110 minutes during Hunting Season

Today I was able to get out for just a few minutes and catch a handful of trout. It's hunting season (rifle) here and I usually don't like to venture into the mountains while this is going on. But today I did.

The weather was beautiful and the mountains sported their recent coat of new snow. The sun was bright and there was no wind. I thought that since it was mid week there should be fewer hunters out -- I was wrong.

I started on the stream at noon. The air temperature was 52°F and the water was 41°F. I started with a #10 UKB but only took one 6 inch cutthroat on it. So after a little bit I changed to a #10 Soft Hackle Grey wool kebari. I noticed a few caddis fluttering about and thought the grey would be a good match. My catch rate suddenly went up. Over the next 15 minutes I caught most of my fish, all cutthroats.

At about 1330 there came some rifle shots which were pretty close. I couldn't quite tell where the shooter was but it was in my general proximity and so I decided to head back. There were a couple pools I fished on the way back to the car and by 1350 I was done, having taking three more cutthroats.