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Bumping for April Bottom Dwellers

The day off fine in the high 40's heading to low 50's. I was working up a tiny 3-4 wide creek, bumping along the bottom (with a nymph..). A few hits later i settled down and then thing got productive real fast. 3 quick parr, & 2 - 2year olds. 1 more an i would stop counting & enjoy the rest of the day, thank you very much. I tyed one of the ADK caddies (last purchase prior to the accident.

I spent the balance of the day with this as my only fly. I fished it dry, wet, skidered, sunk and as streamer. Upstream & down this previously skunked fly was hit in holes i never took fish from before. It is always fun to find new spots on old trails, little did i know this would be the best jersey day to date...

The first brook i went to had the only spot taken by the time i arrived. So rather than try to fit in on a tight road i went to an old brook i use to fish long ago. The initial few pools we re either vacant or fished out but as i moved upstream i found fish after fish pocket after pocket of fire blazed natives. The sweeper was so dry i could not get a hit and then proceed to spoil the long narrow pool above it.

By noon i reached the main pool and it was as productive as ever, with both tungs providing ample sport. I did not make it to the impoundments as the weather was threatening.

I worked my way down and the sport was as fine as the trip up... At the bottom i fished the bridge pool and took several final fish including a 3 year old, who by comparison was huge, just shy of a 10 incher.

After a rest i tried the other spot & it was open! the bottom again was vacant of fish (or even a decent bump). I first thought the action was done for the day or the fly had ceased to work. Neither turn out to be so... I passed every pool & riff including the Snake Pool (never missed there before). Finally i reached the bolder pool & riff, settled down and think i took every fish in the long pool including the big ones (2 - 3 year olds) at the head.

Working my way down the fallen tree sweeper i took a fish and had a bump (first ever from this sweeper. Slowly making my way back to Snake Pool i noticed a consistent riser at the head but swung around to the tail (which was fairly empty). I did make a bounce / skip cast into the tree base, which was met with a specular rise but i missed him (one of the several misses of the day).

Swinging back to the head i fished down to the riser and took the only brown of the day a 3 year old who along with his forbearer's own this one pool and if your lucky it will add a brown to your day of brokies.

It was the nicest 53 degree day i can recall.

Opening Weekend

Saturday was to the be the day!
But my allergies kept me away.
Sunday, ah Sunday.

Cold & Gray, at 42 it was an ideal opening weekend day. The water level was just right, not to high not to low & just a bit cold for anyone in their right mind to be waist deep this early in April.

I had a flee flicker of a 3wt 6.6 with a heavy isyoncia tungsten bead head.

down, deep, slow & across - - - - bang; A 14" spawning color abloom brookie.

noticed a long trailing tippet & thought about tying on another so i got out a woolly worm.

down, deep & down straight below me was an active surface, so... down & bang.

This one was difficult to reel in (a 3 wt is just not really opening day fare). As i lifted the head i noticed the most pleasantly surprising sight to ever see, let alone on opening day, there on the line with 2 hooks were a fine brace (2 fish) one, on the bead head & one, on the woolly worm.

I knew right then it was time to leave the day could not get better.