I got out today, I went to a favorite walk in section of river. I didn’t see anyone on the trail for the 20 minutes I walked before heading off the main trail to my old regular.
We are at summer levels up there now, I used a 440 grain FHI scandi 3D on the 7130 MOD. Started short and high, trouty pull first swing. I pass the sweet spots with nothing, a couple random trouty plucks and a small cutt released as I worked down the run. As I near the end of the first section I hear voices.
I look around, nothing, cast/swing/step down repeat…. Eventually a raft appears above the top of the run, he anchors and fished the bucket at the head long enough for me to work through the next section. I then get out and walk around the corner to get back in above the tailout. I figured he would spend time working the deep bucket in the 90 degree corner… but just as I am at about full casting length he shows up. We BS as he floats by and I tell him of the spot I am targeting, he then floats over the water between me and the target and casts to it. He only got one shot. I worked the rest of the way down and waded across.
I did see a small but pretty hen of 2-3 lbs, in the thinnest water before the lip. She had a light pink side, quite bright, but had a beat up tail. I love seeing fish, keeps me driven.
I cut across the island for the other channel as our rafting friend has been camped in the next bucket. I get away from the other foot traffic here and it is really nice riparian habitat.
This was my trail, to the right of the cottonwood in the back.
I worked my way down the first run I came to. I landed a nice cutt that ended up on the reel, a solid 14” fish. I worked line back out until I reached my distance, and started working down. About 3/4 of the way down I see a drift boat in the run above me. Soon after I had a hang down eat - I pull the fly away! It was a steelhead, full adrenaline rush, but I know it felt the hook. I regain my composure, and start working down again - cast/swing/step, repeat… here comes the drift boat. We BS, he floats over the lane I am casting into, and then anchors 2 casting stations down from where I stand. I cast 2 more and abandoned that water for different.
I don’t fish the top as it recirculates, so I stepped in where I can just grab a swing with the whole head out. I keep working line out and casting until I react a good length. A fish rolls upstream from me on the seam. I tell myself I couldn’t have covered it’s lie very well, but I’ve caught those fish before… I feel it is aware of my presence and continue working downstream. I find another nice cutt that ends up on the reel, other than that it’s pretty calm until I reach the bottom corner.
I’m casting across all the current, fly is landing just beyond the seam of the big outside corner eddy, it swings across like I’m in the center of a turntable and then hangs. It gets eaten just before hang down, I wait, I feel tension build and I set, rod bent into the cork, fish comes at me, I’m reeling like crazy barely keeping contact, and nothing.
I decide to head back down to the last run I was low holed in. Covered some water between runs, and then I swapped flies and relaxed before stepping into the run.
The MOD looking upstream
The run, no players on pass 2.
Casting was mostly good today, I saw fish, I felt fish, and it was a perfect wet wading day. People suck. I used to be able to fish this on the weekend, it’s a Thursday…
We are at summer levels up there now, I used a 440 grain FHI scandi 3D on the 7130 MOD. Started short and high, trouty pull first swing. I pass the sweet spots with nothing, a couple random trouty plucks and a small cutt released as I worked down the run. As I near the end of the first section I hear voices.
I look around, nothing, cast/swing/step down repeat…. Eventually a raft appears above the top of the run, he anchors and fished the bucket at the head long enough for me to work through the next section. I then get out and walk around the corner to get back in above the tailout. I figured he would spend time working the deep bucket in the 90 degree corner… but just as I am at about full casting length he shows up. We BS as he floats by and I tell him of the spot I am targeting, he then floats over the water between me and the target and casts to it. He only got one shot. I worked the rest of the way down and waded across.
I did see a small but pretty hen of 2-3 lbs, in the thinnest water before the lip. She had a light pink side, quite bright, but had a beat up tail. I love seeing fish, keeps me driven.
I cut across the island for the other channel as our rafting friend has been camped in the next bucket. I get away from the other foot traffic here and it is really nice riparian habitat.
This was my trail, to the right of the cottonwood in the back.
I worked my way down the first run I came to. I landed a nice cutt that ended up on the reel, a solid 14” fish. I worked line back out until I reached my distance, and started working down. About 3/4 of the way down I see a drift boat in the run above me. Soon after I had a hang down eat - I pull the fly away! It was a steelhead, full adrenaline rush, but I know it felt the hook. I regain my composure, and start working down again - cast/swing/step, repeat… here comes the drift boat. We BS, he floats over the lane I am casting into, and then anchors 2 casting stations down from where I stand. I cast 2 more and abandoned that water for different.
I don’t fish the top as it recirculates, so I stepped in where I can just grab a swing with the whole head out. I keep working line out and casting until I react a good length. A fish rolls upstream from me on the seam. I tell myself I couldn’t have covered it’s lie very well, but I’ve caught those fish before… I feel it is aware of my presence and continue working downstream. I find another nice cutt that ends up on the reel, other than that it’s pretty calm until I reach the bottom corner.
I’m casting across all the current, fly is landing just beyond the seam of the big outside corner eddy, it swings across like I’m in the center of a turntable and then hangs. It gets eaten just before hang down, I wait, I feel tension build and I set, rod bent into the cork, fish comes at me, I’m reeling like crazy barely keeping contact, and nothing.
I decide to head back down to the last run I was low holed in. Covered some water between runs, and then I swapped flies and relaxed before stepping into the run.
The MOD looking upstream
The run, no players on pass 2.
Casting was mostly good today, I saw fish, I felt fish, and it was a perfect wet wading day. People suck. I used to be able to fish this on the weekend, it’s a Thursday…
. Today was great, other than getting absolutely drenched. Fish were caught, big fish were lost. And I came home and immediately bought a gore Tex coat 