Spring I hope

Spring is just around the corner! The trees along some of my favorite rivers are showing buds on their branches. Yesterday, while driving along the river I almost ran over a ground squirrel. Yep, Spring is in the air.
For the next 8 to 10 weeks I will be able to fish without having three layers of clothing under my waders. Dont get me wrong. I love Winter fishing, and it is the time of the year I normally catch my largest fish, but I am ready for longer days and warmer weather. For me, Winter is a time of Glo-Bugs as an attractor and small midge and baetis nymphs as my point flys. The takes are hardly noticeable.
Starting now I get to fish small (20-16) Olive or Muskrat Soft Hackles/Flymphs in anticipation of the BWO's that will be emerging in a few weeks. The midge/baetis hatch transitions nicely to caddis around the middle of April, and I have a nice assortment of PT Soft Hackles, Hares Ear , and Muskrat Flymphs tied and ready to go. Yep, I am really looking forward to fishing my wets. It seems to me that as the weather gets warmer the takes get more aggresive. Seems? I know they get more aggresive. Having a flymph on at the end of a drift, and having a trout slam the fly as it approaches the surface is what I am looking forward to!
As I write this, my little section of the world is under a severe storm warning. We are expecting 2 to 12 inches of snow in the next 36 hours. The snow will come as we always hope it does, but this is a Spring storm. It will produce alot of moisture, but the temperatures will remain moderate, barely dipping below freezing in the lower valleys and the 20's at most higher elevations.
Between now and Spring Runoff I expect to see plenty more signs of Spring. Perhaps I will get lucky like last year and stumble upon another new born fawn, or get cussed out by a Bald Eagle because I am too close to it's nest. In any case I will be out there armed with a wide variety of Flymphs and Soft Hackles.
Heres a few pics from last year just pryor to Runoff. Note the off colored water. In these conditions my Soft Hackles and Flymphs are still my top produers.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...0/P4170030.jpg

I dont tie my Flymphs with a bead, but as you can see here, I will slide a bead up the leader.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2/2010/016.jpg
As you can probably tell. I am ready for Spring!

... something like -10F.

I was thinking yesterday that as soon as this cold spells blows away, today or tomorrow, it is a free run to next November.

Whether you call it spring, or just weather, we are on the verge of something good.

John

P.S. That watercraft looks like something they make just up the road in Missoula.

My front yard this morning. 17 degrees. I am ready for anything warmer. Spring will work.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...rontyard-1.jpg

Looks like the brunt of the storm is going to bypass me. If all works out, I am heading to the Roaring Fork Valley in the morning and toss a few Soft Hackles. Bet I catch a couple! :-)

May an elk lick the salt off of your truck while you are standing in a cold river. Have fun on the other side of the hill. Snow fell here then all melted again.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_...rdb5270456.jpg

If the snow fell and melted must be a sign of things to come. Awesome picture sir. I will try to snap a pic of some turkeys strutting. I know of a band of them that think it's time to do the mating dance already.

DG said "May an elk lick the salt off of your truck while you are standing in a cold river."

That may be the nicest winter toast I have ever heard. Simply briliant! If you don’t mind I will use it, but we have deer.

We just got drilled with 2 1/2 feet of snow after a few days in the 50’s.

I could see the grass!! I could see the grass!!

Now I got to go shovel. (Bad Phrase)

Kerry,

I will take the beautiful scene from your front door any day, over mine! Thank your lucky stars I can't send you a picture! LOL!!! Plus all that snow results in some mighty fine fishing throughout the other season you guys have - known as Spummerfall. Why did spellcheck come on? Hmmm. Musta gotta power surge in the line!

DUB - Hope you got to go, and had lots of action!

Best regards, Dave S.

If you have ever had your entire vehicle slobbered by animals you would know that is not exactly a blessing, Erie. But I like Dub and didn't want to get too outright insulting, in case he took it seriously, especially since he knows where to find me and can outfish me. I kinda hope his waders leaked in the crotch today, tho.

I had fun today DG. And thats a batch of malarky. You fish as well as anyone I have ever fished with. Dont let him fool you folks.
The storm didnt hit as hard as expected so I high tailed it to one of my favorite Freestones this morning.
Size 16 Muskrat Flymph did some damage.
I had a great day.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/012-2.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/009-2.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2/2011/015.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/014-1.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/010-2.jpg

Ofcourse I had a rainbow Emerger as my point fly, but all but one took the Muskrat.

Dang, them are nice fishies. I KNEW I should have got out of bed this afternoon. ;)

It's a couple spots that you and I have fished DG. Thought I would throw that out just incase you want to drive over the pass to get there ;-)

I aint going up that way without backup. Too many of those Carbondale folks and I have crossed paths.

Don't close the book on winter yet. If you lived on the east coast in 1993 then you remember this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1993_Storm_of_the_Century

Stuck at work for three days and nights for that one.

Eric,

March 1993, I remember it well, although I did not suffer much because of it. My son was home for spring break from Ms State, he and his room mate from LaGrange, GA had to return to MS through Montgomery, AL because Birmingham got 13" of ice and snow. B'ham has 0 snow plows. In 1965 I was a freshman at a JC 30 miles south of Memphis. Several of us had a short swim on a beautiful day the first week of March, it snow 2 - 4" the next three Wednesdays. You cannot trust March. It will break your heart.

Dub, you're killin' me, man! Those are some great fish. Looks like the bows are coloring up for the spawn. Wish I was there.

Here's what it looks like at my favorite spots on the lower Henry's Fork as of this past Saturday:
Vernon Bridge - looking downriver:
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/DSCF5669.jpg
Vernon Bridge - looking across river to my favorite runs:
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/DSCF5666.jpg
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/DSCF5667.jpg

Fun Farm - looking upriver with a pretty good hatch bring some great fish to the surface...:(
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/DSCF5672.jpg

The only guy I saw fishing:
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/v...e/DSCF5671.jpg

Yes, its still winter in southeast Idaho...come on spring!

Kelly.

I think spring is scheduled for the last two days of the third week of May this year Kelly.;)

I'm dying up here.

I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing.

Just bought a reel, just bought a line for the reel, just put it on the reel, just added a leader and some tippet. Looked outside, it's still snow on the ground, I thougth spring was coming!

I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing.

Finished tying (apart from you're never finished in that apartment), got too many flies already.

I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing, I wanna go fishing.

I'm desperat here!

Oh, did I say I wanna go fishing?

Thorarinn.

Thorarinn,
You said it! I'm staring at a lovely day here, -5 with a windchill at -21, 3" of new snow on the ground and roads and streams! I wanna go fishing too! I think we may have had a total of about 2 weeks worth of days this winter when it's been above zero here. On the brighter side, I did see some geese flying yesterday morning, so I'm really hoping then know something I don't.

TT.

Hey Thorarinn,
How is the Aurora Borealis looking this year? Should be pretty good after that last massive solar flare the other day. NOAA shows a lot of activity do far:

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

Interesting map. Hope you are enjoying a great light show.

Kelly, those don't look like green drakes on the water. More like a mallard hatch!

Saw some little dark stoneflies coming off the Potomac today. As soon as Simms sends my boots back, I need to head up to the nearest freestoner to see if the trout are looking up.

Regards,
Scott

The fish are still pounding the Muskrat.
This was my first float of the year. Discovered a leak in my waders, but still had a blast!
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3..._3817178_n.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/001-2.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/002-3.jpg
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/003-2.jpg
The elk have moved to the river bottom. Saw one 360 class bull but couldnt get a pic.
http://i44.photobucket.com/albums/f3...2011/004-3.jpg

Yep we are on the brink of spring. i like the transition. I got s a smaller tent for quick over night camping as soon as the temp gets to the point where I think I can stay warm at night I'm gonna give it a try. I may jump the gun and wake up like a Popsicle ...lo

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Grubb

Yep we are on the brink of spring. i like the transition. I got s a smaller tent for quick over night camping as soon as the temp gets to the point where I think I can stay warm at night I'm gonna give it a try. I may jump the gun and wake up like a Popsicle ...lo

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By the end of the float yesterday I was doubting that Spring is on the way. I was feeling like a popsicle myself!

Blizzard!!! lol We got alot of rain yesterday. then, SNOW! yea! water table is up! The snow was fast and hard, wind blowing no seeing driving wet snow. It was way cool driving across the mountain last night. Wish I had a pic. I was like what the heck lol anyway its still kinda warm and I'm headed out for work but will get to enjoy snow covered mountains on the way. Perhaps Mr. winter wanted to have the last word.....:)