The trout season opens one week from today, and I still have a few final steps to take to ensure I’m ready for it. Actually, I can’t start on opening day because of a commitment that weekend, but I have to be ready so that when an opportunity arises I can get out and get started, so today I started to get my gear ready.
Most of the tasks were simple, but when it came to attaching the tippet (small length of line at the very end, where you attach the flies etc.) I almost hit a wall. I thought fly line was thick, and very brightly coloured. Today I discovered that there are two other parts to the line, the leader and the tippet. These are the parts of the line that ‘present’ the fly to the fish, so they have to do so stealthily and invisibly, otherwise the fly looks unnatural.
That means they are both are transparent, freakishly thin and virtually invisible to the human eye as well, which presents a challenge to anyone trying to tie them together. There are a few different methods (knots) that can be used for this step though, and after several attempts at one method, I tried another and was able to finally connect them properly. Note to self: practice your knots.
Since it was still early in the day, I decided to go out and scout some of the potential spots that I had identified in the satellite maps, since they may be posted as private property or have other local access restrictions. I compiled a list of several areas within 1 hour’s drive, focusing on the Credit River, Silver Creek, Sixteen Mile Creek and Bronte Creek.
I won’t bore you with the details, but all of the sites turned out to be ideal; some brook trout areas, some brown trout areas, some that suited both. I’ve got several day’s worth of quality fishing all within a short drive, and I really am getting excited about fishing them all.
What I must say is this: The Credit River is a monster. Granted it had been raining for an entire day, and the water level was up approximately one foot, but even so, these waters are so fast and intimidating, they’re actually scary. I expect I’ll feel differently when there isn’t a run-off in progress, but even then I’m going to have to do some serious practice or it’ll eat me up.
So practice I will, and when the time is right, I’ll be up to the challenge.
Come Fly With Me 