Sunday, April 17, 2011

last call

Found a way to make my way down into the Gorge to chase the caddis hatch one more time, before done.

Jumped down in that stretch between John Dunn and Wild Rivers Rec Area.
Found good numbers of caddis streamside, with caddis hatching out from 2.30 to dusk.

I swung a larva + pupa for a while, to no effect.  Kept getting distracted by the fish rising in the softer water against the bank.  
Ditched the pupa, tied on a dry, and that's all she wrote!  Caught every one of my fish on the dry this day, that is indeed a banner day on the Rio.

Nothing too large, still plenty of dinks, middlings.  But when the dry fly action is so hot on an otherwise stingy river, you somehow don't seem to mind.


Stalked fish along the bankside boulders during the golden hour.  Spooked 3 separate fish that pushed 18" to 20", actually had the opportunity to cast over a solid 18incher rising steadily in the pillow fronting a boulder.  Talk about buck fever!  Was not to be as my first cast was rebuffed, repeated casting just put him down, bummer.  The big ones are in there tho!

Fun day, especially given the (caddis) key to unlock the Rio's potential.  I'll be back.

3 comments:

  1. That section of river looks amazing! Lucky guy! That last picture looks like the Rio is saying goodbye until the fall. I'm very surprised it hasn't turned into a mudslide yet. Again, great fish and I wish I could've been there!

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  2. Pretty looking country and some nice fish to complement the backdrop. Glad you've been getting out after them. Thanks for sharing, Mike.

    Ben

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  3. thx gents- it has been a great start to the season, lemmetellya. Caddis fun continues this week, in Salida CO. (fingers crossed I don't jinx myself!) mike

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