Little Streams and the High Country

[cpierce]

I haven't posted much of my fishing this summer as I keep forgetting to take my camera with me fishing. I have missed shots of some beautiful country and fish. So today I managed to remember it, then found that after two pictures the battery was dead!!! But saved once again as the spare battery was in my bag. Of course I remembered it AFTER I had been fishing awhile!







As the snow is going off the high country, I decided to try out some small streams in the upper reaches. Man, was it ever a beautiful day up there! Nothing else smells as good as sun on the pines and firs.

I tried out several little creeks and lots of beaver ponds. The willow jungles were fierce though -- they got one of my knee pads today!

So far this year I have lost a chamois cloth, a pair of nail clippers and now a knee pad. They were all grabbed by the vicious wild willows and hawthorn bushes. Yes, I have littered. I just don't know where I littered! Does it count in the balance that I picked up a couple of beer cans and water bottles in exchange???

One creek was so clear it was really hard to get a fly on the water without spooking the fish. The fish weren't real big -- about 8 to 10 inches, but they were sure pretty --- little wild cutthroats.

I caught most of the fish on just two flies -- a tan and yellow foam bodied humpy and a small grey caddis with a zelon (sp?) wing. I think they were taking the humpy as a grasshopper as it was about the size and color of the little hoppers up there. I liked the caddis' artificial wing as it really seemed easy to deslime and get back to floating. I also could get it to sink in some of the deeper spots and use it as a nymph!







In contrast another stream still had a little runoff, but more nice cutthroats. -- A little color to the water sure made it easier to catch them too!







Still lots of brush to fight with! Thank goodness for a short 3wt rod!

Coming down I found that most of the population of two states were on their way up to camp for the weekend!! Friday afternoon is not the best time to be coming down the mountain roads. I almost got run over by two four wheelers, a travel trailer, and a deer. The deer was probably trying to get out of the invasion also! :wow:

All in all --- A GREAT DAY!
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[flygoddess]

Nice C. Those are some healthy looking trout! Thanks!
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[cpierce]

They weren't real long, but it was nice to see how fat they were up there. I was kind of wondering if the long winter/spring and heavy runoff would make for skinny trout in the high country. I was happy to see how health the fish were even as the runoff is just barely subsiding!
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[pa]

Beautiful country, waters and fish. Isn't the solitude of Mountain stream fishing wonderful. Thanks for sharing your day with us. Did you see any bear or bear sign?
pa
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[cpierce]

No, I didn't see any scrapes, rooting spots, doo doo, or other bear signs. -----Thankfully I might add!
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[Dryrod]

Thanks for the pics and story. Fish without the scenery is just not the same.
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[macfly55]

awesome post and pics... looks like it was a great day on the water even if you lost a knee pad.. :-) ... I am sooooooooooooo jealous now..or should I say as usual.. LOL

MacFly
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[albinotrout]

Love It!!!!![cool]
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