The forecast today was for rain, but with mild temperatures - A perfect combination for both feeding fish and solitude.
I drove to a few of my favorite streams near the Wachusett reservoir in search of wild brook and brown trout.
The first stream I fished contains only brook trout. It's too small for a decent cast for most of its length, save for one large pool below a small dam. I cast a beadhead hare's ear nymph into the steady current, swollen by recent rains. My indicator drifted past an overhanging bush, then shot under the surface. Soon after my first fish of the day was at hand - a nicely colored wild brookie.
 |
| First trout of December |
A few casts later my indicator dove again, and I found another wild brookie at the end of my line.
 |
| A view of this stream's one fishable pool |
At this point I decided I had likely caught both actively feeding residents of the pool, so I moved to a different stream in search of some wild browns. There's brookies here too, but I tend to catch more browns, especially when it's cold.
Browns are meat eaters, and sometimes it takes something big to make them move in the winter. I watched intently as my olive wooly bugger drifted downstream. Just as it passed a boulder in the stream I saw a flash, followed by a tug, and soon a wild brown was in the net.
 |
| Wild Brown #1 |
I had its in the next three pools, landing one more brown before the rain switched from a light drizzle to a true downpour. I packed up and headed home, satisfied with my most successful day of winter* fishing ever.
 |
| Wild Brown #2 |
No comments:
Post a Comment