Oh My Gosh! I caught a fish!

[DruLeeParsec]

It's been a very slow year for fishing for me. I haven't caught a thing so far, but I also haven't been fishing 2 or 3 nights a week like last year. I've only been out 6 or 7 times this year.

Well on Saturday I went to the Bear river. It was a very hot 107 degree day in the foothills. My hope was that the river was still cool enough for the trout but warm enough to get a good hatch going. With the snow melt the runoff has been tremendous lately. 2 weeks ago the river was a good 2 feet above normal and roaring. Now it looks more normal.

I got the the river about 7 pm and put my waders on over my shorts. It had dropped to the mid 90's and there was no way I was going to wear fleece under waders and then hike in a half a mile to my favorite spot.

I rigged up and started hiking. I tried fishing a few pools from the bank with a PT nymph but couldn't get anything to happen. As I was reeling in I turned downstream just in time to see a fish jump in the big calm pool about 50 yards away.

Holy Cow, They're jumping!

So I hiked down and switched to a dry fly before wading in. It was at that moment that I regretted not wearing fleece. It may be 95 degrees outside but that river was still snow melt and I felt it. But the fish were jumping and within a few minutes I barely noticed.

I had about a half a dozen strikes but they hit so fast that I couldn't set the hook in time. They were hungry.

I floated my little pale yellow dry fly down the same stretch another half a dozen times when he hit it. The fight was quick and easy and I soon had a nice 10 inch rainbow in my hand.

Whoo Hoo! I'm a fisherman again.

I would think that fighting a fish would have spooked the others but as soon as I released him there were 2 or 3 other fish rising about 20 feet away. From the same spot I cast to them and got one more strike. I set the hook and felt him wiggle but he threw the hook.

I kept presenting my fly to the risers but it was getting too dark to see my fly. (I've since learned that this is when I should switch to a wet fly and swing it). As the darkness came and the bats started to dart about the fish stopped rising as well. So I hiked back out and was home by 9:30 just in time for a cold beer and a swim in the pool.

I always enjoy getting out. But actually catching a fish now and then sure adds to the experience. I'm heading back out tonight. I'll let you know what I find.

[Betty Hiner]

Yippie skippie!!! and good on you!!! Yahhhhhhhhhh!

[jeffnles1]

Congratulations. Anytime one catches a fish it's special.

Jeff

[bobbyg]

Now let's get some more.......and don't forget your longjohns!

BobbyG

[passlake]

congratulations. It feels so good to break a cold streak.

[DruLeeParsec]

The heat wave we've been having must have melted a lot of snow up in the Sierras. The river level was up over a foot higher than it was on Saturday. The calm pools were moving fast and I didn't see one fish rising. They were all down in their bomb shelters.

I tried swinging a caddis pupae downstream under a strike indicator. I tried dipping it into the dark holes and then following the bubble lines in the river but I had no takers. So after a little more than an hour I headed home.

Maybe the river will be back down by this weekend. That's the main reason I haven't been fishing is because the rivers are so high and rushing. And now they're back up. Oh well, patience.