Friday, April 20, 2012

The Skunk is DEAD.....long live the Skunk!

Today is an absolutely beautiful day and I am off from work. I was going to go back to the pond where I limited out a couple of weeks ago but somebody beat me there so I turned around. On my way back to the house to do some yard work I passed the river that is near my house and decided to make a few casts. My line had a Mickey Finn on it because I had planned to go to the Cape this week for work and afterward I  hoped to get to Red Brook and catch a Salter. The visit never took place and thus the reason for the streamer attached to my line. As I approached the river, I heard "gulps" and thought that someone was chugging Gatorade (not really). Those of you who have been at this longer than me know what that sound was and I got to witness for the first time the cause of said noise. Two Brown Trout were side by side rising to get their passing meals on the overhead conveyor belt. This was truly the first time I had witnessed such an event in person thanks to my perch high above the river and my newly bought polarized sunglasses. In my excitement I threw my Mickey Finn desperately in the hope to catch one of these beauties. I knew they were rising for bugs because I could see the bugs on the surface. As the trout glided from from one bank to the other, I stopped and watched them. They were making their way up stream so that was where I was heading. By this time, I calmed down and started to think about all the things that I read (e.g. match the hatch) and snipped off the Mickey Finn and put on a dry fly. I would be lying to you if I told you exactly what dry fly (I am still learning here) but the one I took look like it would accomplish the task. I did some roll casts (look at me) to the part of the river I last saw the rises and nothing. I decided to move up a little further and made a dozen casts to an eddy that had to be their spot and got nothing. I looked around and didn't see any more rises and thought about a Pheasant Tail but decided against that fly for now. I slid back down the river, almost half way from where I saw the trout rise, and decided to try there. After a cast or two, I heard the "gulp" again and saw where the rise occurred. I shortened my line and cast to the spot no more than 10 feet from me and saw a trout approach my fly. I was standing and then remembered reading that I should be bending so that I lower my profile to the fish. I bent over, cast my line and watched the trout come up for my fly.

This beauty came to hand after a jump or two. This was my first trout I ever caught on a dry fly and my first Brown Trout.
He had a large amount of bugs in his mouth when I removed the fly.

I have now caught a Rainbow, Brookie and Brown Trout fly fishing in the river by the house that I ignored for nearly 20 years. The Salters down the Cape are next. I may stick with this fly-fishing thing!

By the way, I know that the Skunk may only be dead until the next time I am on the water.

10 comments:

  1. Fun post! And yeah, The Skunk has a curious way of reviving itself. ;)

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  2. Hi Erin.......thanks for stopping by and being so kind with your comments.

    It was a blast actually having everything come together after I composed myself. It was absolutely the opposite execution of plan from when I caught my first trout (a rainbow) fly-fishing.

    It was a comedy of errors that first time(me falling, the fish being pulled along the top of the water like a jet skier, etc.).

    This time it would have looked to an observer I actually knew what I was doing.

    I failed to mention that I was so satisfied that I stopped fishing.

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  3. Well, look at you... Not only dumped the skunk, but a personal best (and first) Brown. And not a bad sized one from the picture. Congratulations.

    Mark

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  4. Hey Mark.......thanks.

    It is starting to click and I am loving it.

    I think I am going to head out to another river now that I have a little confidence. I have some vacation time to burn so I may head west of me and try some of the rivers that hold wild and hold over Browns and Rainbow.

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  5. Ha! Mac you're sounding like an old pro. Very enjoyable to read how you stalked and captured that beautiful brown. (sniff, sniff) That skunk is never too far away.

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  6. Nice going Ed.
    The dries probably won't help you at Red Brook, better tie on the Mickey Finn again.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Alan.

      I had the Mickey Finn all set for Red Brook last week but the trip got cancelled. Unfortunately, I am going down Monday but the forecast is for rain.

      What do you think? Should I still give it a try?

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    2. Should you give it a try......hell yes.

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    3. I will give you an update Monday night.
      Thanks.

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  7. Hey Howard......I can only get in trouble if I start believing the hype. I still have much to learn but today was great.

    I have to tell you it was fantastic for all the things to fall into place like I read about. Usually I would say "all done with this" after my "hat trick" (i.e. bow, brookie and a brown trout) but that is not the case now.

    Thanks.

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