Since this is the first year I won't be in Maine for Thanksgiving, I decided to take advantage of the break from school and go fishing. Today was a perfect November day, sunny, cool and NO WIND. Fish may like cloudy days, but I like sunny days and being able to cast. I put the new snow tires to the test and headed over the mountains to the Metolius River.
The day started off cold. (It ended cold and was cold in the middle as well, but not as cold.) The fish were sluggish and so was I. While nymphing a deep, slower run I felt I slight pull. Probably a rock, but I set the hook just to be sure. I felt a slight shake. Probably a stick or weeds. Nope, still shaking. The apparent fish was too lazy to be bothered with this inconvenience so he just sat there until I started to pull a little, thinking it was a smaller fish. The fish started to swim lazily away and without giving any warning shot into the air. I was amazed to see a large trout on the end of my line, but figured this leap was going to send the hook free. No, I was still in luck. Just as I felt like the battle was almost over, he rolled on the surface and my line went limp. I was left wondering what happened and if I was going to have any more luck.
About an hour later there were bugs in the air, but no fish to be seen so I walked downstream. Around the bend I noticed a few fish rising. Some of them sizeable. After several rises and a couple long distance releases things had died down. Just as I was about to move a couple fish rose again. Great, I thought, they're not going to let me leave, but won't be caught. To my surprise a couple casts later I had a solid hookup. The seemingly small fish was full of energy and ran me all through the pool. When I brought the rainbow in I was surprised that it wasn't bigger, but still happy with the fish.
I was able to fool more rainbows and a couple browns, but none were bigger than a foot. Always nice to catch fish on dry flies. While bringing in a small rainbow I suddenly noticed I was looking at a much larger trout. I was wondering how such a big fish could be putting up so little resistance, when this bigger fish made a lunge toward my smaller trout that I had lost sight of. I suddenly realized my small trout was in danger of being swallowed alive. (I'd be lying if I didn't say I thought about letting my smaller fish work as bait for me, but I knew I couldn't let myself do that.) I pulled up hard to pull my fish out of the water and as this 6" fish came flying out of the water, a big brown head came up after it. The little rainbow made it to safety, kind of, and I quickly let him go. I have never gotten a fish off the hook faster. I think he somehow knew that he'd be better off staying still and letting me take the hook out quickly. He darted off and hid, probably thanking the all mighty fish god. The big, dark shadow disappeared just as mysteriously and quickly as it had appeared.
I knew this meant only one thing. Bull Trout. My first thought was to grab the 6 weight and have at it. My second thought was, " Would I really want to catch such a remarkable creature?" Plus, my 6 weight wasn't rigged up properly and fish were still rising. So I caught a few more small trout and decided it was time. I had come to catch a Bull Trout and that's what I was going to do. I put on a white Double Bunny and starting swinging my streamer. I wasn't sure where this fish was, but I figured it was still around. I decided the area with no fish rising due to fear was where I should try. This was right by a big downed tree that was sticking into the water. Perfect ambush water. First cast, no luck, but I didn't get enough distance on it. I stripped out a little more line and tried again. As my fly swung by the log it suddenly stopped. Please don't be the log, please don't be the log I prayed. With the first head shake I knew who it was. I wish I could say it was some epic fight, but it wasn't. After a fast and furious start, it was more like bringing a stick in than a fish. After a few quick photos and release, I was thankful for having caught my first Bull Trout. (I had to throw in being thankful in since it's Thanksgiving tomorrow.) I decided things could only get worse from here, so I headed for the truck. What a great day, it had everything you can hope for. A good "fish story" of the one that got away, some dry fly action and some unexpected excitement to go along with a new trout (native I should add).
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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