Day 82

Had nothing to do so Derron and I headed up to Bear Creek for the afternoon.  It was cloudy but in the 70's with just a touch of wind and the flows were up just a tiny bit.  We started fishing around 3:00pm just below the parking lot and worked our way upstream.

I started with a hopper but quickly switched to a bwo when I saw bugs hatching.  Within a few casts I hooked a fish, but when I set the hook, I took the fish out of the water and it shook off.  I keep casting to a couple of fish I saw feeding on the surface and eventually land a nice 11" brown to start the day off.  I move up to the next pool and after a few casts land my second fish of the day.  Derron not having any luck with his hopper switches to a bwo and catches his first of the day soon after.

After moving upstream a few times we get to our upper favorite spot and fish just upstream of it until the other fisherman moved out of the spot.  I manage to catch two more upstream of our spot this time on a purple midge while Derron moves into our spot and catches a couple himself.

We decide to walk back downstream to the car playing a little next fish caught makes you champion for the day.  We try a couple different spots with no luck before were back where we started.  I switch back to a bwo and within minutes have a bite and I am sure I am going to win the contest when seconds later it shook itself off.  At the same time Derron has hooked a fish too and is trying to bring it in fast.  Two seconds later, fish off!  Went from winning to losing to back in the game all inside of fifteen seconds.  I move down a little farther and have to more strikes but cant set the hook. 

Last spot of the day and we are still tied.  Derron takes the prime run on the far side and ends up catching the winner and then adds another ten minutes later to finish the day.  I try a couple small pools before I switch to a ant and hook my last fish of the day, which proceeds to shake loose as I bend down to pick it up.

We call it day with Derron as the champion for the day with six fish landed in about four hours of fishing.

Rod:  Matsugo 10'
Line:  3rd Gen Traditional Tenkara 10 1/2'
Flies that worked:  BWO, Purple Midge Nymph, Winged Ant, Elk Hair Caddis,