Micro Flies, Sunny Skies, and a Stalker

What a way to end September.  I had the whole run below Eva's all day.  Sunny and calm.  Fish up boiling start to finish.  Really doin' it.  I caught more fish on a #24 today than I ever have in one day.  Non stop eatin' it, moving for it, even a few turning around for it!  All in the drift, and the approach. 

 

Upon arrival, someone was at the end of the run I was going to fish.  Oh, the irony.  If you know me, you know my mantra is "stalk 'em like a Heron."  That's just how its done, so it was befitting that the bird was there to greet me before I ever got in the water.  I had a feeling . . .

Definitely "the" spot!

 

Bright and sunny today, and dead calm

 

 

#24 white hackle-on-a-hook

 

"Gnat Flat."  Great stalking visibility

 

 

The Cutthroat end of the creek

 

 

Mid-afternoon

 

 

#24 Griffith Gnat was the Fly of the Day, by far.

 

The grassy bank had sippers too

 

 

#20 gray hanger worked after noon on the grassy corner

 

 

Last fish, a Brown!  Some sort of 3-trout slam?

 

Lightning finally rolled in

 

Never forget, "Stalk 'em Like a Heron!"

 

Living 'Strong

Armstrong, that is.  From 3x and big bugs yesterday to 6x and 20's and 22's on the creek today.  If the fly was small, some ate it. They weren't pattern picky, just size.  Whatever they were eating was really small, smaller than anything in my box.  Scattering of midges, baetis, and sulphers, but no real hatch of anything.   Fish rising from start 'till the famous Livingston wind kicked up at 2:30, followed by lightning.  Non-stop fish to cast to until then. 

Nice cloudy start to the morning

 

 

Old stand-by first

 

 

 

Midge really worked well

 

 

 

"Lost" fish of the day on this

 

 

 

 

 

 

Henry's Fork has the "log jam."  Armstrong's has the "stick jam."  Fish Magnets

 

Wow

A river.  Big flies.  Big trout. 3x tippet. September. Sunny and 75. No wind.

 

 

 

 

Pink Bob Hopper got things rolling

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#14 Triple Double brings down the house.  Fly of the Day!

 

 

That dark area in the foreground is all fish!  Really.

 

 

 

 

 

How I missed the last 4 takes.  Doh!  What I get for using 3x.

 

 

Those are all Brown Trout!