Timing is everything

[Ed Wahl]

Well, there I was sitting in front of my 'puter yesterday morning. It was raining again, just like Saturday. Around 10 I just couldn't take it anymore. I told my wife I'm going fishing and hit the road. I hadn't seen my favorite creeks at all this year because of the weather. Now it was "weather be damned" time. I had to scrabble around and find my trout flies, tossed in my waders and raincoat, stopped at Bill's shop for some leaders & stuff and off I went.

With traffic problems and wet pavement I still made it up around 12:30. On the way in I see a small patch of snow, man, not good to see it here.



And then another, by now I'm wondering if I can get in at all.



After a bit I came across my first target, water's up a bit but it stll looks fishable.



So I'm thinking, my next shots are further up, I'll go check them and then come back here. So I kept going. Weather was rather iffy but since I'm here I may as well see what's what.





I got to my first crossing and I found a creek that looks prime. Just high enough to make fishing better than later in the summer.



As I was rigging up the sun came out. Now it's looking like a real trip. I took the short hike down to the water and on my very first cast with a #10 yellow stimulator I caught a pretty little brown.




Upon release it took a break behind some weeds, then moved over and zipped back into the run.





Okay, off to a great start. This is after my second cast.




Lightning struck 3 times right there and I decided I was going to stay here for awhile.
I fished upstream, catching and missing enough fish make for a good time. At one point I got tired of re-treating my stimi with floatant and just fished it wet, and caught one that way.
Here's a major change, for the past 10 years or so this tire had been 10 ft upstream and sunk into the streambed.



So now my day's pretty well made. So with no skunk I drove over to my last target, a pretty little creek that holds rainbows.
Again, I hike down and find it quite fishable. I caught a few of these and called it a day.



I should mention I fished with a partner this time. He kept up just fine. Every time I thought I'd lost him, there he'd be somewhere close. He even found me on the trail.
Go figure.
Must be faster than he looks.





You folks who fish the mid elevations need to start checking your spots right now. Runoff will likely change some conditions but you don't know if you don't go look.

Water temps were a bit cool, but the fish didn't seem to mind. Both streams were hitting 48 degrees, the only time of year when they're the same.

Ed