Thanks WPA and Fairmount Park, though a fire would have helped too. |
I had to hide from torrential downpours twice yesterday, but I fished dammit. Before the first storm, I managed a brown trout on a midge, and I turned another with a missed hookset. Not long after, it got ominous and then cleared, so I thought the storms passed to my north. That lasted all of 20 minutes, and then I had to run for cover (thanks WPA and Fairmount Park for maintaining these shelters). After wet wading for a half hour, I was not too warm standing in that wind, despite being out of the rain! I got funny looks for doing calisthenics from one passing jogger, but it helped. I also tied on a big streamer after seeing what a mess the water in my chosen spot had become.
Didn't take long to muck up the creek below a storm improvement. |
The work the Philadelphia Water Department looks nice,
and I am sure it clears the streets of Roxborough and Mt. Airy and Germantown
of runoff rather quickly, but the water below one such improvement was an awful
gray/brown within 15 minutes of heavy rain. I always think these things are better in the designer's head than what is executed by the crews charged with doing the work. I have the same concerns about the Turnpike work over Valley Creek, which has already discharged a lot of silt after the rains. By contrast, when the first storm passed, the water upstream of this improvement was still
just mildly stained. I chose to fish
this upstream water, venturing into spots I have never fished before and not
knowing how many fished were dumped there in the spring.
Bass and streamers saved the day. |
No matter, because the little smallmouth went to town on my streamers. I got a few violent hits on a Mickey Finn until I hung it up on a deep stump, but I also got a couple more on an olive bugger. I would high stick the bugger through some swift runs, and if I didn’t hook up, I would let it swing and strip it back. I hooked and lost one decent one, but the couple I took pics of were still fun on a 4 wt fly rod. Not the day I expected, and I know trout would have cooperated in 65 degree water if not for all the debris and mud in my honey holes, but I am glad I got out on such an interesting day. I also explored some new productive looking water on a creek I thought I knew very well. Next time I will pay better attention to the radar, though.
Dark from hanging in a deep, mossy hole. |
Pretty spot |
I am hoping to get up early on Friday and put about 4
hours of fishing in somewhere a little further north. It is light very early now, so I anticipate
leaving the house around 4 AM or earlier.
I am happy for the cool off, even
though it was nice to wet wade and swim in June, so I am still feeling like
trout is the call. The cooler nights and
the shot of rain should make things productive for a couple days. Plenty of bugs were hatching on the Wissy,
especially tan caddis and dark olive or black caddis, maybe even a very small BWO
or two. My elbow is feeling about 70%,
so I am glad it has not developed into a chronic pain (yet). I will see what I can do to change that
Friday…
If your elbow turns chronic, I have the doc for you. Had both of mine done some years ago. Mildly invasive procedure by a doc near you.
ReplyDeleteRR
Thanks, RR. I will keep you posted...
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