Too Hot to Work.....

[Sagebrush]

Too Hot to Work

Monday looked like it was going 88 to 90 degrees and too hot to work.

Any excuse will sound feasible when bugs are hatching on a Grand scale.

Coldreive and I left home waters at 4:30 in the morning and drove across the top of the city towards Fergus and a well known tail water stream created by a bottom draw dam. There are only a few pools big and deep enough to accommodate two or three anglers split up on either side and we were lucky to find a lone fisherman on the far side of a favorite hole when we hiked in.

Bugs were hatching and splashes and gulps were popping the surface everywhere but few were interested in the ones we were throwing. We caught a few dinks and some more respectable fish and once in a while a big fish would break the surface and flip a fin at us. Darrin caught a few nice ones and I caught a few and must have had six or seven come unpinned before I could get them on the reel.
When we were left with the pool to ourselves we split up on either side of the pool and the action continued till noon. Things slowed down and after trying most everything in the fly boxes without much success, Darrin noticed a few big ones chasing what looked like large nymphs in the water in front of him. We were determined to fish with the Dries but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Darrin tied on a big stonefly nymph and within minutes had the fish of the day on the line, I waded across the river to be net boy when I saw how big he was, but a bad feeling came to reality as we got him close to net and realized he was fouled in a fin and was quickly released. Dejected, D waded over to the other side to work the water I had been fishing and I followed his lead and tied on about a #12 brass beaded Pheasant Tail I usually reserve for Steelhead dropbacks etc. and worked the run he had been fishing.
Within about three drifts I hooked up with a head shaking nasty pissed off Brown who had been sitting in the current seam minding his own business snacking on free treats. Darrin waded back across and helped net the bastard who was intent on bending that Cane rod of Shays into a pretzel and making a break for it every time he came close to us.





Safely netted and unpinned, I measured him at 20”, posed him for the obligatory hero shot and slid him back to the deep.





Shortly after that, I had another good one on for about 5 seconds which thoroughly pissed D off I think so I retired the PTN to the flybox and took off the indicator (bobber) and threw more dries till it was time to go. Three o’clock and a hot drive through the worst of rush hour traffic across the city to get home didn’t really appeal so after a cold tall boy beer from the cooler we hit the two lane country roads north of the city with the windows down, sunroof open and tunes blaring.

It was too hot to work……………….

Sage

[Lone Wulff]

Great report. That is a nice brown.

[jeepster]

Nice brown sage !

[Alpinefly]

That is a total beauty Jeepster. Yep, it is just too danged hot in the Ole Pueblo. Would love to just park my butt up in the Mountains where it is cool, and tease some Trout !!! Always free to head fishing any time someone hollers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sitting at the vise cranking out Flies !!!!!!!!!

[jeepster]

That is a total beauty Jeepster. Yep, it is just too danged hot in the Ole Pueblo. Would love to just park my butt up in the Mountains where it is cool, and tease some Trout !!! Always free to head fishing any time someone hollers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sitting at the vise cranking out Flies !!!!!!!!!

Hey alpine, I would love to take credit for catching a 20” brown with a shay 3w bamboo but it was sagebrush that caught it. I don’t even own a shay bamboo but sure wish I did. I did actually hold that little bamboo rod in my hands before it was shipped to canada when I was at shay’s one night.

Yea that little rod went around the shop all night long getting baptized with hooch and beer and a little fishn mojo from some imaginary friends.

[Sagebrush]

I don’t even own a shay bamboo but sure wish I did. I did actually hold that little bamboo rod in my hands before it was shipped to canada when I was at shay’s one night.
Yea that little rod went around the shop all night long getting baptized with hooch and beer and a little fishn mojo from some imaginary friends.

I thought that rod was a little sticky when it arrived.
So far the Mojo has been strong.... a 26" and a 20" Brown and several in the high teens and others that were just beautiful.
Casts a dry like it is part of my arm.
Shay Rocks.........

Cheers Brother