Sounds like a fine day my friend. Jimi
It has been a beautiful day, I wanted to get on the river after the fog lifted off the water. When it did, the river was too high for wading so I decided to get some swap flies tied. Got everything ready and sat down to tie. I had been piddling in the shop yesterday and managed to get some light cuts on four fingers of my right hand. Nothing serious but did require Band Aids on them. Have you tried to tie flies with a Band Aids on your fingers. After three flies I decided to quit. About 1:30 I noticed the water had gone down enough to do some wading and decided to hit the river. I had my waders on and started walking out to the dock when my wife called from the porch that some friends had dropped in for a short visit. I left my waders on and Skip came downstairs while his wife visited with my wife. When Skip visits we spend the time in the shop. Our friends left about 2 PM and I decided to go out. Heck I had my waders on. My wife called the Dam and they had turned on four units at 1 PM., that would give me a couple of hours before the water reached Tucker, 1/2 mile up river. I like to fish there because of the water verity. There is fast and slow water, some back water deep and shallow. I looked upriver and not a boat on the water. I had it all to myself. The river was like glass as I headed upriver, there was very little surface action. I got up to Tucker and while standing next to the boat letting line out for the first cast, I felt a tug and saw a boil. I had a sz 14 peacock soft hackle with a green butt on. Cast the soft hackle for about a half an hour and got a few taps. Changed over to a sz 20 yellow emerger. On the first cast I had a light hit and just rolled the trout. Worked this fly for a while and just got a few taps. Decided to try a larger fly. Tied on a sz 14 orange marabou streamer, nothing doing till I decided to change it. It was just hanging downstream as I was getting another fly out when I felt a tug and saw a boil. This was getting to be a habit I thought. Tied on a sz 22 brown emerger, on the first cast I got a roll. Got a couple more splashes but no real takes. By then I started watching the rocks, that is my indicator that the water is rising. Still Good so I waded out a bit downstream. , looked down river and saw some surface action. I had determined the trout were taking emergers. Changed over to a sz 18 peacock soft hackle. Made a number of casts where the fish were working and got a couple of taps. I had decided that it would be it for the day and made one more cast. As I started too retrieve to quit , a freight train hit the fly. The bow came out of the water with it's tail flapping, made a run and came out again, almost spooled me before I got the upper hand. It came totally out of the water five times. What a beautiful sight. I finally got it to the net, it was a football size rainbow with a small head and a large fat body, The colors were vivid and it was clean as can be. It was a perfect Rainbow. About that time I started to feel some current and headed back to the boat. I looked at the surroundings and thought to myself, you are one lucky guy. It was so peaceful and quiet. All I could hear is the gurgle of the water starting to come over the rocks and I was safe in the boat. Just sat there for a while watching a pair of Blue Herons before heading back home. It was a one fish day but it was a lot more than just fishing. Tony
