A Swift Update And This Blog And Happy Easter

Fly-fishing is solitary, contemplative, misanthropic, scientific in some hands, poetic in others and laced with conflicting aesthetic considerations. It is not even clear if catching fish is actually the point. JOHN GIERACH - DANCES WITH TROUT (1994)

Some readers of this blog will notice that I used this wonderful quote a few months back. It sets the tone for this post.

Wooley Bugger George drove down to the PIPE parking area in the pouring rain and said HI. He had been working the Y Pool with streamers during the week and had done well. "I hadn't seen much down here" he said and by the fact that there were only two other cars in the lot it would seem that his observations may be right. He left and I entered the river above the gauge at 8:00 am. A size 14 olive and partridge was on the business end.

One bow was taken in that wonderful spot and another was lost. I worked down to the flats where I had another take the SH but not as beautiful as the bow from last week. In the meantime the occupants of the two cars left when the rain picked up. One was a flyfisher and the other was lugging a joint compound bucket and a spinning rod.

I got down to the PIPE around 9:30 and kept the same fly on AND I WAS THE ONLY ONE THERE!!. I took about a half a dozen from the outflow to the deeper water. Frankly, I couldn't see any trout but they were there. Nice dark fish instead of the shiny stockers which was nice to see. Finally three bait boys showed up and I decided to call it a morning. A short lesson - there are trout there but you have to work for them. Work that soft hackle in the drift and.......

Well, here I go again, telling fellow fly fishers where I fish and having it read by those who can't stand me doing it even though they are frequent readers of this eight year old blog. One blogger, who had three different blogs, used to rant against me in comments and emails that I was giving away SECRET spots on the EB (a public CR section - is it a secret?? DUH). He used to write about rivers that he would NEVER mention. His blogs sank without a trace. Go figure.

Someone else last year met me on the Swift. He asked me how I was doing and I told him that I did very well and named the place where I fished. He tried to assure me that he wouldn't tell anyone BUT as a reader he should of known that I name all places and I did with that one. He doesn't like to name "places", just a "look at the fish I caught" photo.

I wrote the Fly Fishers Guide to the Millers River to share those great places on a river that I've experienced. It's available to everyone and will always be. Rivers become famous due to the stories of great fishing and legendary trout. Much of this has always been in print but which is read by those who would like to keep it under wraps. I keep nothing under wraps unless it's an unstocked brookie stream.

In conclusion - I still name the places where I go and catch trout and I still have plenty of room to fish even on the Swift!

Happy Easter!!

Ken