I got the chance to help with a project looking at the genetics of some fish in an upper westside headwater stream between some falls, and I was encouraged to bring my fly rod and try to capture fish for fin clips with it, along with an electrofishing team. And I'd be getting paid. So of course I said NO.... way would I miss this!
We hiked into a canyon, in waders since I’d also help with netting for the electro fisher in an even smaller tributary, and that was way too damn hot. I hate hiking in waders in summer; I’m a wet wader at heart.
The water was a bit high since this was right after the rain that we got at the end of July. I think the extra water worked in favor of the fly. We fished between some falls; fish were pretty sparse and the few pools were often pretty hard to fish with any method due to logs and brush, but we did get 4 rainbow trout/O. mykiss. 3 on fly and 1 with the e-fisher. And this was an experienced fishing crew that I beat, with barbless flies. So yeah, a not so humble brag—I beat the e-fisher. The flies were a size 12 peacock stimmy with a sunken thread-body ant.
Here’s what the productive and more beautiful parts looked like.
I found this old fry pan in the stream way the hell up near the upper falls. It looks copper plated. In my mind I wanna say it belonged to a grizzled old prospector.
Not a bad day’s work. But, somebody’s gotta do it, I suppose.
