Since it's quite a long drive there, we didn't arrive until around 9 AM. We opted to fish the upper part of the stream first, in hopes of stumbling upon a few feeding fish. The first fish I spotted was too little too late. I was already in his field of view and could tell he was spooked. He dropped back into the pool below and although I drifted in front of him a few times, he didn't want any part of it. Next we stumbled upon two fish sharing a pool. It was like trying to fly fish while standing inside of a huge tree - that's how much room I had to work with. We did what we could, but the fish just were not interested. They weren't spooked, just too busy romancing eachother. We left them alone to find some loners that were feeding. We walked for what seemed like a mile or so but saw no more fish. My guess is, is that it was a bit too early for them. Sure it was mid-late April, but in the NEK Spring arrives a little late.
We hiked back downstream and hit one last spot - the biggest pool on the stream that was definitely holding fish. We snuck up behind them and began to cast toward them. We tried the stealthy approach, and the fish didn't seem to spook at all. But once again - they weren't interested in feeding. I changed flies a few dozen times, tried different approaches but couldn't seem to get one to be interested. Just when things started to look up....I put on a tiny white indicator and drifted a few nymphs over the pool....plunk goes my indicator. I wish a Guinness World Record rep was there, because I set the hook on this fish so fast I was just dumbfounded. Was it because I'd been waiting for a tug all day or something? It was truly an awkward feeling to set the hook on a fish 1/100th of a second after it dipped. I felt the hook pull right out of it's mouth....ugh. They wouldn't even take Chris's crawlers or even look at them after that (and most of the day) That's when we knew it just wasn't meant to be. We were humbled, and took our leave. I gave a nod to the fish as to say they won, and off we were. By the time we left, we hadn't had much daylight left so we opted to fish an outlet of a small lake in the NEK that Chris often visits which is gorgeous and has crystal clear water.
It was the same spot I had landed the laker a week before! I remember saying something along the lines of "I'll give you a head start to get one", to Chris. He laughed it off, but when I got rigged up and started fishing...zzzzzzzzzzzz!!! Fish on!
I remember Chris saying "Are you serious?????" after the hookset of the second fish, but within 10 minutes after landing the second fish, I hooked up again....woo!
Chris must have been full of envy, because when the fish ran towards me and then booked it downstream, his netting skills suddenly vanished(just kidding, he did what he could for sure). The fish ran hard downstream and after turning, the hook popped out. Chris seemingly netted it right after the hook popped out, but the fish seemed to vanish from the net! We could have sworn it was definitely in the net. Who knows what happened, but I do know that it was another big colored up rainbow that was beautiful. At least I got to see it! Unfortunately Chris couldn't find his way to a fish, but I think he got a kick out of letting me get a few myself. I sure love to watch friends catch fish, and I'm sure he's the same way. We'll go back for brookies and maybe rainbows again soon and he'll get into some, I just know it!
We left before it got dark since it was a long ride home. I remember seeing a, "moose xing" sign and saying to Chris, "moose? Yeaaaaah right!" 10 seconds later on the side of the road drinking from a puddle....a moose!
Another great weekend in the books!
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