Sat. 12/11 Report

[zthomas]

Thanks again, Zack, for the info. Didn't end up taking the 'toon this time, but waded from Parker Bottom for a few hours mid-day Saturday. Turned out wading was the only real option anyway; wind was gusting to to 20 or 25.

What great day anyway, though. From the few times I'd been to Beaver years ago, I didn't have very favorable memories. I remember it was sort of like fishing in an oversized ditch, no current, fishermen every 20 yards, and little fresh-from-the hatchery 10-inchers every other cast.

So Saturday was a really pleasant surprise. I had the third riffle downstream from the parking lot all to myself, enough current to make it seem like river fishing, plenty of strong, chunky, wild-looking rainbows, all 12 or 14 inches, and discerning enough to make it fishing instead of catching.

Started out with a gray-green scud with a zebra midge dropper and got several, all on the midge. Then got a few stripping a green flash bugger type thing. But the whole time, they were feeding actively on the surface on some kind of little (like #18 or #20) light tan caddis-looking thing. Finally switched to the closest thing I had--a #16 elk hair--and got four more that way. They wouldn't eat it off the surface, but they loved it in the film.

Definitely didn't expect to be sight-casting to rising trout in December, but it sure was fun. I'll be back for sure.

[Zack Hoyt]

Great report Z. Must have missed this earlier. Beaver has done VERY well this year. Table Rock is very low, so there is tons of wading opportunity. We fished it last weekend on falling water and had a bit of a tough time. Saw lots of fish.....but it took and hour after fallout for them to get serious about eating. Doing a toon trip will really give you a good feel for the water. It also allows you to "scope out" some areas you might not otherwise try. Glad Beaver reclaimed some of it s gory for you.