Sometimes I Scare Myself

After all the crazyness yesterday, my wife suggested I go back out to New Melones, with my fly rod, and settle the need to attack those surface supping fish. I think is was because she wanted me to stop pounding my head on the computer keyboard (She's pretty protective of our computers being the IT Guru and all).

I got there at 0915 because I had to stop for gas and coffee, but by that time all the good places were taken. The first thing I noticed was the surface supping fish were at it again. I rigged up with a Scientific Anglers 9ft 6X leader. I wanted to go as light as I could and I didn't have any 7X.

The first fly I put on from My new Baetis Cycle fly collection was the Big Bear Emerger in size 20. I didn't know whether they were eating in the film or on the surface. Wasn't long before I got the first crashing hit, but I wasn't fast enough.

After a while, there was no more interest in the emerger, so I changed to a CDC Para Spinner in size 18. The light was changing and the little white fluff (very technical fly tying jargon) on top, made it easier to see. The dry on the surface did the trick and the first Rainbow (small, maybe 10 inches) came to hand. One of the guys fishing next to me took pictures and as soon as I get them, I'll  put them on a post. As is the practice with first catches, it went back for another day.

I continued to get hits, and misses until that fly didn't get anymore interest so I changed to a Parachute BWO (bigger white fluff) and got a few more hits and misses. Does this scare you that I'm talking like this? Scares me.

About 11:00am the surface feeding about disappeared with just a sip here and a sip there so I went back to the truck and got my box of dry flies to try something new. The BWO's were still present, but in a very small quantity, unlike yesterdays hatch. I put on a Royal Wulff in size 12 (thought I'd something a little bigger) and what trout could resist a Royal Wulff. Apparently those because I didn't even get a second look. The second choice was a Yellow Humpy in size 12, but nothing here either.

At this point I suspected that it was over for the day and rather than pack up I threw a couple of nymphs under an indicator and a Thinmint just for practice. The count for the day was Shoreman 1, fish 8.

Wow, matched the hatch on this one. I guess all that reading did some good, but if something else is hatching, I'm in trouble. I'm satisfied that I was right about what was happening and now I can stop the head banging.

Till next time.

Mark