TR- Back to the Jungle

A couple years ago I did a report about a trip to the upper River's
alder choked hell. IIRC, I called it "Into the Jungle". Well, with a
quick look at the USGS site showing the River running at almost 100CFS
above normal I decided to go up river again this afternoon. I was
thinking smaller water would be less pushy.

The water up there was high but not dirty at all. I almost
immediately began getting hits on my Pass Lake and soon had landed a
couple of very small brook trout. As I worked my way downstream a few
mayflies fluttered out of the water. I changed to a Comparadun but
nothing seemed interested in it. A Hares Ear Soft Hackle took a couple
more fish. Also tried skittering a EHC with lots of splashy rises but
only a few more tiny fish brought to hand.

I kept meaning to turn back and find some water with more casting room
for the hoped for evening hatch but each time the river swept around a
bend there was more intriguing water revealed... albeit tight, alder
bound water.

The Northwoods have come alive the last week or so. The trilliums are
still out as are the marsh marigolds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0199a.jpg

The late spring has also meant many different trees have come into
bloom at the same time and the air is saturated with the competing
scents of crab apple, choke cherry and a dozen other smells whose
origins I can only guess at. Its Spring on steroids now, as a whole
months worth of color and aromas are crammed into the last week of
May.

When I finally reached as far downstream as I felt was possible to
re-wade before dark I stopped. I let the bead head Pheasant Tail Soft
Hackle I'd put on hang in front of a small log jam. A sharp rap and I
hooked the biggest fish so far.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0202a.jpg

Not close to being "big" at all, actually, but he was at least two
inches bigger than the tiny fish I'd been hooking earlier. With a few
late Hendricksons flapping pregnantly over the water I cut off the wet
fly and tied on a #14 Adams. Retracing my steps I hooked a few more
fish, all about the same size as the last. Its always a nice surprise
when dry flies take larger fish than the sunken ones. Eventually I
left the Adams lodged high up in an overhanging maple. I replaced it
with a Catskill style Hares Ear dry. The fish came to that with
satisfying regularity also. Again none large, but bright, fat, clean
looking fish.

I came to the last bit of fairly open water before the put in. The sun
was right on the horizon. A cast in front of a submerged rock hooked
another fish. This one was darker, its back almost gun metal blue. It
flopped out of my hand before I could take its picture.

Straightening up I looked around and there were no more mayflies or
even caddis flying over the water. So I slipped and stumbled up to the
put in and clambered up the high bank.

I unlocked the car, unjointed and cased the 3 weight and slid inside.
My kid had left Tom Petty on the CD player and I let him warble me on
my way through the deepening twilight. The drive home was punctuated
by the appearance of a Ma bear and her triplets running across the
highway less than 25 feet in front of my headlights, as I passed
through downtown Bloomville (Pop. 10). No other adventures ensued and
by the time I pulled into the driveway, it was dark.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0204a.jpg


Geo.C.

On Jun 1, 1:49 am, George Cleveland
wrote:
A couple years ago I did a report about a trip to the upper River's
alder choked hell. IIRC, I called it "Into the Jungle". Well, with a
quick look at the USGS site showing the River running at almost 100CFS
above normal I decided to go up river again this afternoon. I was
thinking smaller water would be less pushy.

The water up there was high but not dirty at all. I almost
immediately began getting hits on my Pass Lake and soon had landed a
couple of very small brook trout. As I worked my way downstream a few
mayflies fluttered out of the water. I changed to a Comparadun but
nothing seemed interested in it. A Hares Ear Soft Hackle took a couple
more fish. Also tried skittering a EHC with lots of splashy rises but
only a few more tiny fish brought to hand.

I kept meaning to turn back and find some water with more casting room
for the hoped for evening hatch but each time the river swept around a
bend there was more intriguing water revealed... albeit tight, alder
bound water.

The Northwoods have come alive the last week or so. The trilliums are
still out as are the marsh marigolds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0199a.jpg

The late spring has also meant many different trees have come into
bloom at the same time and the air is saturated with the competing
scents of crab apple, choke cherry and a dozen other smells whose
origins I can only guess at. Its Spring on steroids now, as a whole
months worth of color and aromas are crammed into the last week of
May.

When I finally reached as far downstream as I felt was possible to
re-wade before dark I stopped. I let the bead head Pheasant Tail Soft
Hackle I'd put on hang in front of a small log jam. A sharp rap and I
hooked the biggest fish so far.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0202a.jpg

Not close to being "big" at all, actually, but he was at least two
inches bigger than the tiny fish I'd been hooking earlier. With a few
late Hendricksons flapping pregnantly over the water I cut off the wet
fly and tied on a #14 Adams. Retracing my steps I hooked a few more
fish, all about the same size as the last. Its always a nice surprise
when dry flies take larger fish than the sunken ones. Eventually I
left the Adams lodged high up in an overhanging maple. I replaced it
with a Catskill style Hares Ear dry. The fish came to that with
satisfying regularity also. Again none large, but bright, fat, clean
looking fish.

I came to the last bit of fairly open water before the put in. The sun
was right on the horizon. A cast in front of a submerged rock hooked
another fish. This one was darker, its back almost gun metal blue. It
flopped out of my hand before I could take its picture.

Straightening up I looked around and there were no more mayflies or
even caddis flying over the water. So I slipped and stumbled up to the
put in and clambered up the high bank.

I unlocked the car, unjointed and cased the 3 weight and slid inside.
My kid had left Tom Petty on the CD player and I let him warble me on
my way through the deepening twilight. The drive home was punctuated
by the appearance of a Ma bear and her triplets running across the
highway less than 25 feet in front of my headlights, as I passed
through downtown Bloomville (Pop. 10). No other adventures ensued and
by the time I pulled into the driveway, it was dark.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2.../IMG_0204a.jpg

Geo.C.

Thanks. I needed that.

Steve

George Cleveland wrote:

A couple years ago I did a report about a trip to the upper River's
alder choked hell....

Three of those three photos were terrific.

The prose, though, was only moderately excellent.

- JR

George Cleveland wrote:

The Northwoods have come alive the last week or so. The trilliums are
still out as are the marsh marigolds.
snip

Thanks, George. It's nice riding along.
--
TL,
Tim
-------------------------
http://css.sbcma.com/timj

On Jun 1, 1:49*am, George Cleveland
wrote:
*No other adventures ensued and
by the time I pulled into the driveway, it was dark.

Thanks, George. I'm doing a lot of vicarious fishing this year, it
seems, and so far I like the trips you and I have been taking
together :-)

Cheers!
Bill

On Jun 1, 1:49*am, George Cleveland
wrote:
A couple years ago I did a report about a trip to the upper River's
alder choked hell. IIRC, I called it "Into the Jungle". Well, with a
quick look at the USGS site showing the River running at almost 100CFS
above normal I decided to go up river again this afternoon. I was
thinking smaller water would be less pushy.

a pleasure to read, as always, george.

yfitons
wayno