June Trout in Captions

 

11 AM to 4 PM on some of the best water in the midwestern region of the USA.  After laving my vehicle I did not encounter one acre cultivated.  No roads.  Pasture, walnut groves, high cliff faces; those were the frames of the river.  My hope was to encounter any sort of June hatch of large insects.  Something that would define itself well and invite big mayfly patterns.  Started out the morning though with streamers.  Shitty ones at that; I'm purging fly boxes.  No tying; just using what I have.  Notably this does not seem to matter much.

I think most of the fish pictured out of the water are now dead.  This worth mentioning as it pertains to discussion regarding photo time impacting fish mortality.  The fish are no more for their world as they are now a more direct part of mine and those of my immediate family.

Good water.  Fish throughout.  Conditions were excellent.

As it happened I was applying a rod passed along by JM's dad to present flies made of deer hair from the hide taken by my dad some 30 years ago.  An aside on that one is that as he tells it, he'd conceded that he'd missed the deer and given up looking for his arrow; gone home.  But arrows were expensive.  He was drawn out to the woods hours later to look further in hope.  Instead of locating the stray arrow though, he found the dead deer.  In telling this story he is careful to note that at this point he let out a howl of jubilation.  And now the tanned hide is draped over a chest made by my brother.  Sits in my shop.  Any number of legacies here to consider.

Creel from great uncle that sat in original homestead until past summer when it was gifted to me.  Already tearing the strap fasten point due to exceedingly frequent bouts with heavy loads.

Baseflow cooler, implemented while sitting on a bank after catching many fish.  Cows downstream; fish rising upstream.

Adams Irresistible.  A generalist approach in the midst of varying bugs on the water.  Worked very well.

This fish right at 16 inches; nice deep mouth.  Still swims.  Not a dry fly fish.  Had gone back to streamer at this point.

The water from whence it came. 

This gray type showed the biggest and best fish.  The small ones out in the riffles and tailouts taking dry flies.  The bigger fish tucked away in pockets and under overhanging vegetation.  This is well understood but still very interesting and intriguing.  Get flies in tight places; fish are in there.

Really liked these spots.  A lot of variability across individual BNT.



Money water.



June in SE MN; glad I was afforded a few hours.  Very special water and remarkable place.