Last week, I had what could quite possibly be the best fishing day ever. The recent rains have kept the rivers running full and off color. My fishing days have been limited so far but I made up for it one evening last week.
I don’t fish by myself much nowadays since Tara and Kelsey like spending time on the river as well. Since becoming a dad I consider the past few years as the busiest I’ve ever been in my entire life. Fishing days are harder to come by but I’ve taken years’ worth of information gathered by spending several hours on the river and use it to my advantage.
I like to document all my days spent fishing by writing down what the water levels and conditions were as well as the temperature, time, and any mayflies I saw hatching. I’ve learned what conditions are ideal and when to be on the river to optimize my time spent fishing. The calendar is flipped to May for now and it’s the best time of the year for dry fly fishing.
The sulphur mayflies are pouring off the river and that’s exactly what I found when I arrived at the first hole. The morning started out with fog and rain which lingered until after noon. I contemplated to even go as they were calling for afternoon thunderstorms as well. After finishing up with work the draw was too much to pass up so I headed to my favorite spot. I knew the water would be rising and turning off color which usually brings the big brown trout out. Everything lined up perfectly and I just had a good feeling while walking down the trail. There was no one parked which made it even better knowing I had the river to myself.
As soon as I made it to the first hole I heard one hit the top. I stopped and took a closer look at the water and saw a trout come up real fast. I looked to the air and could see sulphur duns fluttering so I knew exactly what to tie on. The trout hit a couple more times while I was tying my fly on. I also noticed another one slowly rising under a sycamore tree above it.
I eased into position and missed the first trout I saw rise on my second cast. These are wild trout and they don’t usually give you a second chance and this one was no different. I eased up a little more as the fish under the sycamore tree continued to feed.
It was in a tough spot as it was tucked up near the bank and under the leaning tree. I threw several casts but kept falling a foot or two short. I was afraid I was going to spook the fish as my fly was almost landing right on top of it. I may have been a tad rusty as well as it has been awhile since I casted a dry fly.
I could tell it was a big fish as I could see his snout and then the top of its tail as it slowly sipped in the hatching mayflies. I took a couple seconds to calm myself down and pulled out a little more line. I started side arm casting to get under and above the leaning tree. My line and fly shot out of the rod and landed perfect right above the fish. I watched as it drifted along and then the big snout sipped it in. I set the hook and the fight was on. The water was up and the big brown immediately started bulldogging me to the bottom.
Down the river we went and all I could do was hold on as the fish peeled line off my reel. I tried to work the fish towards the bank and out of the current but he wasn’t coming in without a fight. I would work him in and then he would take back off. Finally the fish wore out and I managed to barley fit it in the net.
I admired the beautiful brown and took a second to take it all in. I popped the fly out and measured the bruin on my net before releasing him. It measured right at 20 inches. You don’t catch very many brown trout that are 20 inches on a dry fly. To me this is as good as it gets when it comes to fly fishing, to be on the river with no one else around in the middle of a mayfly hatch with rising fish. It’s like you’re a part of what’s happening on the river because without the mayflies, the fish wouldn’t be feeding on top.
The fun didn’t stop there as I caught two more in the 13 to 14 inch range. I decided to walk down to the next hole and found another nice fish rising. It was also tucked up against the far bank and coming up slow just like the other big fish was. Once again he was tough to get too due to overhanging limbs and being right against a rock near the bank. My casts were falling short and the fish wasn’t budging from his feeding lane.
Finally my line laid out and my fly landed just above him right in his lane. It drifted and as it neared the rock the fish ate it. Just like the last one the fish went straight towards the bottom in the heavy current. I held on but after a few tense seconds my fly popped out and it was over. I saw the fish roll and estimated him in the 18 inch range.
Back up the river I went with my tail tucked to check and see if anything was rising where I caught the big fish. There wasn’t so I decided to head up river to the head of the hole. There was a fish rising but it was way out in the middle and pretty much impossible to get to. The hatch was winding down by then with the daylight fading fast.
I started blind casting and working the hole since there wasn’t any fish rising. On my fourth or fifth cast I looked down to take a step up while my fly drifted along when all of a sudden I heard a huge splash. I set the hook out of reaction and the battle was on. I never even saw the fish take. Typical brown trout behavior the fish tried to take me under any undercut rock he could find. I managed to keep him out of the rocks and slid the net under it.
The butter belly brown had vibrant bright orange spots down its side and was an absolute gorgeous looking fish. It was also 18 inches and all I could do was smile and thank the good lord for letting me experience what might be the best day ever on the river.
Darkness was creeping in and the hatch was pretty much over so I streamer fished my way back to the truck and caught a couple more. I’ll remember that evening spent on the peaceful rolling river for the rest of my life. That’s what fly fishing is all about and why I love the pastime so much.
