This snaky brook trout displayed some very dramatic spawning colors.
All photos by Phoebe Bean
Almost two weeks ago, I wrote a post titled, “The Last Gorgeous Brookie Day of the Season?” Yet today, with the mercury hovering just below 70 degrees here in the 802, it looked to be yet another day to head for the mountain stream. I had a wonderful time on the water (more on that tomorrow), and unbeknownst to me, our intern Phoebe Bean was also having a similar blast just a few hundred yards upstream.
The water was a tad high, which perhaps got more fishing moving upstream.
When we got back to the office, she sent me these photos, which annoyed me because they’re better than mine. Phoebe says she started out with a Stimulator, but then switched over to a Royal Coachman, which really brought the fish up. I can’t remember such a good brook trout day so late in the season, which ends on Friday. A glimpse at the five-day forecast suggests that, this time, the fun might really be over for 2014.
Sometimes the perfect of these little gems is mesmerizing.
Brookies were spawning on the ‘kill yesterday – saw a number of them on and around redds up in Sunderland. A few fish were rising here and there but the season is definitely winding down rapidly ….