Fly Fishing The Red Rock River In The USA
September 8, 1992
Patty and I were up earlier (6.30 breakfast ) for the 1 1/2hrs ride to Red Rock a private stretch of spring creek water in which there are very large fish – saw photo’s last night of 2 8 lb fish being cradled by their captor.
A brief word one of the other guests at Craig Fellins lodge:
George McCullogh senior was a WW2 navy pilot operating from aircraft carriers and was shot down in the Pacific along with numerous other pilots. He was lucky and was rescued from the sea. The day after 22 pilots were beheaded by the Japanese. A really super old gentleman with a sharp wit. He and his wife Betty would like to visit RSA and have already done quite a lot of homework.
The fishing at Red Rock proved very difficult. The stream (actually the upper reaches of the BEAVERHEAD before the river is dammed to become the Clark Dam) is exactly what I imagined a spring creek to be: heavily weeded, open patches of gravel over which fish lay in a couple of feet of water.
Large fish in crystal clear water were holding in their feeding positions.
The day was characterised by a lack of insects hatching which results in the need to fish nymphs in the normal upstream manner when this was possible. In cases when it was necessary to cast up and across it was critically important to maintain a tight line to the fly and this was achieved by retrieving line even to the extent that the indicator was moved continuously by the retrieve ( even creating a small wake.)
The aim is straightforward – KEEP IN DIRECT TOUCH WITH THE NYMPH. The indicator was positioned right at the leader / fly line joint – Craig, when upstream nymphing, did not like indicators. He believe in watching the end of the fly line (treated to float well with Mucilin ).
With Craig’s help I fished to 2 trout lying next to each other in about 2 feet of water in a clear patch of water between weeds. Attempts were made to pitch the nymph sufficiently upstream (3 to 4 metres) to allow it to sink to the right depth as it approached the trout.
On 3 occasions the trout moved to the nymph.
Trout no.1 probably took the nymph and ejected it before moving off – I saw the indicator twitch and stuck but did not connect. Trout no.2 also moved and probably took the nymph (no indication or indicator) but ejected it. This trout took a second time and as it moved to intercept the nymph Craig shouted strike which I did and connected with a 3 lb Rainbow in marvellous condition – silver and deep bodied ( bite indicator did not show the take and shows how subtle many takes are). This was the only fish of the day and we had to leave early for the long drive back to the babysitter (Yvonne). There were a lot of big fish in the river but fishing not at all easy.
Saw a wonderful young Buck as we approached the fishery this morning and a large number of different birds of prey.
THE BIG SKY COUNTRY LEADERS ADVICE:
Use knotted tapers. Use indicator higher up leader rather than lower. If used at all. Use shot if necessary or preferably strip lead twisted in opposite directions (around knot) and crimped both ends.