After fishing the little creek in my last post, I decided to try a larger stream to see if the trout were any more active.
Snow melt has not yet started, but when it does I'll not be able to fish this stream for a few months. Right now it's flowing at 77 cfs. When the run-off going it will likely swell to 500 cfs! It remains so usually until July.
I entered the water and worked my way upstream. Even at 77 cfs it can be difficult to wade. I don't even try entering this stream if it's above 110 cfs. The water was slightly off colored and was still a cool 42°F, so I decided to use a #10 grey Mop Fly. I'm not much of a streamer fisherman; the Mop Fly is about as close to a streamer that I get.
I fished for about an hour and picked up a few nice fish, all browns. The largest was about 13 or so inches and was a real fighter. He used the current expertly and for a moment I thought I'd lost him to an underwater snag. But I didn't so extricated him, I took his picture quickly, and let him go to fight another day.
I'll be watching the snow melt closely. Maybe I can get a few more outings on this stream before the chaos begins.
Snow melt has not yet started, but when it does I'll not be able to fish this stream for a few months. Right now it's flowing at 77 cfs. When the run-off going it will likely swell to 500 cfs! It remains so usually until July.
I entered the water and worked my way upstream. Even at 77 cfs it can be difficult to wade. I don't even try entering this stream if it's above 110 cfs. The water was slightly off colored and was still a cool 42°F, so I decided to use a #10 grey Mop Fly. I'm not much of a streamer fisherman; the Mop Fly is about as close to a streamer that I get.
I fished for about an hour and picked up a few nice fish, all browns. The largest was about 13 or so inches and was a real fighter. He used the current expertly and for a moment I thought I'd lost him to an underwater snag. But I didn't so extricated him, I took his picture quickly, and let him go to fight another day.
I'll be watching the snow melt closely. Maybe I can get a few more outings on this stream before the chaos begins.
Hey Tom
ReplyDeleteI've noticed you refering to CFS a lot recently - how do you measure this? And do you have opinions on what are good levels of CFS to fish? Or does that vary stream by stream.
Thanks!
Sam
PS i love you blog!
I use the USGS daily stream flow data. Not all streams have USGS monitoring stations, but many do. Go to this site and click on your state. Then find the stream you're interested in. https://waterwatch.usgs.gov/index.php?id=pa01d
DeleteExcellent, that is really interesting. Sadly for me I'm in the UK - we have nothing like this!
ReplyDeleteImpressive Tom. Cold waters have such clarity.
ReplyDeleteThe fly looks to be some type of a "mop fly"...care to share?
Yep, a grey mop fly. #12 barbless jig hook. Black tungsten bead (optional). Grey thread. Thorax is Hareline ICE Dub peacock black. Abdomen is grey mop material. Easy fly and a real producer!
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