Spring I hope

[DUB]

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.


I dont tie my Flymphs with a bead, but as you can see here, I will slide a bead up the leader.

As you can probably tell. I am ready for Spring!

[JohnScott]

... 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.

[Kerry Stratton]

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

[DUB]

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!

[DG]

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.

[DUB]

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.

[Lake Erie High Ball]

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)

[fishdog54]

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.

[DG]

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.

[DUB]

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.






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