March 8, 2019 – A Break to Target a Few Fat Fresh Stockies – Pickering Creek

I confused Eric: not used to seeing an SJ worm?

I took a break from grading research papers (and a break from Valley Creek) today to greet the new arrivals to the Pickering DHALO section.  There is a catch 22 each time it is restocked.  Before the fall stock, plenty of browns held over this summer, but when the fall stock happened, those fish got quiet for a while.  Then the fall stockies acclimated, calmed down, and spread out a bit, and I caught some rainbows and a couple nice-looking browns the last time I was there this winter with Eric.  Now, with new arrivals swimming around aimlessly, some not even facing into the main current, it was time for the fall stockies to be temporarily displaced, it seems.  The Commish must not have had much help last week, or it was snowy, icy, muddy when they stocked because fish did not seem too spread out, as evidenced by buckets of fish conspicuously milling around a certain footbridge over flat water. 

Big but no pecs....

I started not far above the lower end of the special regulations section and caught two fish on a SJ worm with a hot bead.  They were both porkers but had almost no pectoral fins, so likely freshly stocked on February 28.  They were heavy but sluggish after the effects of this week’s deep freeze on a relatively shallow freestone creek.  The cold seemed to put a temporary damper on the bugs too, hence the worm, and I saw very little flying or crawling about.  My small prince dropper never got touched, but if early stoneflies were about, it likely would have.  The sportiest fish I caught was a wild fish, a wild sucker, that is.  Catching him in pocket water, on the mouth, mind you, was my biggest accomplishment today too.  I caught this fish, along with the handful of trout, without resorting to the indicator either—although I probably should have? 

The one I am most proud of today.

There were a few other guys out, including a nice older guy who caught a couple little holdovers at the aforementioned bridge on spinning gear but who was unaware (not wearing polarized glasses) that 25 porkers were swimming around 5 feet from where he stood.  I hope some heavy rains spread these fish out soon, or they won’t stay fat for long.  I guess they may move upstream and start feeding on the surface too, once bugs come alive again.  A warm up and rain are on the way starting tomorrow, so both scenarios are possible.  I will probably give these fish a break for a couple weeks, unless Eric is itching to get out.  Part of my reason for coming was to see how my dad would fare over here when it gets milder next week, but I may look elsewhere or take him to the Tully if the flows stay normal over there.  Then again, 14 and 15 inch fish less than 30 minutes away has its allure, especially when the creek is so accessible and easy to wade for him, so never say never.  I am always happy to get out fishing but, hopefully, a trip with Sam next week will break up the monotony of Valley, stockies, Valley, stockies, Valley and signal a true start to the fishing season.  I am ready.

Porkers