A Phillipson in the foothills

[Dave Westburg]

Phil K and I walked about 3 miles on old logging roads to a wild coastal cutthroat lake in the foothills. Phil is looking for mushrooms.



I fished a Phillipson 8'6" 5 weight and a sinking line. Best fly was a size 12 Black Pennell fished right into the stumps and snags on the bank...



Dark, cold water but bright fish.



The Black Pennel is a simple effective foothills and alpine lakes fly. I carry it in sizes 10 to 18. Tail: Golden Pheasant tippet. Body: Black Seals fur ribbed with silver tinsel. Hackle: Black. Makes a nice terrestrial or nymph imitation. The seals fur dubbing looks really buggy after the fly has been fished.

 

[Phil K]

Dave is way too organized.

The hike largely follows logging roads, first well maintained, then overgrown. We passed through a large and very impressive blowdown area that someone spent a LOT of effort clearing. It would have been sheer misery to do this before the trail crew came through, and sheer terror to be there when it was happening.



Catching started out slow (well, for me) until realizing the fly had to really be delivered in tight to the wood lined shore. Nice looking fish; bright and heavily spotted. We think they naturally reproduce in the outlet. My fish of the day here.