Unstocked Trickle

My hopes were set on the melting snow coloring up the water. As I arrived, my well wishing was quickly realized. Despite ideal water conditions, the fish were less than cooperative. I hooked and landed two silver freshies, but both scooted away before I could snap pictures. Things were slow after the twin excitement, so I decided to make a run down route 5, towards a smaller, unstocked creek. This creek is only five yards wide but has parts stacked with steelhead, domestics and the occasional pod of spawning lake run browns. Techniques change dramatically when tributary hopping. Streams of such small size require a delicate presentation, starting with a slow steady sneak when approaching the water. I removed my strike indicator and lowered my tipit to 4x fluorocarbon. I tied on the smallest sucker spawn I had in a tempting peach color and prepared to make one cast. That’s all you usually get before the pod of fish scatters, but if you present the fly correctly, you can have several fish clamoring for your offering at once. My cast rolled out, up and across stream. I made a light mend bringing the line back, behind the fly, letting the bead head sucker spawn tumble along the shale substrate. One nose passes after a quick inspection, another fish darted out of the way as if sensing my leader. As the fly approached the end of the drift a quick flash darted from a crevasse in the shale that I had not previously noticed. With a head swinging snatch the silver bolt pick up my sucker spawn and headed back for his hid out. I raised my rod and allowed the fast getaway to seal his fate.