A STREAM REBORN !!

Here is a quick update as to what I have been up to the last few days.  I have a creek nearby that I have been wanting to check out for a while now.  The top section is pastured, the middle section has been redone by the DNR and the lower half is said to hold some monster Browns.  

I also visited "My Creek" and was able to coax a few fish out.  It has been getting down into the 40's at night and I am loving every minute of it.  With less than a month left to trout fish in the Driftless Area, I am trying to take every chance I can to get out and explore new places that I have yet to go.  I am still in amazement that we are one of the only states that closes trout streams for over 5 month's.  This seems a little excessive to me and I wish they would open it up earlier and just make everyone catch and release the fish they catch.  What are all of your thoughts on this topic?   Here are some pics, hope you enjoy.

New creation.

New stream with brand new trout hides built in. 

Lower hairier part of the new stream.

Upper part of the new creek.  Pastured land at the head waters.

"My Creek"  :)

I love to just sit in this spot and listen to the water flowing by.

I love partly cloudy days where the sun shines in some spots and not in others.

A little Rainbow caught out of the only hole holding fish on the pastured section.

Caught this Brown out of the same hole on the way back to the car.

This is the new stretch of Reborn stream.  Some may not like this type of set up, but I think it beats the hell out of pastured areas that are unable to hold fish.

Just one of the newly stocked fingerlings in the new part of the stream.

Here is a healthy Brown, maybe have to call this one a "Handling" :)

Here is a fly that I was using to catch most of them.  It is made with using my daughter Sephora's hair for a tail.  For Luck.

Small fish of the day.  Really liked the Adipose fin on this one.

In this pic you can see the huge submerged log that forms a small waterfall that spills against the trout hides along the bank.

I really liked the orange on this Browns dorsal fin.

Promised the above fish a mug shot for his cooperation.

The cold weather doesn't seem to be slowing the Bumble Bee's down to much.

The leaves are starting to change on the hillsides of the Driftless Region.

It's everywhere!!!!!

These young fella's would end up chasing me into the stream and to the other side.  Curious guys.

This was a plump female Brown.  Love seeing them doing so well and healthy.

Another feisty female doing it's part.

I really liked how dark this fella was.  As soon as the Bomber hit the water the fish exploded on it.

When I caught this one in the dark I thought it was a 20" instead of a 15".  It put up one heck of a fight for it's size.

Released to swim away and do it's part come spawning time.

I can't help but be a little bit sad when the leaves start to fall into the stream.  Trout season is almost over :(

Until Next Time........Tight Lines to all !!!!!!!!

IT'S ONLY IN MY DREAMS !!!

This is my post for Red Tuna and O.B.N.'s contest they are putting on.

THE TRIP I CAN ONLY DREAM OF!!

If I could choose one place to go fishing and one place only, it would be the place I have seen while my eyes are closed and the dreams run wild.  There is a place that I have a reoccurring dream about and it is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.  It is a stream where the trout grow as big as a lake trout.  It is a place where every time that I manage to trick a fish into taking my fly, it snaps my leader.  Broken fly rods and fly lines wrapped up in underwater root systems are a regular part of this dream.  Many times I have been there fishing with friends, family and even people I have never seen before.  At every bend there is a hole with huge trout hiding out in it.  The banks are lined with waist high grass and every single hole is fishable.  It winds through the wilderness like a huge snake.

  The color of the water is a dark bluish green mix, with the holes looking almost black in color.  In one dream I was pulled from the bank into the depths of the hole that seemed to be bottomless.  Every time I awake from this dream, my heart is racing and I am sure that the dream was a reality.  I have fought fish for what seems to be an eternity in this dream.  Where is this place???  Does it really exist and is it just sitting there awaiting my arrival???  I hope so.  Has anyone else discovered this spot yet and if so, have they been lucky enough to bring one of it's mammoth sized trout to hand??  I hope someday that I am able to find this place.  I will be prepared for the unexpected, learning from all the mistakes I have made in my dreams.  It will be a dream come true.  Please, if you know where this place is, let me know.  I promise if I find this place, I will take all of you there with me!! 

Until Next Time.....Tight Lines !!!!!!  

Thanks again O.B.N. and Red Tuna!!!

THAT'S THE WAY THE COOKIE CRUMBLES !!

Today I decided to get up early and head out in search of some big trout.  I packed up my bag and set off to the stream.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the creek was running clear.  I was hoping some of the Big trout from the rivers might be starting to make their way into the smaller streams for the spawning season.  Maybe it was a little early still, but there is only one way to find out.  Deep diving with some cone head Castle Rock Killers.  When I arrived at the stream and opened my door, I was greeted by some other persons laziness.  Luckily I had a left over Chinese food bag which just happen to be full of Mountain Money, just in case ;)  People who litter suck!!!  After playing Trash Man I set off to see what the stream had to offer for the day.  Here are some pics of the adventure, hope you enjoy.

                        

 

After fishing a few holes, I came to one of my favorite ones.  I threw the flies in and let them sink deep into the bottom of the green darkness.  I watched as it drifted into exactly where I wanted it.  Usually I give it a light strip, but this time I just let it sit and waited for my line to go the other way.  Then it happened.  My line went the other way, it went the other way in a fast violent motion.  I raised my pole in the air and set the hook true.  Next I saw a huge golden flash deep down in the hole, a beast of a Brown.  This fish measured 20"+ easily and took off tugging harder than I have ever had the pleasure to witness.  It started to drag me all over the hole.  It headed straight for a huge ball of roots deep, but I was able to change it's direction.  Then it took off towards the back of the hole, and all I could think of was where's my G Damn net when I need it.  This thing wasn't about to give up.  I could see it shaking it's head violently and I was beginning to worry that it might shake my hook.  But the hook held tight and it looked as if this thing would come to hand after all.  Then in a heart wrenching second it happened.  SNAP.  Back came my fly line directly into my face and piled at my feet.  NO FLIES!!  There goes the Brown of a lifetime for me.  Usually in this situation I would throw a hissy fit and echo the valley with cuss words I learned when riding the bus to school.  But this time all I could do is smile as I thought about all of the small trout making fun of the big one as it cruised along with two Trout MaGee specials as newly added jewelry. " What a sucker I can't believe he fell for that" is what I pictured the other trout saying behind his back.  So I decided to sit down and have a snack.  Hoping maybe he would strike again in a little bit if I waited for a while.  I pulled out my Keebler Elf cookies and brought one up to the lens to see what it would look like if I took pictures through the middle of it.  It actually worked quite well.  Below are some pics of the Cookie filter shots and some fish pics.  I hope you enjoy the hole shots.

After losing the other fly, I tied on this regular beaded Castle Rock Killer and it did not disappoint.  I ended up catching the next fish below in the very next hole.  It put up a great fight and was released to swim another day.  They were all beautiful specimens and returned to do their part when spawning time comes.  The females are really starting to fill up with eggs.  Big fat bellies.

UNTIL NEXT TIME...TIGHT LINES TO ALL !!!!!