They Do Exist

Floated the Sky yesterday from High Bridge to Sultan with Bunnyleech and his dad. The river was super low and clear but the morning started out with a light drizzle so we were hopeful. After a broken rod at the first hole, things were bound to get better. We fished some good water but no action until about 12:30 whe I left Dave and his Dad to fish a nice run and I walked down to the top of the next riffle.

I have been working on a new black shrimp pattern for winter fish and had for kicks tied one up on a #5 Alec Jackson. I tied that on and on the third or forth cast the fly felt like it had ticked bottom. I lifted slowly and bingo - fish on. After a determined fight, I finally beached a 29" hatchery buck. Not a bad way to break in the new 8150 and 8/9 Accelerator!!! Also a nice way to break my string of 6 or 7 hookups without a landing.

An hour or so later, Dave was leading the way through an especially nice run casting a small purple spey with his 5 weight (he had lent his dad his eight after he broke his). He had just turned to tell me he felt lucky when I saw his line go taught and then the fish exploded onto the surface. I was really impressed at how he quickly played and landed a 25" hatchery buck.

While Dave's dad was finishing up the rest of the run, I started again at the top. I had just stepped over a big boulder and lost my footing and was doing the splits in the river when a fish hit. I had the line pinched to the cork and the rod pointed straight at the fly and predictably, the fish left with my fly. Serves me right. Of course, that was not the first fish I lost becasue of stupity and probably wont be the last.

All in all a great day. Good weather (cloudy!), good fishing, and good company.