Snow MO (3750cfs)

Started as hail yesterday, followed by some rain, and then more rain last night.  Pretty good hatch and fishing yesterday afternoon around high bridge.  Turned to snow this morning, all day for the most part.  There were risers at "new gate" when I arrived about 11.  Today was one of those days where I fished an hour or two in one area, back to the truck to warm the fingers and get dry gloves, and back out to the next spot.  It worked brilliantly!  Only way I could keep my hands from freezing off.  River was boiling with fish by early afternoon.  The classic MO pods everywhere, and singles around those.  And, that dilemma I've written about before.  Too good, too many bugs, too many risers, too easy. What? 

 

So how do I keep it a little challenging and rewarding?  First off, don't cast into those pods of risers.  I get bit every time, can't choose the fish that eats, and it gets old really quick.  Its that ole saying about if you caught a fish every cast, it would get old and boring in a hurry.  Yep. 

 

Some of the pods had a lead fish or two, larger fish rising at the very front of the pod.  Those were fun, and I'd quickly pick up and re-cast when the lead fish didn't take due to weeds or timing.  That was about the only reason one wouldn't take!  They were often moving with effort to get the slightly oversized #18's I fished all day.  Visible flies, on 5x.  Could've used 4x.  But these lead fish could be targeted and were all on the larger side.

 

I also made the effort to find single fish, especially those rising very near the bank.  Those I always find rewarding since the cast has to be right on, and the take is usually one of those classic slow head-tilts that still make me shiver.  There were plenty of these today.

 

So I targeted singles and lead fish.  Still caught a shit load.  Fished 'till 6:30 anyway because days like this still aren't common, and it was actually quite comfortable despite the snow.  Very little wind, and the truck always close by with hot air vents, a drink of water, and a snack.  I could even take a few pictures now and then, just before I knew I was going back to warm up the fingers.  Otherwise, it was a little cool to be pulling out the camera, and the fish were too frequent.

Storm came in with heavy hail storm

 

I was under the bridge, this guy wasn't.

 

One of many post-hailstorm fish

 

Next morning.  Kinda hard to see the risers on the bank through the snowflakes.

 

But it worked.

 

This was a fun spot

 

 

Sometimes it let up a bit.

 

 

Then it would snow harder

 

There were a few brown ones too.

 

FOD #18

 

Toward evening, as snow began to stick.  Still a pod of risers.