njtrout
07-18-2012, 08:10 PM
Long day at the office was an understatement with the only bright spot being my wife calling to say "your daughter and I are watching your son practicing fly casting on the lawn, just so you know". Now, for a few weeks prior to that day I'd been instructing the boy on just how to cast a 5WT 'boo (Payne taper) rod but not on a stream instead, out on our puddle filled driveway -wet early summer/June- (roll cast) and on a short almost golf green like lawn (dry fly casting towards targets). At the time we lived within 5 miles of numerous wild brookie filled streams but I felt he wasn't ready - by himself - to really deliver a fly with precision to a worthy fish (or playand release it, properly). OK, so I was wrong. Been wrong about other things too and, far less important in the grand scheme of things.
Arriving home I told him: After dinner we're going fishing...in a stream. Never mind whch one (he'd been to several but not that one) I just want to see how good you are. We quietly (as quiet as excited boys can be) waded in the tail of a long pool overflowing with indigenous Brook Char (DNA verified) at the begining of the 'magic hour' (sunset until total dark).
After a warm up his classic 10-2 overhead dryfly (no 'match the hatch' fly rather a generic Wulff type thing he tyed - he's read EVERYTHING by the guy - wonder why :) presentation produced a beautiful 10" specimen easily brought to hand. Very satisfying but he wanted more (I was ready to call it a day). He suggested: "You say muddlers can dredge up the biggest brookies". Being tired and now cold (we were wet wading) I replied "might be too dark for that". Of course he didn't take no for an answer so I fished a big one out of a vest pocket and tied it on...EXRA STRONG (hoping?). The kid roll cast like a champion, right up to the EXACT spot I told him to and....snagged. OK. that's what I thought, until it started moving. I told him "it's a turtle, probably a snapper (seeing the rod bending and thinking NO fish here is that strong and slow)". Grabbing the rod from him so he didn't overstress the tip to the point of a 'set'....there was a throbbing. Turning it right and left....WOW, it was a fish! Still thinking it could not possibly be a trout/char I gave the rod back to him saying "go easy with suckers they don't stuggle until they get close and I'll grab 'em when he does". Hmmm... unusual suckers would be up in this pool so late in the year but....
Upon cathing a glimpse of a lage white edged pectoral I grabbed the rod above and below where he was holding it. Guiding him against his stuggle with the fish (no way he would have got it in alone), we eventually prevailed. The picture (of the fish - HIS - on my lap) was printed and circulated as far and wide as he could find interest. I've heard relatives in Arizona have it framed and hanging in their kitchen.
Last year, downstream, I caught (and realeased) one even bigger actually, my personal biggest wild brookie ever (outside of Canada). We're going there soon... need some rain.
Arriving home I told him: After dinner we're going fishing...in a stream. Never mind whch one (he'd been to several but not that one) I just want to see how good you are. We quietly (as quiet as excited boys can be) waded in the tail of a long pool overflowing with indigenous Brook Char (DNA verified) at the begining of the 'magic hour' (sunset until total dark).
After a warm up his classic 10-2 overhead dryfly (no 'match the hatch' fly rather a generic Wulff type thing he tyed - he's read EVERYTHING by the guy - wonder why :) presentation produced a beautiful 10" specimen easily brought to hand. Very satisfying but he wanted more (I was ready to call it a day). He suggested: "You say muddlers can dredge up the biggest brookies". Being tired and now cold (we were wet wading) I replied "might be too dark for that". Of course he didn't take no for an answer so I fished a big one out of a vest pocket and tied it on...EXRA STRONG (hoping?). The kid roll cast like a champion, right up to the EXACT spot I told him to and....snagged. OK. that's what I thought, until it started moving. I told him "it's a turtle, probably a snapper (seeing the rod bending and thinking NO fish here is that strong and slow)". Grabbing the rod from him so he didn't overstress the tip to the point of a 'set'....there was a throbbing. Turning it right and left....WOW, it was a fish! Still thinking it could not possibly be a trout/char I gave the rod back to him saying "go easy with suckers they don't stuggle until they get close and I'll grab 'em when he does". Hmmm... unusual suckers would be up in this pool so late in the year but....
Upon cathing a glimpse of a lage white edged pectoral I grabbed the rod above and below where he was holding it. Guiding him against his stuggle with the fish (no way he would have got it in alone), we eventually prevailed. The picture (of the fish - HIS - on my lap) was printed and circulated as far and wide as he could find interest. I've heard relatives in Arizona have it framed and hanging in their kitchen.
Last year, downstream, I caught (and realeased) one even bigger actually, my personal biggest wild brookie ever (outside of Canada). We're going there soon... need some rain.