I got out of work a little early to day so I decided to hit one of the local small streams. After a brief drive I entered a canyon that contains a small but productive stream. The foliage is dry and brown this time of year. The free-range cows were smelly and annoying but the fishing was pretty good.
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| It looks open but it is not. You can't see the tree limb just barely over my head! |
This stream is really tight in spots. A 12 foot tenkara rod can span the stream from bank to bank, and in 90 percent of the stream you could not cast with it. Because of this, I used the
Soyokaze 27SR which comes in at about 9 feet. This rod, combined with a 9 foot, #3 flouro line, is just what is needed to fish this small flow. I love this little rod. It is so much fun to use, and it has a surprising amount of backbone. It is sold as a
tanago rod, but it functions as a short tenkara rod very well. The largest fish today was a little over 12 inches. The rod had no trouble guiding it to my hand. Most of the cutthroats today were 6-8 inches; many were 8-10 inches.
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| Daiwa Soyokaze 27SR |
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| 12+ inch Yellowstone cutthroat |
As for the fly, I used a ........ #10 Utah Killer Bug (UKB) -- I know, what a surprise! This fly catches fish on my streams like no other I have used. Even my other favorite, the Soft Hackle Grey sakasa kebari can't keep up with the UKB. I have no idea what the fish take it for, but they really take it! I can tie one in 60 seconds so loosing them to the trees and bushes is no issue. I find it interesting that fish from different areas of the Rocky Mountain west respond to this fly. Again, what they take it for, especially a size 10, is a mystery to me. Of course,
other tenkara anglers have their own favorite flies. I guess that is a way for us to explore other patterns. I just have a problem exploring when I know the UKB will bring me fish!
Here were some other fish from today:
All of these fish were holding in a surprising shallow water. Some were taken in as little as 3-4 inches. Here is one that I snuck up on, just before he saw me a shot downstream.
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| A 10 inch cutthroat in 4 inches of water -- Do you see him? |
As the light began to fade I stopped to enjoy the water rushing around my legs, smell the balsam from the Douglas firs, and listen to the gurgle of the flowing stream. I then picked up a rock and threw it at a nearby cow!
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| Beautiful water, but shallow and tight! |
Tom, I could fish in your country. looks like the best small streams in my country (australia), minus the tannin or turbidity. beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI suspect the UKB worked so well because of those nasty cows. mostly likely reps crane fly larva in the fields that would be prevalent.
Hi Craig,
DeleteI suspect you are right about the crane fly larva. They are usually earlier in the season here, but I suppose the fish have memories of their juicy bodies!
-Tom
Nice pictures and some beautiful trout. The Killer Bug is awesome....between a Killer Bug and a Royal Sakasa Kebari I would have all the flies I need to fish virtually any stream (or pond) and catch fish. I love my 11ft Iwana but I agree with you that there are some streams too small to use it. I have a 7'8" soyokaze for that reason and it works beautifully.
ReplyDeleteHi Chris,
DeleteI need to try the Royal sakasa kebari. It is one of those that I have in my box but have not yet strung it up! Also, that 7'8" Soyokaze is one mega fun rod, isn't it!
-Tom
You don't have to answer, but I have to ask -- where is this stream?
ReplyDeletePebble Creek, just north of Lava Hot Springs. It can be brutially difficult to fish and fun at the same time.
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