Small Stream Fishing in December

Greg and I decided to do some small stream fishing on Monday in hopes of maybe still catching some brook trout.  The temps here have been in the mid 50s during the day and at night dropping down into the low to mid 20s.  It was supposed to be in the mid 50s again on Monday so we figured we would have a shot at some of the brookies.  We agreed to meet at 11.

I met Greg at the appointed time at the small mountain stream.  While it is not really a secret where I fish or shall I say where this stream is, I would rather not let everyone know that there is a wild population of brook trout in a stream that looks like it couldn't hold any fish.  In fact I have never seen anyone else fishing it.  I know one other person who does fish it but not the section I fish.  So nice to have something all to yourself.  Especially when it contains wild, naturally reproducing brook trout.

We started leap frogging our way up the stream.  I would work a hole and Greg would work the next one.  Sometimes we would park and walk back down the stream to work our way back up it.  Other times, we parked and walked up stream.  It really depended on where we were.  Humpies were the fly of the day.  The colors we used were yellow and red.  Yellow was a little to bland and hard to see so we switched to the red. Size 14s for both colors were used.  I did have Greg try a BH Pheasant Tail Flash Back but he didn't get any strikes.  Usually when I fish this stream, I only fish with humpies.  They work like a charm.  I probably should try other flies but if it isn't broke, don't fix it right?

We spent about three or so hours fishing.  In the end, I landed 6 and Greg landed 4.  I am pretty sure we spent more time walking and driving than we did fishing but that was fine with me.  Greg actually caught his first brook trout too.  I had forgotten that last year when we came to the stream, he didn't catch anything.  I think he was pretty excited and got to check another species off of his list.  I managed to land a rather large older male.  I was working a pool and had already caught several out of it.  I was getting ready to move on and was pulling my fly in when I noticed a ring appear where it had just been.  I looked down and saw a brookie not five feet away from me.  I cast back out and hooked him.  I promptly lost him but on the next cast, I managed to hook and land him.  If you look closely at him, you can tell he is old by how dull his coloring is, size and the hooked jaw.  Really a good sized fish for this stream and probably one of my best brookies ever.

It was nice to get out so late in the year.  I had wanted to go again today but it is raining here in Maryland.  Go figure.  Maybe next week?

Photos:
Greg working a pool

Greg with his first brook trout 

Another nice brookie landed by Greg 

Here I am working a pool and actually fighting the brookie seen in the next photo 

Me with the "large" brookie I managed to land 

EDIT:

I forgot to mention how I finished the day off....with a nice and tasty cigar!