PINCH ME FOR DREAMING!

( here is the hog!- one of hottest dry fly bows I had on since that 21 incher in Big Bird Pool on the Big "D" in 1998

(This warrior's right eye taught him many lessons- look at the mouth-many hooks removed from this Gladiator)

(shows length and girth)

After spending a nice Easter day with the family, I decided to venture out around 5:00 p.m. just before Easter dinner and try to catch a trout on the dry fly with all those black egg laying stone flies on the surface. I've been watching two trout feed consistently all week at the tail-out of the Trout & Eagle pool while guiding for steelhead . These guys were very consistent from about 2 p.m till 6 ish. I had no idea what size they were and made small subtle rise forms- BUT.........what the hell, a trout- any size trout on the dry- would be exciting and a nice change from steelhead egg/stone flying.

So, I pulled up and there they were. Very selectively feeding in long intervals and changing positions frequently. There have been a bazillion midges lately with the warm weather, and have seen some trout refusing the stones( even though one stone is equal to probably 50 midges) and selectively targeting midges spent.

After at least 50 perfect down-and across presentations with my Darth Vader cdc, 18 foot leader with 7 feet of 5x tippet , I had no response with even perfect drifts over these two fish. I buried my head in the surface of the water and watched midge clusters, black stone females-and the clue finally revealed itself- dead spent black stone females!!!!!

I should have figured this out by the rise forms- back and tail sipping spinner style. So I cut down my wings of cdc in a V-shape and the first drift over the fish- which I thought was a 12-13 incher at best....WHAMMO!!!

I HAD TO LIFT ANCHOR AND DROP THROUGH THE SKINNY WATER OF MY RIFFLES TO LAND THIS PIG OF A RAINBOW BY MY DOCK- 19 INCH HOG BLOWING SPENT BLACK STONES OUT OF ITS THROAT!

TOOK ME IN MY BACKING 3 TIMES ON THE 10 FT.5 WEIGHT. ORVIS HELIOS- UN -FRICKEN BELIEVABLE!

SO.........how do I feel about the whole thing! Mesmerized!

Honestly I thought I was on the Big Delaware- chasing those huge wild 18-22 inch originally first stocked rainbows on the east coast in the early 1880's on Callicoon Creek. Those fish in Bard-Parker and Big Bird Pool are the most selective and wary rainbows a fly fisher will ever encounter. They actually make wild big browns look "dumb" and confused- seriously!

Moral of story, when you are receiving refusals and are unsure about a masking hatch, stick your face in the bubble foam line for ten minutes- don't come up for air till your instincts tell you so!!!

Posted in: 18 foot leaders , Big Delaware , black stones , calicoon creek , Eagle Lake Rainbows , masking hatch , muskegon trout steelhead , Orvis Helios , selective trout , wild delaware rainbows