Tom Finkbiner & Straub's Bill Brock Stock 4-17-2013

What's working...

That is not a hard question right now, the March Brown is working. Of course, from time to time, so is a caddis, a Hendrickson or Red Quill, a Quill Gordon, and a Blue Quill. The March Brown is working on top although a good number of trout are being caught on the emerger, either fished singly or dropped off the bend of the hook of the March Brown dry. Above or below the surface, the action is certainly heating up along with the days and water temperature. Read the Few More Casts column below to see how a small change of location made a big difference last night, at least for one angler...

Just a few more casts...

     

     In addition to so many amazing traits, there is one thing about our great finned adversaries that seems to continue to tilt the balance of power in their favor - they are unpredictable. Late yesterday afternoon (May 2nd), there were a few trout that I saw caught on the Naval Run Pool. I missed one as I gawked around to watch the flies. They were active from around four to five fifteen, then seemed to shut down for the most part. But, the wind did not shut down, it got stronger as the sound of the helicopter above Naval Run seemed to increase. It was time to find a place a little calmer and quieter, and maybe with less anglers. I went above the Cedar Run bridge on my way back to Pettecote, and there, above the bridge, along the road, in the big glassy pool, there were trout feeding and, NO OTHER ANGLERS! Beyond belief. Car parked, rod already set up with the same March Brown still waiting to entice, it was 15 feet to the creek. 

     Such a difference from one pool to another! The sun was already below the mountain which made seeing the fly a little easier without the glare. The March Brown drifted downstream and sip, the first was on. I needed that! After the release, another fish fed 15 feet above me. Slowly backing up to get an angle, the cast allowed the fly to drift only three feet before a second was on, a small rainbow. With a brief inspection, you could see there were sipping fish all along the light current cutting through the mid-pool area. Again, no one else was there, it was a little like January and February for me, only warmer and the fish were on the surface. 

     It couldn't have been a better evening. Of course you could say the action could have been even quicker, the fish bigger, who knows what all. But, for me, it was quiet, peaceful, a sweet scent drifted through me from a creamy, white flowering tree nearby, and as the scene softened and shadows extended to a gray obscurity, all was well, and Pine was once again the doctor. 

Schoolhouse Riffle Stocking 4-10-2013