Yesterday evening I felt like I died and went to heaven. It was everything I could have hoped for. Recently this crick has been very good to me, multiple fish over 20.” Would I catch another biggie tonight?
I got to the stream at 3:30 and my very first cast I was rewarded with a 14” brown. Nice way to start the outing but that actually was cause for concern in my mind. On previous trips when the sun was out only the dinky trout would bite my spinner. The big trout all to wary. I continued to work my way downstream. My idea was to fish it down and up, get two different angles. If there were bigger fish that were going to bite, I’d have to really cover the water. I picked up a couple more average sized trout with my spinner but nothing that got my heart racing.
One and a half hours into fishing and a handful of average sized trout was I going to get a biggie? My luck changed after I walked downstream a ways and switched to worms fishing my way upstream into untouched water. Right away a solid 17” brown hit and once again my big net came to the rescue. However the fish did not really excite me, I was hoping for a giant. Finally I worked my way up to a pool where I caught a 21” and a 19” back to back on spinner on a recent outing. There is a funnel at the top and the pool widens and it appears to be chest deep. No action on the spinners however another 17” brown, this one a touch more chunky with more gold coloration. Once again big Frabil net to the rescue. This fish darted around where I did not want to take any chances, I jumped in the crick and scooped him up.
Two 17” browns. Now the fishing is getter better I thought to myself. It was 5:30 now and some clouds rolled and it got a little darker out. I liked what I saw. It was almost dark enough where I contemplated removing my polarized clip on lenses. Relaxed with two decent fish under my belt I pulled out a frosty cold beer and soaked up the scenery. The big blue stem grass over two feet tall now, many colorful songbirds systematically sweeping over the stream eating up bugs. I saw a bunch of gnat sized bugs, nothing these big trout would eat, however a few sporadic tan caddis.
Re-energized from landing two quality browns I methodically trudged forward. Hard work stomping through mushy grass and mud from all the recent rain. The crick was lightly stained and a tough high and swift. At times in some of the narrow sections I would add a second split shot because I felt my drift was too fast. Then I would take the split off. Overall one medium sized spilt was about right. My idea was I’d rather not spook a big trout with the big “kerplunk” sound of two splits hitting the water. I tried my #9 spinner at times too however only the occasional tug and the fish was off, like they were not fully committed. I was starting to wonder if these trout have seen my spinners enough that they could no longer be fooled? I had two packages of crawlers and decided to stick with worms, casting upstream and drifting on down.
Taking a break I kneeled down and casted a worm into a section I think looks much like the rest. I really was not expecting much as I’d never caught a trout here before. Right away I saw my line start to move. I reeled up my slack felt the weight of the fish and set the hook! I use 10lb braided line and by default I have the drag set pretty tight as to not let the fish into undercut banks and break off. At first I could not tell how big the fish was, he was swimming really fast right towards me and I was reeling as fast as I could not to give him any slack line. This fish saw me and barreled downstream making my drag scream! ZIP, ZIP, ZIP, three powerful surges. That out of control butterflies in my stomach was upon me now. I got out and into the middle of the creek only to realize this section very deep. Water was up to my chest and close to going into my waters. This tank brown was swimming around in every which direction, next over to an undercut bank where he appeared hung up. I tip toed over to where the fish was hung. The fish was not moving and nor was I. I just maintained pressure however not adding any pressure. We were at a standoff and both the fish and I took a 30 second pause. I kept reaching down trying to feel my line under whatever the fish was wrapped up on however it was just out of reach. Each time I tried the river level crested right at the top of my waders. On my tip toes I cautiously took tiny steps closer to where the fish was. When I moved a foot closer this spooked the fish and he took off like a torpedo again, this time thankfully dislodging himself from the tangle in the undercut bank. Finally the fish was in the middle of the creek and out came my big net to swoop him up.
