A day of exploration, a skunking, a surprise

[Tigereye]

Gotta get rid of my soft hackles and Wulffs. Shame, they still looked ok to me.🤣

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Dace streamers are highly effective.
As it is said, there is nothing new under the Sun.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

Today I went and checked out two streams I've never fished. One of them I made a few casts in and decided to bag it. This stream was very narrow and sandy but had depth and decent looking holding spots. I caught no fish here. The next stream was small but gorgeous. Perfect gradient, perfect structure, perfect pools and holding water everywhere. I still didn't catch a fish. I didn't see a fish. I flipped rocks and found various mayfly and caddis larva, but no fish. I tried various flies, but no luck. As I was standing beside an awesome undercut bank on the bend of the creek that also had a gorgeous pool on the bend, I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye. I stood motionless and looked, I saw brown, I thought it was a small deer but it wasn't. Then I realized it, a bobcat! It hopped up on a log looking my direction. I carefully reached in for my phone, it spotted me and stared me down and I stared right back at it. After about 10 seconds, it bolted and vanished. Before it left I got a few pics and a video, though. I've included some lovely stream pics below and the bobcat.

I've spent a ton of time outdoors fishing, hunting, backpacking, etc and this was my first time seeing a bobcat in the wild. I was tickled. The black nose dace streamer I tied on caught nothing and, after only 15 more minutes of fishing, I left feeling pretty happy I chose to go exploring today.View attachment 1641229519View attachment 1641229520View attachment 1641229521View attachment 1641229522

I've enjoyed your recent posts. Thank you for sharing.
That's a good looking stream.

 

[jifigz]

I've enjoyed your recent posts. Thank you for sharing.
That's a good looking stream.

I agree. It was a beautiful stream. There has to be some wild fish in it, has to be. I was out tonight in a different creek and only caught one. My last few fishing trips I've been struggling. The bite is off for me.

With spring approaching though I'll find time to be on a stream 4-5 days a week. It will turn around.

 

[wildtrout2]

I agree. It was a beautiful stream. There has to be some wild fish in it, has to be. I was out tonight in a different creek and only caught one. My last few fishing trips I've been struggling. The bite is off for me.

Do you check stream temps? Water might be too cold yet for good activity.

 

[jifigz]

Do you check stream temps? Water might be too cold yet for good activity.

I haven't taken a stream temperature in years. I lost my thermometer and never bought one again. I find them only really valuable for trout fishing in the summer so you can identify those areas that stay plenty cold and obviously remain good trout fisheries.

With that said, all the creeks are still icy at this point and I know that the bite will pick up in the next few weeks.