We got to go fishing the other day; just me and my best friend JA on bright water under clear blue skies with just a hint of breeze. Several years ago we envisioned this as a very regular occurrence, but then life has a way of getting in the way of idyllic plans. Over those intervening years, we have stolen a day, or maybe half of one, when we could.
Spring has been reluctant this season, so to get a truly perfect weather day, one with some actual hope of a hatch or two took a little serendipity. There were some caddis on the water when we arrived in late morning, but no fish were taking them. The river levels were near perfect thanks to Nature’s sorely needed gift of rainfall, and the currents were clear enough to let us enjoy ourselves while allowing the trout to keep a few of their secrets.
JA decided to prospect the riffle down into the run, while I sidled downstream into the head of the pool. We both fished a little, making a few casts with our favorite caddis imitations despite a lack of rises. We both figured that there were enough flies on the water for a trout or two to be out there looking, and if we drifted our caddis over just the right rock…
As early afternoon arrived, I saw the first Hendricksons begin to drift by. It wasn’t long before I saw a soft rise, covered it, and had a good trout take my fly. As I was playing him, I heard a couple more rises behind me, so after netting that fish I waved to JA to come on down. Within five minutes there was another rise and a second nice brownie took my 100-Year Dun. More rises behind me. I waved some more and JA started down. He hooked a nice brown between us, but it jumped and threw the hook. Then things went quiet. We talked a bit, waited and watched, and finally he decided to work his way back up into the run. That was the best decision of the day!
I would find only a recalcitrant sipper or two for the duration of the hatch. They kept me busy trying to get a cast into the perfect spot, but I had no further success. I had looked upriver once during my time in purgatory, and seen JA’s handmade bamboo rod high in the air and bucking with life. I smiled and went back to my own business. That was the first bamboo fly rod JA had made about five years ago and it was beautifully done. I believe he is working on rods six and seven now, and one of those is a surprise gift for me. He has also spent a lot of time over this past winter teaching me how to make one myself and fulfill a special dream. I suspect that gives you an idea of what kind of man my friend is.
Not too long before the hatch petered out, they have been short and sparse this year, I heard a call from JA and looked to see him carrying his net to the bank. I could see his smile from a hundred yards away.
When I joined him he was still smiling, telling me about the half dozen good browns he had taken on one of his little caddis emergers, including the twenty-one incher I saw him carrying to the bank. He wanted a picture of that one, the fish that jetted away instantly and started emptying his reel.
As we talked beside the road before heading home, he handed me a fly box full of those special caddis. He still ties flies for a few, select fly shops including one in downtown Roscoe. He ties more than thirty dozen of that particular fly for that shop each season, as it’s their best-selling caddis pattern. There’s a reason for that.
I’ll be looking for some more good fish taking caddis this week. They hang around for a while much better than the mayflies, and I will give JA’s emerger plenty of time on the end of my leader!
Bright Waters Catskill 