5/24/19 Quick Trip report / The Calm Before The Storm

[Ham]

I had a little time after work so I decided to go pick on some trout. I figured I had about 90 minutes to fish. I looked at generation schedule and decided to go downriver to avoid the hard ride and algae that would be knocked loose.

To Ranchette I go. I got the boat in the water and a rod rigged finally, first cast one silly trout lost his mind over the Zig Jig. Poor little guy needs to leave the Mtn Dew alone. I’m thinking it going to be crazy good, but the water is so trashy. I clearly have a lot to learn. The river was full of pieces of algae drifting down in minimum flow. I felt like Jon Snow. 

Next 30 minutes were awful. Changed jig sizes and colors. Missed strikes and last second turn offs. Even the trout were trolling me! But... I hung in there. I found a long riffle with a big hatch (mixed caddies and midge) and rallied. 

It was a strike almost every cast for an hour. Nothing over 14 inches, but Good Color and a lot of fight in these fish. Very little stocker wallowing around. I only had one fish that was so poor looking that stomping his head looked like the kind thing to do. 

All fish were released as lovingly as possible. Many I never lift from water. Barbless almost always. 

1/32 oz Zig Jig (Olive/Orange) was best catcher, but 1/16 oz (Olive /Ginger) worked too. 

I finished with 26 caught in the 90 minutes the boat was in the water. 23 of those in the last hour. I left them biting. These are my first trout since late March. 

I’ll probably leave them to the tourist for the weekend. Might fish Some Sunday.

[Ham]

First cast 

[Ham]

Lots of time lost cleaning algae 

[netboy]

The algae is really bad this spring. The bottom of the river is still covered with it so I guess it will be another month or so before it is gone. I talked to one of the fly fishing guides and he said it comes up late winter/early spring and then starts to die off in May. I found the best way to avoid it is using dry flies or soft hackles just under the surface..   

[Ham]

I really need to get my fly fishing stuff in order. An emerger would have been amazing. 

[netboy]

17 hours ago, Ham said:

I really need to get my fly fishing stuff in order. An emerger would have been amazing. 

Better yet... an elk hair caddis dry. Nothing more fun than watching them come up for a caddis especially if looks like it is getting away from them.

Try skating it a bit and then hang on.