February Starts With a Bang

I didn't get up extra early on Friday, but I got up with nothing to do but drive to Rocky Ford Creek. And fish. I was on the road by mid-morning. By the time I was close I had left the fog behind and was leaving the snow zone.

The sun shone pale, but warm for February. There was not a trace of ice anywhere on the creek.

I haven't used my 4 wt in three months. When I put it away on October 31st there was a raggedy little beadhead micro leech in the hook keeper. I took a look at it and, what the hell, cast it out. I worked it 

out gradually, giving it a very slow, steady retrieve as it drifted in the barely perceptible current.

And bang. Welcome, trout. It's been too long.

So I tried a couple of other beadheads. I tied on this number and got some bumps. A fish was following right up to the shallows, but was afraid to commit. I went back at him, got another little tug, and hooked him. He felt good, but came loose. I reeled in figuring I just hadn't hooked him securely. But maybe I had. He snapped the hook.

I went back to the micro leech.

And bang. I got one photo before he flipped out of the net and was gone.

I leisurely picked through my nymph boxes, trying this and that. I even got out a bobber and relaxed for awhile letting it do all the work. But it didn't work. So, as the sun sank toward the horizon, I went back to my new favorite fly.

I quartered it upstream and started the slow retrieve.

And bang. The best fish of the day. Thank you, fish. Thank you, raggedy little micro leech.

I walked out through the cattails and headed back to the parking area. I took a detour out onto the boardwalk by the hatchery for one last shot of the creek.

I was the last one to leave.

All the way home I alternated between feeling real good and wishing I'd tried at least something on top.

That will just have to wait for the next time.