Recon OOH-RAH

Today was a day of some fishing, but mostly recon.  I picked up my neighbor Roy at 0730 and we met his son Don up the road from the house. With coffee in hand, we began our trek to the "secret" places that Don knows.  

The first stop was just below a dam and there were fish feeding on the surface, but for the life of me I couldn't see what they were feeding on. So logic told me to put a Baetis dry on a see what happens. I threw to this fish and that fish, but all offers were ignored. 

So I wandered out to the T part of the "dam" below and cast to the edge of the bushes on the other side. I guess I should mention that I was using my regular fly rod, not Tenkara. I managed one hit and run, but that was it. I walked a little downstream to see if I could get any interest there and I found what was hatching. Only problem, what ever it was was so small I couldn't even tell what it was. Had to be at least a 23 or smaller.

First stop

The second spot was more tailwater below another dam. I'd tell you where, but again I'm under threat of death not to divulge the location. I'm sure you can understand by the brown in the picture below. I can't believe I had those towels in my belt when I took this picture, but it's something needed to dry flies although I took this brown on a spinning rod with a black Panther Martin.

Stupid towel picture

On another day I will be standing in the river waving a stick for more browns like this one.

On to secret spot #3. 

The dam

High Mountain "Lake"

I fished this with a Thin Mint and a just for kicks a Dave's Hopper, but didn't get any interest. Oh yeh, the second picture is the inlet to the lake. We weren't here very long and like all lakes, it takes time to learn the lake. I do have some ideas and the rumor is big browns. Don did get one hit bottom bouncing a crawler up the inlet a ways. Unfortunately it is a "no contact" lake so no Float Tube Cumberland here.  

On the way back down the hill we stopped and scoped out a small creek that is just Tenkara intensive. I'll hit that on the next trip up and see if there is anything there.

I know this is not my usual "tell everything" post, but I prefer to keep my body intact for the next fishing trip. So thanks for understanding and I'll keep you updated on how the future trips go. This is kind of like Mizlan over at Dark Art Caster and his Village X. All the best places are hush hush. 

Till next time.

Mark