i had one of those mornings that will last forever in your memory. i fished a small stream that i grew up on and that i fish many times a year, it is my favorite and i know it well. at certain times of the year you get about a three week period that it just all comes together and the fishing is incrediable! it was over cast this morning with light rain when i left. on the way Little Jimmy Dickens was singing "I've Got a Hole In My Pocket AndI Can't Go ot The Fair" which was apporiate with the way gas prices are as i was happy to be making this short trip today! George Jones then came on with "I Get Lucky Every Time With you", i'm not sure what the ole possum was reffering to but it reminede me of my favorite creek. as i got to my mothers house which is where i start i found a good friend of mine there who is an avid fly fisherman and going through a hard time with the big "D". i talked him in to joining me and we were on our way to the stream. with my favorite 4 weight Earl Taylor boo rod in hand i tied on my favorite fly, an Adirondack Nymph which is a killer on this stream. i was soon laning a lot of shiners but no trout which is not unusual for this particular hole. Rob was having a little trouble with line as his head was not really there this morning with all that was going on in his life. we rounded the bend and came to a small run that i have missed a nice trout who i named Lewis twice now in to weeks. 2 cast latter and i felt the familiar tug of a nice fish and after a short battle Lewis turned out to be a 12 inch brown who i landed and realesed, ahhhh what fun this is! Rob seemed to snap out of it a little bit and fished along side me. we soon came to another nice hole where i missed a nice fish last week, it is a hole that has produced many a nice fish. on Rob's secound cast the water boiled and the fight was on. he soon landed a beautifull brooke trout of around 11-12 inches which is a brute for this small stream! you could just see the color and life come bcak to his face. for a short period of time a big brooke trout on a fly can make EVERYTHING in the world feel right, i was glad for him, he neede it. this stream is special to me and was glad to see it do for Rob what it had done for me in the past, just magic man, magic! i steeped back and let him go by just to relax and watch for a moment. i watched him cast, hook on to something LARGE and watched it brake off as he yealled and hopped around, i couldn't help but laugh! i passed him to fish another pool. i had taught Rob to fly fish about 5 years ago and he picked it up quick but sometimes i see things i can help him with. the pool we were fishing now is large and deep, at one time they stocked a few big rainbows and i know there are holdovers as i had still caught them years after they quit stocking it. i fished the very top of the pool and noticed Rob was trying to cast to far down and missing thew good run at the fast water. as i explained to him how to fish the top so you did not line the fish it happened! THUNK, THUNK, THUNK!! i know i hooked a hog and the fight was on. my poor rod arched for all it was worth and line spit of the reel!! WHHHEEEEEERRRR went the reel and then he jumped, a HUGE bow of 20-23 inches and bright as well, a rainbow! he ran, i fought, the rod cried! finally he began to tire and i was winning the battle. i had his head up and on the way to the net, thats where it enede as he shook his head and sent the AdK Nymph at me like a missle! i straed and dissbelief then laughed, this ain't over! Rob couldn't believe it. not 2 minutes latter i watched my line stop, set the hook and holly cow here we go again as i watched a big bow roll under the surface! he faught like a vetren, turned side ways in the white water, jumped a few times and ran my 6x tippet over every rock in a 100 yard radius! finally he tired and was headed in. lesson learned from the last bow and i kept good tension on as i netted him. what a bow, around 20 or 21 inches, spitting image of the last one but a couple inches smaller as the big one got away of course!! after i realeased him i stepped back and just took the morning in. beautiful, over cast and what a day on a magical stream!! i will relive this day over and over again in my head. days like these keep you warm in the coldest of Decembers! thanks for walking with me, take care and good luck to all!
Adirondack Mountain Ken