Hey everybody, greetings from the midwest. Spent the day on a popular metro area trout stream that runs through Redwing Minnesota (as in the boots). Here is my post from the MN TU page.
I made my first trip to Hay Creek, and just got home an hour ago. What a beauty! Arrived on the creek at 5pm and found the water level fairly low, and the water a light brown color with about 3 foot visibility. I was afraid with all the recent rain it would be running high especially considering the way the Cannon looked in Northfield, but it was perfect for fishing. Obviously since it was my first time I have nothing to compare it to, but judging from the bank it was running maybe a bit high. I found a spot to park right at the downstream limit of the fishing easement, and tramped into the brush. The first bend I came to had rising trout, and it appeared I had stumbled apon a pretty nice hatch. Could see shucks and emerging nymphs about size 16 and black floating near the surface. Also saw some small light olive flies about size 18 as well, and some brownish flies about size 16 floating downstream, wings upright looking like a classic dry fly is supposed to look. Removed the nymph/dropper combo I had tied on and switched to a 18 light cahil and took four fiesty browns out of that first stretch, though none over 10 inches. I saw some larger slashes upstream so I moved through that stretch and discovered those large slashes were made by a small fish (isn't that always the way it is?) who was not only small, but smart. Took me about half an hour to finally fool that little bugger who was holding in slower water, but in the end my cantaloupe sized brain finally triumphed over his acorn sized brain and I got the pretty little 8 incher to take my tiny fly. Moved upstream again in search of something bigger and coaxed a nine incher off a tree stump (technically he WAS bigger). Got a few more takes but no more fish to hand as I moved through the meadow stretch and into some thicker brush that kept trying to eat my fly. Every time I got a take I'd try to set the hook, miss, and fling my fly back into the brush and get snarled. Still, I'll take a day like today anytime. By the time I got back to my car the sun was setting, and I was smiling and happy I'd taken advantage of a break in the bad weather. Hay creek was much prettier than I had expected, and much fishier as well. What a gem!
Now the important stuff that they don't get...the pictures They may not be big, but they sure are pretty. Tight lines everyone.
