Eleven Mile Canyon in April

My buddy Mark and I headed down to Eleven Mile Canyon for the day to see if we could catch some fish.  We started the day at one of our normal spots with clear water and just a hint of a breeze.  I started the day throwing a BWO to a Black Beauty nymph while Mark started with two different nymph patterns.  I work my way upstream while Mark works downstream. 

I cast through a nice run and manage to get a bite but it comes off a few seconds later.  Working each pool and run as I go, the fishing turned off and I could not get another bite over the next hour or so.  I decide to walk downstream and see if Mark has had any better luck, and maybe change up some flies.  Sadly Mark has had the same luck as me and not caught anything yet.  I decide to tie on a little size 20 sprout midge(dry) to the back end of the BWO and try my luck at dry fly fishing. 

Mark casts through a run but doesn't get anything.  He does see a fish rising to feed on the surface and suggests I try it with dries.  Sure enough, a few casts in and I have hooked into a good size Brown.  I finally get him in after a good fight and have landed my first fish of the day, a nice 13" thick brown trout.  We continue to fish this same area for another hour or so, picking up a few fish each, all on dries, before heading to a different spot.

To finish off the day we head outside the canyon and try a spot a couple miles downstream.  We proceed as before with Mark fishing downstream and myself upstream.  I have a section of water which is mostly pocket water behind boulders and a few runs.  Over the next hour or so I end up catching three more fish to bring my total to 9 for the day while Mark finishes off with three of his own and 12 for the day.

Great day in the canyon catching some bigger browns and nice to find a new area to fish.  As always, just nice to be fishing in the mountains with a buddy.

Rod:  Iwana 12' 6/4
Line:  Riggs Floating Line 12'
Flies that worked:  BWO, Sprout Midge