I ventured out this afternoon with a few ideas of places to find some trout. Option A yielded two chubs, and very low water. Option B yielded a nice walk through new to me woods, and again very little flow. Options C & D were essentially drive bays that yielded the same lack of flowing water.
I was at least able to check these places off the list for next time. With daylight waning, and the flowing water seeming limited I cheated and went to a “remote” trout pond. I Figured there must be ample water here.
After a short drive pondering why I left my float tube at home, and a short walk I was wading into ample amounts of cool water around 430pm. I missed a fish immediately and then walked the bank to where I hoped to find fish. A point with deep water adjacent to either side, and I waddled out to rising/surfacing fish with a few “wakes” that had baitfish jumping out in front of them.
It seemed the trout were doing laps around the pond as I caught one little brookie on a caddis and sent the fly back out only to see my “knot cheat sheet” floating away behind me. I went for the cheat sheet while keeping my eye on the fly and managed to land my lost booklet, and hook another trout.
After a quick picture I sent the fly out again, and this time I missed another one all in a few minutes. Then the activity stopped on the surface for the next 20 minutes in my area. Just as the I thought to tie on a new leader and throw a streamer I saw the action returning on the surface.
I got two more brook trout I’m quick succession followed by a small bluegill. One of the brook trout was considerably bigger than the others and put up a good fight:
I then missed the “fish of the night” when I casted my caddis all the way out into the middle of the pond. A poor hook set/line management resulted in missing a fish that left a boil which was considerably larger/more violent than any other I had seen.
Shortly after that as it got darker I spun up a lovely rats nest with my tapered leader, and decided to “hike” out with what light was left. My appetite for trout satiated for today, however I will be back here far more often next year.
