BWO's

I could never understand how such a small a fly could catch a fish, let alone a big fish. Or for that matter why they would even bother to eat something that small? Then if you actually caught one how would a point the width of 4 sheets of paper hold when even the largest hooks pull out? I tried to draw a parallel to my eating habits as I am the only entity I am familiar with. I thought about what i eat. Sure I like a steak as much as the next guy, this does not mean I would pass up Ikura, I even eat them one at a time, sometimes. I am not certain how many it would take to fill me up, but I don’t think it could be done.

 

So getting back to the fish I can see if BWO’s are tasty and plentiful than sure, why wouldn’t a fish go for it. This still left the question about how the hook would hold or even be able to gain a purchase in the lip. I decided to leave that question until I caught one, believing John and A.K. and Nick would not steer me wrong…

 

I was on the 4675; the day was grey and cloudy, with a temperature in the mid 40’s, in other words a nice day to be on the river.  As i rounded a sloping bend, a slow flat slick presented itself. The water was dimpled by some gentle rain, but there were rises all over the pool. From the distance I could not make out what they were coming up for. Moving closer and over to the bank it appeared that miniature sail boats were drifting in a linier regatta. In one section they looked like they were being shot from an unseen underwater canon in a procession with military precision. The regularity of the rises popping out of the meniscus to the surface and the absolutely linier parade of these miniature soldiers seemed completely out of character for nature which tends to favor organic random patterns.

 

There were about a dozen or so fish and 2 very different styles of rise. The first were splashy and energetic, I later discovered (thanks to catching some) they were the small fish expelling bursts of energy and capturing few flies. The second was more interesting; an almost indiscernible nose would rise through the meniscus, once there it would magically, leisurely suspend and capture several BWO before its decent a model of adult efficiency. The next step seemed easy enough to count the time between the rises, wait & cast upstream directly upstream a rising fish and wait. Timing is harder than it looks sometimes so I moved to the splashier rises as they seemed easier to cast to and catch. 

 

After a few successful catches I wanted to try something I had read about a 20/20 which is catching a 20” + fish on #20 or smaller hook. Now it is always a better idea to try new things like this after catching a few. Catching a few is good for your confidence and if it does not work out well you still caught a few and had a good time.

 

I tied on the smallest hook I had # 24 and by now I had 2 things going, first after adding and clipping tippet all day my line was balanced (this was an accident and something I rarely get right) and second I now had the rhythm going. So I picked out one of the gentlest rises (in the past I would have been sure this was the smallest fish in the pool but now I knew better). I lined up where a miniature cannon, was firing fresh hatched flies to a certain & unfortunate end.  I made a quick false cast and then fired my BWO into the procession line with only a hope it dented the surface in a similar way to the real batius. As the other sailboats made their gentle path to the shallow depression I held my breath as the fish took his. Then came the hardest part I have ever experienced, I was actually in the fish but could not tighten the line or strike as the cavity was still open, the fish was gorging himself.

 

Eventually he either need a drink to wash down all the flies or to breath water or was just so full of files that he sunk. I lifted my rod and was fast to a fine fish. I love that expression “fast to a fine fish”. In October it takes on extra meaning as fall trout are able to pull like summer night bass on to light tackle that won’t be reeled in or freight trains. The water temperature coupled with oxygen levels imbibe thefish with energy rarely seen at other times of the year.  I knew he was a good fish but now the challenge was to reel him in before the hook pulled out. As he stripped off the line it occurred to me that the few fish I had earlier lost were not due to the hook size but rather sometimes you just lose fish, hey it happens. Wetting my hands in preparation I brought him in, and held a fine brown trout. He taped out to 21 ¼ not the biggest fish ever but it certainly gained me entry into the 20/20 club. 

 

It is good to have goals, now I have a new goal the 24/24 club, a 2’ + fish on a #24 or smaller hook. I don’t really care if I ever get there but it is good to extend your self, to reach, learn and grow. Perhaps I should try going the other way as well, but I am not sure how a #4 hook is going to catch a 4” fish…