Ill Trout Bum

I prefer size 12 or 14.

I second that!! My absolute favorite with a grizzly hackle.

Beautiful fish!! Congrats!!

My C & R box all loaded up and ready to go!!

I use a 6" section of shock gum between the leader and fly line. It has saved me from breaking off large fish on more than one occasion. Rio also makes shock gum material in bright pink, which makes an excellent indicator for nymphing.

Ditto on the large heavy streamers. Large trout love large flies, especially in the dead of winter. I have a lot of success on a little combo I call the " plate o" meat".

Daiichi 1130's have always done well for me.

I'm getting ready for some serious fishing on the Upper Current. Just have to wait until the weather turns and runs off the fair weather crowd.

Great looking fish and pics. I was also there this past weekend. Absolutely gorgeous weather!!! Congrats.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

Unfortunately, common courtesy isn't so common anymore. I have witnessed unbelievable acts of rudeness in the past year alone. It seems everyone has a bad case of "me first" attitude. This is especially true in the trout parks where "combat fishing" is at it's worst. I sometimes have experienced similar acts on the river and usually just shake my head and allow them to race ahead of me. My consolation comes in not imitating their behavior. When teaching someone new to the sport, I always stress courteous and ethical behavior.

I highly recommend night fishing outside the park. I would advise anyone thinking of this to scout the area you want to fish thoroughly beforehand during the daylight hours. The river, as with most other places, can look completely different in the night. Nothing ruins a night fishing trip quicker than stepping off into a hole and possibly dropping your rod or worse! A little careful planning can produce a memorable after dark adventure. As far as flies, I too prefer large woolies and streamers, something that will displace lots of water and make some noise. This is usualy the time when the larger browns come cruising looking for a meal. Also, be mindful of your backcast area, nothing worse than getting your favorite fly hung in a tree in the dead of night. This is another good reason to scout your fishing area and make mental notes during the daylight.

Congrats on the great pics!! We also fished the river last week. Thursday afternoon we had a phenomenal time fishing in the downpours from the remnants of Hurrican Hermine. It seemed everything we threw got a great reception. Friday turned out to be really good with several rainbows and browns being taken. The best fish of the day was a fat 17" brown caught below Baptist. That afternoon we headed to Parker's Hollow and again caught several nice fish, including a couple of decent sized smallies. I can't wait to go back next month!!

I am looking for a spare spool for my Orvis Mach III reel. It is the titanium color model. If anyone has one and wants to part with it, please let me know. Thanks.

Don't let the rain discourage you. Some of my most productive days fishing the Current have come during and after rain. Just be aware of any lightning and watch for flash flooding during the heavy stuff.

Great job and fantastic pics. Can't wait to get there myself at the end of the week!

Gene K, Thank you so much for your reply. Is the yelow road a county road? If so, how is it marked? Do you know if the property owners live nearby? I would prefer to stop and ask their permission before attempting to cross their property. I have found from past experience that most folks will let you have access to where you want to go if you just extend them the courtesy beforehand. Thanks!

Parachute Ants and bead head GRHE's.

I'm asking for help from all my brethren who are knowledgable of this area on the Current. After studying Google Earth images, it appears there is a road that runs very near where Ashley Creek meets the Current. If so, this would be great as the closest other access I am aware of is Baptist Camp approx. 3 1/2 mi. upstream. Has anyone out there ever accessed Ashley Creek this way? The road almost looks to be a fire trail or forest service road. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Fisheye, Thanks very much for the additional info. I was told by some of the locals the white building was a church. thanks for setting the record straight!

There is no sign that points out the access to Parker's. It is the next county road past Baptist Camp access. The first time I drove down there, I thought for certain I was lost. Turns out I just hadn't gone far enough. When you pass the small church on the left side, keep on going. It sounds like you were on the right road, you just needed to go further. I love Parker's, very little fishing pressure and some dynamite holes!!

Thanks for the report. Glad to hear the hot weather hasn't slowed fishing as much as I thought it would! I have a trip planned for Sept. 9-11 and hope for cooler weather by then.

I have owned a pair of Wright-McGill essentials for the past 4 years. They are extremely comfortable! Each pair is warranted for 2 years by Wright-McGill. After a recent trip, I discovered a leak in the upper left leg in the seam. Upon closer inspection, I was unable to see any kind of tear or puncture. I contacted the company and told them of my situation. I told the I realized the warranty period had expired on my waders but would appreciate any help they could offer me in getting them repaired. I received a quick reply from their customer service dept. advising me to return them to the warranty dept. in Denver. A couple of weeks later a Fed-Ex package arrived containing a brand new pair of waders. I was very surprised and extremely grateful. I would have been quite satisfied had they chosen to just repair my waders. Instead, I got a brand new pair! I can highly recommend their customer service based upon my experience. When it comes time to purchase another set or recommend to a friend, I will have no reservations about steering them to Wright-McGill products!

I have both the regular and midge sizes. I started using them last year and absolutely love them. It takes a little getting used to at first, but once you have the motion down, they work perfectly. I really like the way the tool releases smaller more delicate flies without damaging them. Super handy for cold weather fishing as you never have to touch the fish or fumble for a pair of hemostats.