SMALL WATER--FUN-SIZED TROUT

I love  Fly fishing in late summer and early fall. I love fly fishing on small creeks with fun-sized trout. I love the quietness of the afternoon on these creeks when no one is around. When you can sense the season's end. When the breeze causes the high grass to dance. When grasshoppers jump out in front of you with each step, some of them landing in the water, and though you can't see the trout eat them, you can hear it. 

 It is the season when trout are eager to eat. The brown trout, in particular, is looking to fatten up and gain energy for the spawning season. It is the time that one writer penned: We sneak, we search, we seldom go to church, we tell monstrous lies with wide unblinking eyes. It's my time to fish with a hopper pattern until the snow flies.

In most cases, I'm not a big fan of Beaver dams, but on some of the smaller waters, smaller beaver dams are not bad, as they create a little deeper holding water. Sneaking around these waters one has to be careful on the approach. Too hard of a step and vibrations are sent that the trout can feel with their lateral lines. I often find my self casting from several feet back and landing just my leader and fly over the edge of the high grass. As with the natural hoppers, I sometimes can't see my fly so I have to listen for the rise. It's like magic.

These are nice  trout for this water. I enjoy catching them and releasing them. When all the conditions are right, they are aggressive and take the fly recklessly. They are wild fighters and can bend a 3-weight rod giving he angler the feeling of a much larger fish.

On this day, I was able to catch two browns which would fall under the category of decent. These were powerful and heavy fish for this water and made me second guess my decision to not carry a net. I was lucky to land them on small gear.

Soon all of the grasses will be brown and bending down in preparation for snow. I hope to get one more trip to this area before then. Maybe when the temperature warrants a jacket--when the sun sits lower in the south--when the hunter's attention turns to big game.  Then I can let this creek rest. I will dream again of hot, late summer afternoons and early autumn days. I too will rest.