Blue Springs Creek 3 29 13 - First Time

[Dirtworm]

thanks all for the tips, I appreciate your hard - earned wisdom. I will update this post with pictures of my first BSC trout soon!

[Corb90]

I've been fly fishing for about a year. I've caught two blue springs bows in about 7 trips. Some would call it a waste but those have no idea the feeling of catching a wild bow in a spring creek. Both fish were caught when sneaking up to a hole on my hands and knees. I have become a much better fisherman learning BSC and get better everytime. You can never be too sneaky, I promise. Try throwing some foam beetles or griffiths nats. I read somewhere that fish in small streams like BSC can't rely on bug hatches so they'll eat anything that's readily available like beetles and other bugs.

[tonethetiger]

Was at BSC three times this year. The smallest olive wooly and black wooly buggers work for me. Either in the deep pools or along the tree root banks letting it float and then downstream and then bringing it across the stream. Last time went with not much luck and had a dog with us so there ya go! Stealthy fishing for sure.

[tonethetiger]

Went back this weekend. The terrain changes every time I go so cant say the same pockets were there this time. I started at the first parking area after the low water bridge, walked upstream. Saw a couple small ones off a gravel bar near a stump and cast a dry fly but no luck. Thunderstorm rolled in, smoked a cigarette under a tree waiting for it to pass over. Fifteen minutes and it cleared up with a little overcast and tried that stump again with an ant pattern, some interest but nothing biting. Moved up past some shallow water toward a deep pool, a heron or kingfisher or one large bird cleared out of the area passing overhead. Crossed the stream downstream from this large pool with a huge gravel bar on the upside of the current. Animal scat everywhere, pungent fish smell like a feeding area for the birds and raccoons. Tree trunk down across the pool with a good ripple upstream and water opening up downstream of the tree. Cast upstream and got only bluegills. Brush over the stream took my fly, had to balance out onto the downed trunk to get the fly and at the end of that trunk looked down to find 5 maybe 6 rainbows from 10" to the largest at 15" or so in the feeding lane, jockeying with each other for the best current. Everywhere under the brush, juveniles. At least several dozen 3-5". Out there balancing, started working the pool and trying to get a bite. Had to choke up on the 9' TFO just to get under that brush hanging over. Working around the tendons of tree limbs, sinking nymphs in the lane. Bluegill and minnows 4" long fighting over the nymph, a trout breaks rank and takes it in, hook set and fighting it, this one is maybe 10", 12". I can't tell but they fight mean like a shock and shaking jumping and rolling. Worked it back to my left and the bank and the fish clears the hook. Almost... I take a minute. Blood rushing. Breathing. Go back to another nymph pattern. Tying it. Fingers fumbling. All the fish still there, just hovering. I get the knot tight down on the eye of the hook and nip the tipper and clean the fibre on the fly with my thumbs and taught the line in my fingers and roll the line out to sink the fly. It floats by with no interest. Try again. Same. Again. Get it deeper cross the lane and five or six big native rainbows shaking at it, another breaks and takes it. Big one. Maybe 14". Hook is set. It is throwing off the line lbreaking water in the shallow end of the pool. Amazing the fight. Another tug and it loosens the hook. Shakes and hides in the deep under roots. Not quite. Still four or five in the lane as I retrieve my line. Sweating. Regroup. Try another sinking bead head. Sun is behind me. Half an hour blinks away. Another bite and hook set and another unable to get to the net. Need to get home. Balance back off that tree trunk, those fish still hovering in the lane. Got to go. Another day.

[2sheds]

great report. isn't that the most incredible experience ?