 Bull Trout: A Deceiving Day Dream
Posted by keith on February 15, 2005
(5384 reads)
Outside my window a layer of snow has covered the world, a perfect day to tie up some flies. Half way through my second Deceiver my mind drifts to my first encounter with this fly. Until two year ago, my fishing life had consisted of hunting trout in Montana's fertile streams. I didn’t take long for the lure of Maine’s Stripers to catch me. But it wasn’t in the waters of the Atlantic that I first met Lefty’s indispensable creation. No, it was on a small stream, that I found my first Deceiver. And it wasn’t stuck in a bush along the bank! Rumors of incredible fishing had been floating around the area I lived. I heard things like; you wont see another soul on the water, it’s like fishing in Montana 30 years ago and the one that got my attention; 10- 15lb bull trout are in every pool. It dawned on me, they were talking about CANADA. It made sense, Canada isn’t far away, it is full of rivers, and bull trout fishing is legal. I packed my gear and headed north. The road paralleled a river, as I turned onto a bridge and I noticed a parking lot full of cars. But the rumors spoke of quiet streams where you were more likely to run into a grizzly than a person. I looked across the bridge, the road punched deep into
the mountains. I took it. A small pullout next to some water seemed promising. I jumped into my waders grabbed my six weight, my bear
spray and was off. It wasn’t long before I found what I was looking for. I slowly approached a pool and saw a rise. I pulled a handful of gorgeous 14-16” Cutthroats out of that pool before I looked down. When I did, I almost fell over. There was an orange glow deep in the pool and it looked as if the bottom was moving with the current. My eyes finally accepted that I was looking at a dozen 24-30” bull trout. Every so often a fish would show off its amazing spawning colors. I tied on the biggest fly I had, nothing. Was my fly big enough, deep enough? I realized these fish had been watching me for the last hour. About 40ft down stream the river formed a deep corner pool. I knew that it held big bulls too. I plopped a Zonker into the head of the pool and pulled in slack. In the belly of the pool my line stopped, no logs here! The battle began. Bull trout do not burn line off the reel or rocket through the air. They employ a steady HARD bull-dog tactic. Armed with 5x tippet I had only one advantage, the tail of the pool was narrow enough that I could block it off so the fish could not turn down stream. I knew this couldn’t go on forever. Then the fish bolted past me. I took chase and thought for sure that I had lost it. Luckily the fish rested in the first water deep enough to cover its back. I was in shock; I could clearly see the beast for the first time. I scooped the fish up with my puny net and ran to shore. As I laid it down I noticed something in its mouth. Deep within the jaws of this 30” bull trout was a white 1/0 Deceiver. I took both flies out, snapped a photo and set the fish free. I sat on the bank awestruck and looked at this huge concoction of bucktail and feathers and thought, damn they weren’t rumors! As I tie off the head of my own Deceiver, I think back to that day and wonder what amazing memories are in store for the coming season.
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Re: Deceiving Day Dream: It's A Bunch Of Bull
by kray on February 15, 2005 http://www.wyomingflyfishing.com | | Great story, I love the pictures, those bull trout look like a blast. Thanks for sharing |
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Re: Deceiving Day Dream: It's A Bunch Of Bull
by RickW on February 15, 2005 | | Wow, great story Keith. Days like that are what we live for. |
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Re: Deceiving Day Dream: It's A Bunch Of Bull
by greg on February 16, 2005 http://www.fliesandfins.com | | Great story and pictures. I have 4 trips to Canada this year, 2 of which will be across the St. Lawrence seaway for an adventure and 2 to Gaspe for Atlantic Salmon. It's only been the last 4 or 5 years that I've fished Canada, but find those places of natural beauty holding huge fish, but when you do, you never forget. Great story, thanks. |
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Re: Deceiving Day Dream: It's A Bunch Of Bull
by Pete on February 23, 2005 http://www.fishingjones.com | That might be some of the prettiest water I've ever seen.
For someone who fishes primarily in the New York City Metro area, your line "grabbed my six weight and my bear spray" really hit me. Fun story. |
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