Fly Fishing on the Lower Stan is BACK!!!!

This morning was totally AWESOME!!! There is nothing like catching fish on a fly rod and even better yet, catching fish on a fly you tied just the day before. I had been keeping an eye on the river flows for the last week on the lower Stanislaus. Last night they were running around 500CFS and this morning at 5AM I looked again and they were at 399CFS. So, being the dedicated trout fisherman that I am, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I threw on some clothes grabbed the 6wt and headed to the River. I arrived at 6:30AM and hit the water. I had a "take" on the second cast and shortly after I landed a small rainbow. After that... it was "ON"!! I headed up to the lower pool and started tossing my two fly set up with indicator(aka bobber). I was using a size 18 beadhead pheasant tale nymph with a midge emerger pattern I tied. I landed 7 fish in this pool with numerous "takes" and a few I lost at the net. My biggest fish landed for the day was a 12" rainbow. You know every fisherman has to have a fish story...so here's mine. I lost a nice one, I would say it was probably 13" -15" rainbow. I had it hooked tight. I gave him a little to much time in the water and as I brought him in close, he did a last minute ditch effort under a rock and snapped my 6x tippet. That is the price you pay for using light line but it is definitely worth it. I walked down river maybe 50 yards and hooked into about three more using the "high stick" nymphing technique. Basically I was making short casts in the riffles & runs and holding my rod tip high so I can have a quick hook set when the fish are biting really light. Here are a few pics of the rainbows I caught today.
































It has been awhile since I had a day like today. It was great to get "wet" again and land some fish. Patrick and I are headed back on Thursday, so I need to get back in front of the vice and tie some more of the same pattern.

Stay tuned because I'm BACK...on the FLY!!!