August 24 and 25th

 Thursday morning I met Wayne at the parking lot and we got in the water about 615. I started above the steps and had a good morning again with my green and my brown soft hackle.  The weather was perfect, the fog was there all morning until 845. I worked my flies in the middle and both sides with all three sides producing even some next to the lay down trees over on the right-hand side downstream. I think Wayne had a pretty good morning too. When the generation started we went down to happy Hollow, we should have gone home I don't think we caught but maybe one fish between us.
    Friday morning was about the same way I had a good morning, I think I caught a few on some midges in addition to my other stuff. I went to happy Hollow when the generation started and caught several fish down there,  I caught a couple of fairly decent sized rainbows.  I'm not putting a whole Lotta stuff in these because it seems that every time is about the same, same flies same amount anywhere from 10-15  to maybe 20 or more.  I did go this morning Saturday and had a great first hour from about 630 to 730. I probably caught at least 15 with some of the rainbows over 12 and a couple of Brown's that were 11 or 12".  I went to happy Hollow and fish for maybe 30 minutes and didn't catch but two and that was right before the water got there. There were a couple of guys that were flyfishing got into a hole and they probably caught 10 or 12 while I was there directly out in front of the canoe get out.  I am going to tie up several soft hackles and a few other things and maybe get back out this afternoon. If I do, I will make a post probably on Sunday. Until next time, Pappy.

3 Trips or more

 This post will be for three trips, two for wading and the other in my river hawk. I fished with a new friend on my first trip, and to show a small world his dad used to work several years ago with the same company that i did.  We had quite a bit of rain during the morning so I left out late afternoon around 330. In a drizzle and rain I had a good afternoon, I probably called at least 10 Fish and maybe as many as 15. At happy Hollow, three times right before a thunder boom I called three good rainbow between 12 and 15 inches.  My next trip the first good day with low humidity I was on the water for nine hours again and had a great day with close to 20 fish. These great days don't compare with  early spring days of 40 or 50 fish but for 90° summer weather it is pretty good.  I have gotten to where I really enjoy my river hawk, so I have used it several times in the last three weeks and have had fairly good success. I have gotten to where I really enjoy my river hawk, so I have used it several times in the last three weeks and have had fairly good success.   Yesterday was no exception and may have been the best day with my river hawk, I got on the water at about 430 and finished until 730. During that time I caught maybe 10 fish, one  fat rainbow that measured out at 16 inches and another a little bit smaller that Measure 12 inches, it started out a little slow up in the dam area and then picked up and I went down to the places where I usually wade,that is where I caught the big rainbow. Yesterday was probably the last comfortable day with low humidity,  I wont be fishing because tonight is church night.  I am going to try to get back out tomorrow, until next time, Pappy.    P. S.  On my last cast tonight just to straighten out my line, as I was reeling the line in, instead of stripping as usual, I caught a 12" walleye, my first ever there.

The Longest Day

 Not that today would compare with the World War II movie, but today I spent more time on the water then I have probably in three years .   I got in the water at my normal spot at 6:15 and the fishing started out very slow, it was probably 20 minutes before I got my first trout, a 14" Rainbow, so I guess it was worth the wait.  I caught four or five more with one rainbow12 inches and then the generation started at 9 o'clock.  I stopped at the big rock market and got me a tenderloin sandwich and a Dr Pepper and proceeded to happy Hollow.   My best recollection is that I caught 3 while I was there until the water started rising at 10:45. I talked to a man and his son while I was there and we decided to go to the rest area, I was there for about 30 minutes and then the water started rising and I didn't have a single bite there. I then took my time and went back up to the steps and started again around 1 o'clock.  Since they have been running the sluice gate the water was still running about 1 foot high and at a pretty good pace.  I didn't catch anything until 145 I should have known that because the river is usually dead between 12 and 130.  My first fish was a fat 12 inch rainbow and then I called a few more and went to the house at 3:30.   I probably use more flies and talk more fish on more flies than I have in a long time so there wasn't any particular pattern that was working.  I think I will take the weekend off because I am wore out. Until next time,  Pappy.

World traveling fisherman

 On Monday, August 15 I had the great pleasure of fishing with a world renowned fly fisherman  from parts unknown in the land of south Africa.   Known by everyone in the industry as Apeiwe, only one name needed  to be recognized .   He graced my presence with his benefactor, Robert buddy Harston .  He has unbelievable skills, so much so that I am not even able to describe them due to copyright restrictions that has been in effect since his career started.  I am working right now with his agent to see if I can post a photograph of the two of them and if possible it will be possibly the first photograph of this marvelous man  any where close to his fishing waters .  I am limited in the amount of words that I can use in this post so I will have to end it now. So until next time, Pappy.

Catching up again

 I have probably been to the Caney at least five times since my last post. I have been three times in my boat and have had decent success on high water around the dam  and lower water at my usual wading places. The rainbows are still there and not as many browns, I have been using dark midges a whole lot more than I have in the last couple of years because they seem to be what the fish are wanting.  This morning, Thursday, I met Wayne at 6:30 to Wade, he stayed up around the dam because there was a threat of thunderstorms and I went on down to the steps.  It's a shame to live 20 minutes from the river on a rainy day and don't even carry a rain jacket. There was a continual rain from the time I started at 6:30 until about 8 o'clock.  The fish responded well to the rain I started with a yellow hare's ear and then switched to a message and both of them caught a 12 and 11 inch rainbow.   I called between eight and 12 fish there and then when the generators started at 9 o'clock we moved to happy Hollow and I continued to use the Midge and a soft Hackle and caught probably 10 fish there.  Getting soaking wet wasn't near as bad since the fish were biting, I am going to try to go again in the morning early for a couple of hours and I will make a report at sometime after that. Until then Pappy.

River Hawke Fishing

I took the river hawk out a couple of afternoons this past week and fished with one generator running for about an hour each time.  I caught a couple of 12 inch rainbows each time, some at the waterfall and the other two over at the pool. When the generator turned off I stayed in that area and would then work my way down to where I would normally wade.  I had better luck doing this, I caught several rainbows and a couple of Browns  close to the steps on the Longbranch side.  I am still searching for the top one or two flies to fish while the generator is running, I may try to go out this afternoon, Saturday. I will post again if I get to go, until next time, Pappy.

River Hawke Afternoon

 I finally decided to take the River Hawke out while the generation what's going on. There was a threat of thunderstorms but I was in the mood to fish so I decided to take a chance. I put in at 430 and generation was until 6 o'clock I fished around the dam for 30 minutes or so and Caught a couple of 15 to 16 inch rainbows  with in the first 10 minutes and then it slowed down for the next 20 minutes. So I then travel downstream to the Cutthrough and didn't do any good  and I came back up around the dam until the generation quit. I caught three or four rainbows and one small brown around the dam and then I move back downstream while the water was still going down . I met up with a couple of guys in kayaks close to the steps from the Long Branch campsite. They had caught maybe one or two fish as I was coming down towards them.  Pleasantries were made and one of them asked what I was throwing and then told me that I should tie on a white Wooly Bugger, that they had caught two and had missed a couple and that was the best fly to use. I told them that I had caught some with my soft hackle and would probably stick with it. and the next 10 minutes I had caught six decent size rainbows while they were still trying to catch one. The girl that was kayaking with them just kind of smiled, of course while her friends weren't looking. I think by this time I had caught maybe 12 fish mostly rainbows and decided to move back up around the dam.  I caught three or four more before it got time to leave. I may take the river hawk back out this afternoon because our   Meeting starts at church Sunday through Wednesday and I won't have a chance to get out in the afternoon. It is too busy and too hot during the day. Until next time, Pappy.

Quality is better

 I got to the river a little bit late this morning and the fishing started out real slow.  I got a couple of Bites on soft hackle then I went to a crackle back and it picked up a little bit and then I changed to a black midge.  That made all the difference in the world, I haven't consistently used a midge for two or three year but that was the only thing that would work. I didn't catch a whole lot of fish but I caught two rainbows that would've been in the slot and then A couple of more that were close, the best overall morning for 2 1/2 hours that I have had in awhile as far as quality rainbows.  I hope to get out one more time this week and try it  again, until next time, Pappy.