dylar
Well-known member
- Messages
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Hatchery Supported streams opened this weekend, and the bring-your-own-rock brigade has been out in force on all the general trout water. I never fish that junk anymore (except occasionally in the rain, when Leroy comes out to play), so I never even contemplated fighting the crowds. Instead, I followed my own natural inclinations and sought out a good blueline to smash. The targeted drainage has a whole lot going for it; it flows into one of the best and least fished large trout streams in the state, has plenty of elevation and lots of groundwater seeps that make for very stable water temperatures.
It also has an extremely dynamic gradient, producing a surprising amount of deep water for such a small stream. In years long past, the locals exploited that dynamic flow to work for them.
Early returns were long on rainbow trout, which isn't surprising. The bows here are just off their spawn, and while no fish were on them, there were visible redds in almost all the expected places.
(Don't tread on me!)
This fellow was extraordinarily striking, not at all the usual run of cockroach.
Strangely, it was only after moving significantly upstream that I began to see browns enter the equation. The browns were both unusually beautiful and much more respectable than your average small stream trout.
A couple of fish were more than respectable for a drainage of this size.
As I moved up, the rhodo started closing in and the stream started tightening up. Late in the afternoon, I saw fish rising to a few late hatching March Browns, and gave an olive Stimulator a go.
I didn't get a ton of love on the dry, but what I did get was a bit of a surprise when I finally brought a couple to hand. I didn't even know these guys were in this creek. After years of doing this, I still learn something new almost every time out.
I tried to go home via the Parkway, but forgot it was still closed up around Craggy Gardens, so it turned into a scenic 40 mile detour. I don't suppose I can really complain.
Cheers, y'all!
Dylar
It also has an extremely dynamic gradient, producing a surprising amount of deep water for such a small stream. In years long past, the locals exploited that dynamic flow to work for them.
Early returns were long on rainbow trout, which isn't surprising. The bows here are just off their spawn, and while no fish were on them, there were visible redds in almost all the expected places.
(Don't tread on me!)
This fellow was extraordinarily striking, not at all the usual run of cockroach.
Strangely, it was only after moving significantly upstream that I began to see browns enter the equation. The browns were both unusually beautiful and much more respectable than your average small stream trout.
A couple of fish were more than respectable for a drainage of this size.
As I moved up, the rhodo started closing in and the stream started tightening up. Late in the afternoon, I saw fish rising to a few late hatching March Browns, and gave an olive Stimulator a go.
I didn't get a ton of love on the dry, but what I did get was a bit of a surprise when I finally brought a couple to hand. I didn't even know these guys were in this creek. After years of doing this, I still learn something new almost every time out.
I tried to go home via the Parkway, but forgot it was still closed up around Craggy Gardens, so it turned into a scenic 40 mile detour. I don't suppose I can really complain.
Cheers, y'all!
Dylar
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