The day had been windy and a minor cloud burst had just blown through. But when the storm passed the river became eerily calm. The wind all but stopped and where once it's gusts had made it hard to hear myself think, now everything was completely still. I clipped off the big articulated streamer I had been hucking across the tailout while the wind and rain was pelting down making fishing a dryfly an excercise in futility and tied on a tiny BWO Sparkle Dun in anticipation for the hatch I knew had go be coming. The conditions seemed right. As I was tying on my longer, thinner tippet a muted *glub* from just down stream of me caused me to look up from the task. Sure enough there was the tell tale ring of a rising fish.
I finally got the size 20 fly tied on as small naturals flitted off the surface of the river all around me. It was happening but the fish weren't playing along very consistently yet. I only had about 15 minutes to get in a few casts before it would be time to head back to the office. I impatietly watched the calm river surface hoping a big Brown would reveal itself soon within my casting range.
Downstream about 30 yards I spotted one of the only fish on the stretch that was feeding consistently. I slowly moved into position, careful not to move to quick and push a wake of water that would surely spook the fish. Gradually I made my way to within 45 feet of the feeding fish. It was still a little farther than I wanted to cast at this point but with the calm and relatively clear water and approaching the fish from straight upstream I knew I didn't want to push it much further.
I calmly waited again for the fish to rise. I waited, and I waited. Time was running out. I may be heading back to work without even making a cast. Suddenly a big nose poked up above the surface about 5 feet downstream from where it had been feeding before. That made the cast even a little longer but I figured I was close enough to take a shot.
I unfurled a good cast but realized quickly that where this fish was feeding there was virtually no current. The fly just sat there on the surface 3 feet above the spot the fish had just fed. I waited for the nose to break the surface again and acted quickly. Taking advantage of the fish being focused on the feed I took up the fly and placed it perfectly in the center of the previous rise ring. The fly sat motionless on the surface for less than 5 seconds. It disappeared in a swirl, but when I took up the slack the fly flung back over my shoulder. I didn't even touch the fish. I wondered if I had lost my chance but again put my fly in the feeding zone. Sure enough I had chance number 2. But again I missed. This time I was resigned to the fact that you don't often get three strikes when it comes to wary slow water Browns, and I was probably going to have to drag myself out of the river and back to work. I watched the area for a couple more minutes and just as I was about ready to concede this one to the fish it swirled again rippling the glassy surface.
One more cast I thought and I softly hurled the Sparkle Dun directly where the fish had fed. This time the reaction wasn't immediate. I waited, staring intently at the small fly sitting motionless in the stagnant current. Then just like I pictured it happening a big snout carelessly rose behind the fly and slurped it down. The fight was on.
It was a strong fish but I wasn't sure of it's size yet. It fought like a bulldog, pulling down and heading for the nearest weedbed rather than putting on any sort of an ariel display. As I pulled it in close I could see this was one of the rivers many 20 inch fish and this one had girth to go along with length. As I netted the fish a blast of wind and a few raindrops hit me square in the face as another cloud burst came through. It would put the fish down again but I knew I better leave now because after it blew over and the river calmed again, the bugs would resume their hatch and the fish would be feasting.
This will never get old.
March 24
Let's just say the fish won today and leave it at that. I fought hard winds over the hour I spent on the water but that was no excuse. The fish were there and they were feeding like crazy. I managed to mess up every stalk I put on a feeding fish and put down large pods of hungry trout with inopportune bad casts. Of course I will blame the wind but in the long run this was a learning day, and I learned that you can never take it for granted that the fishing will be easy.
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