Swimming would be Drier

Yesterday's few minutes of fishing (without me catching a fish) seemed to just whet my appetite. So, after a fish dream filled night and waking up well before my alarm went off, I got up to the sound of rain. Not just a sprinkle but an all out downpour. Crap. I really wanted to go fishing but wasn't that interested in fishing in a rainstorm. So I went to the basement to tie some flies. After tying up some Purple Hazes to replace those I lost last time I was on a stream in #18s and #20s I needed to tie something a little bigger. 

Turned out pretty good

Sometimes while tying I just have to experiment. This time I combined a bunny strip and some simi-seal dubbing. The result is a streamer that has a lot of movement in the water and a nice profile. As I sat there wondering if it'd work I finally said, "Screw this crap, I'm going fishing."

Looks like a great day to get out, right?

There was quite a bit of rain waiting, but I didn't let that deter me. The first spot I stopped was a string a beaver ponds where I've had success before, but didn't find much. I did manage one small Cutthroat on a Chubby Chernobyl and missed a couple on the new streamer, but I wasn't finding the action I had been dreaming of. So off to a new spot that required a bit of a hike, but what the heck? I was already wet.

Perfect setting, especially with the elk bugling

As I slid down the trail (yes, literally slid) I started to wonder if I had made a mistake. How was I supposed to climb back out of here? Oh well, I was already down there. It didn't take long to find a willing fish and the day was starting to really shape up.

Nice start on a new stretch

Soon after that I found a great looking beaver dam that wasn't here last year when I fished this stream. Sometimes the beavers screw up a nice riffle, but sometimes they get it right. Several nice fish were waiting to crunch a red San-Juan Worm that I put under my dry. 

Some great Brown Trout live here

Love the Cutts

Love it when I find some great Cutts! These were as thick and healthy as anyone could ask for, and had some really nice length to them. The stream was beginning to get a bit murky with all the rain, but I pushed on to a stretch of stream that I've never fished to find the fish of the day.

Fantastic fish

A perfect way to end the day so I pulled up and made my way, slippin' and slidin', back out and made it home in time for dinner and to find out that my 49ers and the Wife's Broncos both lost. Glad I didn't stick around to watch. Didn't find out if the new tie works, but it's just an excuse to get back as soon as possible. Hope you can get out, be safe, and enjoy the water.

- Kidder

Low light just makes these trees glow

Wish you could hear what this hawk had to say