Well, it has to come to an end. I'm actually a little fished-out. Really! Its been one of the better fall swings in a while though. The weather worked out well. Being in the right place at the right time worked out for the most part too.
I didn't get enough (any) Henry's Fork, but that seems to be a river in trouble this year. Or I just never hit it right except for that Brown Drake madness a few evenings in June. I really needed more Livingston this fall. I'd hoped that one magic day on Armstrong's was a precursor to several more there and on Depuy's. The weather and hatches took me elsewhere. All those days on the MO during both visits were, well, pretty damn predictably good. I needed me a bunch of MO. The Beav. was still high, and so full of weeds after my weedy week on the MO that it just wasn't appealing. Neither was the snow and wind. I really hit the jackpot in central Idaho. Silver, the O, and the Boise were a great trifecta in mostly gorgeous weather. Each only a couple hours apart, and greatly different from one another so to provide change. The toughest river/creek that I know of, the "best brown trout river in America," (??), and the new-to-me tail water that provided a great end to a great 5-weeks, minus that little detour home I had to make right in the middle. Even that was a nice break except for the travel back and forth.
I don't know how this daily posting thing got going. I think it was when I was bouncing river to river daily for a few days. Each stop could do with one post for the entire stay instead of nightly. But hey, the nights and early mornings are not for fishing in October.
I have given the thread furled leaders a true test on all the waters this month. I'm sold. They float all day, and are supple as hell from the fly line to the tippet. I can turn over 6 to 8 feet of 5x or 6x with ease, yet still deliver the fly with a reach mend or slack line cast for long drifts. When the wind comes up, I can still punch the tippet out there like never before. One leader, one tippet. Love the simplicity and consistency of one leader. That translates into accuracy, accuracy, accuracy. The myth of spraying water is just that. The leader did not spook fish on Silver Creek, the Fork, in Livingston, or anywhere. I've had a few from Flygoddess sitting around for several years. Not anymore, they're on the lines now. It took a couple days to get used to them, but I don't see myself going back.
This whole season, I fished my two new Ross Colorado LT's almost exclusively. They passed each and every test to perfection. The fixed click and pawl setting is just perfect for tippets both light and heavy, on the big rivers and small creeks. That large arbor makes retrieving line so much quicker and easier. I don't even worry if I get down to a little backing anymore, it reels right back up quick! And they're so light. Does an ounce make a difference? I can sure feel it. And the sound is as sweet as the Hardy. So, I will keep one of my Hardy LRH's and Featherweights because they're all I've used since the early 80's, and it would be sacreligious and just plain wrong to not own one of each, but the rest will be sold with the proceeds put toward another Colorado LT. I'm that sold on these too.
And that South Fork of the Boise River below Anderson Ranch Dam. Man. Half-way between Silver and the Owyhee, cell service for a mile or so below the dam (by some miracle), free camping in the canyon or up on top of the rim, Mountain Home 30 minutes away with showers and anything else needed, clear water, pig rainbows, and bugs all the days I was there. Everyone I encountered was friendly and asked where I was planning to fish so they could fish well above or below me. Probably not normal, but I was impressed. Maybe the time of year and indicative of those that fall brings to the river.
I have more observations and lessons from this fall, and this season, that I'll get to over the winter. One thing I've noticed while looking at my thousands of dry flies is that there's only a few different mayfly patterns. How many exactly? I have my answer, and might organize by boxes accordingly. When I go to change flies, I usually look for a different style, much more often than a size or color change.
So I'm sad to see the season go, but again its a damn good thing I have Campeche to look forward to on the drive back, and once I get home. Not too much time for reflection, or depression because another western trout season is over. I really do need a change from just casting a dry to another big head. Some rolling silver, a quick double-haul, here he comes, strip-strip-strip, the big eat, a series of strip-sets, and silver flying all up out of the water. Hell yes. Break out the 50 lb tippet!
