A Fishing Trip - Average Joe Fisherman Stylle

[soupmix]

All throughout last week Average Joe Fisherman Scott and I were in talks to make Sunday an all-day fishing extravaganza. The plan was to get up early, which for those of you who do not know me is a feat in itself since I normally sleep in until 10:00 a.m. on the weekends, and make the two hour drive north to our stream of choice. It took many phone discussions to decide on the time, location and tactics that would be used. After the careful calculations were completed Sunday arrived and we were on our way.

Two hours later we were parked at the end of a dirt road practically jumping out of the car. We were more excited than a teenager who had just been kissed by the head cheerleader. We were going fishing! We tore into the trunk of the car where our fishing gear was packed away. I pulled out my waders, fly rod, vest, bug spray, flies and finally reached for my boots. My boots weren’t there however. They were back at my house, two hours away, were I left them outside my garage to dry from the last trip! Ugh! You have got to be freaking kidding me! “I forgot my boots!” I shouted. Scott asked me what I was going to do, which implied that I better figure something out because he was going fishing with or without me!

The weatherman was calling for hot temps and blue bird skies so I thought about wet wading, but the only pair of shoes I had were a brand new pair of Merrells that cost me an arm and leg. With no other option we packed our gear back up and headed to the nearest town. Needless to say I am now the proud owner of my third pair of “back up” boots. Just another day in the life of an Average Joe Fisherman!

Finally, an hour later, I had my new boots and couple of new flies and we were ready to fish. With the sun and high temps our plan was to target brook trout. We were pretty sure they would be “lined up” in every run we cared to fish. On the end of my tippet I tied a pretty cool variation of a black foam beetle I found while at the fly shop. Scott tied on a Madam X variation that I was sure wouldn’t produce anything. While walking through the woods to get the stream I lost my brand new fly. $1.25 and it never got wet!

Once on the water we did catch fish, lots of them, but it was not easy. Normally brook trout will rise to most anything you throw at them, but not today. Some runs would produce four to six brookies and others none. In other words, like most other good things in life, you had to work for it.

With two hours of daylight left we decided to try our luck on much larger stream. I had a good inclination that there would be a white fly hatch, and indeed there was. It was a pretty good hatch too. That is why it was really surprising that nothing was rising to them.

We spent the last two hours of the trip getting “skunked.” Oh well, it was still a day better spent than in the office!









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[Brooktrout]

nice report and cool pix. i bet you do a lot of roll casting on that stream.

[Danny S]

Glad you were able to get on the stream--finally--and had a good day. I half expected to see a pic of the third pair of back-up boots, but it was not to be. Just asked myself a question: If I had back-up boots, would I remember to take those in case I left the primaries at home? Nope--I would likely leave them right there next to the primaries. My wife has told me sooooo many times: "you should build a checklist." After reading your experience and answering my own question, maybe she's onto something.

[soupmix]

Yup, lots of roll casting and some bow & arrow too!

Danny, your wife has a pretty good idea. Maybe laminate the list so you can keep it right with your gear. Good idea.

[jeepster]

Nice small streaming and gorgeous brookies.

[Mostyn]

Oh Yes, those under water photos are fantastic, those Brookie's are a lovely fish, great report; and the photos take us with you fishing! Brilliant.

Mostyn

[soupmix]

Thanks Jeepster and Mostyn. I am new to posting pictures. Glad to see all but one turned out!