Thursday May 17th, I took off from work and headed to the cabin. I typically like to go to a local stream before I go to the cabin, and this time was no different. I had to catch Dinner – I arrived to our local tailwater around 4:30pm, the parking lot was empty and the flows have increased substantially since the last time I was here. It looks like it’ll be great fishing.
I tested out my new fiber glass 3WT rod setup that I’ll be using for backpacking this summer, trying to get a feel for it and catch my first fish with it. I used a pink squirmy worm with a small nymph tied about 10 inches below it. Add a little split-shot weight – about two-three inches above the worm, then put an indicator about 2.5 feet above the split-shot. The creek isn’t that deep in most sections, so it doesn’t need to go down far. Finally, my rod is rigged up and my new Sims G3 waders are feeling cozy. I crack a Roadie Grapefruit Radler by Great Divide Brewing company – and after the first first sip of this amazing beer, I know it’s going to be a great evening of fishing!
First cast, into the first run, and I hook a fish! Hell yes! Feels like a good one too. I think I ended up losing it, but many more to come. The water was moving quite a bit faster than the flows I experienced a month ago, this opened up a ton of new water to fish. And boy, let me tell you! I couldn’t stop catching fish on every bend, riffle, run, and hole – it was awesome.
Fishing slowed in the stream section, so I moved up below the waterfall to the “Honey Hole” – I slide my indicator up so the distance between my first fly and the indicator is about ~5 or so feet. It’s quite a bit deeper in this section and the deeper you can get, the bigger the fish. I quickly caught a good size rainbow. Pictured below. I would go on to catch a few more, then kept a good size one which I filet quickly and put it on ice for later in the evening.
After filleting the fish, It was about 7PM, maybe a little later at this point. Grabbed myself another cold one and made my way back to the creek. I ended up hooking in to a large fish, well, what felt like a large fish on my 3WT rod. I fought it for a good while, till it took off down the creek and I couldn’t keep up. I ended up ripping the hook out of its mouth, DAMN! What a rush, what a disappointment. That was probably one of the biggest fishes I would have caught up until this point. Tough losing that one.
I was determined to catch a big one tonight, all I could do was keep trying… And then it happened. I hooked into a solid 17-20 inch Rainbow Trout! I’d be damn if I was going to let this one go. I fought it carefully and took my time getting it in, letting it run a bit, then reeling a bit. By the time I saw it surface, I about shit my pants. I couldn’t believe the size of this fish!! Wow, what an amazing feeling. I got the fish close enough and netted it. Felt so great catching this beautiful fish. I wish I had a buddy with me to help capture a better picture, but the picture below will do. I could barely hold it with one hand. My new personal best Rainbow trout.
After catching my personal best, it was around 8PM, I decided to call it a night and go back to the cabin and cook. I made lemon, garlic, and butter smoked trout with smoked peppers – Delicious.
Overall a good ending to the night. The next day I had to work from the cabin, but I planned on getting up at 5AM to go on a quick fish before I started the work day! I’ll leave that for the next post.