Thursday, December 17, 2015

Keeping Score...why beat yourself up?


Good morning folks, hope your day is all that you want it to be.

Yesterday was a absolute beautiful day for the middle of November, oh wait this is the middle of December, just about a week from Christmas. The weather was clear and sunny and the water was acceptable for the time of year. I started my trek up along the stream, glass in hand and bomber on line. I came upon a riffle-pool I like to fish and tossed the fly upon it. A short drift later and a brookie rose not once but three times as the fly moved in the current each time missing the hook. I picked up the fly and sent it back...nothing, back again...nothing. Move on Alan. The next run I fished I had another rise and another miss. This is not uncommon and I knew the success rate would pick up.


Along this beautiful stream I walked, casting and casting. It was three hours later and I realized I had not had another rise. Sitting on a rock I pondered the idea of changing flies, but that was not the answer this day. If they wanted to eat the dry fly would be the dinner.


As I closed in on the end of my outing I said You are now 0-2...why beat yourself up, you did nothing wrong, besides you had a great day just having the chance to fish.


As I neared a bridge that usually means the day is done, I said just fish a little further down then cut across the parking lot and go home. The pool was dark and the flow very slow. I dropped the bomber smack dab in the middle. The fly sat almost motionless for a second or two when it was smacked. A spirited fight and a wild brook trout was at hand. The score now 1 for 3...thank you fontinalis.







33 comments:


  1. A beautiful day to be out! I like the photo of the sandwich and the brookie!! You avoided the skunk!! The scenic shots are a nice touch!!

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    1. TROUTI
      Thanks
      Pete the best at the beginning and at the end. Beautiful day buddy.

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  2. Thanks for taking me along. Great post and love the blog!

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    1. Ralph Long
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      Ralph I'm happy bringing you along.

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  3. Always a good feeling to end a trip on a good note.

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    1. Chris "Kiwi" Kuhlow
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      Chris never thought a brookie would be so welcomed.
      I used your "killer bug" the other day...a good reception..slow on the draw for me though.

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  4. Yes Allen the weather sure has been nice this late fall. The stores haven't been selling a lot of snowblowers and shovels lately. But we New Englander's know that it can change in a heart beat. Glad you got out on such a beautiful day for some small stream fishing,nice wild brookie brought to hand!

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    1. John Wirtes
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      John I'll take this kind of weather for the entire season...winter business will suffer and well I .........Good day all around buddy.

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  5. Lester Kish
    Thanks
    Lester the "Bomber" has quite a reputation among Atlantic salmon and steelheaders, and those little brookies join the elite.

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  6. I couldn't imagine a nicer place to just sit on a rock and ponder...especially in mid December.
    Thanks for another great post Allen
    John

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    1. thedeadfisher
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      John to have weather like this is a gift. I hope it will stay.

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  7. That looks like a fantastic breakfast sandwich! Pita bread?

    Very nice outing. Sometimes they're just not hungry, you just never know. Persistence pays off in the end.

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    1. Justin Carfagnini
      Thanks
      Justin Pita it is. I would have preferred a crusty Italian bread but Pita was there.
      You can put the feed out, but you can't make them eat it.

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    2. I've never heard that phrase, but I like it!

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  8. a nice save, yet i believe your outing would have been a good one anyway with a tally of 0.

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  9. Alan
    At least you ended the day on a high not as far as the trout is concerned, on the other hand just being near those stream you fish would be a blessing for me. Thanks for sharing

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    1. Bill Trussell
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      Bill I'm fortunate, and I'm grateful to be so fortunate.

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  10. Success need only be measured by the smile on your face at the end of the day...and with waters and fish as beautiful as those the smile is a given.

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    1. HighPlainsFlyFisher
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      Jeff my friend you put that so well.

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  11. Amen to what High Plains Fisher said. What a beautiful stream and a December gift at the end of your outing by the bridge.

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    1. Parachute Adams
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      Sam that bridge as well as the water below will be on my don't pass up list for sure.

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  12. I have read every post from April 2010 to present and am amazed by the quality and beauty of the streams you have fished.do you travel very far to enjoy these gems? I truly enjoy your blog and your generosity to share your travels with us.

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    1. Brad Basehore
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      Brad wow that's a great deal of reading. I do appreciate your kind words.

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  13. Alan, first I'm still amazed that you are still getting out. Second, I'm surprised the fish are still eating and most of all as Brad said, thanks for allowing us to follow along.

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    1. Howard Levett
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      Howard the weather here has been like spring, and if it were not such busy time I'd probably be out more.

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  14. Persistence does pay off. Nice looking weather for December.

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    1. Mark Kautz
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      Mark in this case it sure did. Love this weather, but wait 'til the bill comes do.

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  15. Amazing weather to get out there and chuck a few flies Brk Trt..Merry Christmas to you and Janet and all your family my friend..

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    1. penbayman
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      Mike a very Merry Christmas to you and your family.

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  16. Looks like fabulous weather for this time of year. From what I've heard, that seems to be going around this year.

    Beautiful little gem to clear the skunk.

    Happy Holidays to you Alan!

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    1. Michael Agneta
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      Mike great weather indeed. They say no snow for Christmas...oh well.
      Mike you and the family have a very Merry Christmas.

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  17. I stopped counting years ago. When people ask me how many I caught now I answer with "enough."

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