Required Test Fishing… no, really

Over the weekend, I tied up a trio of “Egg-laying Caddis” flies, based on my observation of activity I had encountered earlier in the week. Fun project, as I like to try tweaking traditional patterns or just making up my own, to see how they turn out. The only problem is that I am then left wondering if what I have made will fool anything. The solution, of course, is “test fishing” them!

I rolled up to the river on a mostly sunny, 74-degree day, with occasional breezes. Work crews were in the area, bagging roadside trash that those less caring had discarded or simply lost track of, in their time in the area. For me, it is highly frustrating to get out into nature to escape the busy and built-up parts of the world, only to discover this kind of encroachment. It is, however, a reminder to pack out EVERYTHING that one brings with them.

The water was slightly cooler than on the previous visit. Roughly mid-fifties. Cool enough to be bracing, but still fine for wet wading. I took a few steps out into the flow, picking up from the farthest upstream I had reached on the previous outing. I had realized, looking at satellite imagery after the last day on the river, that there are stretches that I still have not fished. In theory, this means there may be some real monsters hiding in waters I have not tried…or perhaps more of the same smallish but spunky fish I so enjoy meeting in these smaller waters. Hoping for the former, I had tied on the #12 version of the Egg-laying Caddis, and now began to try the likely fish lies around the myriad structures in the flow. At 104 cfs, this river has a lot of slightly exposed rocks or upwellings in the current, in almost all areas. Even the pools often have good sized rocks in them, as a testament to the force the river generates at its higher flows and its ability to relocate quite heavy objects, including the occasional downed tree.

I had my first hookup within about 15 minutes! Nothing big, but the idea that a fly I tied had fooled the instincts of this fish put a smile on my face. Content that it was no longer possible for the trip to be a skunking, I continued casting as I worked upstream. Coming to a shallow trough, opposite a downed tree, I connected with another one. Also not that big, but at least confirming that the first one was perhaps not just an overzealous youngster making a rookie mistake.

For the record, I am absolutely not opposed to young fish making those rookie mistakes. I am thankful for their youthful ignorance.

Continuing upstream, I passed through a pool that has some really interesting rock structures at the bottom of a tall and sheer canyon wall, on the left. I saw no interest in the fly, but was again struck by the thought of exploring some parts of this river with snorkel, mask, and camera…and maybe a partial wetsuit to stave off the cold. I know that these deeper pools would be better fished by tying on a nymph or wet fly, but I enjoy dry fly fishing so much more that I keep filing those thoughts for “another trip,” when the idea presents itself. Besides, this was a Test Fishing trip for the fly I had on, so sticking with it was part of the plan.

At the head of that pool is a very nice riffle-into-a-wall segment, which I tried several times, with no success. It is heavily churned up, but even at the edge seems, I still saw no rises or interest in the dry. Probably another spot for a trip with a nymph, or dry/dropper rig.

Following the bend in the river, however, I found that it comes into this area via a broad, flat section on the right side, then a gravel bar, then a narrow and deeper section on the far left. I worked both, going back and forth to avoid moving far enough upstream on either to be overly visible to fish I had not passed a fly over, and picked up two more in the deep section!

As a general rule, I am a catch and release person. I might, on occasion, keep one in a year, if I am on the right water, find the right fish, and am in the frame of mind to do so. On this day, I had brought a cooler with ice, just in case. So, when the second fish in the deep trough bent the rod noticeably more than usual, I thought that I might have found such an occasion. This one was also a bit smarter than others, working into gaps in rocks to avoid the pull of my line, and making me do more than just the straight pull that lands the younger fish. In the end, I brought to hand a 9″ Cutthroat! On this river, the new state minimum is only 8″, so this was clearly fair game. It was at that moment, however, that I realized I had not brought my creel with me.

With one hand holding the fly rod and the other the beautiful fish, it wasn’t practical to actually swat myself on the forehead as I made a distinctly Homer Simpson-ish noise…so I just added that in my mind’s eye. I was in a section that was the farthest from the truck, and it would have meant abandoning the last third of the section of river, were I to simply head back.

The fish was a bit sluggish to revive in the water, after it’s hearty fight, but eventually wriggled out of my loosened grip and slipped away into the cold waters. I made strong mental note of the spot where it had connected with the fly, and may well go back to try for it, again, in the future, but it was a very pretty sight and encouraging that it had been taken on the test fly.

The rest of the way up, I found one more small fish, but the waters got much more shallow than I expected as the river widened out. One more riffle-to-pool section, where nothing came up to look at my offering, then the clouds darkened, the breeze intensified, the skies threatened rain.

I made my way to the truck, stowed the gear, and headed home. Great day on the water and a wonderful selection of fish encountered. I am thankful to live so close to this natural beauty.

Tight lines!