Green Spring/Big Spring, 10/24/2007

[Dances_With_Brookies]

It's been a long time since I posted here and it feels great to be back. I visited Green Spring on Wed. and did well with the stocked rainbows on a beadhead white woolybugger. All the fish caught were by the two roadside pools. I explored a little bit, but the water was very low with few if any fish found in between. I left for Big Spring and started out at the stone arch bridge-working my way upstream. Fish were spooky here until I found a stretch of deeper water running right along Nealy Rd. about a block up. I used a #16 olive flashback scud and picked up four wild rainbows < 7" but beautiful coloration and marking. Moved up to the first parking area of the Sp. Reg area and within a short distance-saw some tanker browns spawning. I had no luck with these guys, but kept walking and found a spot of dense vegetation, rocks, and fairly deep water. I changed to a #10 woolhead black sculpin, and made a great cast. The fly hit bottom, and the current gently swept the fly under this vegetation. With a couple of slow strips and a few puffs of silt, a huge rainbow came charging out from under the weeds and inhaled the fly. About 7 minutes later, I brought the 23" fish to hand. I have to say that I have always been partial to Falling Springs and its rainbows-I used to live about 5 minutes from the creek. BUT this rainbow was easily one of the most beautiful fish I have ever caught. I continued to fish for the next two hours-making my way to the spillway at the upper end of the Sp. Reg area. I only caught three more fish-all brookies under 8" but the effort was well worth it. This stream is definitely on the way back. The fish may not be very visible...In fact, the water may look dead in spots but trust me, the fish are there.