January 6, 2017 – First Snow of 2017 and First Snow Trout – Valley Creek

2017's first wild trout with snow with finger-less glove pic.

For a few years now, I have had the urge to fish after snowfalls, at least the ones that don’t lead right into bitter, windy, high pressure days.  Today was not one of those storms where the low stuck around for a while and kept it mild, but it also wasn’t 12 degrees out and blowing gale force, so after taking care of some business around the house and in town, and waiting for the thermometer to hit 33, I took a short trip to Valley, just to make the most of my last day of extended vacation (back to work on Monday) and maybe to get a snow trout photo op.  Fishing was pretty dead, but I did accomplish my goal of landing one in the snow today.  I concentrated on just two holes.  The first hole was a wash, but not because I spooked them by slipping down the bank or hanging the first cast in a tree (these things happen to all of us, but not today).  Dogs, again.  Some lady was running at least four big dogs off the leash in a public park.  Sporting dogs, too, so at least two saw me and decided to jump right into the water.  The Deep Thoughts about bad dog owners is coming soon!  

Probably 20 hibernating under there, but at least one came out to play.

Anyway, I kept my cool and moved to my next target.  Ice in the guides was a problem, but I managed to creep up and, in most cases, use what line was already out of the reel and iced into place at the rod tip, Tenkara-style, yo…  I missed a hit on a white bugger, so I knew someone was home.  I then tied on a caddis nymph and a red zebra midge dropper.  The caddis was really just for the tungsten, as this second hole is quite deep and flows under the roots of a large tree, but I am glad I chose the caddis because the fish hit it and not the zebra midge.  It took almost 45 minutes to catch one wild brown on a cold day, but I was happy to end my furlough with this year’s first trout-with-hand-with-snow-photograph.  I took a total skunk at three different muddy streams on Wednesday, so this was an improvement. Here’s hoping milder days return a few more times before the spring.  The high is supposed to be 24 degrees in SEPA tomorrow, so no snow trout shots for this storm....