Fly Fishing Specialties Forum

Date Fished: 02/13/08
Air Temp: 56 degrees F
Weather: Clear and bright, none to slight wind
Water conditions: clear and low.  No ice in river and minimal snow on the banks.

Decided to hike up the broken dam section of the East Carson today.  I only had about 2 hours to fish, so I decided to only hike up to the first of the honey holes.  On the walk up I turned over many rocks and noted that there were tons of very small dark mayfly nymphs and a few smaller stones.  Decided to rig up with a #14 GR Hares Ear Soft Hackle as the top nymph and a #18 black Copper John as the dropper.  Water was pretty low, so I only crimped on an AA split shot.  I drifted all likely seams and slots with no activity.  Running out of time, I retied with a #8 Rickard's Seal Bugger and started pounding my way back downstream.  I got a solid hit on the bugger while it was still above me and dead-drift, but could not pull slack quick enough to set the hook and the fish shook off.  That was it for the day.

I did notice that there were 3 fly fishermen right at the dam, but did not get a chance to ask how they did.  I would not have chosen the dam to fish this time of year as you normally fish to stockers in that section of water and there have been no recent plantings in that section.  Maybe they know something that I don't.