Met up with Aquaholic to float the Elk. We have been talking about floating it for some time and glad we finally got to. The trolling motor was a huge help, to get past less productive water in a hurry, and to try and out run the multiple floatilla's. Neither of us wanted to get on the water at the crack of dawn, so we met up there around 8:30.
I got there a little early, so I decided to check out the river from my usual spot. It's a nice drive through the country, the kind that mandates windows down and some good music playing.
Not sure exactly why this was here...
I arrive to find this....
Not what you want to see at a spot where the only other fishermen I have seen were fly fishermen. Oh well, time to head on down to the dam.
The water was low, which was a concern, but the scenery was still nice.
Given the low water, our goal was to fish productive (moving) water and motor through the calm water. I was dead set on fishing a terrestrial dry and dropping a small midge about 18" below it. Hunter went with a double nymph rig. For the first half mile or so, we had to dodge tubes, kayaks, canoes, wade fishermen, etc. When we came upon a nice run, we would anchor the boat, get out and fish it thoroughly.
The only problem with that is that as soon as we would get out and make that first cast, we would hear something in the distance. Quick! Get a couple of drifts and then step aside while the drunken rednecks slap paddles across the run.
It was entertaining though. We heard things like:
"Billy, where did you put the corn?"
"It's in the radio cooler."
"Do yall have any more beer?"
Hunter fishing a run....
We motor along, with a lot of water looking like this...
At this point, we had only fished 3 or 4 runs and Hunter hooked into several fish, landing a couple of bows. Time for some casting fuel and a lunch break.
After lunch, we get to another run that has a few fish rising. Just downstream of the fallen tree, fish were rising close to the bank. The cast was a difficult one to make. It was hard to get a good, drag-free drift over fast water casting into slack water. After several casts, my dry disappeared and I brought to hand a colorful little brown. He hit the dropper.
There were still fish rising and I continued to cast into the slack water, when a fish cleared the water, taking the hopper this time.
We couldn't get any more fish to cooperate there, so we motored on down to find almost every other area swamped with swimmers. On the last stretch before the take-out, I took off the dropper and just banged the banks with the hopper pattern. I missed a few violent blow-ups because I wasn't paying attention. Saw one small rainbow in slow motion rise to take the hopper, only to miss (him not me).
My last fish of the day was a pleasant surprise. I had heard that they put some in, but haven't caught one. It is now confirmed (via photographic evidence) that brook trout are indeed in the Elk. Not as good as the real thing, but I'll take it.
After I finally got the hook out, sent him on his way...
The water was extremely low, record lows even. The flow was just as bad. Typically it is 300-400cfs this time of year, I think it was 68cfs Saturday. The fish probably saw us way before we saw them. Needless to say the fishing wasn't off the charts, but the beer was cold, conversation was good, and I did get some fish slime on my hands.
I enjoyed it Hunter. We'll have to do it again soon!
Topic: Low water.... (Read 2889 times)