Sunday, January 27, 2013

First fly trip of the year

I couldn't believe I hadn't gone fly fishing yet this year!  So I decided that despite all the stuff I'm supposed to get done, I needed to go fishing.  So I left bright and early to hit the Middle Provo.  I figured it was a good way to end last year, might as well start this one the same way.  I even fished the same section, just above Deer Creek.  I quickly rigged up with what worked the last time I was here, a modified Hare's Ear with a pink Scud dropper, and I was off working my way up-stream.  First hole I was into fish on both flies, nothing really of any size early but at least I was catching fish!

Dig the spots


 Caught an obscene amount of fish today.  About every third cast it seemed like I had a hit, or a fish on.  Pink scud seemed like the go to fly, but I gave a few other flies too and had success on all of them: Gray Scud, Orange Scud, Gold Copper John, Modified Hares Ear, and a size 16 Adams that I was using as an indicator for a while (which kind-of shows you what kind of day it really was, everything worked and I was still willing to move on and try different things).  

The only brown that had some brown on!
 After catching almost nothing but rainbows all morning, I decided to try and get away from people a little bit and move down river and got into the Browns (although a lot of them seemed all silvered up).  There are some deeper holes down that way and that made me move my indicator around a little until I could find that sweet spot.  Luckily, with the indicators that I tie up changing depth was a cinch.
Silvery brown
 Today was also a great opportunity to try out some new gear that I've gotten lately.  This was my first time out without a Scientific Anglers fly line in about ten years.  The new line is a Hook & Hackle "Classic" hi-floater line in a weight forward 5.  I've got to say that for the money it's a pretty good line, though the difference between it and the Scientific Anglers Air Cell line is somewhat negligible.  It seems like the H&H line loads my rod better with less line out, but both lines seem to have a tendency to sink right at the tip.  That being said, I didn't dress this line at all before taking it out and that might make a big difference.  We'll see how it holds up over the course of the year.  Hopefully it doesn't crack as quickly as my last Air Cell seemed to.
The other bit of equipment that I was taking for a test drive was the net that my brother Jeff made for me.  I knew it looked killer, but now I know that it works really well too.  Just attached it to my vest with a couple of temporary carabiners till I install an eyelet.  Although, this system worked really well today and I didn't have to worry about the net catching on brush as I walked by because of how high up on my back the net rode (plus it was handle down).  So, I might not worry about changing this up for while.

Biggest fish of the day, a chubby 17 incher

If only it were always this empty...
All in all, I had a really good outing today and would've stayed longer if the wind wouldn't have kicked up around two o'clock.  I'm usually just fine fishing through the weather, and had already been rained and snowed on today, but this wind was unreal.  I stopped casting, I just held my rod up and let the wind take my line out!   It was clearly time to head home.
 A great year is now officially underway.  Hopefully you can wet a line soon...

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