Time on the river is still very restorative and meditative. While still trying to learn as much as I can from as many as I can, I also am more comfortable with my particular style of nymphing and less concerned if others think it's effective or "correct"...which is good timing because this time of year there's probably anglers above and below your favorite slot. If you can tell whether my caddis is a size 12 or 14, you're probably too close. But seriously.
The picture doesn't do it justice, but this grand-dad beaver below
was almost twice as big and slow as the other dozen or so beavers I have
encountered in the last several years. Because of the off-colored
water, he surfaced about three feet from my position and gave me a good startle as well. The kind when you mash together three or four cuss words and some Cantonese for good measure. You don't speak Chinese? Yeah, me neither.
Crayfish are productive, but I have stuck a lot of nice fish on midges and caddis pupae recently as well. Jan's Pearl Caddis Pupae and Gilligan's G6 is always a worthy contender.
The downside of being a lifetime fisherman but new to the fly game is that I can read a stream and find the fish but lack the experience to prevent things going sideways after the hook up. Each time, it seriously seems like I make a new mistake that I hadn't before. A lot can go wrong between the take and the net. Hoping to close some deals.
