The last couple of days

Since getting home from 5 weeks at Fortress, I've had the pleasure of time off. Sanity fishing kicks in! Tuesday of this week onwards, I've spent quite a bit of time on the water. It has been quite good for the most part with browns 23 to 25" landed every day. Considering the small streams focused on, that's doing ok, I think. Nick joined me on a new reach of water Friday. Amelia was coming out of Fortress Friday but wasn't getting home until early evening, so what was a guy to do? Chores at home dolling the house up or go fishing? So, Nick & I decided to hit a new reach of water. I'd just (again) mentioned to Nick that the fish had been sitting in a certain water type the past several days. The sun had come out and as I walked I was able to sight fish as we walked, and naturally spooked a 26+" brown just from that exact water type. Apparently I needed reminding. But it was quite random as we walked, though we did catch some nice trout, many from the same water type. It was good. The day prior, which was just after my storm experience, I'd had a rough go in the first half of the day. I was ready to bail to the road when I finally made it out of the heavy bush and open into a meadow field. The stream suddenly had corner pools, undercuts, grassy banks and FISH! After 3 hrs of spotty fishing, the sight fishing was excellent. The fish ran 18 to 24" that day. The peak of it was as I sighted a 2 foot brown feeding 6 feet upstream of me as I tucked in to the grass. I backed off to change the fly. As I did the tele rang. AJ was calling from the top of a mountain on a hike with guests at Fortress. She at the top of a distant mountain calling me on satellite phone, me face to face with a 2 foot brown on a distant stream. It was neat. But, there was a fish to catch and I was nervy. It was a short call, only interrupted by a herd of cows, being directed by a loud, obnoxious bull. After hanging up, the bull started to trumpet loudly. And, as if it had done this a hundred times, I watched my fish turn and slowly swim downstream. Thanks Mr. bull. Ah well, that's how it goes

Above - a good one

Below - ditto.

Above - working the grassy banks.

Below - A brown drake spinner in the grass.

Above & Below - Nick working the water.

Above - Click on the photo to see the full size shot. Got lucky with the head coming out of the water.

Below - There had been 2 fish rising. One 15" and the other about 21 or 22. Nick chose to hook the smaller.  ;)

. Above - Nick working a fish from the bank.