A Jewel From Cady Lane
I have been haunting the place since Memorial Day with brookies and browns coming to the net and of late, some beefy bows are in the mix.
Here are some hints:
1. A 45 cfs flow may look like a trickle to some but it's perfect for trout hunting BECAUSE you have greater mobility in a lower flow. Most over-your-waders pools are now waste deep and you don't have to negotiate those steep banks to get in. Find a place to get in and you can walk up and down the river, a task that is not so easy with a flow of 115 cfs.
2. Even with the lower flows DO NOT WALK ON THE DARK GREEN WEED BEDS!! These beds are like quicksand and you can get stuck. Walk on the ribbons of sand and gravel which are easily seen.
3. Get there early or stay late. The kayak crowd will hit the place after 10 am and on weekends it's a mess.
5. "Reduced Buggers" (size 12 dressed sparsely with a peacock body instead of chenille also fool browns and brookies.
6. My Sulphur Soft Hackle in sizes 16 and 18 proved itself yesterday morning. I began to see the telltale insect launching themselves and then came the occasional trout breaking the surface with that porpoise-like rise. I put on a size 18 SSH attached to a 12 foot 6x tippet and made quartering casts downstream in front of every
rising trout. It represented a sulphur swimming to the surface and a mixed bag of brookies and bows totaling about a dozen must of thought so too.
Then came the Kayaks. You can always hear them before you see them. I've noticed that a passing kayak or two will not knock the fish down but a steady stream will. I wish they would stay below the boat launch!!!
The Rivers This Weekend
As I write the flows are:
Millers - 517
EB - 172
Swift - 46
The Millers and the EB are very fishable IN THE EVENING!! We have great flows but oppressive heat this weekend. Fish at sundown on the two above rivers.
Book Me
Want to get away from the crowd?? Follow me.
P.S.
Found the homes of two very big browns, 24 to 30 inches, down deep in the "Lane". Next time.
Ken
6 comments:
I was there just missed you, got to the river at 6:30 stayed between the bridge and duck pond very quiet as far as fisherman (1 or 2). Fished a #16 sulphur dry of my own design, brookies would come up for them the bows wouldn't. The day before I fished the rapids below the duck pond and downstream 2 brookies, 1 bow, that river is a fish factory, I think we passed on opposite banks at Cady Lane.
Gary,
I was there guiding on Monday and Tuesday and fishing myself on Thursday. I didn't hit those areas but I did the week before above the Duck Pond and got some brookies and bows. Cady Lane has been home to me.
I see that the EB got some much needed water!
Ken
Anonymous,
It is unreal how many brook trout are in that river. It wasn't always like that.
Aaron
curious what size Gartside nymphs are you fishing? I have probably not gone above an 18 nymph on that river in 30 years. I am guessing there are some larger bugs or damselflys down the river. Soft Hackles are another story..a size 12 can resemble a 14 or 16 if tied with a short body.
True fact...my first trout on a fly was an 8" (or so) Swift river brookie...1981-82 caught in some riffles somewhere above the hatchery and below rte 9 on a leadwing coachman wet fly because my father said it would work. That brook trout fishery has been going for some time...the rainbows get the hype but the true gems are the wild fish.
BobT,
The Gartside nymphs I use are in the 12 to 14 size range. The brookies clobbered it but I wanted something that would get the attention of a good brown. My Swift River SH are mostly size 18 and many are tied with a short body. I pretend that I'm tying reduced low water salmon flies! Tying short bodies, like a size 28 on a 26, gives more hooking power.
Ken
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