Preston and I spent a few hours on the salt today fishing for searun
cutthroat. The weather was glorious with a light breeze coming from
the north - it was a beautiful fall day. The fishing, however, was
slow even for the people near the bridge tossing gear at what few
chums and dark coho that were still milling about. A few cuts cleared
the water every so often around Preston and I but none came to our
flies.
While Preston returned to the parking lot to attend to his
locked-key-in-the car, I had some action (with no witnesses, once
again). First, a salmon, possibly a coho, happy-jumped near me and on
the next cast turned on my popper. He gave it a half-hearted boil,
chomped down on the popper and immediately let it go after putting
some serious teeth marks into the foam head. Later on down the beach,
I hooked my first fall searun in the salt this year. It was an
absolutely gorgeous buck of 15 or more inches and was perfectly
proportioned. When it jumped in the sunlight, it's fins glowed like a
Madison River brown and while he rested in my hand and caught his
breath, I complimented him on being so handsome.
I wished Preston was there with his camera - this fish was way too
pretty not to share. It's a grand beginning to new season.
Leland.
