Grannoms and Friends

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doubletaper
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2011/02/01 13:08:39 (permalink)

Grannoms and Friends


 
Grannoms and Friends


I met up with Rippinlip in the fly shop last April. He said that he could only fish a couple of hours because he had some work back home to catch up on. After we got our gear on, out in the parking lot, he headed to the falls and I figured I'de start off with a bunny leech right in front of the shop, being there weren't many others around yet. I knew Troutslammer was downstream somewhere so I didn't spend much time drifting the leech pattern. I didn't notice anyone getting strikes by their indicators but what I did notice was that there were a few subtle rises on the flat water before me. The rises were near other fly guys so I didn't get the chance to try for them but it did have me think'n. I finally waded out and headed down a bit.


The sun was high up shining its rays upon us warming the chilly morning a bit. The water of the Big N ran clear in the shallows but enough color in the deeper sections to keep us from seeing fish. The crowds weren't upon us yet but I figured once things warmed up a bit, fishermen would be showing up maybe to wet a line on this sunny early April day.

Before the bridge I had caught a couple of nice browns on dry flies before Mikastorm showed up along shore. After a greeting I handed him a container of flies and showed him what I was doing to make trout rise. He was apprehensive at first about tying on a dry, since nothing was rising, but I convinced him to give it a try. He tied on a dark elk hair caddis to represent the Grannoms and cast it into the flowing wavy run. It didn't take long for a fish to rise to his fly but he wasn't ready for it. The next rise he was able to hook the fish and played him to shore.

I let Mikastorm have the run to himself and started down creek where Troutslammer was teasing and catching selective trout. He was whooping and hollering with each one he caught on his dry imitation. I squatted in between two nymph fishermen and lamely tossed my caddis out into the flow of water. I missed the first couple of sippers. I wasn't sure if I was trying to set the hook before they took the fly, being I was able to see them rise to the surface, or they were just playing. I finally let one take it under and with a quick two count and rod lift a small rainbow succumbed to the rod pressure. We started to razz each other a bit but I could tell the guys I waded between didn‘t appreciate our fun. I finally waded to the bank and waded downstream.

Out, mid-stream, Nymphus and her husband were trying their luck also. I waded over to Nymphus and handed her a couple of the Grannoms I've been using. I was going to wade over to her husband but he was doing just fine as I watched him bring in a frisky rainbow.



Looking downstream the water ran vacant of any fishermen as if they 'knew' there would be very few fish, if any, in the long stretch of clear, semi-shallow water. Further downstream, past an outcropping of visible rocks, one fisherman was casting his line towards the far shady bank. Beyond him I could see a group of guys fishing the bend. I was in the mood for some solitary dry fly fishing and didn't care to walk very far to find another vacant area.

I started near the bank and cast out towards the middle of the stream before wading in any further. Slowly I made my way about 1/3 across the creek and there I stopped and made a stand.
At first I didn't notice the subtle swirls in the foot or so of water near the far bank. After studying the water flow, current shifts and slow eddies I discovered the risers. With accurate long casts and upstream mends a few of my dry fly drifts fooled a couple of them there rainbows.
I believe it was about 1:30pm when I started to feel the suns warmth and in turn it must have warmed the water a bit. This was when, at intervals mind you; swarms of Grannoms rose and fluttered around in small clouds about the water. At times a calm breeze would blow upstream carrying with it more clouds of congested flying Grannoms. Needles to say I was having a field day in catching trout on the dry. I soon figured out a system of producing more trout with less casting. When a full cloud of Grannoms blew in, even with trout rising around me, I concentrated on the few trout rising near the far bank where only a few Grannoms veered from the main body. It is no doubt harder to get a trout to rise to your foolproof imitation when so many other naturals are upon the water, therefore I cast to fish that have less of a selection. As soon as the Grannoms moved upstream I concentrated on rising trout mid-stream. With less competition on the surface my imitation was as good as gold to the trout that were still hungry. I only had to retie a new dry on when the former one would get so tore up that the wing was down to only a few strands of elk hair.




While I was enjoying myself I heard a fisherman wading towards me from the upstream bank. I turned and was surprised to see Rapala coming to visit. We chatted a bit and I showed him a few casting pointers and drag free drifts. He handed me a fat stogie before going on his way. I remember him mentioning that he was fishing with Riz earlier behind the shop. After Rapala left me alone I continued with my dry fly fishing and catching.




The later on it got the more I would see fishermen walking the trail up creek and assumed they were calling it a day. I looked upstream and noticed the gathering of fellows around Troutslammer had thinned out so I decided to join him.
I found the fish he was catching weren't all that selective with a good drift. We continued to harass each other loudly, as others looked on, like we were over-confident fly fishing slobs. It was all in good fun as we commented on how much bigger our own fish was than the others. (Of course I caught the biggest one though I'm sure Troutslammer wouldn't admit it!)





It wasn't long after that when we were practically the only ones on the creek beneath the descending sun. In the parking lot, under the night glow, we packed our gear and headed out towards home.

It was another day of being at the right place at the right time and being able to match the hatch. It also was nice to see some familiar faces on the water that April weekend.

___________~doubletaper

post edited by doubletaper - 2011/12/12 07:14:08

http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
it's not luck
if success is consistent 





#1

16 Replies Related Threads

    Skip16503
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/01 13:30:10 (permalink)
    Nice read Jerry  I thought reading that would warm me up...............................  NOT 

     



    #2
    rippinlip
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/01 16:59:37 (permalink)
    Nice....we should do that again this year.

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #3
    woodnickle
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/01 21:57:55 (permalink)
    I,ll second that!
     
    And its only Feb.!!

    #4
    rippinlip
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 05:37:03 (permalink)
    We don't have to wait till April.....we're all growed up now..

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #5
    rapala11
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 09:49:48 (permalink)
    i'll never forget that day. under the tutelage of riz, i caught my first stream trout on a fly. after he left, i stood and gabbed with mikastorm while he floated a nymph. jerry, i wasn't stalking, but i watched you casting and working your offerings for a good ten minutes before i came over to you. i learned alot by watching.

    in fact, i learned alot from everyone that day. rip, sorry we missed again on the water. will come a day........

    btw, joe had me tie on a dark elk-hair caddis, though i didn't understand why and caught my trout shortly after. prior to that, he must have caught 10. he put on an exhibition for the young guys fishing just up from us.
    post edited by rapala11 - 2011/02/02 09:52:40

    Joined: 10/8/2003


    #6
    doubletaper
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 10:46:21 (permalink)
    rap, i smoked that fat stogie after you left. i remember getting a cigar buzzz. that was some strong ceegar. thanks!!!
     
    i can't wait to hear what troutslammer has to say. he was out there picking off them gullable rainbows like a kid at a shooting arcade! heck, he was practically on top of them!!

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #7
    rippinlip
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 12:46:59 (permalink)
    We should all hook up net month.I need to get some supplies from the flyshop anyway.I already donated towards the stocking. Don't matter tho cause troutslammer will know all of the fish on a first name basis soon after. That boy covers ssome ground when he fishes! Can't wait.Rap, you should try to make more of the outings.

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #8
    rapala11
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 12:57:09 (permalink)
    rip, i was at to oil creek last year (you were under the bridge as i drove across it and honked), the last three or four one-flys and at shenango two years ago. i guess i am a bit of a wallflower .

    Joined: 10/8/2003


    #9
    rippinlip
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 14:02:23 (permalink)
    Or I need glasses

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #10
    rapala11
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 14:23:11 (permalink)
    nope, no glasses.......i am short.

    Joined: 10/8/2003


    #11
    woodnickle
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 14:44:06 (permalink)
    But stout!

    #12
    rapala11
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 14:51:35 (permalink)
    you mean.....fat . make me sound like a freakin teapot.

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    #13
    doubletaper
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 15:05:17 (permalink)

    http://streamsidetales.bl...015/05/helles-yea.html
    it's not luck
    if success is consistent 





    #14
    troutslammer
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 16:41:25 (permalink)
    kev was tearing em up below the bridge at the oil creek outing. At one point i hear keven holler "this sucks". i said "what happened kev" He says back to me in a loud disgusted voice " i lost my last stonefly that was killing em " I said "well i got a few stone flys let me come over and give ya one " old Kev knowing well that the stone fly he was using wasn't just any old stone fly it was doubletapers stone fly ! Kev quickly hollers over again and says with a little panic to his voice "I NEED TO FIND JERRY !" i smile and walked across the bridge opened my box and said here kev. he looks at me and smile and says "holly **** thats just like the one jerry gave me !" I said "no **** jerry gave me that one too !" lol We will definitely get together again this year to put the smack down on em ! can't wait !
    #15
    rippinlip
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/02 17:27:07 (permalink)
    Hah....good times. How about last year on Neshannock when you were killin them on the hares ear?

    You should have been here yesterday.............. Streams are made for the wise man to contemplate and fools to pass by [Sir Izaak Walton]
    #16
    dano
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    RE: Grannoms and Friends 2011/02/05 11:42:05 (permalink)
    You got me fired up, Gerry.
    I've only fished that creek once before and never new they had Grannoms.
    BTW, I keep forgetting we have a General Pennsylvania Fishing Forum and never realized how many good stories you've penned.
    Keep it up.
     
    #17
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