Watching the dock today

[Phil Lilley]

I'm on the dock this morning. It got colder last night than I thought it would. At 9 pm it was still warm and humid last night but this morning it's cold and crisp... alittle icy going down the runways.

I boated to Short Creek yesterday at 4 pm in hopes of catching 4 rainbows worthy enough for the frying pan. Still had a zebra midge on from the other day- black #16 with a nickel bead- pulled up onto the gravel bar and started watching for rises. It wasn't long- I hooked a small rainbow and released it. Most of the rainbows we've been seeing in that area have been about 9 inches- too small for my frying pan. I did hook one rainbow for a couple of seconds that would have been good. Saw it flash and felt the heaviness but the hook pulled out. After a half-dozen small rainbows, I headed for Fall Creek.

There I found the same- midging rainbows all over the bar. And they were larger in size. I had no trouble putting 4 12-inch rainbows in the livewell, releasing more than a dozen others. Never changed flies. Moved back and forth on the bar and fished the edges primarily. Had the whole lake to myself practically... it seemed... especially later in the evening.

I've found alot of midging rainbows early and late. This technique works anywhere, anytime.