albatross
Well-known member
I had my best ever day fly fishing today. I started at Meadow Run, but never even wet my line because the water was high and brown. I drove over the mountain to Confluence and decided to see how the lower DHALO section (Humbert) on Laurel Hill looked.
Well, it looked good. Flow was about 325 cfs which is actually low for this time of year, but the water was high enough that I was a little nervous about crossing the creek. The water had some color to it, not enough that the fish couldn't see your offering but enough that I wasn't spooking fish.
I started fishing about 8AM and quickly started catching fish with a #14 BH Prince nymph dropper and a pink egg on the point. The fish were actively feeding in the riffles and the shallow edges of pools, not so much in the deeper runs. I had the whole lower end of the project to myself, I never saw another angler. I caught roughly equal numbers of browns and bows and the fish seemed to divide pretty evenly between the nymph and the egg. About 11AM I decided to take a break, grab some lunch, call the wife, and move to the upper DHALO section (Boy Scout).
Just after noon I started fishing and found a similar pattern with the actively feeding fish in the faster riffles and runs. Here I had luck with a BH Pheasant Tail dropper and a pink San Juan Worm on the point. About mid afternoon I moved up to the slower water to see if I could get some fish on top. Topwater action seemed slow, so I started nymphing the slow water with a #18 BH PT. I hooked the fish of the day (see below), a beautiful 18 inch Brook Trout. Now, I helped stock this section of stream and we only put browns and bows in. I don't know when or if this stream has ever been stocked with Brook Trout. This fish is at very least a holdover and possibly a wild or native trout. Several tribs have native brookies, but I've never seen any like this monster. This is by far the largest Brook Trout I have ever caught.
Later in the afternoon the stoneflies started bringing fish to the surface and I was able to cap a wonderful day by getting a few on top.
Well, it looked good. Flow was about 325 cfs which is actually low for this time of year, but the water was high enough that I was a little nervous about crossing the creek. The water had some color to it, not enough that the fish couldn't see your offering but enough that I wasn't spooking fish.
I started fishing about 8AM and quickly started catching fish with a #14 BH Prince nymph dropper and a pink egg on the point. The fish were actively feeding in the riffles and the shallow edges of pools, not so much in the deeper runs. I had the whole lower end of the project to myself, I never saw another angler. I caught roughly equal numbers of browns and bows and the fish seemed to divide pretty evenly between the nymph and the egg. About 11AM I decided to take a break, grab some lunch, call the wife, and move to the upper DHALO section (Boy Scout).
Just after noon I started fishing and found a similar pattern with the actively feeding fish in the faster riffles and runs. Here I had luck with a BH Pheasant Tail dropper and a pink San Juan Worm on the point. About mid afternoon I moved up to the slower water to see if I could get some fish on top. Topwater action seemed slow, so I started nymphing the slow water with a #18 BH PT. I hooked the fish of the day (see below), a beautiful 18 inch Brook Trout. Now, I helped stock this section of stream and we only put browns and bows in. I don't know when or if this stream has ever been stocked with Brook Trout. This fish is at very least a holdover and possibly a wild or native trout. Several tribs have native brookies, but I've never seen any like this monster. This is by far the largest Brook Trout I have ever caught.
Later in the afternoon the stoneflies started bringing fish to the surface and I was able to cap a wonderful day by getting a few on top.
