June 7, 2022 – At Least the Smalls Kept It Interesting – Northampton Limestoner

An early start meant some time alone with the small fishes.

I fished from 6 to 10 AM today, and I was alone for the first 3 hours.  I wish I could say the fishing was awesome during those three hours, that the extra effort made a difference, but it was a dinkfest.  By 9 AM I saw four more vehicles in the lot!  First of all, it was Tuesday, but second of all, this is the kind of place where if you see two cars, you should move on.  Some places like Valley or Spring can fish okay with pressure, but this creek is not Valley and certainly not Spring.  One guy I spoke to had never been here before, but the other guys looked like they were dry fly guys and were going right for the places they always go here, so they were not new to the scene.  Retirees on a nice morning, banker’s hours too, and I might be one of them someday, so I cast no aspersions.  I am just surprised when I see so many dudes on a small creek on a weekday.  A month ago, fishing was bonkers on black caddis, and no one was here because that does not usually mean dry fly action.  These guys were several hours early for mayflies, however.  At any rate, I caught at least 8 trouts, but they were all born in 2021 and 2020 from the looks of them.  For fun, I watched a 20+ for a while, just chilling, but with the water low and clear, there was no way to approach him, even if I had the right rod, and line, and long-ass tapered leader.  Even to get eaten by these smalls, I had to go to my secret weapon, the brown nothing hare’s ear in size 18, up tight to heads of riffles.  If not for a couple on an 18 ginger walts worm, I simply would have been out for a walk this morning without this basic little bug.

Small bugs, a ginger walts and a dark hares ear in size 18.  Need rain again.