Chapter 58 Day 8 - Trout Season

Fascination With Flies - Estate Sale Fly #1

Going through my recent acquired treasure trove of flies, I quickly realized I didn't know the name of many of the patterns.  With recent help from the likes of Harold Beck and Donny Carter several flies were identified, but, still there remain some that are strangers - like this one below.

With these estate sale flies my questions will be the same.  The questions being (1) What is the name of this fly? (2) How do I plan on fishing it?  (3)  Will it catch trout.  So... here we are. 

What is the name of this fly?  I have no friggin' idea.  I would consider it a hairwing fly with a tailing shuck... but, as far as the name somebody has to help me. 

How do I plan on fishing it?  I'm going to throw it in the drink in the film and fish it like a wet.  May work, may not. 

Will it catch trout?  Dunno - haven't tried it yet, but, hope to do so soon and will publish the results whether good or not.  

Chapter 58 - Day 1 Trout Season

Our birthdays are much like chapters.  A birthday comes; we open a new chapter; a year passes and the chapter comes to an end.

Yesterday was my birthday and I began chapter 58.  Today, I am on the banks of beautiful Blue River near the small community of Tishomingo.  And... today is day 1 of trout season.  Here on this princess of the prairie ocean I begin to write my chapter 58. 

The nightmarish summer is finally gone.  Record heat and exceptional drought left behind a scarred land.  Many currents of the prairie ocean ceased flowing and some went completely dry.  Blue, however, reached deep within herself; deep into her innards and brought forth the lifeblood that nourish the wild children that depend on this river.  Blue is indeed an amazing creation.

The torturous summer shut the carp by fly fishing down.  My friend Charlie never gave up the quest though, and in the last of late summer or beginning of early fall he began battling the carp once again.  For me, however, there was simply not the heart to go to a ravaged creek that seemed so unfamiliar.

The steps I take today are quite familiar... as friendly and inviting as they were thirty years ago.  The bedazzled and colorful pretty-fish await the offerings I bring to them; the buggers, hare's ears, soft hackles, and san juan's.  Here on this wonderful creation, from a time long ago, I have gone to that... place - the place of peace and reflection.  Oh... how I wish... I could remain forever.

It's easy to tell that autumn is in full season now.  Many of the trees at Blue are making an eye-catching show.  The river is down; there's no doubt.  However there is still plenty of flow to supply the pretty-fish with good oxygen and food source. 

The fishing was excellent in the dim lit morning.  I decided to open chapter 58 at Cottonwood Pool and on the first cast a trout took my offering.  The next thirteen trout would also come from Cottonwood, but, then the trout seem to go off the bite. 

From Cottonwood a trail downstream was struck with the Flats below the Island being the goal.  The Flats are quite shallow and crystal clear.  I cannot ever remember the Flats being void of trout with the first stocking, but, today there were absolutely no trout. 

Backtracking, a position at the Island was taken and two more trout came to hand.  Right after the second trout was landed Chuck and a friend of his arrived.  After a good visit I told Chuck I was going downstream to check that sweet child we call Seventeen.

Seventeen is as shallow and perhaps the lowest I've seen in thirty years.  Just like the Flats this inviting little water was sterile. 

From Seventeen I traveled to Chimney.  At Chimney I would discover a delightful pool where the trout were frolicking.   I do believe, even though it was early morn, these trout could have been taken on dry patterns because they were hitting the indicator.  Six more trout would come to hand before the wind picked up significantly.  The wind had been steadily rising all morning and it looked like it was to stay. 

The wind was enough to dislodge the golden and brown leaves of autumn splendor and the river quickly became jammed. 

The trout are good looking fish; healthy looking with spendid colors and several of the trout today even had a little size too them - a pound and half that to go - not bad for early stockers. 

By ten o'clock I am through.  A tight schedule prevents a full day on the river Blue.  I leave the river having met twenty-one trout on day one of chapter 58.

In The Last Week Or So...

THE SATURDAY WASH

There's a big golden trout down in Area 1.  Well... at least he was as of yesterday, and as far as I know he still was as of eleven o'clock this morning. 

I had reservations about even going to the river yesterday.  It seems that since last Thursday I've come to own some kind of palpitations in the chest area.  At times they can be quite unsettling.  Guess my reasoning on Saturday was I could either deal with the thumps in my chest at the bunkhouse or on the river... provided they didn't get any worse. 

Walked into Scotty's around 9 o'clock and his store was quite busy.  Made chat with several fly anglers that I'd never met before and suggested to a couple of them they explore the south wilderness.  Of course my intentions were good, but today I find out the south wilderness had quite the crowd yesterday and there wasn't any parking spaces available in the parking lot.  So... if you are the two guys I told to go there and it didn't work out for you, let me say how sorry I am for giving you some ill advice. 

I knew very well I wouldn't be taking the hike into the south wilderness yesterday because of the thumps in my chest, and therefore elected to go downstream in Area 1. 

At the river I crossed a branch and climbed onto an island going toward a point.  At the point I slide into the river and wade out about fifteen feet.  While rigging up, a rather large golden idol submerged in about four foot of water catches my eye.  No doubt, this big boy is one of the leftover derby trout.

I make about four casts at him, and with each one he simply moves to one side or the other.  After the fourth cast, this golden icon of wall hanging excellence disappears like a fart in the wind.  It isn't long after his departure that I also disappear in the same fashion.  It seems the short wade and climb on the island had compounded the palpitations.  Not being one who cares to share a near-death experience on one of those satellite stations, I packed ass and headed for the prairie home.

At the prairie home I quickly took to the bunk.  After a couple of hours I rise to find myself still uneasy and bored out of my mind.  So... I decide to go to the creek and see what the carp are up to. 

We received rain late in the week and it was enough to have most of the creek blurred.  I did see carp at Charlie's Pasture, but they were all sticking to the far side near the undercut bank.  Now... Charlie ran down there the other day and was able to coax one to take his offering, but on Saturday I would have no such luck. 

Saturday was mostly a wash.

THERE'S ALWAYS SUNDAY

Sunday morning begin pretty much the same with the dominating thumps riding me like fly paper.  Again, I had reservations about even going to the river and it was only when I reminded myself of how many times I've said I wanted to be standing in the river when my good lord and master calls me yonder.  Besides... I figure I've already written a epitaph and it pretty much says to the letter and word, "I've enjoyed all the women I've known, the fish I've caught, and the beer I've drank.  Adios."  With this Sunday morning revelation in hand... I head to the river.

There were two goals on Sunday.  One was to try and locate ol' golden boy again and after giving that effort about a half hour I turned attention to the second goal, which was fishing small flies to rising trout.

Seven or eight years ago, I received the most delightful book from fellow fly-fisher Graham Jones.  This book written by Darrel Martin is not one that can be digested in one setting, or even in a number of successive settings.  It is acutely detailed and technical and gives a lot of attention to the virtues of CDC as a tying material.  I've often wondered which is the buggier material - CDC or peacock herl.  Over time I've digested this book in servings, and it has been a wonderful eye-opener to the beauty of microsized flies.

Seventeen hasn't fished well most of the season.  However, with the way Seventeen is we can usually always count on her to provide a little rising action.  Today was no different. 

I'm not a real good dry fly fisherman... wish I was better.  On Blue... dry fly fishing can be really tough unless we find exactly what the trout are keying on.  On the water today were the same small black flies that Chris, Donny, and myself saw last weekend, but today they seemed much smaller.  I was convinced that the trout were keying on midges today and therefore I fished four or five different variations of the midge.  The midge did seem to be what held interesting to the trout with a number of trout missing my offering or my offering missing them.  I did bring one trout to hand on a black midge pattern.  The only other dry pattern I offered was Ralph's Ol' Gray and sure enough this pattern took a trout.  I think the poor trout came up on the fly so fast he didn't realize what he had until it was too late.

I stay at the river for only an hour and then the driving winds send me packing.  Sunday was much better than Saturday... from a fishing standpoint.

A PASSING CHANCE CARP

Back at the prairie home, I do some chores around the bunkhouse until it comes time to go to the mercantile store for some staples.  On the way to the general store I decide to stop by Rock Creek for a look-see.  Standing high on a bluff looking down I see two carp feeding in the shallows.  The problem is I'm on the wrong side of the creek with no waders or wading boots.  To get to the carp requires me to drive around to the other side of the creek, which I promptly do.  I have no waders, boots, camera, but... but, I do have a makeshift carp rod with a fly attached.

I say makeshift carp rod because the rod I broke during the trout derby was my fly rod for carp.  Instead of sacrificing another "good" rod, I decide to place into employemnt an old Shakespeare rod that has been sitting idle for a dozen or better years.  The Shakespeare is a stick... and, of course there are concerns if it will permit an accurate enough cast to place a fly in front of a carp, exactly where the fly needs to be.  Either I got extremely lucky today, or the question was answered with the first cast.  On the end of the tippet was a well worn and used Carp Carrot.  The Carrot landed about six inches in front of a carp and quickly disappeared from my sight in the off colored water.  Although I couldn't see the fly, I could see the carp and once his gills flared I went for the hook-set.  Indeed, the fly was in his mouth. 

Since the camera was left at the bunkhouse, I must tell you that this was a young carp... only about sixteen inches.  However, he owned the most beautifully red-orange colored tail.  Simply a beautiful creature.

BASS ACTION

If you are looking to get into some Blue River bass action, then your best chances of doing so are from now to the end of March.  With the warming temperatures and with the water warming up significantly, I suggest we are already seeing the pre-spawn at Blue.  It's during this time the bass feed in frenzy as they get ready to make love.  In April they will go into the spawn and late May or June they go post-spawn.

Now is a good time to carry slightly larger buggers in all colors.  White colored buggers or streamers seem to work quite well as does Clouser Minnows, and don't forget the crawdad patterns.  Crawdads have to be on top of the bass menu selection.

A Most Beautiful Day

Twelve days had passed since last visiting the river Blue.  The winter storm kept anglers in shackles, locking us in our warm shelters and preventing us from getting to or on the water.

It was a miserable time for me, so naturally I was excited in turning the prairie ponies in the direction of the river, and trout that awaited therein.  Getting a really late start I wouldn't arrive to the designated spot until after ten o'clock this morning.  Upon arriving there were already eight other schooners hailing from Oklahoma, Texas, and Idaho.  Hello Idaho! Under my breath I'm sure I uttered "holy crap", but then I asked myself, "Why wouldn't anyone expect anglers to be out on a day as beautiful as this?"

And... on what a beautiful day it was.  The hike to the fishing waters took about twenty minutes and I passed snow-packed banks that revealed footprints of the wonderful community of wildlife that makes Blue river their home.  I recognized the tracks of deer, coyote, and raccoon, and a couple of prints of smaller animals I wasn't familiar with.

Making it to the fishing hole, a particular pattern in a particular color was tied on and cast into the sea.  This pattern would be the only one I would use today.  The river was up slightly today... not much, but still up and that is welcoming.  I think the river was as beautiful and inviting as I've seen her in quite some time.

The bows were in pockets and I made it a rule not to over-fish any pocket today, setting a three fish limit.  Three fish, leave them be, and head to the next pocket.  

I moved at a much slower pace today and took a lot of long breaks simply sitting on the snow covered banks and taking in all the beauty.

Two hours into the trip I touched bow number seventeen... and this seem to be enough.  Usually I tend to under-dress, but today I definitely over-dressed.  I don't know what the temperature was at noon when I decided to walk out, but I'm guessing around fifty degrees.

Giving thanks I leave the river.  What a beautiful day.

Quick Fishing Report

I was certain that Dean from Wichita Falls was coming to the river this morning - at least that's what his last dispatch said.  So... my plan was to get to the river early and lay in ambush for him.  Three hours later, and no Dean, told me that evidently his plans had changed.

At 7:30 this morning it was down right cold on the river.  The thermometer read twenty-two degrees, but to me it felt much colder.

Of course, when you're fishing in weather as cold as this morning, guides, line, and reels icing up is always a big problem.  We just have to keep dipping the rod and guides in the water and keep on keepin' on. 

The fishing was okay today - not remarkable or hot and heavy, but simply steady.  The color of the day was brown.  Usually I go with olive, but at the vise last night I tied a brown bug and decided to give it a test run today.  Olive was the first color presented today, but attracted little interest.  Brown was so good that it would take seventeen of the nineteen trout met today. 

Ended up losing the brown bug to a damn rock and tied on a fluro bug.  The fluro bug was non-weighted so added split shot was required to get it down to the fish.  The fluro bug took two and it was about that time the wind got up and I called it a day. 

It may be my imagination, but the trout this season seem easily stressed.  We can land them quickly, get the hook our promptly and upon release the trout seem extremely lethargic.  I've even had a good number try and belly-up on me.  Why the trout would be more stressed this season is beyond me.  I have to wonder if it's because the flow is down and there is maybe less oxygen in the water.  Honestly, I don't know.  I still say the river is different this year.  Perhaps not a lot different, but still something is not right.

This area is already down two inches of rain for the year, and I pray we get some soon - not just for the river... but for the dry parched prairie land.  Wildfires are ravaging beasts. 

Spent the budgeted amount of pony feed today, so guess it will be close to home for me for the remainders of the week. 

Fluro bug took this pretty trout.

Brown patterns ruled today.

Calling It Quits

After exchanging with Charlie this afternoon... it's time to bring the Carp Crusades of 2010 to an end.  It's been one helluva ride.

We're not going to get anywhere near the goal that this ol' fool threw down at the carp.  A lot of excuses could be made, but none are.  There were just many things not considered when it was suggested to Charlie we go for 250 before the end of the year.

Never did I consider that there would be downtime and indeed there was.  Charlie had travels to make, and then I pretty much was immobile with vehicle repair for three or four days.  Then... Charlie returns home and trots down to Rock Creek and captures three carp with ease.  Looked like it was all going to plan!  But... never did Charlie or I dream he would return to the hospital for the one of the things we were hoping to avoid with the Carp Crusade. 

Things happen, life turns, and sometimes we have to live life on life terms.  Now... Charlie is going to go on further travels.  In addition, I totally miscalculated the sun this time of year, and quite truthfully we are fishing in shade most of the day. 

Most importantly... the one thing that escaped my throw-down was the call of Lady Blue.  Hell... it's trout season... and you know we have to be there, with the pretty little lady that holds the pretty fish. 

There was a hint in the exchange today that Merc might be coming soon, and, if so, there will most likely be a trio of Lady Blue love struck fly fishers... wading the pleasures she offers time after time. 

Actually, I am relieved that we've decided to give the carp a rest.  We wore them out this spring and summer, and a much-needed-rest... the carp do need.  Besides, there's a book to write.

The book is already written for all purposes.  We just need to put it all together.  When and once we do, we think readers will discover, quite early in the read, that this is a book that's not just about fly fishing for carp, but a book about a fly fishing friendship. 

The book will be revealing and personal.  Readers will learn of the bentwood chair in the dim lit room.  The prose will shout of the doubt, the hope, jubilation, set-backs, and lastly the friendship that fly fishing can bring.

Winter is a good time for writing... and a good time to spend on the river Blue.

Kingdom Of The North

Into the north wilderness, under a soupy cobalt sky,
overhead, a squadron of wayfaring geese easily fly.
The turkey strut, then run from my presence,
nature in full glory, the river Blue in her essence.

Flagging tails from a family of worried squirrel,

scampering to their tree house where they curl.

In the north wilderness, nature inviting to me,

offering the wonders of creation for eyes to see.

Casting a fly in hopes of a trout to vie,

into the water, their home, their lie.

Through the water comes a silvery flash,

rainbow colors and bugger come to clash.

The season of autumn's harvest is at it's fullest,

colors brown, gold, burnt orange at their brightest.
It's time to go now, short time well spent,
Thanks for the harmony to the heavens are sent.
 

Gorgeous Weekend At Blue River

This weekend was as pretty a weekend on Blue River as I've ever seen.  The sun was shining ever brightly on the masses of anglers, campers, and sight-seers. 

It was great camping weather even though it did get down to the freezing mark on Friday night.  The new tent heater I acquired works pretty good considering the fact I was in a summer tent.  Sleep certainly didn't come easy Friday night because my neighbor fell asleep and left his generator running until 3:45 a.m.  The next morning he came over to apologize and I told him I wished he just left it running because I was use to it by the time he'd shut it off.

Beautiful branch on Blue River

Fishing is pretty darn good.  Friday I started at 17, which wasn't fishing last weekend, but was this weekend.  Then I waded up to the boulder at 16, which was fishing last weekend but wasn't this weekend.  Just goes to show you, that we never really know about these fish. 

Next, I went to the ledge at the Island and this was a hot-spot.  Bryon Down and Steve Swenson were in the Flats below the Island and they said they had a treasure chest of fish they were trying to figure out.  As I left the Island it looked to me that Bryon and Steve had indeed figured what the trout wanted, because they were plucking them out.

Fished off the crossing a bit and took four trout there, and then it was time to hit Chimney Falls.  Chimney Falls was pretty hot too, but I did suffer a lot of subtle bites that resulted in a lot of misses. 

All in all, twenty-four fish came to hand Friday morning. 

Saturday, I did not wet a hook because we were trying to have our BRFF get-together.  Our get-together was kind of like organized chaos this year, but we did pull it off. 

Gosh, did we ever have a lot of food... a lot of good food.  Honestly, I don't know if I can remember what all we served up.  Donny and Linda Carter, served up a great Mexican dish along with a dessert.  Kevin Harris also provided a Dutch oven dessert.  Jeff Joseph made the biggest batch of jambalaya you've ever seen and there was a lot left over.  Harold and Eva Beck brought some beautiful and good stuffed jalapenos.  We also had El Paso Poo-Poops, sweet and sour chicken, some great bread, and other goodies. 

Although we were missing some people that usually always attend, we had some extra company in the form of our furry friends.  David Dillow brought his beautiful Irish Setter "Bree" and Bree is getting to be an old hand at these get-togethers.  Harold and Eva brought their beautiful chocolate colored friend, and Lane Kregel brought his gorgeous Golden Retriever.  All of these animals were simply beautiful and so well-behaved.  Dogs like Blue River. 

Harold and Eva's Stuffed Jalapeno's

 

Lane and his buddy.

 

Chimney Falls Rainbow

 

Sunday morning I ventured into the south wilderness.  I didn't go deep into the wilderness because I blew my legs Friday due to not being use to wading Blue in a long time in addition to trying to break a new pair of wading boots in.

I fished Coyote Pass and the Cove.  Honestly, the fishing was a little slow and spotty.  Two hours of fishing netted a total of nine bows.  It was easy to see that the flow has slowed down in some of the better spots in the south wilderness - drifts were painfully slow.  Also, there is still quite a bit of algae build, but this should go away rather quickly as the weather grows colder.

As far as flies that are producing... I've been terribly lazy.  In three outings I've caught about seventy trout, and all have been on buggers except one - that fish took a San Juan Worm. 

Breaking camp around noon on Sunday, I give thanks and leave the river.  This coming weekend is the trout derby, so expect a big crowd.

Tomorrow I fly fish for carp.



Damp Debut For The Prizefighter

With little over a week to go before trout season arrives at Lady Blue, I'm still creating different Carpola Charlie carp flies.  Last night I tied one called the Prizefighter.  So named because of the colors black, blue, and purple... the same colors most of us would be if we were silly enough to call Mike Tyson a chump. 

Today I wanted to send the Prizefighter on it's maiden voyage, but a rather severe thunderstorm came roaring through about mid-morning.  The storm was short in duration, but intense enough to blow away Miss Carol's Halloween-themed backyard. 

My thinking though was I could get to Rock Creek before the creek blurred with the storm being as short as it was.  Arriving at the creek a short while later, I found out just how wrong I was.  The creek was already milky and the strength of the storm had dislodged thousands of leaves that were near their twilight. 

Trying to cast the Prizefighter and not catch a leaf looked to be nearly impossible, so I decided to find me a spot and just wait for the shadow of a carp to come by way.  This process was a totally agonizing and slow venture.  However, there was a shadow about fifteen feet out, so I sent the Prizefighter sailing.  It wasn't long until the tippet starting travelling downstream and I set the hook - so I thought.  The hook-set didn't hold and the carp swam away.

The rains came back suddenly, but I wasn't ready to quit my quest for a carp to test the Prizefighter.  For the next hour I continued to try and find a carp somewhere between the fallen leaves and teardrops from heaven.  It was a daunting task. 

A little ways upstream there was a narrow channel.  The current was much faster than normal and quite milky color, but here was a group of eight or ten young carp.  Each carp was somewhere between 14 and 18 inches in length.  I put the Prizefighter amongst them and one youngster took it.  By the time I got him to the beach, I was in a downpour and decided not to risk getting the camera wet.

I stood in the pouring rain another ten minutes or so before grudgingly hollering calf rope.  The Prizefighter will have to wait another day to show his stuff. 

Mixed Emotions On Blue?

Image via Wikipedia

With Rainbow trout season at Blue River being just a matter of weeks away, we should all be prepared for something a little different in the stocking program compared to years prior. 

Some of you remember last year the poll that asked the angling community as to their desire in the number and size of the Rainbow trout stocked in Blue.  Those that participated in the poll overwhelming chose, larger but fewer trout. 

Now, I thought that was the way I voted also, but looking back on some of my notes I discover that no... I voted for a season long mix of standard stockers and larger trout. 

One of the members of the BRFF recently had a discussion with Matt Gamble, area manager of Blue, and it looks like the larger but fewer trout plan is going in effect this season.  Ralph reported that Matt stated the first several stockings would be standard size stockers and the number of these trout would remain the same as in past years.  But, after those initial stockings, the trout will be somewhat larger, but fewer.

How this new effort is taken by the whole of the angling community at Blue remains to be seen.  If you're an angler that simply likes catching a lot of fish, then you may not like it.  But, if you're an angler that likes to catch larger fish... then you'll like this new effort. 

I think the only reason I voted for a good mix is because I see so many young anglers on Blue and I want those kids to have as many opportunities to catch trout as possible.  It's my simple belief that if they can catch a trout then we are creating future anglers for years to come.
 
Now, one option that wasn't available on the poll last year was... "More Fish And Larger."  I guess everyone and their dog would have voted for that option, but my gosh what a budget buster that would be for the wildlife department.   And... I remember something that Matt said to me sometime ago, "We don't want to make Blue, like Roaring River."  Matt is absolutely correct about that.  Roaring River is crowded elbow to elbow fishing and such a scenario at Blue would not be a good quality fishing experience.

It's going to be interesting to see how this season unfolds. 

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