There Only Was One Choice.

Had the same kinda afternoon today as exquisite fly-tyer Jim N. did yesterday, sans the fat 19 inch brown. Between yesterday and today I caught half a dozen yearlings, all but one of which were rainbows. The biggest one was over 10 inches long which is interesting only because yearling rainbows don't usually reach ten inches until late in August or early in September. The hatch today started about 2:00 and was over before three. The older fish never made an appearance.

Spent the late afternoon catching up on my sleep. At 7:00 after checking water temps, I decided to wade the BR for the first time since April.  (Mark and I did float it four times in high water during his visit in early May). At 2,000 cfs it is now wade able. There were numerous showers in the area and with dark clouds overhead, I put on the rain coat. Saw a couple of Cahill's hatch and a crippled olive on the water as I waded out from shore. A couple minutes later a fish rose good two hundred feet upstream from me. Never saw another bug hatch or fish rise, (except to my fly), until almost dark when rises appeared everywhere.

How'd I do? Surprisingly well. Put on an iso, (couldn't see the Cahill in the silver water), and during about an hour and a half's time, six rainbows thought it looked good enough to eat. Near dark the fish started making slashing rises which usually means they are chasing the iso nymphs subsurface. Several fish rose withing casting range and not a one gave my fly a look. Sometimes the fishing's better when your fly is the only one on the water.

Caught my first shad of the year. He ate the iso on a blind cast. Have never had a shad take a big fly like an iso before. 

Keith?