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| First good fish of 2026. |
With the boy away at school and not coming home for Easter,
I decided to use the morning to worship the wild brown trout. A cold front with some heavy rain was set to arrive
by 10 AM, so I committed to the task at hand, arriving at first light. I figured I would not be alone on this creek,
but I assumed that I could get into some prime water away from the easy access
and avoid stockers and those who love them.
It was cold and a bit foggy to start, so sunrise would be delayed, but I
don’t mind early. I was actually hoping
to move a fish or two on a bugger at first light. Two dudes pulled in behind me and raced,
literally raced, to get dressed to beat me to the water, I assume? They were gone before I even sat on the bumper
to pull on my waders. I could hear the conspiratorial
whispers and the telltale click of BOA lacing systems, and then they were
gone. I decided to take a relaxed
attitude toward life. I hope my days of
getting stressed out about someone else at “my secret spot” are passed me? Nothing moved to a bugger, and the only wild
brown I landed was 8 inches long on a small jigged bugger. I did end up catching a handful of rainbows on
bigger bugs, like a size 10 pheasant tail.
Only midges were hatching, no olives, and it felt like the creek may
have been pounded on the previous morning and/or the wild fish had lockjaw as
result of the barometric pressure associated with the coming storm. The rain held off until 11 AM, so I got a bonus
hour on the water, but when it arrived it arrived with authority. I almost managed to stay dry. I got in the ‘Ru seconds before it started
pouring, and then I realized I left my phone in my wader pocket, so I still got
wet while retrieving it from the back.
Fish were caught, but it was hardly a stellar outing. I have been overdue for a good one. It’s really been since mid-January with Eric.
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| Not a stellar outing, but fish were caught. |
I thought about using Monday morning to chase some stockers
on the Wissy, but it was another cold morning, so I decided I would use the
afternoon after work to fish. After
lunch, I weighed my desire to chase stockers, especially without Eric or the
boy to make it more fun, and found it lacking, so I changed my plan. I would visit a SEPA crick on the natural
reproduction list that I fish only a couple times each year. The fish that opens this post is proof that I
pretty much won the final boss battle for this creek, so I am not sure how
often I need to return this year! This
hen, whose maxillary showed signs of a run-in with a spinner or other big,
barbed hook, is likely the mama of all the other wild fish in this creek. There are not that many of them, but find the
perfect habitat, and depth, and wild fish are there. I did not waste time fishing low water up to
the spot. I headed right there, and my
first fish of the afternoon was this 18-inch small stream piggy. She hit a small jigged bugger on 4X, so I was
able to rope her into the net rather quickly.
I wanted a pic of this fish! I
was also trying not to blow up the spot, so I got her to the tailout quickly,
hoping that I could catch another fish from this prime location before having to
move on (or drive to another stretch). I got a few shots and gently let her go.
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| Another pretty one, and the net shot with that sore lip. |
I changed bugs after I got bumped on the bugger without
coming tight. Good move since I landed two
more pretty wild fish from the same hole before it went quiet. There was a stretch downstream of this hole
that sometimes produces, though it is better with more water. I spooked one, landed a chub, and then moved
quickly to the next hole. This hole has
the potential to hold another piggy, but I have yet to find one over 10 inches
here. Nothing new today, really: I landed another 8 inch wild brown and then after
switching bugs again, two fat little smalljaws on a golden stone. They just hit it with a slight *TICK* as it fell
to the bottom of the deep plunge. It was
getting breezier and chillier, and I was certain I had little chance of besting
my first fish here (perhaps ever!) so I called it good instead of driving to
one other unposted access spot. I mean, if I
return to this creek again this year, I have to save something to explore, right? It would be nice to find Miss Piggy’s mate Mr. Piggy (or Kermy?) someday!
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| A couple crick pics, another on small bugs, and first bass of the year ;) |
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