Great stuff as always. Tricos are magic: size 22 flies, spiderweb tippets, sipping trout…that’s what fly fishing is about. Late August / early September is a good time — cooler temperatures cause the spinner fall to occur later in the morning, a hint of autumn is in the air, and the opportunity exists to harass the fish later in the day with hoppers. But as all things in life, get out when the opportunity presents itself. Those early morning outings in July with the dank, moist air are special times, too — by the time the sun gets high enough to become uncomfortable it’s time to reel up and retreat into the shadows until the next outing.

I’ve only seen fish move once the way you described them. When I saw an extended feeding frenzy, it was for a cream midge hatch.

the thing i probably love most about fishing (well… beside the bend in my rod with a decent fish on) is the stories that come out of it. some days on the stream are “mundane” though still perfect in a timeless way, some days create a story (whether it’s a big fish, sneaking into a mine, nearly getting shot, or a million other things that can happen)… you never quite know what will happen when you depart, and that’s often the thing that draws me out the door.

cheers.

Thank god we didn’t catch any gar, for there were a number of them in that stream. I hate those prehistoric bastards.
-cK