Finally escaped the city and drove west to the wild river. It's beautiful, rugged country. I love the name for part of the area: the Gardens of Stone National Park.
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The record rains of some weeks ago saw the water on the wild river rise by 30 feet in a few hours, as it's gorge country. The water would have been about rhe level where the old dead tree on the left foreground is cut off in this pic:
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Spawning time is starting here. Didn't see a trout for first few hours. So kept walking, and walking, and some more walking.
Finally found the fish. They were hiding in deep under cuts on outside bends. BUT the floods had gouged the soil from the tops of the undercuts, which left dozens of roots exposed; like witches fingers ready to grab your line. Lost three fish when drifting a tiny bugeye jig into the undercuts, including one where I was standing on the undercut. Got a big hit, my line was facing straight down, and into the undercut, but to my left a solid rainbow started jumping. Damn roots. Flicked open the bail, tried desperately to free my line, as the bow kept leaping. Didn't end well.
I hate leaving lures in fish's faces, even tiny single hook jigs. So left the undercuts alone and kept walking. And walking.
Finally found some shallow runs where the fish where obviosuly getting ready to love up. Scored this 18 inch hook jawed jack from a run maybe 15 foot long, five feet wide and a foot deep. Damn the bows in this river are thick shouldered fish, which just go nuts.
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It charged down the run to the tiny pool I was standing by, and jumped seven times! (I counted). Spawning colours? (the pics don't do colours justice) and would his jaw be more hooked than normal cause of spawning hormones?
I revived and released him, then did a lazy cast back into the run, and a female smacked the jig, and then started porpoising towards me and jumping two or three times. Couldn't get a proper hook set despite winding as fast as I could! His lover?
Our bows are Californian steelhead stock, from a "creek" in San Francisco Bay, brought out in late 1800s.
Walked up a little more and saw two fish in the next small shallow run. Three times I got follows to my feet then next cast scored this lovely 13 inch wild brown:
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Small head and big body, like all the fish I've caught in this river. And very silver, like pics of searunners I've seen. Maybe cause of the air-clear water?
Anyway, walked pretty well non stop for eight or nine hours, and got rather stiff legs for next few days, but love the wild river.
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The record rains of some weeks ago saw the water on the wild river rise by 30 feet in a few hours, as it's gorge country. The water would have been about rhe level where the old dead tree on the left foreground is cut off in this pic:
View attachment 4
Spawning time is starting here. Didn't see a trout for first few hours. So kept walking, and walking, and some more walking.
Finally found the fish. They were hiding in deep under cuts on outside bends. BUT the floods had gouged the soil from the tops of the undercuts, which left dozens of roots exposed; like witches fingers ready to grab your line. Lost three fish when drifting a tiny bugeye jig into the undercuts, including one where I was standing on the undercut. Got a big hit, my line was facing straight down, and into the undercut, but to my left a solid rainbow started jumping. Damn roots. Flicked open the bail, tried desperately to free my line, as the bow kept leaping. Didn't end well.
I hate leaving lures in fish's faces, even tiny single hook jigs. So left the undercuts alone and kept walking. And walking.
Finally found some shallow runs where the fish where obviosuly getting ready to love up. Scored this 18 inch hook jawed jack from a run maybe 15 foot long, five feet wide and a foot deep. Damn the bows in this river are thick shouldered fish, which just go nuts.
View attachment 5
It charged down the run to the tiny pool I was standing by, and jumped seven times! (I counted). Spawning colours? (the pics don't do colours justice) and would his jaw be more hooked than normal cause of spawning hormones?
I revived and released him, then did a lazy cast back into the run, and a female smacked the jig, and then started porpoising towards me and jumping two or three times. Couldn't get a proper hook set despite winding as fast as I could! His lover?
Our bows are Californian steelhead stock, from a "creek" in San Francisco Bay, brought out in late 1800s.
Walked up a little more and saw two fish in the next small shallow run. Three times I got follows to my feet then next cast scored this lovely 13 inch wild brown:
View attachment 6
Small head and big body, like all the fish I've caught in this river. And very silver, like pics of searunners I've seen. Maybe cause of the air-clear water?
Anyway, walked pretty well non stop for eight or nine hours, and got rather stiff legs for next few days, but love the wild river.
