Shadows

Stayed a bit further upriver today.  K then J.  Fewer fishermen too.  Sunny and 65.  Hatches were a bit opposite of yesterday.  Had some BWO's when I arrived at 11.  They all but vanished mid afternoon, only to reappear again late.  Shadows on this east-west stretch were later too.  Speaking of shadows.  I had some big shadows eat my soft hackle.  Had some big shadows hooked on my soft hackle.  Had some big shadows hooked on the leech.  Some days the bear eats you.  I had more eats than yesterday, yet far fewer fish to hand, especially early.  Still a busy and productive day though.  Finding it hard to leave the nice weather, comfortable wading, roomy river, and active fish.

Late morning shadows

Good spot according to these two

Morning risers river right

Needed some changes for the slow flat water

Morning sweet spot

Mid afternoon plan

Setting sun

Evening shadows

Still the fly of the day!

Desert Oasis-East

Its been just over 7 years since the fire and debris flows of 2013.  Sediments have been flushed, thousands of plants replanted, flows are clear, and its full of trout!  300 cfs and the wading is easy.  No muck.  Sunny and 70.

They liked the little wiggly for a couple hours before the hatch. Then there were just enough BWO's and caddis, and just enough risers, to get the afternoon going.  The magic hour was 3 to 4, when the sun dipped behind the mountain where I fished just below Indian Rock at 121P.  Always a fish or two to cast to.  The whole canyon was busy, but this run kept me busy all day.  Fish seemed on the thin side, but strong nonetheless.  

Early fish at the head of the run

Still some leaves, and slight coloration

Same as yesterday, only a #16.  All I needed.

Fading light was good

Point of Rocks

Back to the Preserve this morning.  Stayed until nearly 3:00 with mostly smaller fish up in the same areas I fished yesterday.  Hatch was much more sparse.  Didn't see many of the big bank feeders, and it got a little busy, so I headed down to the point.  Shoulda gone sooner!  Wasn't many bugs.  Hardly any.  But, there were some nice fish coming up right in the parking lot run.  They were looking for any bug floating down, right up until sunset.  Hooked a few bigs on the floating leech late.  All weeded. Might have to give it another visit, but for now, the Boise is next.

Flat calm

All over this dun in an 18.  Kick!

Perfect evening

Not refused

The place to myself

Got a few like this in the evening light

Preserved

The Preserve is still preserved, but I had to make sure before winter!  Arrived around 2 the first afternoon and went upstream for a check.  A sparse hatch started about an hour in, if you can call it that.  The fish did!  They ate every bug that came over them, like it was the last supper, or more accurately, the last mayfly hatch of the season.  I saw one mahogany amongst the big olives, or thought I did, so I tied one on.  They ate it up.  Opportunity, recall, or a size match?  All of the above.  No selectivity.  Spooky as hell, but not picky.

Next morning I went to check out the lower Preserve above Loving Creek.  Nothing happening until about 12:30 other than some leech-eaters.  Yup, they ate that thing.  The bigger fish mostly waked after it and refused it though.  I fished one waking on top, within a couple inches of the surface, just over the weeds.

The afternoon hatch had a few more bugs per square yard than yesterday, but still sparse.  The fish were appreciative of anything.  They came out from wherever the hell they hide (weeds!) and ate most of the afternoon, really steady for a couple hours.  I was even choosy for a time.  #18 Mahoganies were the flies of the day, although I don't recall seeing any.  The trout went after 'em, on 5x, fished upstream!  An upstream windy period of a couple hours probably helped with that.

They're not MO trout, Ranch rainbows, or even Armstrong kings. I can get my little hand around 'em.  But, they rise when given the chance, and there isn't any clearer water anywhere.  Low flow, at 85 cfs.  And damn that water is cold! (40-45) Hardly anyone here though.  Sunny and 50's by afternoon. Just my trademark brown shirt.😄 Visual flight rules.  Lots of fish.  Hell ya!

A tour:

First Approach

Looking up toward the cripple run

Two day winner

Still some killer moose on the prowl

Day two stand-out in the breeze

Nice ones all along this bank

The 'ole weeping tree flat

Mouth of Loving Cr. on the way out