-rigged my leader using 7x tippet and headed out.
Took a look at the WB which resembled the Mississippi in color, stopped to chat with Lloyd Hornbeck at his shop in Deposit and headed back over to the UEB seeking revenge. The day offered bright sunshine, no wind and air temp between 65 and 68 (in the sun). Didn't have to worry about the sun, by the time I got to the river at 3:00 it was in shadow. When I left the car in full sunshine two shirts seemed fine. With the sun off the river I was cold long before I reeled it in at 5:00.
The fishing? For October it was a WOW. There were olives of various sizes on the water and feeding fish (mostly eating emergers). With the water at 80 CFS scrunching gravel spooks fish. A wading wake sends every fish deep into the pool. Hooked fish also send fish heading into the deeper water. Fishing under these conditions is sorta like watching a good pool player run the table. You have to line up your shots, avoid lining other fish, take the nearest fish first and work out, try to quietly get the hooked fish away from other feeding fish , let your fly drift well beyond a fish when he doesn't take before slowly picking it up off the water.
Monday I fooled the little fish and was given a C. Tuesday I fooled bigger fish but did a poor job playing them (another C). Today was magic. The leader turned over, the fly landed in the feeding lanes and the fish ate. Sure running, jumping fish spooked other fish but in two hours I hooked 12 fish and landed 10. Were there any "photo op" fish? No, the smallest was 12 and the biggest was 15. All, except for one rainbow, were fat beautifully colored browns. I couldn't have had a nicer day, fished better or had more fun. Grade? A plus.
If I had a brain in my head, or even a place to put one, I'd put the rod away, close the camp and call it a great season.
Took a look at the WB which resembled the Mississippi in color, stopped to chat with Lloyd Hornbeck at his shop in Deposit and headed back over to the UEB seeking revenge. The day offered bright sunshine, no wind and air temp between 65 and 68 (in the sun). Didn't have to worry about the sun, by the time I got to the river at 3:00 it was in shadow. When I left the car in full sunshine two shirts seemed fine. With the sun off the river I was cold long before I reeled it in at 5:00.
The fishing? For October it was a WOW. There were olives of various sizes on the water and feeding fish (mostly eating emergers). With the water at 80 CFS scrunching gravel spooks fish. A wading wake sends every fish deep into the pool. Hooked fish also send fish heading into the deeper water. Fishing under these conditions is sorta like watching a good pool player run the table. You have to line up your shots, avoid lining other fish, take the nearest fish first and work out, try to quietly get the hooked fish away from other feeding fish , let your fly drift well beyond a fish when he doesn't take before slowly picking it up off the water.
Monday I fooled the little fish and was given a C. Tuesday I fooled bigger fish but did a poor job playing them (another C). Today was magic. The leader turned over, the fly landed in the feeding lanes and the fish ate. Sure running, jumping fish spooked other fish but in two hours I hooked 12 fish and landed 10. Were there any "photo op" fish? No, the smallest was 12 and the biggest was 15. All, except for one rainbow, were fat beautifully colored browns. I couldn't have had a nicer day, fished better or had more fun. Grade? A plus.
If I had a brain in my head, or even a place to put one, I'd put the rod away, close the camp and call it a great season.
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