A Good Morning

I (Rick) started a new job with an eight-nines schedule, which means I have every-other Friday off. Today was my first Friday off, and having just finished my hardwood floor install last week, I was due for a reward. And a nice reward it was.

Leaving town as the sun was coming up with the #8 meal from McDonalds in hand, I hoped to beat the high winds that were due later in the morning. At 8 am, I pulled up to one of my favorite pull-offs along the Touchet River, and was soon wet-wading in the cool water. Staring with a double psycho, I picked up some small guys, 4" to 7" long. The only fish of size I saw came up and hit the red thingambobber. So I switched to a dry, and continued to catch mostly small ones. Switching back and forth a few more times, I had a nice one about 12" come flying clean out of the water with the psycho as soon as it hit the water, losing the fly with its acrobatics. However, I finally settled on a small, parachute Adams, which was brought abundant action, but still mostly the little guys. Fun, but I was wondering where the bigger fish (relatively speaking) were.

Non-stop action on the dry for guys this size and smaller

After running the dry through one of the deeper holes below some big boulders, I switched to the #12 psycho, which I had avoided due to the shallower water earlier (the river is running about 28 cfs instead of the normal 50 or so summertime flow). Immediately, a couple fish. I think I wasn't getting down before. Just above this hole was a spot where an overgrown alder covers the whole river. I remember it because last October fishing with Kirk Morris, I made an awesome sidearm cast, dropped the fly all the way under the tree, and picked up a nice fish while he watched from below. Well, today, I was below and casting up into the last little bit of the tail out below the tree. First cast, immediate 10" fish. Second cast, the same. Third cast, ditto. The fly would barely start drifting before another 9" to 11" rainbow was on. Repeated at least a dozen and a half times on successive casts. Pretty awesome. Occasionally on the dry (small orange Stimulator Chew Toy), but mostly on the psycho.

The psycho right where it should be; I had nearly two dozen casts into the area below the tree
 in the background with fish on every cast before all the willing fish had sore lips

Approaching the bridge exit, the fish were fewer, but a number were found in each of the holes, again mixed on the dry and dropper. Three and a half hours passed seemingly in an instant, filled with images of slow rises, quick darts, and stream-clearing leaps, all focused on my tiny fly.

Yes, it was a good morning.