I snuck out the house spent almost 4 hours trying to get some trout in one little old hole near the bridge. Actually I was casting around almost 360 degrees but that one hole kept my attention. I saw a bunch of medium sized rainbows in feeding mode and I could not get them on my collection of flies. Finally I tied on a fly called a WD40 size 20 or 22. I was what you call highsticking - no weight and keeping the line above the water.
The fish were cautious and turned away when each approached the fly. But then they bunched up and I guess competition made one of them just grab it. Nice tough little fish. About 12-13 inches. I'm guessing he's a native because he had rich pink, purple and brown colors instead of all silver. kept fighting nonstop like a mackarel. Hooked on the lip and released easily.
Right on, throwinmetal. I'm sure you won't ever forget that fish. I still remember my first trout on a fly: wild rainbow on a #18 bwo, American Fork Creek, Utah. Then there was my first trout on a fly that I tied: wild rainbow on a #16 brassie, Silver Fork American River, California. Now there are tons of other unforgettable fish in my memory bank. Keep adding to that list.
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
Very nice job on your first one. Putah is a tough one to start at too. I actually dont remember my 'first' fish...I was told I was two or something like that. My first trout on a fly was an 18 in 'bow that i caught on a wooly bugger. Pretty sure it was stocked, but i didnt care. Fished for 2 weeks after that and only caught 3 others. Your first fish is something very special. Congrats, always good to see a new addition to the sport.
I also slipped for the first time. Haha. Did a face plant into the water. It was shallow and I wasn't hurt. Luckily I didn't break my rod although I had it in my grasp to break my fall. It has a ding. Should of remembered to throw it. Broke my spinning reel few years ago that way.
Bummer, watch that ding though. I had a similar fall and a few days later my rod broke right when I was setting the hook in a large rainbow. Lost the fish and the fly, broke the rod, but I had a spare rod in the car. I'm sure that the rod was damaged in the fall but didn't completely fail until a few load-cycles later that week. Gotta love those life time warranties.
Falling is part of the fun, I've come to expect the dunk, nothing like dry cloths waiting for ya in the car after a good dunking.
What really sucks is when I'm walking downstream on a muddy bottom and I can't see the bottom anymore once the mud gets kicked up. Then I'm just praying there's no ledges or boulders ahead of me.lol
I fished Pitt under number three last year, great spot, but the rocks were so treacherous I passed up on staying for the evening hatch so that I could still crawl back up the dam with a broken leg if that were to happen. Wading was like walking on greased boulders while wearing roller skates with your eyes closed.
Congratualtions on your first fish. I'm a newbie fishing Putah, although I've been fly fishing all my long life, and I can assure you it is not easy.
For Putah and Pit, boots with cleats really work. If fact, I won't go in the Pit without them.
I was on the water this last Thursday with my son. It has been three weeks since my first visit to the creek and I was very surprised how the water had dropped, dropped and dropped some more. It made for easier wading but I sure caught moss.
Does anybody know when they start to release more water?
Congrats on the catch. It's always fun to nail one on a dry, I have been setting up on "foam piles" up and down the river as of late. Wherever you see a pile of river foam, chances are there's a few lurkers underneath. Drop your fy into the current above the foam and let it slide right on in...be ready to set your hook.
I did a slo-mo fall on the creek last week. Trying (not all the well) in semi deep water to hold on while twisting my boot into a rock pile on the stream bed at the same time.
Failed, got wet, had to throw the rod. Got up and looked around to make sure no one had seen me pull such a terrifcally stupid move ...then went back to my little pile of foam...with the 17' sitting underneath. That trout could care less how wet I was.
Regarding falling, I always carry a spare set of clothes in my car. I learned my lesson a couple of years ago. I had been fishin less than two hours when I hooked a good fish. I figured the surest way to land it would be to head toward shore into shallow water. Unfortunately between me and the shore was an underwater tree branch which I tripped on and fell forward. I took in COLD water into the top of my waders and had to quit for the day. The good news is I landed the fish and it was almost 19 inches.
