Bsc 7-24-10

[Flyflinger]

After a quick and unsucessful jaunt to the Bourbouse, I arrived at Blue Springs Creek around 9:30 am. The water is glass clear, just what you would exspect on this small little creek in the middle of the summer. I have been to this creek several times since moving so close to it recently and have never caught a nice size trout until today. In fact I was begining to think there where no nice fish in this stream. All I have ever caught where those little dinks. I consider myself an accomplished flyfisherman having cut my teath on the challengeing crystal clear waters of the Pacific northwest. I am now begining to uderstand the meaning of the phrase "spooky fish". I fished my normal way, walking upstream from the MDC parking on the left past the HWY N crossing. I worked the first deep hole I saw with a #16 Adams from about 40 feet away, three perfect cast..three perfect drifts...three let downs. Hmmmmmm....there just aren't any fish of any size in here...or so I think.

Being completely disgusted I find a place in the shade and have a seat next to the hole I just worked. I was there about 10 minutes thinking about scooting down to Cardiac Hill..where I am sure is still to high to wade....but I might be able to land one from the bank in that first hole off the trail. When low and behold the trout came out of hideing.

1-2-3-4-5 trout all between 12&18 inches. I just sat and watched them resume to their normal feeding activities for about 5 minutes. I tied on a grey scud #18 I think, put on my Thingamabobber (smallest one you can get) and fliped out my offering. The strike indicater splashed a bit but the trout didn't care...1-2-3 passes and wham I hook up with my first official wild Blue Springs Trout! I was very happy to be able to land a fish with such great color, he was in perfect health and about 14 inches long.

So the moral of the story here is:

1. These trout are "spooking" to the max.

2. They don't mind a small splash from an indicater.

3. They hate any noise your feet make or any shadows your body cast on the water and will hide untill they go away.

4. I can catch them if I slow way the hell down and wait for them to get comfy.

5. Blue Springs does hold bigger fish.

6. I have to get me a short 2wt rod for fishing here in the future, my 8.5ft-5wt is to hard to manage here.

7. I am truely blessed to have this water so close by.

All in all I learned alot today...and was humbled a bit..I thought I was being pretty sneeking, and that this water just didn't hold any good trout...facts are I was probably stomping thru there like a bull moose as far as the trout were concerned.

Next time I go..I go in full camo and belly crawl to each hole.

Happy Fishing

[Paola Cat]

Right on FF. Real trout from small waters are super spooky. You've got to be stealthy. I get a "kick" out of the guys who plow right into the water like they're fishing at a trout park and spook everything. Full camo and belly crawls work .... especially in low water conditions.

[Al Agnew]

I've always suspected that the thing that spooks them most often is the crunch of gravel under your feet. It's loud and it tells every water denizen that something big is coming. It's hard to be patient enough to stand still for 10-15 minutes and wait for them to forget about those footsteps they heard in the gravel, though.

[jjtroutbum]

So the moral of the story here is:

8. Remember a great report can be epic, If you bring your camera!

[Flyflinger]

8. Remember a great report can be epic, If you bring your camera!

I had my camera phone on me, but the trout was jumping aroud so much I didnt want to see it damage itself on the rocks. So I let it go before I could get a pic.

[flyfishmaster]

Great report. Those wild ones are very spooky. I got to experience them about 4 week ago. Sitting a waiting is the key.

Later,

FFM

[ozark trout fisher]

Sounds like you had a nice time on a nice creek. Thanks for the report.

Blue Springs Creek is always tough, but especially so when the water is low. But if you're sneaky enough, there are some surprisingly nice trout to be caught. I consider a nice fish on a creek like Blue Springs to be the pinnacle of the sport, so I really enjoy the admittedly painstaking challenge it takes to catch those fish.

Nothing else really compares-I'd rather catch a 12" wild bow on a dry fly from Blue Springs or Little Piney than a 24" hog brown from the upper Current.