Barleywine
Member
Last week, I fished one of my favorite rivers when the water was up and slightly off-color. Fishing right through the center of a busy town, my friend and I caught wild brown after wild brown. Got a few on large dries, some on dropper nymphs, but then really did well with an olive Slumpbuster. Not a stocked fish in sight, although the river does get stocked in the Spring. By the middle of Summer, most of those stockies have given up the ghost one way or another, leaving a very good wild brown fishery.
Back on the same river yesterday, the water was almost as high, and I had faith that the Slumpbuster would again bring in a lot of wild browns. The fly did in fact move a lot of wild ones; getting swipes, smacks, and a 1 brief hookup followed by the fish getting off. After a few hours of fishing, I was still getting the black and white kitty.
Then finally, a solid strike and hookset. Brought the fish in anticipating a 10 inch wild brown, but instead got a state issued stocked brookie. Normally, I'd be upset about only catching a drably colored stocked fish; but not today. That tough little bugger made it through a dry hot Summer and deserves some respect. Hale to thee stocked brookie! You kept me from being skunked.
Back on the same river yesterday, the water was almost as high, and I had faith that the Slumpbuster would again bring in a lot of wild browns. The fly did in fact move a lot of wild ones; getting swipes, smacks, and a 1 brief hookup followed by the fish getting off. After a few hours of fishing, I was still getting the black and white kitty.
Then finally, a solid strike and hookset. Brought the fish in anticipating a 10 inch wild brown, but instead got a state issued stocked brookie. Normally, I'd be upset about only catching a drably colored stocked fish; but not today. That tough little bugger made it through a dry hot Summer and deserves some respect. Hale to thee stocked brookie! You kept me from being skunked.
