October 30, 2017 – So, Maybe I Got Greedy – Valley Creek

I wanted the ones that eat these little guys....

I fished Valley after the soaking rains ended this morning.  The creek recovers quickly, but it was still pretty stained when I arrived in the early afternoon.  By tonight, I am sure it will be back to normal for this time of year.  I was hoping that fish would be actively chasing streamers, maybe even some big fish, as there are so many fingerlings in the creek to feed on!  I started out swinging a smaller black bugger, and I landed a few small fish. As the water began to clear, I even set up to Czech nymph some deep holes, and I caught even more and even smaller.  I bet I caught a dozen fish, but I only landed one very good one that was about 14 inches.  I moved a couple other good fish for Valley when I decided to fish large, going with a big olive bugger and even Sam's mighty roberdeau streamer against wood and in deeper runs.

The small black bugger was effective on the 8 to 10 inchers.

After catching nothing over 10 inches long and many fish in the 3 to 5 inch range, I decided to go for broke about an hour into my 2 hours on the water.  I moved a few fish that even breached the surface coming after the big meal, but I only got the hook in the one beautiful fish.  I fought him well, measured him up in the net, and then I got greedy and wanted a good picture in my wet hand to show the size and the gorgeous colors, and I dropped him.  It happens, but it still hurts sometimes.

Fly eating log jams held fish, at least one good one too!

I thought I had finally found a productive formula, but I only had fish chase the streamer a few more times after that before I had to quit to get the boy at the bus stop.  I am thinking that the crazy wind meant really high pressure and other meteorological challenges that kept the fish from fully committing, but it is also possible that the fish that are “of age” are ready to spawn and were not in the places I was targeting or not interested in eating (chasing, yes, but not eating).  

These beauties were a consolation prize, though.

Condition might be better on Tuesday, and I have some time from 8:30 AM to about 2:30 PM, so I may give it a shot somewhere a little further away tomorrow, maybe even meet up with Kev.  Plenty of action in a short window today, but I got greedy and blew the photo op with a really nice fish for Valley, and I had him in the damn net too…

And the late afternoon light and colors weren't too shabby either.