Yesterday morning I wrote a fairly detailed post about the stellar fishing we had Sunday evening and Monday, but the internet ghosts seem to have made it vanish like fog in the sun. So today, I'll share a clipped version of the events, along with some photos. In short, the fishing of late has been nothing short of fantastic on our local rivers and streams.
On Sunday evening after a family BBQ, we fished the South Branch of the Raritan in one of the most accessible stretches of the river. There were a few anglers along this 2 mile or so ribbon of water, but fewer than I had expected. The air was cool and a slight breeze rustled the new leaves that hung above the water. The river was still up some, but clear and very fishable.
There were fish rising from the time I got there until I could no longer see my fly on the water. There were Sulphurs, Light Cahills, Yellow Drakes, a couple of different caddis and even a few Isonychias hatching. The first hour and a half the trout rose aggressively to emerging caddis - the classic porpoising rise of trout feeding on caddis - and we caught all our fish on the Iris Caddis. Then the rise forms changed to a more subtle take; the trout slowed their pace and just poked their mouth through the surface to sip the next item on the menu, Sulphurs. I switched to a size 16 Sulphur Usual, and continued taking fish on this one fly until I could no longer see it on the water. I used three flies Sunday evening, and caught a bunch of stocked and wild trout. Here are the two Iris Caddis and the Sulphur I fished that evening.
On Monday I fished a PA limestone creek with Doug, who had awesome day catching fish after fish on nymphs - his weapon of choice - using a leader and techniques he had learned last weekend at the US Youth Fly Fishing Team Clinic. Here's a beautiful brown he caught in a very difficult to fish, deep pool.
Nice going Doug, one of these days we'll have you catching them like that on dries. : )
4 comments:
It's a treat to see so many bugs , and willing fish. I actually saw a few big green drakes emerging Sunday night on the south branch in Califon ,, and trout trying to take them down ,posted this on GST , but wanted your opinion . Perhaps I've been sniffing the zapAgap to long.
Jay,
I was a couple of pools below you that night. I saw you and Brian at your truck as I was headed home, but couldn't stop since I had a knucklehead on my bumper. I did see some Green Drakes along with the other bugs. Toss the glue, it's called "tying" flies for a reason. :)
I had the same experience on the Musky Sunday and Monday evenings...Sunday exactly, Monday had mostly light Cahill's...and I tie flies..What is zapAgap?;)
Well that's good to hear , I was thinking if anybody else said they saw Green Drakes I'd be skeptical , I really couldn't believe my eyes , I normally gotta travel 3hrs to see drakes.As for the pool you saw me by , the stocking gods where very very good to it . Not to mention the good head of wild fish that' are there . And Mr Q , zapAgap is what Dave Whitlock uses / invented as fly tying glue ,not mention it gives a nice light headed feeling .
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