040415

Hard to imagine that I could go spend a couple hours on the river and have not one picture to show for it that anywhere near being in focus. Alas, it is true.
I headed out to the lower this afternoon for some solo fishing time, expecting wind to go with my late arrival. The breeze was cranking at 4-corners, but relatively calm out there for a change. I debated on putting on waders, but the river looked good and fish were rising. Beatis were hatching the whole time and fish were up throughout the shallows eating away.
It was a classic "happy day" for the fish with lots of bugs, just enough wind to put a little chop on the water, a little color to the water (not much), and overcast skies. I've never figured out if its the fish that are happy in those conditions or if it's the bugs that are happy, which in turn makes the fish happy. Either war, spring weather and clouds means BWO this time of year and today did not disappoint.
It was easily some of the best solo dry fly fishing I have had in a few years. Just about every fish I cast at, ate my fly. Mostly small fish on the 8-12 inch range with some pushing 16.
The only bad part to the outing had to do with another reminder of my failing eyesight. I remember always thinking people were funny when they would complain about how hard it is to see a size 16! The only way I could see anything today was to dress the fly after every drift with Top Ride. Thankfully, the fish were just as happy to eat a Size 14 Parachute Adams as they were to eat a size 18 BWO Thorax.
I'd get out there as much as one can while conditions remain consistent as we all know that the lake will churn up again, flows will increase soon enough, and the wind will blow. It's a great time to be on the lower Madison right now...