Fish in the foam

Barleywine · Apr 11, 2014

Sunday morning followed a chilly evening that kept water temperatures quite cold in the WTS I was fishing with a good friend. Got a 38 degree reading in a medium/high flow. The action would most likely not be brisk, but we were each rewarded with a handful of pretty trout by fishing nymphs low and slow.

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My friend had a trout hit his indicator, which is usually the only encouragement I need to switch to dry flies, especially since a decent hatch of little dark stones was under way. The fish however were having none of my dry fly enthusiasm, and wouldn't budge off the bottom to surface feed.

Another fly angler stopped by on the path, and during a lengthy conversation, he pointed out what he thought was some disturbance in a patch of foamy water directly across from where we were standing. Sure enough, a backswirl off the main current was trapping a thick patch of tightly beaded foam, pushing against the far bank and into a moss covered rock.

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A trout was really splashing up that foam like a kid playing in a bubble bath, except this kid was feasting on stoneflies caught in that swirl. Since I was the one with the dry fly attached, I dropped a cast into the foam and got a solid take. I was expecting the pull of a good size trout, but instead, the fish came right over to my side and proved to be no more than 5 to 6 inches.

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I was surprised that such a small fish was causing such a disturbance, and also surprised that a much bigger fish hadn't moved the little guy out of such a prime lie with a steady food supply. Still, it's always a thrill to catch fish of any size on dries, especially when it seemed so unlikely.

Chilly liquid with a thick foamy head. Works in bars.....works on the stream.

lightenup · Apr 11, 2014

That is a really pretty fish Barley.......looks very healthy!!

BRK TRT · Apr 12, 2014

Nice outing.
That last photo is great.

Brk Trt

Oliver10 · Apr 12, 2014

Barleywine said:
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Love that picture. It should be in a frame. Was that take with your phone or better camera?

Barleywine · Apr 12, 2014

Ollie, the picture was taken with my camera; Fuji XP that's waterproof. Nothing special, just on auto setting. It was just a very cooperative trout, and I got lucky with the fly sticking out at that angle and the stream bottom reflecting in the sun.

Bigfishy · Apr 12, 2014

Nice job!!! What pattern were ya throwing if i may ask???Looks like a bi-visible or some variation.....So used to seeing black caddis patterns to imitate ebs

Barleywine · Apr 12, 2014

Bigfishy said:
Nice job!!! What pattern were ya throwing if i may ask???Looks like a bi-visible or some variation.....So used to seeing black caddis patterns to imitate ebs

That fly is called a Cinberg.

Doesn't really imitate anything in particular.

You mentioned Bi-visibles. I like those too.

strike proof · Apr 13, 2014

I have been fishing small streams for the last two weeks. Bubble lines and foam are great spots. The fish are under cover and probably pretty happy -- confident to feed without being exposed. I assume they have trouble seeing out as well. It seems to help me when I am stomping around. Great pics!

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Fish in the foam

Barleywine

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lightenup

A fan of Boobery

BRK TRT

Small stream, wild trout flyfisher

Oliver10

Profishional Cupcake

Barleywine

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Bigfishy

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Barleywine

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strike proof

my presentation promotes trout safety

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